News Article: Al Trautwig taking a leave of absence.

[Zil]

I can’t stand Cohen.

Kinda flabbergasted someone can dislike Gary, let alone hate him. He's the best in the business and it's not close.

 

[ohbaby]

My point is that Kenny Albert is all business on the radio but meanders like the others when on TV, throwing in extraneous details instead of concentrating on the game. He's not nearly as bad a Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti (or even worse, John Davidson)

JD was the ultimate color commentator. I was always sad when the playoffs came around, because he had to leave his buddy Sam behind. JD did all the playoff games. They were such a great team. Never understood why Sam didn't stick with JD in the playoffs.

 

[Mike in Houston]

JD was the ultimate color commentator. I was always sad when the playoffs came around, because he had to leave his buddy Sam behind. JD did all the playoff games. They were such a great team. Never understood why Sam didn't stick with JD in the playoffs.

Because FOX had Mike Emrick, ABC had Gary Thorne, and NBC had Mike Emrick.

Sam worked with Joe Micheletti on the #2 FOX team during those years. And then he would do the SCF on NHL Radio for many years. So it wasn't like Sam just had to sit home and do nothing.

 

[Blueshirts777]

They likely make six times that much.

$50 to 60k was an entry level salary ten years ago and barely a livable wage in the five boroughs.

You really think Bill Pidto is pulling in 300k a year? Not a chance.

 

[The Mouth]

As a former PXP announcer myself and one who has hired several you may have heard of (Bob Costas, Eli Gold, Don Stevens) I have to disagree. The best announcers are always on top of the play. When Dave Goucher was the Bruins radio guy (he now does VGK TV) I thought he was one of the best. The Capitals guy, John Walton, is pretty good and so is Joe Bowen of the Leafs. Some people can do radio just like some are better suited for TV. On TV, you narrate the picture. It's a lot easier gig.

So on a scale of 1-10 what would You give Sam Rosen as a PXP in 2019 and Joe M. as a color guy at present?

 

[The Mouth]

For you real old-timers, there was Win Elliott on WOR-TV. I find it difficult to believe he wasn't drinking during the broadcasts.

Before my time, there was Monty Hall of Let's Make a Deal on the radio.

Yeah we had Monty on the show. He basically told me the main reason he got the gig because he was Canadian lol.

 

[chosen]

JD was the ultimate color commentator. I was always sad when the playoffs came around, because he had to leave his buddy Sam behind. JD did all the playoff games. They were such a great team. Never understood why Sam didn't stick with JD in the playoffs.

JD was great, but at some point he became reticent about criticizing some Rangers, especially Messier

 

[eco's bones]

Kenny Albert still the GOAT.

Have a huge amount of respect for him for the sheer amount of work he does. It feels like every day he is doing PBP for [insert major league sporting event here]. Dude never takes time off and is still great at what he does.

Actually I think his Dad Marv was even better. To me he was the best Rangers play by play guy ever and I liked his color guy Sal Messina too. But Kenny's kind of a chip off his Dad's block. He's really good at what he does.

 

[bobbop]

So on a scale of 1-10 what would You give Sam Rosen as a PXP in 2019 and Joe M. as a color guy at present?

Sam is great but aging. Was 8-9, now probably 6-7. Misses a lot.

Joe is smart but always sounds smug to me. Not my cup of tea.

 

[Edge]

You really think Bill Pidto is pulling in 300k a year? Not a chance.

More like $150-160K a year

Probably a split the difference. It's been a while, but based on broadcast standards and market conditions, I'd say $200-$225k per.

For example, anchors in much smaller markets than NYC are currently making in the $125k to $150k range right now.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

As a former PXP announcer myself and one who has hired several you may have heard of (Bob Costas, Eli Gold, Don Stevens) I have to disagree. The best announcers are always on top of the play. When Dave Goucher was the Bruins radio guy (he now does VGK TV) I thought he was one of the best. The Capitals guy, John Walton, is pretty good and so is Joe Bowen of the Leafs. Some people can do radio just like some are better suited for TV. On TV, you narrate the picture. It's a lot easier gig.

Wow that’s interesting, I didn’t know that. I’m trying to become a play-by-play announcer myself doing club hockey games for NJIT. I would love to PM on what you think basics of what a PxP needs to be terms of calling a game.

EDIT: Found Eli Gold doing PxP for the Birmingham Bulls of the SPHL

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Joe is smart but always sounds smug to me. Not my cup of tea.

