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We are starting something new over at TheHockeyWriters.com. Myself along with the other lead writer will be alternating answer questions for a weekly/bi-weekly Flyers mailbag. If you have any questions you'd like our thoughts on about the team, prospects, players, management, coaching, or anything else, feel free to post them in this thread and we'll do our best to answer them in our next piece. Thanks.
 
ShawnTHW said:
We are starting something new over at TheHockeyWriters.com. Myself along with the other lead writer will be alternating answer questions for a weekly/bi-weekly Flyers mailbag. If you have any questions you'd like our thoughts on about the team, prospects, players, management, coaching, or anything else, feel free to post them in this thread and we'll do our best to answer them in our next piece. Thanks.
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Thanks !Sounds like a nice addition to this Forum.

I guess I will start it off with a question. I grew up during the original " bullies" era, and heard about a year ago that former Flyer Ross Lonsberry was battling cancer. Though perhaps maybe you may be able to give an update on Ross, who in my view just might be the most overlooked player in Flyers history, he was a KEY component on those cup teams . Thank you.
 
I would love to hear the details behind Mike Emrick getting the axe from the Flyers back in the early 90s. I know his contract was up, and I think that's when they brought Gene Hart back for that 2 or 3 year stint, but he has strongly alluded in interviews to being shocked and/or somehow mistreated on his way out the door.

For the record, I'm a big Emrick fan and am happy to see him getting (mostly) props for his national work the last few years.
 
The Palm Isle said:
I would love to hear the details behind Mike Emrick getting the axe from the Flyers back in the early 90s. I know his contract was up, and I think that's when they brought Gene Hart back for that 2 or 3 year stint, but he has strongly alluded in interviews to being shocked and/or somehow mistreated on his way out the door.

For the record, I'm a big Emrick fan and am happy to see him getting (mostly) props for his national work the last few years.
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The Flyers wanted an announcer who would be identified with the organization. Emrick wanted an escape for certain Flyers' games to do national broadcasts not limited to hockey. IIRC, he was scheduled to do lacrosse or indoor soccer, too and also was an NFL announcer and involved with the Olympics. Ron Ryan was the Flyers' point man at the time negotiating such contracts. Salary was part of the dispute, too, which isn't uncommon for such ventures but the Flyers wanted a dedicated announcer for the schedule not someone who would be granted exceptions. Emrick held a grudge later when the Flyers said Hart was a more enthusiastic PxP caller and with that belief Hart returned to TV (as Emrick's replacement) from radio. It led to a shuffling of broadcasters. Bobby Taylor, Hart's PxP caller on TV and then radio, left the team and joined Tampa Bay TV where I think he is still employed. Hart struggled in his return as he aged and was eventually replaced by Jim Jackson.
 
Thank god he isn't still the Flyers commentator. It's bad enough listening to him screech on the national broadcasts.
 
MiamiScreamingEagles said:
The Flyers wanted an announcer who would be identified with the organization. Emrick wanted an escape for certain Flyers' games to do national broadcasts not limited to hockey. IIRC, he was scheduled to do lacrosse or indoor soccer, too and also was an NFL announcer and involved with the Olympics. Ron Ryan was the Flyers' point man at the time negotiating such contracts. Salary was part of the dispute, too, which isn't uncommon for such ventures but the Flyers wanted a dedicated announcer for the schedule not someone who would be granted exceptions. Emrick held a grudge later when the Flyers said Hart was a more enthusiastic PxP caller and with that belief Hart returned to TV (as Emrick's replacement) from radio. It led to a shuffling of broadcasters. Bobby Taylor, Hart's PxP caller on TV and then radio, left the team and joined Tampa Bay TV where I think he is still employed. Hart struggled in his return as he aged and was eventually replaced by Jim Jackson.
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Great insight here MSE ! Chief Taylor is still doing Tampa Bay game broadcast on the sunshine network here in Florida. Even though I live about 7hrs from Tampa way up here in NW Florida on the panhandle I get to watch the Tampa bay games on TV. Bobby is the color guy for the broadcast.
 
SgtJoseph said:
Great insight here MSE ! Chief Taylor is still doing Tampa Bay game broadcast on the sunshine network here in Florida. Even though I live about 7hrs from Tampa way up here in NW Florida on the panhandle I get to watch the Tampa bay games on TV. Bobby is the color guy for the broadcast.
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Was it Denis Potvin that used to be a color guy for one of the Florida teams before he joined Ottawa? If so I feel bad for you, that guy is brutal. He's on par with the Pittsburgh crew when it comes to homer's.
 
Curufinwe said:
Thank god he isn't still the Flyers commentator. It's bad enough listening to him screech on the national broadcasts.
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really. i can't stand him either. I don't get it with him. everyone sucks his wang like he's god's gift to the broadcasting world but i think he's horrible and he's insanely disturbing to look at when they do show him.
 
I love Emrick. He's got a whimsical sort of approach that really jives with a game that - let's face it - is as absurd as it is beautiful. And he loves the game.

MSE, thanks for the insight. One nitpick - I'm sure he has said that he expected his contract would be renewed, no questions asked, and was shocked when the Flyers walked away. I know he briefly did NFL and some other work, but I don't think it was by choice.
 
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