WJC TSN Deappreciation Thread

[Chuck28]

"The bad man punted Baxter.!!!!"

"Milk was a bad choice."

"I'm kind of a big deal, you know."

Love Anchorman. Like Ron Burgundy's pal Champ, I like to have a few cocktails, light a fire in someone's kitchen and take my pants off at Seaworld.

Night all.

Bob McKenzie knows Anchorman off by heart too? Wow, I love this man. Still doesn't make me like Pierre though

 

[QcS]

Pierre reminds me of those Hockey Canada commercials:

RELAX.. it's just a game.

He's be the worst kind of hockey dad.

 

[Jorge Garcia]

I like Bob Cole too, but he's not a color guy ranting and raving all game

I think Glen Healey would have done a much better job doing color for this game than P-Mac

I'm watchin the OTT/WSH game today and he's much more in touch with reality

Good God. Healey is maybe the worst sports broadcaster on the planet. Does no homework, knows only about the Leafs (and damn little about them, really), and combines a dull delivery with a complete lack of wit and insight. If you think he was good on the Ott-Wash game, I give up on you completely, my unfortunate friend. Pierre loves the sound of his own voice, but at least he also knows and loves the game. I have no idea why Healey has a job in TV.

 

[Malignant]

As a Brit I obviously don't have access to TSN on TV. However, I like to watch the video clips that are made available on the TSN web site, and have done for the last 18 months now.

The first person I saw when I started watching them was Pierre McGuire. Understandably my immediate reaction was "Jesus, are they all like this?"

Anyway, the only person on TSN that I hugely admire (and reminds me of a typical British pundit) is Bob McKenzie. I also liked Brian Burke before he was taken by Anaheim.

However, one thing that I don't think I'll ever get used to is the camera work during a discussion. In the UK if two analysts discuss something they look at each other whilst talking, whereas in North America they look at the camera rather than the person they're supposed to be talking too. It's as if they're trying to make the viewer involved in the discussion.

 

[JrHockeyFan]

Lol

Without flaming or personal stabs, what are some things that are just ruining the entire presentation of this tournament?
(I know theres a thread about TSN making it unwatchable, but thats mostly about the referees)

1. "That's what happens when you admire your pass!"
~P-Mac
Why: The guy just got charged/interfered, center ice. Why make excuses for the Canadian players who are crossing the line?

2. "Steve Downie threw Johnson off his game in the USA matchup"
~P-Mac
Why: Johnson got player of the game....how is that throwing someone off his game? If anything Downie made Johnson better!

3. The constant sob-story for Cam Barker and how he had Mono'
~Various
Why: He had mono for cryin' out loud! They are making him out like he survived leukemia! I had mono last year, lasted a week, it's a bit worse than a flu but its nothing to be making TSN headlines about. Give me a break.


Feel free to add what's ticking you off so far in this tournament.
(note: I hope this thread doesn't cross the rules. I'm trying to make no personal prejudices expressed, just board member opinions)

When you were off with mono for a week did you miss winning a gold medal in the WJC? CLUE: It is not the mono they are playing the violin about!

If you really were annoyed by the commentators you can just turn down the volume, like I usually do when Cole and Neal are doing a game.

The TSN coverage was fine. The High Def was great. I have no complaints.

 

[Larionov Fan]

Good God. Healey is maybe the worst sports broadcaster on the planet. Does no homework, knows only about the Leafs (and damn little about them, really), and combines a dull delivery with a complete lack of wit and insight. If you think he was good on the Ott-Wash game, I give up on you completely, my unfortunate friend. Pierre loves the sound of his own voice, but at least he also knows and loves the game. I have no idea why Healey has a job in TV.

While you are right, perhaps it is really unfortunate that this still leaves Healy miles ahead of Pierre. I mean, the guy is the biggest homer in the world. I honestly, where possible, have resorted to muting the tv. It's just his classic double standard... ie: Russian player takes a dive and he's a "big diver". Canadian player takes a dive in front of the net, and it's "how superpests play the game". I understand we're Canadians and want to root for our own team... but give the other team credit where credit is due.

 

[JrHockeyFan]

If If's and But's were candy & nuts..