I just can't remember Joe ever making me say 'Wow, good point' or 'Wow that's a good analysis of what happened'.

 

[Inferno]

You guys are harsh...imagine if you were stuck listening to jack Edwards...that would be rough.

 

[Ola]

I just can't remember Joe ever making me say 'Wow, good point' or 'Wow that's a good analysis of what happened'.

He never makes analysis like that. Not that I am an expert on the field, but I think he is really good at his craft. Sometimes I am really impressed with how he can summarize what happened on a play instantly after it was made when something odd occurs. How he can go back several steps and recollect how X happened that led to Y that led to Z which ultimately led to what everyone just saw. In short, its impressive how he can beat us to saying what the replay will show.

But for me, that don't add much at all. Its the more advanced breakdowns that are interesting. But I think that its important to remember that the guys of Joe's generation -- they basically played a totally different sport than what the game is about today. They have no insight into the Xs and Os of things. And they don't see it as there job to learn it and describe it to the audience. I am not sold on that approch, I just think they are selling the audience short. Its like MSG's extreme zoom strategy. It might test better short term, but you don't educate the audience and hence just get less knowledgeable fans and in the long run fans that are less "devoted", in lack of better words, to the game.

 

[sbjnyc]

JD was great, but at some point he became reticent about criticizing some Rangers, especially Messier

He actually talked about that during the roundtable last night. He laughed about how critics were always on him for that but he said he it was tough doing a broadcast for a team mired in losing and wanted to make it entertaining and not a crapfest on the players which he thought would be a turn off for viewers.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

You guys are harsh...imagine if you were stuck listening to jack Edwards...that would be rough.

He's actually entertaining and knows a decent amount about the game. Definitley more than Michelleti

 

[bobbop]

Wow that’s interesting, I didn’t know that. I’m trying to become a play-by-play announcer myself doing club hockey games for NJIT. I would love to PM on what you think basics of what a PxP needs to be terms of calling a game.

EDIT: Found Eli Gold doing PxP for the Birmingham Bulls of the SPHL

PM me anytime

Nice clip of Eli. I would stand next to him when he was doing games and I was amazed how quickly he could process information.

 

[bobbop]

Probably a split the difference. It's been a while, but based on broadcast standards and market conditions, I'd say $200-$225k per.

For example, anchors in much smaller markets than NYC are currently making in the $125k to $150k range right now.

I think that might be a little low for NYC. Pidto was established talent and a big hire for MSG

 

[Edge]

I think that might be a little low for NYC. Pidto was established talent and a big hire for MSG

Admittedly, it’s been a number of years since I had a reasonable approximation of their salaries.

I know there were a few guys who had lower contracts with MSG because they negotiated the ability to take pursue other opportunities that would more than make up the difference. The allure being that MSG gave them tremendous exposure.

But, this is going back 9 or 10 years ago at this point.

 

[RangersFan1994]

He actually talked about that during the roundtable last night. He laughed about how critics were always on him for that but he said he it was tough doing a broadcast for a team mired in losing and wanted to make it entertaining and not a crapfest on the players which he thought would be a turn off for viewers.

yea he did say all of this which now makes more sense then when we saw the team during the dark ages

 

[RangersFan1994]

i wonder what the difference that Joe makes from MSG compared to his work with NBC SPORTS or Sam from MSG to his Football games

 

[Kaapo Bustfreniere]

You guys should just be happy you have never listened to Czech commentary of NHL games (or did not understand if you did). Watching broadcasts in English is always a breath of fresh air, MSG in particular. But my standards are admittedly skewed compared to yours.

 

[romba]

He actually talked about that during the roundtable last night. He laughed about how critics were always on him for that but he said he it was tough doing a broadcast for a team mired in losing and wanted to make it entertaining and not a crapfest on the players which he thought would be a turn off for viewers.

Nice to see JD have a bit of a laugh about it and acknowledge what everyone complains about from that era and that it was a thing for him to deal with at the time. No backtracking, getting defensive, just owning up and having a laugh, my man.

 

[Levitate]

You guys are harsh...imagine if you were stuck listening to jack Edwards...that would be rough.

Edwards is a good play by play guy if he can keep the homerism in check. When it gets out of hand is when he gets annoying

 

[RangerLifer]

Sam is great but aging. Was 8-9, now probably 6-7. Misses a lot.

Joe is smart but always sounds smug to me. Not my cup of tea.

Sam and Joe have no chemistry whatsoever. I think Sam would be better off with someone else doing color. I wish they'd hire Duguay or someone like that instead of Joe.