GDT: Hurricanes at Oilers
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Yeah, I don't know if this was era-dependent or what (a non-zero but very small portion of my life and fandom has been spent in the era where you couldn't reliably watch most/all games on TV), but my dirty little secret is that I basically faked liking Chuck the whole time he was here out of respect for how much of an institution he was.
I fully admit that the amount of words coming out of his mouth describing play in detail is absolutely a skill, and I'm willing to believe he was one of the very best at it. But frankly, you weren't getting all that much more info out of it than you can now by hitting "refresh" on some live boxscore on NHL.com or whatever. Sometimes the implication of a description like the above (note: not what BBA is actually saying but the unspoken implication) is that it's like "wow if I close my eyes I can totally see what's happening on the ice!" And like, no, you couldn't. Or at least I couldn't - maybe listening to a game on the radio is a skill in and of itself that some of the old timers here are better at than I am. The most I could ever get out of it is like "ok Ray Whitney carried the puck in. OK now Eric Staal has it. Cool." Not a criticism of Chuck so much as the medium I guess, but Chuck certainly didn't live up to the legend that has been created about him that he described everything in such detail that you knew exactly what was going on. You got the gist. Which is not remotely the same. And frankly, you got the same gist from John too. So the simulcast route made plenty of sense.
Nikishin Go Boom
Russian Bulldozer Consultent
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Tom D didnt cut John, he offered Forslund the same deal as everyone else. John felt he was worth more and left. for a TV announcer that seems fair.
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the whole issue with Forslund was that he wanted to continue to do national games even at the cost of local Canes games?
Which I completely understand if I were in his position, but also understand why Dundon wouldn’t prefer that.
Which I completely understand if I were in his position, but also understand why Dundon wouldn’t prefer that.
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I like John and do wish he was still here, but I tend to not listen to him anymore unless I have to (i.e. national broadcast or the other feed is Jack Edwards). Just seemed easier to move on as much as possible. He's not ours anymore and the lack of him hasn't really affected my enjoyment of the team much.
Anyway, go team, win gaem.
Anyway, go team, win gaem.
bleedgreen
Registered User
I feel like there was some of that in there but I don’t believe it was the actual reason. I was pretty sure it came down to dollars, I could be wrong though.
I was also pretty sure they were going to take a haircut, and that Tripp had to take a crappy deal to stay. Again, someone may have more definite knowledge. This is only my memory at this point. I definitely recall talking about Tripp being in a tough spot as someone who wanted to stay.
.....and I'm thinking there's a reason the Tom Dundon is a billionaire and those that subscribe to this statement, for the most part, are not....
Did/does John Forslund make $850,000 per year?
If not, then this line of reasoning falls flat. Dylan Coghlan is currently making that playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds. You know, to help develop Ryan Suzuki and Jamieson Rees or whatever. But mostly helping the St. Louis Blues develop their guys.
John would be doing more for the bottom line than Dylan Coghlan is lmao.
And I'm betting John was proven right that he was worth more on the open market.
And he went somewhere he is objectively worth more than he is in Raleigh. Seattle needed someone to help connect the community to the team and bring a new hockey market into the experience.
Forslund's been there and done that. He is exactly what Seattle needed.
on the "value" of an announcer: I will watch a national game longer if he's calling it because I enjoy his call that much.
You never know. Maybe Dundon is big braining us after all. Attendance is up, WAY up. We've been attributing that to having a winning team. Maybe instead it's because the alternative is staying at home and watching the current Ballys product??? 
A twist on the old "local blackout" practices of old.
A twist on the old "local blackout" practices of old.
bleedgreen
Registered User
I think John is probably in a much better workplace now, and I doubt he’s very upset about it vs just having a lot of emotions tied into his history here. He’s still emotional about the Whalers, he doesn’t like talking about it. That’s who he is.
I’m fine that he’s moved on, like a lot of players that have they’re in a better place and we moved on too. He wasn’t actually always my favorite play by play guy but he was like an old friend. His absence as the guy who keeps Tripp in check has allowed me to watch the games without our broadcast which has been personally to me a benefit and improved enjoyment night to night.
I don’t think there’s a reason to bemoan it now. It did teach us a few things about how this team does business imo. For better or worse. As long as they win enough people will say for the better.