How did he throw off his game if he was able to be Player of the Game? All Downie was capable of doing was getting Johnson's arm down his throat.

Ummm.....no he didn't

Being picked "US player of the game" is hardly categorical evidence of anything. Johnson throwing an elbow at Downie is clear evidence that he got under Johnson's skin to the point of risking ejection and suspension to do it. Anyway, your "point" is a minor issue anyway about one commentators opinion about one player in one game. If that is your top complaint . . .

As for the hand on the puck issue, you must have gone to the fridge or something because a soon as the replay came up from a side angle he did admit he was wrong and said so. The puck was lying just outside the blue when the player handled the puck. Again, if this is one of your biggest complaints . . . .

 

[Marconius]

You know what? If the commentary TSN provides pisses you guys off so much, mute your ****ing TV and turn on the goddam radio.

I think a lot of people did just that

HF is lucky enough to have Bob Mackenzie and Gord Miller go as far as to post on our boards. I wouldn't blame them if they conveniently forgot about this website's existence, and it would be the fault of immature and childish whiners who post and participate in threads like this.

God forbid we risk alienating the mighty Mackenzie & Miller through discussion. The only childish thing here is assuming someone will take their ball and go home if anyone DARES to say the broadcast coulod use improvement? Seriously, is this a concern for you?

TSN goes balls out to make sure Canadians can watch this tournament. No other country gives a rats *** about the World U20 Championship like we do, and if not for TSN, we wouldn't care so much either.

Some people keep saying how lucky we are as Canadians to even have this tournament broadcasted, so we should all shut our mouths and thank TSN for their act of unselfish charity. You think TSN goes 'balls out" out of some kind of loyalty to the Canadian people or some sense of National Pride? I've got news for you, television is a business and TSN is simply catering to its audience for it's own financial interest. Thus, if the audience speaks up about things they do not care for, such as MacGuire's ranting, perhaps things will change.

Additionally I fail to see how biased coverage can be excused due to the intended audience? First off, I'd like to think that Canadians are somewhat intelligent hockey fans and can see past the 'Rah Rah, Our team rules" rhetoric and simply appreciate quality hockey no matter who's wearing the jersey. Secondly, there is a huge difference between in-depth coverage and biased coverage. The in-depth coverage of the Canadian team is to be expected on a Canadian network broadcasting in the host country to a primarily Canadian audience. So things like additional Canadian hockey coverage during other games simply makes sense. This is NO excuse, however, for some of the brutal homerism we've witnessed.

 

[JrHockeyFan]

Hmmm

Same.

I mean, I'm Ukrainian, and was born here, and growing up was taught to hate Russians/Poles at my Ukrainian school.....but now I've crosseed over to the Russian's and cheer the underdog over the overrated Canadian team.

I just can't cheer for a team when the commentators are making them out to win every game, and that they can do no wrong.

Heck, I was even cheering for the freakin' Swiss this year!

Have you ever considered the simple fact that the commentators have absolutely nothing to do with the team? Root for whomever you want to, it is a free world. Just don't blame the Canadian team for your grievances against announcers like PM.

As for Russians being the under dog (?), they were one of the favourites along with the US going into this WJC. If anything the main topic about Canada was how they were a much less talented team than the squad last year. If anything they won through team work and hard work, hardly a matter of being "over rated".

Quite frankly the Russians were talking a bit too proud before the game how they would dominate the Canadian side. Certainly one of the teams in the final was over rated.

PS: Let's not pretend that "homer" announcers do not exist in every other country on the planet.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

For international fans complaining about TSN's Canadian bias...it's TSN, a Canadian station, broadcasting in Canada, for Canadian fans. The Canadian fans want to hear about Team Canada and what they do well. So of course it's going to be Canada-centric.

What pissed me off about the WJC had nothing to do with TSN; it was the Eastern-time-scheduling of all the games. Why the hell were they playing games at 4 freaking PM in the afternoon? People aren't even off of work at that point in Vancouver. It's ridiculous how we have to accomodate the Eastern time zone...bah.

