Confirmed with Link: Cangy Stepping Down as Play by Play Announcer

[Devils090]

Remember boys it could always be worse

 

[My3Sons]

Remember boys it could always be worse

 

[MadDevil]

Remember boys it could always be worse

Yeah, we could have Arizona's broadcast team. Every time I hear them it's a combination of remembering the Thrashers (McConnell used to be their PBP guy) mixed with a dipshit in Tyson Nash.

 

[SKNJD9]

Remember boys it could always be worse

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

It will probably be either one of the two that did all women's radio broadcast. Kelly Schultz or Erica Ayala.

I'd actually be fine with Kelly. She actually has a background in this stuff and calls hockey games on the collegiate level. She's hardly 'underseasoned' as it were.

But we could just promote Erika and tickle all those boxes and have it still be familiar.

Or they could actually hire the best professional broadcaster available.

Apparently a foreign concept to media in 2022.

Thought the Devils fulfilled their woke obligation with Sherry Ross for all those years.

 

[NJDevs26]

He said he informed Fitz of his plan a month ago, so that does sound like his choice. But you're right, the last paragraph where he says "I wish that was me calling the goal" makes it sound otherwise.

And the last line makes it sound like they've already picked someone to be the new play by play commentator (and are just waiting to announce it), which is intriguing.

Eh it’s probably just workload related since he does love soccer and might want to branch out there more (especially with a NA World Cup in four years). Maybe there’s a family issue or god forbid a health issue, but this definitely wasn’t the team forcing him out.

 

[FooteBahl]

View attachment 551188

I don’t think I’ve ever heard her; is she as bad as everything I’ve read on here?

 

[NJDevs26]

Or they could actually hire the best professional broadcaster available.

Apparently a foreign concept to media in 2022.

Thought the Devils fulfilled their woke obligation with Sherry Ross for all those years.

So literally any non white male would automatically be a ‘woke’ choice for you? And who is the best available broadcaster? Don’t say Doc or Gary Thorne, the former is retired and the latter just isn’t doing a full slate of games anymore at his age with his problems pronouncing hockey names.

For every person like Doc or even peak Thorne, there are a hundred people who are just ‘whatever’, and most of the ones who are better than whatever likely stay at their current jobs, or go to something more appealing than a currently irrelevant NHL team in the shadow of NY.

We’re likely going to be disappointed or underwhelmed with the next person no matter who they pick because we’ve been spoiled. Even Cangi was an acquired taste but ultimately probably the only one who could have replaced Doc with any degree of satisfaction since he had credibility with the fans and clearly was invested in the team doing well. Plus he’s just better than Matt Loughlin and I like the guy too.

 

[Andre Palot]

Or they could actually hire the best professional broadcaster available.

Apparently a foreign concept to media in 2022.

Thought the Devils fulfilled their woke obligation with Sherry Ross for all those years.

Erika isn't professional? She's basically been in the Cangi role for a few years now. If anyone should be the natural successor, it's her.

You can bring up Bryce, fair. I think Bryce is over qualified and should be considered for something more important like an assistant role.

You can also bring up Laughlin and again, fair. I like Matt, but with all due respect. He's not any younger than Cangi nor do I see it as any significant improvement. I wasn't impressed with Matt when he called his one or two games this past season on television.

My definition of 'woke' apparently is different than yours. 'Woke' in whatever context this might be would imply hiring someone vastly under qualified because of their name, race or sex.

The names I have mentioned, and I say this respectfully because I don't want to go down some rabbit hole of a flame war, would absolutely not fit that definition.

 

[MachoDiablo]

So literally any non white male would automatically be a ‘woke’ choice for you? And who is the best available broadcaster? Don’t say Doc or Gary Thorne, the former is retired and the latter just isn’t doing a full slate of games anymore at his age with his problems pronouncing hockey names.

For every person like Doc or even peak Thorne, there are a hundred people who are just ‘whatever’, and most of the ones who are better than whatever likely stay at their current jobs, or go to something more appealing than a currently irrelevant NHL team in the shadow of NY.

