NBC and the Peguins Love Affair

[Freddy Fog]

 I have to say this...sorry, but how obvious is the excitement shown by Pierre and Doc for the Pens over the Caps tonight.  Caps score shorthanded and all Pierre McGuire can say is how bad a play it was by Letang, Pens score on a 4 on 2 which dribbles through Neuvirth's pads after two deflections by the Caps defense and it is a loud resounding "SCORE"  oh my word...What a goal !!!"  Caps come back to score a goal later in the period, and Doc doesn't say that his patented "score" Just that, it was  "a nice triangle passing play".  He was barely excited for the goal.  I don't really care, because I guess it would be better if the Pens win instead of the caps, but I just bugs me the love affair Doc and Pierre have with the Pens. 

 

Anyone else see this or am I just wasted on a Wednesday...which isn't all that bad.

[doom88]

Ketel One and Belvedere have clouded my judgement.

[Phlyer1]

Even a deaf and blind person could see and hear that adulation add to that doc's hatred of the flyers and you throw in Eddie O and you have a Trifecta  of bias. Right on Freddy.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Phlyer1

[Samifan]

I keep expecting to tune into an NBC game and see Doc, Edzo and Lucky Pierre all wearing Penguins jerseys whenever they do a pens broadcast. Glad they were in Pittsburgh on Tuesday servicing Crosby and not announcing the Flyers Sabres game. Doc would have shown zero emotion on VLC's winning goal.

[fan4ever]

@Freddy Fog

 

I'm with you on this.  It is why I HATE watching games on national television.  You can say the Flyers announcers are homers, and they are, but the crap that those guys (and some others) spew is nauseating.  I couldn't stand watching too much of the game last night due to their 'announcing'.

[brelic]

Yeah, Pierre's love affair with the Pens goes deep.

 

I don't watch NBC games. Not just because of that, but mainly because I just don't like the way they broadcast hockey. So if I have no other choice (i.e. both feeds are showing the NBC feed), I'll just tune in to The Fanatic and listen to it instead. 

[B21]

 I have to say this...sorry, but how obvious is the excitement shown by Pierre and Doc for the Pens over the Caps tonight.  Caps score shorthanded and all Pierre McGuire can say is how bad a play it was by Letang, Pens score on a 4 on 2 which dribbles through Neuvirth's pads after two deflections by the Caps defense and it is a loud resounding "SCORE"  oh my word...What a goal !!!"  Caps come back to score a goal later in the period, and Doc doesn't say that his patented "score" Just that, it was  "a nice triangle passing play".  He was barely excited for the goal.  I don't really care, because I guess it would be better if the Pens win instead of the caps, but I just bugs me the love affair Doc and Pierre have with the Pens. 

 

Anyone else see this or am I just wasted on a Wednesday...which isn't all that bad.

 

Must have been the booze.

 

So Pierre saying a bad play by Letang leading to the Caps' first goal is an example of his Pens' love because....that's what actually happened?

 

On the Letang goal, were you so busy hoping for some shred of an example of Pierre's "Pens love" that you missed his analysis (complete with graphics) where he stated that the goal was a direct result of Backstrom pinching in the offensive zone when the other two forwards were caught behind the net? That and the lucky bounce into the net.

 

So Doc is louder on some goal calls than others?.  The shame.  I mean really - that's what you are making your case with? The same Doc who is just about as loud as can be on anything that might be a scoring chance?  God forbid one call might be louder than another.

 

Watch the game again. I'd say the loudest he was happened with OV's near miss of a wrister that almost tied it after Olli put the Pens up 4-3.

 

I've always wondered...when did Doc become a Pens' lover?  Wasn't born there. Didn't grow up there. Never worked for the Pens.  Oh wait - his first job was covering the Pens from 1969-71 for the Beaver County friggin' Times as an intern. There it is.  I mean - it's not like he was in the Flyers booth or studio for the better part of a decade or spent another 10 years doing Devlis games. (FYI - Beaver County to Pittsburgh is like Lancaster County to Philly).

