A new contender for worst broadcaster of all time (Leah Hextall)

[AvsGuy]

Thing that chaps me about her working NHL games is that she is, in her own mind, immune to criticism - any critique of her job ability immediately becomes about her gender and therefore it’s invalid

Hire a competent, interesting, articulate woman with a normal, comprehensible vocal pitch, and I will back it 110% - they deserve every opportunity to succeed - Leah has had her opportunity and is demonstrably terrible

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Kind of like...what you are doing here?

yes. Because making a couple posts is exactly like a 20-page thread that is one of many on the exact same topic.

 

[D Wakaluk]

I too have my feelings hurt when I find too many posts on a message board. Please stop.

Leah is golden, I can't think of one person that has helped me this much in my hockey addiction.

 

[bsu]

Thing that chaps me about her working NHL games is that she is, in her own mind, immune to criticism - any critique of her job ability immediately becomes about her gender and therefore it’s invalid

Hire a competent, interesting, articulate woman with a normal, comprehensible vocal pitch, and I will back it 110% - they deserve every opportunity to succeed - Leah has had her opportunity and is demonstrably terrible

She is very entitled.

 

[tfwnogf]

It's up to the mods. Yes she's bad. But do we really need another 20-30 pages of people saying the same thing? We had this already. What's new to add to this discussion? Enough already.

I like checking this thread occasionally for new clips and "highlights" of her casting.

 

[Chips]

No, this is just her commentary. She acknowledges if the save is made it’s over before the player shoots.

You have it backwards lol. If Karlsson scores, it’s tied.


I dread the day she’s on the SCF broadcast as the PBP. She’s was awkward enough for the oilers games last year, I’m gonna be so bummed if i hitch myself to some western (likely) teams bandwagon and she calls all their big games in the conference finals


Do Canadian networks always do their own broadcast for ESPN games, or do they just tune in the feed for ESPN through to Canadian viewers? Like sometimes ESPN+ uses sportsnet or TSN feeds, but not when it’s and American national broadcasters game

 

[Mez]

Its

could she be less enthused about a nice deke goal in the shootout by Troy Terry?
wow

its like she was on her phone and looked up last second to comment on the goal.

 

[Vagrant]

the call of the shootout was one of my favorites of all time. it has far more comedic value than the outcome of the game. imagine listening to this on the radio.

 

[pbgoalie]

It's up to the mods. Yes she's bad. But do we really need another 20-30 pages of people saying the same thing? We had this already. What's new to add to this discussion? Enough already.

Maybe in hopes of making a change? This kind of media is not what a league struggling for identity needs. She, according to many, detracts from the product

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Ughh she’s so much worse than anyone else we whine about. Let me bend over backwards to double insist that I’m not sexist, I just prefer a dude’s voice because it reminds me of my absent father. Papa why aren’t you around. Papa why is the lady in the tv so sad.

Nah but srsly, she’s not very good. Not sure what this thread accomplishes, but aren’t there hockey personalities that don’t suck? Maybe try moving away from the nepotism?

 

[MBH]

If only people understood that the mute button on the TV remote would allow them to ignore Hextall, too...

Good announcing makes very good hockey great entertainment.
Bad announcing can spoil good hockey.
No audio? Sucks.
I think there are things Hextall does well and things she doesn't do well.
I also think ESPN has done a terrible job with audio levels. She's not very loud and is often hard to hear over the rink sounds.

 

[King'sPawn]

I think she's good in small spurts and fluff pieces - but I just don't think she's appropriate to dictate the pace and mood of the game.

That shootout commentary was as exciting as a day at the DMV.

Edit: and anyone who says my commentary is due to sexist reasons can kick rocks. I was fully supportive of her hire, growing women's voices in sports as well as women's hockey. And I'd be totally fine with trying to give another woman a chance at PbP.

 

[Steppin Razor]

Turn your sound up

First and last time those words will be uttered about a Leah Hextall broadcast.

 

[Quack Shot]

There should be an option to hear just the arena noises, and not the commentators. Then ESPN would get instant data on who people like to listen to.

 

[Suntouchable13]

We don’t get to hear her much up here in Canada, but I am still shocked at the clip from the shootout a couple of nights ago. She really did not know who was winning at that point? That’s unreal. She always that clueless?

 

[Satans Hockey]

There should be an option to hear just the arena noises, and not the commentators. Then ESPN would get instant data on who people like to listen to.

If you have a surround sound system and it's on 5.1 surround sound you can unplug the center channel and you'll just hear the arena noises.

 

[Rob Brown]

That shootout clip is pathetic. If that isn't enough to get her out of calling games then nothing will.

 

[bsu]

I think she's good in small spurts and fluff pieces - but I just don't think she's appropriate to dictate the pace and mood of the game.

That shootout commentary was as exciting as a day at the DMV.

Edit: and anyone who says my commentary is due to sexist reasons can kick rocks. I was fully supportive of her hire, growing women's voices in sports as well as women's hockey. And I'd be totally fine with trying to give another woman a chance at PbP.

Why would you be supportive of someone being hired with zero experience and only because of her name/family..... To the highest league in the world......

 

[57special]

You wonder whether ESPN should just run with it(her), and make their broadcasts full out, Sharknado level bad. There is a certain point at which bad, becomes good.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

You wonder whether ESPN should just run with it(her), and make their broadcasts full out, Sharknado level bad. There is a certain point at which bad, becomes good.

This was worse than Sharknado

 

[Machinehead]

Why would you be supportive of someone being hired with zero experience and only because of her name/family..... To the highest league in the world......

Almost every male working in hockey is hired because they're within the bubble of hockey and that's just normal.

She does suck at commentary and it's fine to say that, but it's only with Leah Hextall that people wanna fight nepotism, it seems like.

Again, she sucks, but so do the studio shows where Bissonnette, Messier, and Chelios give me CTE by proxy.

 

[bsu]

Almost every male working in hockey is hired because they're within the bubble of hockey and that's just normal.

She does suck at commentary and it's fine to say that, but it's only with Leah Hextall that people wanna fight nepotism, it seems like.

Again, she sucks, but so do the studio shows where Bissonnette, Messier, and Chelios give me CTE by proxy.

Play by play announcers usually have experience..... I'm not talking about between the glass or analyst's. Play by play requires a skill, the people you mentioned we just talk and share their opinions. You should be able to listen to play by play announcers and be able to tell what is going on even without video (radio).

 

[Mike C]

Turn your sound up

no no no

turn your hearing aid DOWN!!

 

[Quack Shot]

If you have a surround sound system and it's on 5.1 surround sound you can unplug the center channel and you'll just hear the arena noises.

I guess I’m getting surround sound for Christmas

 

[Machinehead]

Play by play announcers usually have experience..... I'm not talking about between the glass or analyst's. Play by play requires a skill, the people you mentioned we just talk and share their opinions.

But they do suck. And they're there because they played and because of who they know.

Coaches and GM's too. That's something that's rampant in the sport in general.

So when somebody says "I supported giving her a chance" that doesn't automatically contradict what they're saying. That's the norm in hockey.