Bob Cole

[Warden of the North]

Bob Cole could say nothing about the actual game in front of him and i would enjoy it far more then any other broadcaster. I dont care that he calls incorrectlyfrom time to time. His voice is the voice of Canadian hockey and a staple for decades

 

[ohheyhemsky]

I LOVE Bob Cole. Whenever he's brought up, it's always prefaced with "I know you guys don't like him," but for the most part, it seems like everyone enjoys him. His voice = play-offs hockey for me and always will. Perfect amount of timber and excitement when needed.

I wish we had more guys like him and less Romanuk and Mike Johnson. Yuck.

 

[hellstick]

As a Canucks fan, I'll take Hughson back for our regional broadcasts any day of the week. He's an improvement of Shorthouse, at least.

I love Bob Cole. He calls games with more excitement better than anyone. I couldn't care less if he barely know the players names anymore.

 

[Frelimo]

Couldn't care less that he gets calls wrong, I don't need the PBP guy to tell me what's going on. I like him because he makes every game and play sound important, and when you watch games with him doing PBP, you get a feeling that something that could be a classic hockey moment could happen at any time.

 

[nhlfan9191]

As a Canucks fan, I'll take Hughson back for our regional broadcasts any day of the week. He's an improvement of Shorthouse, at least.

I love Bob Cole. He calls games with more excitement better than anyone. I couldn't care less if he barely know the players names anymore.

It's not that he doesn't know players names, It honestly has do with his eyes or brain just can't process the game anymore. But he's 81, who can blame him? What makes it more sad is that his voice has hardly changed so there's a nostalgia factor to him still. But what good is it if he can't keep up with the play. Retire Bob. You're a legend.

 

[Warden of the North]

It's not that he doesn't know players names, It honestly has do with his eyes or brain just can't process the game anymore. But he's 81, who can blame him? What makes it more sad is that his voice has hardly changed so there's a nostalgia factor to him still. But what good is it if he can't keep up with the play. Retire Bob. You're a legend.

None of this matters. Hes still sounds like hockey should

 

[Muston Atthews]

Grew up on Bob Cole, Harry Neale and Joe Bowen. Love em all.

 

[Flamer12]

Who cares if he gets it wrong once in a while? Most of us can see what is going on. Does it enhance your enjoyment of the game if he pronounces all the names right? You likely know who he means. If not, you wouldn't be able to spot his mistake anyways. The man is a legend. The Foster Hewitt of a different generation. I bet many people who slam him watch the game TRYING to find a mistake.

 

[HighAndTight]

I'll take Bob Cole at 81 over Jim Hughson at any age every single day. I can't stand Hughson. So monotone, he puts you to sleep when you're watching a game.

That's just what happens when he's calling leaf games.

 

[Hynh]

My problem with him is that he's completely lost all the time and CBC has terrible production. CBC will focus the camera on the stick boy or some other useless part of the arena while something is going on and Cole will be rambling about how great Kaberle was.

My ideal hockey broadcast would have only arena noise and the occasional voice over informing me of things like players that are hurt and not returning, the details of penalties and so on. Not very thrilling or casual friendly but hopefully one day we'll have the option.

 

[Goose of Reason]

I love Bob Cole's voice, it's just hockey. There's no other way to describe it. Cuthbert is the next closest but nobody will top Bob. It doesn't matter to me that he gets names wrong, his voice is just the best. He could just sit there reading a knock knock joke book on air while a game plays and I'd still enjoy it more than Hughson. And let's not forget that he was damn near flawless during that one LA-Chicago OT game last year, that was one of the best games I remember in a while. He came up clutch during that game, shouldn't his playoff intangibles be worth something?

 

[WayneGreatzky]

A nice human interest piece on Bob Cole on Sportsnet.

I know a lot of you guys don't like him because he is too old or messes up names, but I love his calls. Makes me feel like a kid, even though I never watched hockey when I was one.

One of the last iconic voices left and a living legend in my opinion. I wish I could hear more of his games. Wouldn't that be something? Ooooohhh Baby!

Bob Cole is the greatest PBP announcer in the history of the game IMO. The voice of the playoffs for generations of fans. At 81 years old I think hes still holding up remarkably well

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I'm America so I didn't grow up on him the same way as you Canadians, but Bob Cole is the best. Every playoffs I watch the highlights of whatever series he's calling.

Still love those NHL videos I had as a kid like Masked Men and NHL Overtime. The Overtime one was especially great, almost every amazing call was Bob Cole.

I always love that one from the 1993 playoffs when Desjardins scored in OT and he's just like "Scores....DES..JAR...DINS!"

He has incredible timing with how he says "scores" It's always directly as the crowd is cheering, but not under the cheer. Like his words ride the wave of the cheer. He rules.

 

[KCC]

A nice human interest piece on Bob Cole on Sportsnet.

I know a lot of you guys don't like him because he is too old or messes up names, but I love his calls. Makes me feel like a kid, even though I never watched hockey when I was one.

One of the last iconic voices left and a living legend in my opinion. I wish I could hear more of his games. Wouldn't that be something? Ooooohhh Baby!

"Alot" is a few posters on a forum. It's such a small minority. Most people seem to either be okay with him or can live with it because he's a legend and it's better to enjoy him while we still can.

 

[Muston Atthews]

That's just what happens when he's calling leaf games.

No, I'm pretty sure it's every game besides Vancouver games

 

[revolverjgw]

Games feel way more important when he calls them. His voice is epic.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Bob Cole could say nothing about the actual game in front of him and i would enjoy it far more then any other broadcaster. I dont care that he calls incorrectlyfrom time to time. His voice is the voice of Canadian hockey and a staple for decades

This times a million.

Cole's voice is epic. Nobody comes close! Especially the next CBC golden boy Jim Hughson who sounds like he's holding in a giant crap at all times.

 

[winnipegger]

I love Bob Cole but the novelty is kind of wearing off ...

When the wild were playing Winnipeg he called them the "North Stars" several times, pbp guy just let it go no point in correcting Bob now.

 

[Crazy_Ike]

I LOVE Bob Cole. Whenever he's brought up, it's always prefaced with "I know you guys don't like him," but for the most part, it seems like everyone enjoys him. His voice = play-offs hockey for me and always will. Perfect amount of timber and excitement when needed.

This is what gets me. It's so WRONG. I mean, it used to be true. Heck he was probably the best ever at it at one time. But now? It's just... not. I never had much problem with him messing up names. Whatever. But I knew he had stayed too long when guys were getting point blank shots all alone in front of the net and he just plain misses it. "Excitement when needed"? No, not any more. He is having a ton of trouble following the play. Great chances go by without him changing his voice at all because he doesn't really see it, while he tries to make up for it by getting excited by meaningless things.

He really should have retired years ago. He is tainting my fond memories of him.

 

[daver]

Bob Cole is the greatest PBP announcer in the history of the game IMO. The voice of the playoffs for generations of fans. At 81 years old I think hes still holding up remarkably well

I'm sure this was said by those who grew up with Foster Hewitt or Danny Gallivan but that's hockey the way it should be announced.

That Leaf/Sens OT has to be the most exciting of all-time.

 

[KapG]

GOAT.


Should probably retire though :/.