News Article: Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick retiring from legendary NHL broadcasting career

[NYSPORTS]

I don't hate the guy but sometimes I find him annoying. I would take Sam Rosen and Gary Thorne over him any day.

Sam Rosen? Really?

 

[OrlandK]

Sam Rosen? Really?

Sad for Kenny that he's blocked by Sam, who is hanging on well past his due date. If Emerick supposedly (I never noticed) lost a few miles off his fast ball, what would one say about Sam. Sam's certainly an icon, and a class act, but how many times does Joe have to correct what Sam thought happened?

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Sam Rosen? Really?

There was a short period were I felt Sam got too old and messed up too much, but he's an absolute NY legend.

Now Michaletti has turned into an obnoxious homer and my guts churn when I see or hear him, so I like Sam a lot more again.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Sam Rosen? Really?

Yes, Sam Rosen. He may be getting older but guy was/is great.

 

[NYSPORTS]

There was a short period were I felt Sam got too old and messed up too much, but he's an absolute NY legend.

Now Michaletti has turned into an obnoxious homer and my guts churn when I see or hear him, so I like Sam a lot more again.

Yes, Sam Rosen. He may be getting older but guy was/is great.

eh, never got over Jim Gordon or some of the legendary broadcast voices. Never felt Sam had the great voice.

 

[will1066]

Sam volunteered to consume pizza on air. Doc never volunteered to consume pizza on air.

Conclusion: Sam > Doc

 

[NYSPORTS]

Sad for Kenny that he's blocked by Sam, who is hanging on well past his due date. If Emerick supposedly (I never noticed) lost a few miles off his fast ball, what would one say about Sam. Sam's certainly an icon, and a class act, but how many times does Joe have to correct what Sam thought happened?

i never noticed with Emerick losing it either.

Imo, there is nothing to like about the Penguins besides Mike Lange. Classy Ranger fans cheer for Mario and always liked Lange

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Sam Rosen? Really?

Sam Rosen doesn't announce the f***ing Lion King every game.

"SCARRRRRRR"

 

[Miamipuck]

I don't think Emerick is the best hockey announcer I have heard in my life there were a few I always enjoyed more. I am a long time Rangers fan and I didn't particularly care for him. If you want to say he's the best you ever heard, it's pretty subjective and I don't care to argue.

I think Dan Kelly was awesome, Sam Rosen was fantastic (lets face it he's over 70 and his best days are behind him), I loved Jim Gordon. Looking back Gary Thorne was a fantastic listen, although I couldn't stand Clement, he was a little bit obnoxious as I think he was looking in a mirror rather than a game at times. (Yes I am saying he loved himself)

 

[Boris Zubov]

Can't believe after 2 pages & 80+ replies, nobody has mentioned Emerick did radio play by play for the Rangers in the early-mid 80s on WNBC 660 (before it was WFAN). Had Sam not established himself in the TV booth so quickly, it could've been Doc as the voice of MSG for the past 35+ years. I never looked at him as the enemy when he moved on to ESPN or the Devils...he just took a better gig & ran with it.

I happened to enjoy his schtick, although I could see how some would find it grating...but you had to admire his genuine appreciation & love for the sport.

 

[Baby Punisher]

I have never been a fan of Doc. He has just been there so long that I tolerated him. Whenever the Rangers played the Devils in the playoffs or a nationally broadcast game I would switch to the radio feed. IMO Gary Thorne was the ultimate sports broadcaster when it came to hockey. No one made it more exciting than Gary Throne did when a big play happened, or a goal was scored. Dude was legendary and the sport suffered greatly when he stopped calling games. Doc calling a game in that high pitched tinny vaudeville voice sounded like a cat being run over by a garbage truck. It was quite cringe-worthy. God willing we get Kenny Albert in that spot.