 

At least Pierre won a Cup as a scout and coach with the Pens. You have an argument there. Olczyk was fired by the Pens. Call me crazy but Olczyk seems like a Chicago guy. Born there. Drafted by the Hawks. Finished his career with the Hawks. Has done Hawks games since 2006.  But he loves him some Pens.

 

Death, taxes and the Pierre/Doc/Pens thread after an NBC game.

[Phillygrump]

I don't know about any anti-Flyers bias in the broadcasts, but there is certainly a love affair with the Penguins on NBC. Its to the point where I won't watch hockey on NBC unless the Flyers are playing. Between that stuff and the way supplemental discipline is handled and its inconsistency I've lost a lot of passion for this sport. I only watch the Flyers and I used to watch any game. 

 

I just don't have as strong a love of hockey as I used to. I feel like it was stolen from me.

[Polaris922]

Stolen from you? Maybe by Snider.

Pens fans can't stand the NBC announcers any more than anybody else. They don't favor or slight us. They are disliked because of how the broadcast and things they say, and they're often as critical of the Pens as anybody. They certainly aren't homers for us, and any perception you have that they are must just be your natural rivalry dislike.

A lot if fans I know turn the volume down and listen to the radio as a matter of habit for NBC games. I would too if I could tolerate the timing offset.

[mojo1917]

Here's the think I think is funny about this.

 

The Penguins in spite of being godless puppy kickers, are: exciting to watch , have the game's best player and the game's 2nd to 4th best player, are an excellent regular season team, at the top of the standings, have Kris Letang's hair... why would anyone expect the league not promote them ?

 

I also don't get all the Pierre McGuire hate,  he loves the sport, and if  you all get up off him for a minute is good spokesman for it.  He follows the game he's broadcasting well, and when he's not broadcasting he's watching hockey at all levels.  I'm not his biggest fan but he's a fine broadcaster.

 

Emerick is one of the better play by play guys in all of sports broadcasting. I think he's been drinking his own bath-water a little and says some weird **** during a game , ie "ladled along for Malkin" but he's on point with his calls.

 

as for loving the Pens,  it's the NBCSC's premier broadcast, the wednesday night game,  they need to show some enthusiasm .  

 

people need to get over this, as long as 87 is playing for Pgh this will be the norm.

[Polaris922]

@mojo1917

As long as they have Crosby & Malkin, they'll have two extremely creative and dynamic players that do exciting things with the puck. I also don't see that as homerism, especially since they treat all the superstars that way.

I honestly think if they'd ignored the crap play by Letang, someone would've been saying "see? The love them so much that even when they screw up they pretend it was just a good play by Laich!!"

[B21]

Here's the think I think is funny about this.

 

The Penguins in spite of being godless puppy kickers, are: exciting to watch , have the game's best player and the game's 2nd to 4th best player, are an excellent regular season team, at the top of the standings, have Kris Letang's hair... why would anyone expect the league not promote them ?

 

I also don't get all the Pierre McGuire hate,  he loves the sport, and if  you all get up off him for a minute is good spokesman for it.  He follows the game he's broadcasting well, and when he's not broadcasting he's watching hockey at all levels.  I'm not his biggest fan but he's a fine broadcaster.

 

Emerick is one of the better play by play guys in all of sports broadcasting. I think he's been drinking his own bath-water a little and says some weird **** during a game , ie "ladled along for Malkin" but he's on point with his calls.

 

as for loving the Pens,  it's the NBCSC's premier broadcast, the wednesday night game,  they need to show some enthusiasm .  

 

people need to get over this, as long as 87 is playing for Pgh this will be the norm.

 

Thank God for you, Mojo.

 

I couldn't agree more on Emrick. I love hearing Emrick call a game...2nd only to Mike Lange.  No other announcer makes a game sound more excititng.  He's more than fair and knows hockey. 