~Canucklehead~

 

[BigE]

I think a lot of people did just that

Additionally I fail to see how biased coverage can be excused due to the intended audience? First off, I'd like to think that Canadians are somewhat intelligent hockey fans and can see past the 'Rah Rah, Our team rules" rhetoric and simply appreciate quality hockey no matter who's wearing the jersey. Secondly, there is a huge difference between in-depth coverage and biased coverage. The in-depth coverage of the Canadian team is to be expected on a Canadian network broadcasting in the host country to a primarily Canadian audience. So things like additional Canadian hockey coverage during other games simply makes sense. This is NO excuse, however, for some of the brutal homerism we've witnessed.

And you've never seen biased, "homerism" on any other network? I question, outright, your intelligence as a hockey fan if you believe otherwise.

It's a CANADIAN network! Listen to the Finns or Swedes sometime during an international competition and you're going to hear the same things.

But! Pigs will fly the day that a Russian, Czech, Finnish or Swedish announcing team rave about a Canadian player the way the Canadian guys did all tournament in regards to Malkin. Expectations being what they are/were, he deserved to be slammed in the final game - just the same way that Pouliot and Latendresse were all tournament.

McGuire was enthusiastic about Staal, Parent and Bourdon because they were excellent; notice that he was no less generous when speaking about Erik Johnson (Miller wasn't shy in this department either). Watch the Finnish game to see them raving about Korpikoski, and giving you the full story about Tukonen (the good and the bad).

They were honest and for the most part, on point. If they're guilty of anything it's being a little over-zealous, but for everyone.

Like it or not, Canada was the best team in the tournament, and rightfully so they deserved the accolades received. Had they been an outright bust like the American squad, they would have been ripped apart.

This whining is unbelievable.

 

[Marconius]

And you've never seen biased, "homerism" on any other network? I question, outright, your intelligence as a hockey fan if you believe otherwise.

It's a CANADIAN network! Listen to the Finns or Swedes sometime during an international competition and you're going to hear the same things.

But! Pigs will fly the day that a Russian, Czech, Finnish or Swedish announcing team rave about a Canadian player the way the Canadian guys did all tournament in regards to Malkin. Expectations being what they are/were, he deserved to be slammed in the final game - just the same way that Pouliot and Latendresse were all tournament.

McGuire was enthusiastic about Staal, Parent and Bourdon because they were excellent; notice that he was no less generous when speaking about Erik Johnson (Miller wasn't shy in this department either). Watch the Finnish game to see them raving about Korpikoski, and giving you the full story about Tukonen (the good and the bad).

They were honest and for the most part, on point. If they're guilty of anything it's being a little over-zealous, but for everyone.

Like it or not, Canada was the best team in the tournament, and rightfully so they deserved the accolades received. Had they been an outright bust like the American squad, they would have been ripped apart.

This whining is unbelievable.

So basically just because other netowrks are bad, this excuses TSN? I'm not saying its right in any case: Canadian, Swedish or Finnish, and frankly, I don't see what that has to do with the argument at all.

A serious network tries to give it's audience a balanced view of whatever they happen to report, sports, news, music. I had hoped TSN was credible enough to simply call the tournament in a balanced fashion. For the most part they did, but there were also instances of absolutely brutal homerism (IE: MacGuire's: "I'm Russian, I don't have to think about defence" comments regarding Malkin).

 

[anothercanucklehead]

Hmmmm are NBC, ABC, CBS or ESPN considered serious networks? If so, why are they not condemned for their EXTREMELY biased coverage?? Have you ever tried to watch Olympic coverage on any of those channels??? I have and I've never lasted very long because of the obvious bias for the US. If listening to the WJC broadcasts were anything like that for you Europeans, I feel for you. At least in Canada we have other (although few) alternatives to the American broadcasts. So for all of you, I guess it's put up with it or do without. But don't condemn us for having pride in our country. It could be worse ... it could have been only American broadcasts you had available to you lolol.

 

[Marconius]

Hmmmm are NBC, ABC, CBS or ESPN considered serious networks? If so, why are they not condemned for their EXTREMELY biased coverage?? Have you ever tried to watch Olympic coverage on any of those channels??? I have and I've never lasted very long because of the obvious bias for the US. If listening to the WJC broadcasts were anything like that for you Europeans, I feel for you. At least in Canada we have other (although few) alternatives to the American broadcasts. So for all of you, I guess it's put up with it or do without. But don't condemn us for having pride in our country. It could be worse ... it could have been only American broadcasts you had available to you lolol.