 

[Inferno]

Good announcer...I didn't care for the waffle boarding way of speaking. Prefer Sam and jd in their prime. No better duo

 

[NCRanger]

Can't believe after 2 pages & 80+ replies, nobody has mentioned Emerick did radio play by play for the Rangers in the early-mid 80s on WNBC 660 (before it was WFAN). Had Sam not established himself in the TV booth so quickly, it could've been Doc as the voice of MSG for the past 35+ years. I never looked at him as the enemy when he moved on to ESPN or the Devils...he just took a better gig & ran with it.

I happened to enjoy his schtick, although I could see how some would find it grating...but you had to admire his genuine appreciation & love for the sport.

Not as the full time broadcaster.

The Rangers were on WNEW (1130) and then were moved over to WPAT (930) for the 1984-85 season. Couldn't even get that station at night. Then they went over to WNBC for 1985-86, and were there until WFAN kicked them off in the early 2000's.

Emrick did a few games in 84-85 when Marv Albert wasn't available, as he was employed by MSG to basically be a fill-in and the Devils broadcaster when they were on TV. Sam was given the Rangers job in '84, when Gordon was relegated to the Giants only. And being on a relatively unlistenable station, nobody actually listened to Emrick call the Rangers. If you remember, the Devils were on MSG, but only 30 games or so. Emrick was the Flyers broadcaster on PRISM with Clement, while Gene Hart and Bobby Taylor did their OTA games. Hart and Taylor were fans of the Flyer goon style while Emrick/Clement were more professional. The Flyers decided the fans liked the goon approach, so Emrick moved to MSG for a few years, before the Devils were picked up by Sportschannel.

 

[NCRanger]

I don't think Emerick is the best hockey announcer I have heard in my life there were a few I always enjoyed more. I am a long time Rangers fan and I didn't particularly care for him. If you want to say he's the best you ever heard, it's pretty subjective and I don't care to argue.

I think Dan Kelly was awesome, Sam Rosen was fantastic (lets face it he's over 70 and his best days are behind him), I loved Jim Gordon. Looking back Gary Thorne was a fantastic listen, although I couldn't stand Clement, he was a little bit obnoxious as I think he was looking in a mirror rather than a game at times. (Yes I am saying he loved himself)

I agree. Bill Clement became full of himself. He WAS excellent, until he felt he had a large enough following to start acting that way.

Listening to him during those Red Wings - Avalanche games in the early 2000's was painful. The fanboying of every single player on the "Avvvvvvs" was nothing short of insufferable. He was obviously a fan of that team, because he knew EVERYTHING about EVERYONE on Colorado, but didn't give other teams nearly the same analysis. I will say that he didn't cheer from the booth the way Pierre does for the Penguins, but just annoying in many different ways.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Not as the full time broadcaster.

The Rangers were on WNEW (1130) and then were moved over to WPAT (930) for the 1984-85 season. Couldn't even get that station at night. Then they went over to WNBC for 1985-86, and were there until WFAN kicked them off in the early 2000's.

Emrick did a few games in 84-85 when Marv Albert wasn't available, as he was employed by MSG to basically be a fill-in and the Devils broadcaster when they were on TV. Sam was given the Rangers job in '84, when Gordon was relegated to the Giants only. And being on a relatively unlistenable station, nobody actually listened to Emrick call the Rangers. If you remember, the Devils were on MSG, but only 30 games or so. Emrick was the Flyers broadcaster on PRISM with Clement, while Gene Hart and Bobby Taylor did their OTA games. Hart and Taylor were fans of the Flyer goon style while Emrick/Clement were more professional. The Flyers decided the fans liked the goon approach, so Emrick moved to MSG for a few years, before the Devils were picked up by Sportschannel.

Correct, he was the fill in for Marv, who was always traveling for other assignments, such as the NFL & the Knicks. I remember when I started going to games at MSG in 84-85 & 85-86, the Garden used to simulcast the radio broadcast in the concourses & the stairwells. Randomly, Emrick always seemed to be the guy doing the games I was at.

Good memory, I totally forgot about WPAT. Jim Gordon was so underrated for both the Rangers & the Giants.