 

Agree on Pierre, too. Don't love or hate.  I don't think he goes overboard in his praise but when you have a team as good as the Pens and players as good as Crosby and Malkin you are going to have a lot more good things to say than bad.  That goes for any play by play or color guy.  When you are 34-12-2 you are doing most things right and a broadcase is going to reflect that.

 

Of course, haters gonna hate. Whiners gonna wine.

[B21]

@mojo1917

As long as they have Crosby & Malkin, they'll have two extremely creative and dynamic players that do exciting things with the puck. I also don't see that as homerism, especially since they treat all the superstars that way.

I honestly think if they'd ignored the crap play by Letang, someone would've been saying "see? The love them so much that even when they screw up they pretend it was just a good play by Laich!!"

 

I loved that dopey analysis to start the thread but you are right...if the announcer kills Letang for the bonehead play then he's taking away from the Caps and must be biased towards the Pens.  If he does not point out Letang's bonehead play he is...well....biased because he did not point out the bonehead play.

 

SMH

[The Quigster]

After Gene Hart everybody since and present,except "Jonsie" has totally lacking in  basic skills. Too many "old boys"!

[fanaticV3.0]

What I would be curious to find out is if people are actually told to behave this way from their employers or it's just something they do, because they think that is what their employers want to see.

 

Melrose used to do the same sh!t back when it was the Avs, Devils, and Wings who were king. I'm sure he still does it today with whomever is good, but I don't know how often ESPN lets him out of his cage, so I don't actually see much of it.

[fanaticV3.0]

 I have to say this...sorry, but how obvious is the excitement shown by Pierre and Doc for the Pens over the Caps tonight.  Caps score shorthanded and all Pierre McGuire can say is how bad a play it was by Letang, Pens score on a 4 on 2 which dribbles through Neuvirth's pads after two deflections by the Caps defense and it is a loud resounding "SCORE"  oh my word...What a goal !!!"  Caps come back to score a goal later in the period, and Doc doesn't say that his patented "score" Just that, it was  "a nice triangle passing play".  He was barely excited for the goal.  I don't really care, because I guess it would be better if the Pens win instead of the caps, but I just bugs me the love affair Doc and Pierre have with the Pens. 

 

Anyone else see this or am I just wasted on a Wednesday...which isn't all that bad.

 

I can't stand McGuire, but I think Doc is one of the best in the business (and by that I mean all sports). I think he's an exciting play-by-play guy.

[TimKerrFan12]

Root Sports.....now there is insanely biased broadcast crew. I have to mute the TV or I would put my fist thru the screen.

[jammer2]

  Trying to be objective here....I do like how exciting Emerick makes a game sound....but that special gleam in Pierre's eyes whenever he talks about Crosby...if you can't see that, I don't know what to say.....as much as I dislike the obvious Pens love from Pierre, he is a VERY knowledgeable announcer, has amazing insight on the young up and comers and sees the game much better than a LOT of his counterparts. A lot of the stuff he says makes me cringe...ie "monster" etc...but in the end, his excitement for the game and his understanding of the game make him a special guy.

[B21]

  Trying to be objective here....I do like how exciting Emerick makes a game sound....but that special gleam in Pierre's eyes whenever he talks about Crosby...if you can't see that, I don't know what to say.....as much as I dislike the obvious Pens love from Pierre, he is a VERY knowledgeable announcer, has amazing insight on the young up and comers and sees the game much better than a LOT of his counterparts. A lot of the stuff he says makes me cringe...ie "monster" etc...but in the end, his excitement for the game and his understanding of the game make him a special guy.

 

Smarmy reply - I can't see Pierre's eyes since he's usually taking when the game is on...