We’re likely going to be disappointed or underwhelmed with the next person no matter who they pick because we’ve been spoiled. Even Cangi was an acquired taste but ultimately probably the only one who could have replaced Doc with any degree of satisfaction since he had credibility with the fans and clearly was invested in the team doing well. Plus he’s just better than Matt Loughlin and I like the guy too.

If I've got the routine down for how these ragefests over women getting jobs in sports go, the argument will likely go like this:
Teams all over the league have mediocre or even awful play by play guys, but since that's not "woke" it's ok and totally "normal"; if the Devils pick a woman and she's fine but not Emrick-levels right away it makes them "woke" and "unprofessional" and means they have "lower standards" or whatever other nonsense.

It's kinda funny how the argument always seems to be "I'm not against <insert underrepresented group here> getting <insert job here>, I'm just against THIS person getting the job!", no matter who actually gets the job and how good or bad they actually are. The baked in assumption is that "guy who looks/sounds like most commentators" automatically equates with "best person for the job", so anyone outside that paradigm is automatically suspect. Hell of a game the ragefesters play.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

If I've got the routine down for how these ragefests over women getting jobs in sports go, the argument will likely go like this:
Teams all over the league have mediocre or even awful play by play guys, but since that's not "woke" it's ok and totally "normal"; if the Devils pick a woman and she's fine but not Emrick-levels right away it makes them "woke" and "unprofessional" and means they have "lower standards" or whatever other nonsense.

It's kinda funny how the argument always seems to be "I'm not against <insert underrepresented group here> getting <insert job here>, I'm just against THIS person getting the job!", no matter who actually gets the job and how good or bad they actually are. The baked in assumption is that "guy who looks/sounds like most commentators" automatically equates with "best person for the job", so anyone outside that paradigm is automatically suspect. Hell of a game the ragefesters play.

This post in a nutshell defines "woke".

Hiring someone solely based on them being "underrepresented" (whatever the fungible definition of that is in 2022) is just as wrong as NOT hiring someone for the same reason.

Similarly, saying that there are so many mediocre (or worse) white male announcers - completely agree - why not hire a lousy announcer from some other group? - is equally flawed.

The idea is to provide your customers - the fans - with the best possible experience.

Period.

 

[RangerDoggo]

MSG hires the announcers, not the Devils. I have full faith that they'll hire someone qualified and good at their job. Between the four teams under their wing, they have some of the best crews in the NHL.

And stop with the stupid politically charged buzzwords.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Sherry Ross was on the radio for like decades before "woke" was even a thing. She was just really good at her job. I'd love to have her back.

 

[Saugus]

Erika isn't professional? She's basically been in the Cangi role for a few years now. If anyone should be the natural successor, it's her.

Interesting idea. I think of Erika more as the studio host, like Deb Placey and Chris Simpson used to be. I don't know if I've ever heard her call a game.

I wouldn't be opposed to it, I just don't know if that's something she is good at or even wants to do.

 

[FooteBahl]

I don’t know if it has been mentioned yet, but our tv with MSG ends in 2024. Does that impact who they’re considering one way or the other?

 

[Andre Palot]

Interesting idea. I think of Erika more as the studio host, like Deb Placey and Chris Simpson used to be. I don't know if I've ever heard her call a game.

I wouldn't be opposed to it, I just don't know if that's something she is good at or even wants to do.

Did Cangi call games previously? I could be mistaken? I know, as I mentioned previously, the other females I mentioned, at least one of them have called games on a collegiate level before.

But, you need personality as well. Cangi worked because in many respects he fit the role so smoothly once Doc left, a true student of the game. It came of seamlessly in his broadcasting style that you couldn't tell what his previous skill level was.

To me, that's also fits Erika. She has a great, on camera personality. She isn't boring, very lively, she isn't aloof like Deb was, she has had several seasons to get the seasoning from Cangi and Bryce and whatever is necessary to be promoted to this position.

This wouldn't be Sherry f***ing Ross, that comparison is just egregious. But you know, we could always go with someone like P.K. Subban who has been making his rounds on ESPN and is quite a character but he doesn't seem like a play by play analyst but rather a color commentator. P.K. should be replacing Mr. OH BOY

 

[Saugus]

Did Cangi call games previously? I could be mistaken? I know, as I mentioned previously, the other females I mentioned, at least one of them have called games on a collegiate level before.