I don't understand why some posters believe that another networks poor/biased coverage of events excuses TSN? It doesn't. It's the same as getting pulled over for speeding and telling the cop that the car beside you was going just as fast, it just doesn't matter.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Sounds to me like most of you only have a problem with Pierre, so why bash the whole station?

I love TSN because it plays the WJC's every year.

 

[Westlander]

I don't understand why some posters believe that another networks poor/biased coverage of events excuses TSN? It doesn't. It's the same as getting pulled over for speeding and telling the cop that the car beside you was going just as fast, it just doesn't matter.

You miss the point. It's not about excusing anything, because there is nothing to excuse. TSN is not obliged to be completely neutral (they are not the United Nations Sports Network) and they can cover the tournament however they see fit. You don't have to like it.

 

[Canuck21t]

Hopefully TSN will realize this and we won't see Pierre Mcguire again. He's annoying and unprofessional.

What's unprofessional is the RDS team. You don't know how frustrating listening to RDS commentators when you know the answer; they often give wrong information! I don't know how many times they give out false information like rink size when played in NA. Just because it's an international tournament, they say that it's going to be a Olympic size rink. They mix up everything all the time. They're also quite biased and almost always overrate Quebec players. This year seems to be a big improvement at least.

 

[hossy316]

I don't understand why some posters believe that another networks poor/biased coverage of events excuses TSN? It doesn't. It's the same as getting pulled over for speeding and telling the cop that the car beside you was going just as fast, it just doesn't matter.

Are you related to Metallian??

 

[helicecopter]

First of all, i am thankful for TSN coverage of the WJC, for what i could see they did a great job for a junior tournament. I couldn't see highlights from other games, don't know if they didn't show them at all, that would be a lack if they didn't, and i think they broadcasted only some of preliminary round games (correct me if i'm wrong); But still, no European networks broadcasted WJC at all..
and that happens even when the WJC are not played in Canada..

Also, i liked Bob McKenzie and the other guy during the couple of intermissions i saw.
And i liked the impressive passion for the game Canadians (public and reporters) showed through this tournament.

The bad news came with Pierre McGuire.
Sure, he is informative, knows his stuff and shows great passion (and that's already an important start), but he soon became a pain in the neck while watching games with his bias and his favourites.

One curious thing i notice was during the USA-Russia game. The canadian fans cheering for Russia heavier than i expected and the Canadian commentator cheering for the US. His infatuation for the Johnsons was already disturbing and when mixed with his bias it brought up some pathetic stuff. A few days have passed and i don't remember the exact words, but it went this way:

Malkin stays out and dominate for two full shorthanded minutes..at the end of his LONG shift, in his last effort to cross an opponent while heading to the bench exhausted, he loses control of his stick and is rightly called for highsticking (actually 4 minutes i think).. McGuire jumps on him hard and crazy calling out his stupidity for such a dumb play.
Later in the game Jack Johnson makes a bad pinch at the wrong moment that results in a Russian odd counter attack (eventually a goal) and McGuire explains saying: that's the fatigue of yesterday's game!!

lol
two minutes on the ice shorthanded doesn't work for him to explain a Malkin highsticking while the game of the previous day it's the only reason why Johnson makes a bad decision/play

and after all his praising of Erik Johnson along the game he conveniently passed under silence basically all the BAD giveaways/turnovers he had in the second part of that game versus Russia.

Then his new cheap attack on Malkin on the Canadian goal..(like Malkin would not care playing defense ). Maybe he has a problem with Malkin? (perhaps in his brain he is battling the scary scenario that Crosby could not be the best player even on his own team?
note that i am a Crosby fan besides a Malkin fan; and note also i am not (should i say was not) a Pens fan)

McGuire is genuinely biased. The unfortunate thing is that despite TSN is a Canadian TV, it is the only way for foreign people to watch the WJC so foreign people are listening too.. and despite you can feel here and then his effort for be/look unbiased through some of his comments, he is not able to avoid to show his true feelings in some unfortunate circumstances, like when he bashed Lemtyugov (who btw showed to be a good one alone this tournament) without any reason, frankly an embarassing moment.