I’m fine that he’s moved on, like a lot of players that have they’re in a better place and we moved on too. He wasn’t actually always my favorite play by play guy but he was like an old friend. His absence as the guy who keeps Tripp in check has allowed me to watch the games without our broadcast which has been personally to me a benefit and improved enjoyment night to night.
I don’t think there’s a reason to bemoan it now. It did teach us a few things about how this team does business imo. For better or worse. As long as they win enough people will say for the better.
John is what kept me watching during the ded years. I would hate to go through those times again with MM. Doubt I would watch as much.
Yep, this. I 100% support a focus on streamlining the operations of the team towards creating a winner, and you can't argue with the results thus far. And I like his approach to hockey ops regardless of who's calling the games, to be clear.
But if Dundon's publicly stated bet that he can sustain success by identifying market inefficiencies instead of going through the cycle of good/bad that every other team in the league does ends up not hitting for him, we will see how the team sustains the attention of the fanbase its created through future dark times.
ndp
Hurricanes Pessimist
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When it comes to PBP guys much like others without John I wouldn’t have watched nearly as many games as I did during the dark ages.
Mike seems like a great guy and all, but he’s lower-mid tier at best when it comes to calling games. Is it too much to ask that the PBP guy at least knows the players on his own team.
It irks me that he constantly calls plays for players who aren’t even on the ice, like multiple times a game. Twice last broadcast he called “Slavin clears the zone” and Slavin wasn’t even on the ice, hell it wasn’t even a defenseman who cleared the puck. And don’t even get me started with “BURNS SHOT RIGHT ON” that either crushed some poor guys shin guard or went 5 feet wide.
Please win game tonight.
Mike seems like a great guy and all, but he’s lower-mid tier at best when it comes to calling games. Is it too much to ask that the PBP guy at least knows the players on his own team.
It irks me that he constantly calls plays for players who aren’t even on the ice, like multiple times a game. Twice last broadcast he called “Slavin clears the zone” and Slavin wasn’t even on the ice, hell it wasn’t even a defenseman who cleared the puck. And don’t even get me started with “BURNS SHOT RIGHT ON” that either crushed some poor guys shin guard or went 5 feet wide.
Please win game tonight.
Joe McGrath
Registered User
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You don’t need to cut costs as much when you actually produce revenue.
Nikishin Go Boom
Russian Bulldozer Consultent
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Tampa said they weren’t interested because he wanted to do national televised games.
But we offered the employees the same deal where money was guaranteed but a lot of pay was dependent upon butts in seats.
Everyone else took it. John didn’t. Seattle came calling.
cptjeff
Reprehensible User
He had done the national televised games thing for us for a few years, missing a couple games a season to do it. We had been okay enough with that before, it wasn't a dealbreaker for us, though I don't think we ever liked it much. Not taking the same covid contract structure everyone else did was the dealbreaker.
Besides being a national quality PBP guy, John is a real down to earth guy, often would sit with us common fans down at the Ice House for practices. Just one of the fans. Tripp and Mike, not so much.
I will say, Mike has stepped up to the challenge, filling Forslands shoes was not an easy task. He still needs to learn to control Tripp's tendency to develop verbal Diarrhea during the game.
I will say, Mike has stepped up to the challenge, filling Forslands shoes was not an easy task. He still needs to learn to control Tripp's tendency to develop verbal Diarrhea during the game.
Derailed75
Registered User
Thats what I remember also. I dont think he was willing to take a pay cut for the games he wasnt on either.
Again I still like listening to John but Im not wishing for his return. He got what he wanted and Dundon has the team in a much better position moving forward and of course over the last few years.
All in all I am glad he was here for the turnaround.
You must not listen to many other local crews if you think Mike is mid lower tier. Hes is worlds better then most.
Variable pay aspect of “Butts in seats” would have paid off big time the last two years.
Nikishin Go Boom
Russian Bulldozer Consultent
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i believe that pay scale was only for the covid year but I could be wrong. we were at regular capacity by game 20 that season. I cant remember the exact game number.
Navin R Slavin
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It's not your money.
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Hyvää syntymäpäivää Suomi!
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