But, you need personality as well. Cangi worked because in many respects he fit the role so smoothly once Doc left, a true student of the game. It came of seamlessly in his broadcasting style that you couldn't tell what his previous skill level was.

To me, that's also fits Erika. She has a great, on camera personality. She isn't boring, very lively, she isn't aloof like Deb was, she has had several seasons to get the seasoning from Cangi and Bryce and whatever is necessary to be promoted to this position.

This wouldn't be Sherry f***ing Ross, that comparison is just egregious. But you know, we could always go with someone like P.K. Subban who has been making his rounds on ESPN and is quite a character but he doesn't seem like a play by play analyst but rather a color commentator. P.K. should be replacing Mr. OH BOY

He did. Cangy was the fill-in for Doc when Doc had national broadcast obligations that conflicted. He also had play by play experience from doing soccer games for the Red Bulls.

I may be wrong, but I don't think Erika has that background. I'm not sure anyone else on our current broadcast team does.

 

[Satans Hockey]

It's funny, since when YES was first getting started and YankeeNets was still a thing, the Devils were supposed to be a part of that, since they were under the same ownership group to some degree for a bit.

Honestly, though, depending on how the next year goes I could more readily see SNY going for them, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a Mets fan. SNY is absolutely starved for consistent content beyond the Mets; they get some Jets coverage (little more than a weekly show) and some Big East stuff, but it's all minimal.

As of now, SNY is still largely owned by the Wilpon family, who, while they still owned the Mets, set up a sweetheart deal where the Mets get very, very little money in TV rights fees since SNY basically acted as a glorified Wilponian slush fund. Well, now that the Wilpons have sold the Mets to Steve Cohen, the feeling is that Cohen wants to acquire SNY next: it'd raise his overall bottom line as owner (not that he needs any more pocket change) for a host of reasons. Having another team that provides at least 82 regular games worth of coverage to that network would be a massive boost for it in a tough NYC marketplace.

I've done some cursory glances at the TV deals of the other teams in this area; the Yankees, Nets, NYCFC, and Liberty aren't budging from YES, obviously (Nets owner bought the Liberty recently), the Mets obviously stay on SNY, the Rangers and Knicks are super obviously not leaving MSG. Basically, if any area teams in any of the even remotely major sports are going to change broadcasting platforms it's the Devils, Islanders, or Red Bulls, and the Isles are with MSG for another good lengthy stretch of time, closer to the end of the 2020s (not sure on Red Bulls). I mean, I guess someone could try to woo the United NYC rugby team off MSG, but they're not exactly established yet...side note, I just learned I'm like a 10 minute walk from their field, I might go to their last home game tomorrow if the weather holds up.

So yeah, of all the teams in the area the Devils are the team whose rights are the soonest to come up for bidding/renegotiation, and they're one of the few teams that isn't anchored to one channel or another due to ownership. Harris and Blitzer had wanted to set up their own regional superchannel when they were bidding to own the Mets (would've been Mets, Devils, Sixers, and Steelers) but that obviously fell through. This leaves a few possibilities:

-MSG offers the Devils a ton to stay, since Dolan and company no doubt love cornering the market for NHL games in this region. This is basically what happened the last time the Devils' rights were up.
-The Wilpons remain cheap and don't offer the Devils a lot or get involved in bidding at all. ...I do not miss the Wilpons.
-The Wilpons DO decide to make an offer, since adding the Devils would increase SNY's overall selling value for whenever they give it up.
-Cohen acquires SNY ahead of time and looks to expand its offerings (would be the best chance of the Devils moving to SNY, most likely).

I'm just not too sure about YES getting the Devils unless they really expand into having a full time YES overflow channel, ala MSG with MSG+ and MSG2. You'd likely have a lot of conflicts with the Nets, NYCFC, Liberty, even Manchester City coverage. Not impossible, as I think I've heard of YES using an overflow channel before, but again SNY is in much more dire need of content than YES is at this stage, so I just figure they're in more of a position to try and outbid others. Again, MSG certainly has the motivation to offer a lot and remain this market's one shop for hockey, but we know how lacking the overall team coverage is there.