 

Hey - some think people Pierre has a man-crush :wub:  on Crosby. I get it.  He has only good things to say.  Then again, how often does Crosby make a bad play that needs to be addressed during a broadcast? Maybe once every 4-5 games?  When you are as good as Crosby...check that...when you are that much better than every other player on the ice you are going to stand out in a good way and that is going to be talked about by the play-by-play guy, the color guy and the short, bald guy in the space between the benches. Crosby also happens to be on the ice an awful lot as well.

 

I've heard Pierre gush about other star players, too.  Gotta do better than a twinkle in the eye though. :blink:

[B21]

Root Sports.....now there is insanely biased broadcast crew. I have to mute the TV or I would put my fist thru the screen.

 

Jackson and Dornhofer say "hi".

 

I had the pleasure of going to college and living in Philadelphia during the Lindros/Legion of Doom era and 90% of the games I saw on TV were Flyers games. I even interned with the Flyers & Comcast Spectacor.  I was one of those college kids selling the bricks you could pay to have your name engraved into and then included in the plaza around the CoreStates Center.

 

Staggy is bad. Errey is OK - not as bad as is often said.  Edwards is awful. I'm sure there are others who are bad.  But of all the NHL announcers I've heard with any regularity I can say without a doubt or without any bias that Jackson and Dorney are/were just as bad as Edwards.  Just about every time a Flyer was hit hard it was "questionable" and probably should have been a penalty - per Jackson and Dorney.  Of course, any big hit made by a Flyer was a big legal hit never worthy of a penalty. Every penalty called was incorrect short of the opoosing player lying unconscious on the ice and even then.....(hyperbole to make a point).

 

They couldn't even call the fights - the Flyer either won handily or it was a "draw".

 

Thank God for Keith Jones.

[sarsippius]

I think there's no doubt that the NHL/NBC are going to promote the best player in the game and that utterly hatable team she plays for, but whether it's overboard or not is for someone with more objectivity than me to judge. I mean seriously, every time I see that horse toothed goofy jackass's face I want to slap a baby, so I am no position to judge whether the NBC is rooting for the Pens....but it would also seem obvious that the Pens are better ratings draw, so......

[JackStraw]

I don't think Pierre's infatuation with Crosby has anything to do with a Pens bias. He was equally infatuated (if not more so) with Mike Richards when Richie was a Flyer. He's a little creepy (ok, a lot creepy) but I like Pierre for the reasons jammer pointed out. His passion for the game is obvious and he's a fountain of knowledge, especially regarding juniors.

Doc I just can't stand. Don't think he's biased, it's just all that screaming and the overly creative vocabulary.

[quack_attack]

Im just exhausted from hearing the word 'great' come out of Melroses mouth... four out of five times the words ' is/has been/will be/playing... great' shows up twenty eight times in a small paragraph.

[Polaris922]

Im just exhausted from hearing the word 'great' come out of Melroses mouth... four out of five times the words ' is/has been/will be/playing... great' shows up twenty eight times in a small paragraph.

Metrosexual is an idiot. Lol. Funny... I typed Melrose but the iPhone changed it to that! Lol

[flyercanuck]

I don't think Pierre's infatuation with Crosby has anything to do with a Pens bias. He was equally infatuated (if not more so) with Mike Richards when Richie was a Flyer. He's a little creepy (ok, a lot creepy) but I like Pierre for the reasons jammer pointed out. His passion for the game is obvious and he's a fountain of knowledge, especially regarding juniors.

Doc I just can't stand. Don't think he's biased, it's just all that screaming and the overly creative vocabulary.

 

That's my problem with Doc. The words and phrases he uses doesn't even sound like hockey to me. 

 

I shudder to think there's people who have grown up with him commentating on hockey and think "Elevators it" or "waffleboarded away" or "knifed" or "honed" or .....well, I could go on, but that those words are actually hockey terminology. 

 

Imagine watching a football game to this" The squid is shunked to the mainman, he digresses back, elliptically rusing his way out of exigency. He emancipates the baconjacket downmeadow to his beneficiary who acquires the tally-ho! 

 

That's how I feel when Emerick calls a game.