Random thought: if the Devils do move to a channel like SNY, I'd dig it if the Riveters got some air time, too.

I'm a Red Bulls fan but I know NYCFC has had their games either aired on tape delay while streaming on the app live when there are conflicts with the Yankees so I don't even know if they have even a temporary overflow channel or they simply choose not to use it for NYCFC. So unless they get a dedicated overflow channel I want nothing to do with them, SNY would have to get one as well, unless they already do? I'm not a baseball fan so I never even turn on either of these channels.

I don't see the Red Bulls bouncing to SNY unless they offer them a big contract though, MSG doesn't have much in terms of live summer programming and the crossover with the NHL/NBA season(when it's normal and not all changed around due to Covid) is really only March, the start of April and then Sept/Oct. The Red Bulls gives MSG something live to air during all those summer months when they don't have anything else besides the Liberty. I can't see them giving that up unless SNY blows them out of the water.

I hate the Rangers and Dolan and hate seeing the words MSG so I'm all for my two teams jumping to SNY.

 

[RangerDoggo]

I don’t know if it has been mentioned yet, but our tv with MSG ends in 2024. Does that impact who they’re considering one way or the other?

I'm not sure, but I hope we're out of MSG in two years.

 

[MachoDiablo]

I'm a Red Bulls fan but I know NYCFC has had their games either aired on tape delay while streaming on the app live when there are conflicts with the Yankees so I don't even know if they have even a temporary overflow channel or they simply choose not to use it for NYCFC. So unless they get a dedicated overflow channel I want nothing to do with them, SNY would have to get one as well, unless they already do? I'm not a baseball fan so I never even turn on either of these channels.

I don't see the Red Bulls bouncing to SNY unless they offer them a big contract though, MSG doesn't have much in terms of live summer programming and the crossover with the NHL/NBA season(when it's normal and not all changed around due to Covid) is really only March, the start of April and then Sept/Oct. The Red Bulls gives MSG something live to air during all those summer months when they don't have anything else besides the Liberty. I can't see them giving that up unless SNY blows them out of the water.

I hate the Rangers and Dolan and hate seeing the words MSG so I'm all for my two teams jumping to SNY.

Interesting, I had it in my head that I've seen a temporary "YES-2" or something pop up on my Fios channel list once in a while, but what you're describing sounds more accurate than me going by sheer recollection.

SNY wouldn't need an overflow channel quite as much, as mid-October through all of March would completely belong to the Devils if they were to go there, but they'd need something for years where there'd be Mets coverage during the playoffs (SNY hosts pre and post game coverage whenever the Mets qualify) and April/the first round of the NHL playoffs would be an issue. There'd definitely need to be a solution there; they'd like go the app route, too, but who knows, it's possible that a Steve Cohen-purchased SNY looks a good bit different from its current iteration.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

It will be interesting to see who they hire. It's going to take some time to get used to whoever they hire though.

I wish they would swap Salvador and Daneyko. Daneyko would be better for in-between the intermission and being down in between the benches. Salvador is so damn knowledgeable I wish he was our color commentator so we can hear from him more during the games. Salvador is pretty big on coaching it seems. I wonder of he is going to entertain the idea of coaching a junior team to start working his way up the ranks in hopes of working behind an NHL bench someday.

 

[NJDevs26]

It will be interesting to see who they hire. It's going to take some time to get used to whoever they hire though.

I wish they would swap Salvador and Daneyko. Daneyko would be better for in-between the intermission and being down in between the benches. Salvador is so damn knowledgeable I wish he was our color commentator so we can hear from him more during the games. Salvador is pretty big on coaching it seems. I wonder of he is going to entertain the idea of coaching a junior team to start working his way up the ranks in hopes of working behind an NHL bench someday.

Or go three man booth with Sal as our Ron Darling and Dano as the Keith Hernandez lol…of course it’s hard to find a Gary Cohen equivalent unless we fire up the Delorean and bring a younger Doc back

 

[MadDevil]

What's Bob Menery up to these days?

 

[JrFischer54]

how much you think he gets paid to call the devils?

 

[My3Sons]

how much you think he gets paid to call the devils?

A pack of Luckys and some free tickets.