2018 Offseason Thread

[Jimmy Leeds]

Agree. The 2 or 3 times I met him as a player I felt he was a major douche.  (I think it was his alcoholism)

Now, whenever I have the pleasure, he couldn't be any nicer.

 

***It didn't attach, but I am agreeing with jagknife about Dano***

Edited September 11, 2018 by Jimmy Leeds
Attachment didn't attach

[DevsMan84]

I remember Dano the player being alright albeit a bit cold.  There was a free autograph event back in the early 90's with him and MacLean at the old Chimney Rock Ice Rink (not to be confused with BSA) and Dano was a no-show.  Since his stint in rehab he has been nothing but nice in my interactions with him.

Regarding our announcers, I like everyone right now but Matt as our radio PBP guy.  I think he is a good interviewer and emcee at events, but he is terrible at calling plays on the radio.  He is always a solid 3-6 seconds behind the play and the guy can't bother to announce the score more than 1-2 times a period.

As for Thorne, the guy is an alright announcer, but man did he really piss me off with his blatant cheerleading for the Avs in 2001.  Even in 2000 him and Clement were acting like the Devils were beating the snot out of the Stars because of something the Stars weren't doing right, and not because the Devils might be, you know, the better team.  Finally, that call where Thorne really wanted that Friesen goal in game 7 of the ECF to not count was the cherry on top of the cake for him hating Thorne forever.

[MadDog2020]

13 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

I’ve met him numerous times as well. Always a great guy. 

Same. 

[LittleBallofHate]

WOW.  Bob McKenzie also tweeted this out so it's valid. 

BREAKING: Steve Yzerman told #TBLightning players in a meeting today he’s stepping aside as GM to be in advisory role, per source. BriseBois taking over as GM.

ETA: 

@TheFourthPeriod  Yzerman is in his final year of his contract and word is he's staying with the Lightning as a Sr. Advisor until his deal expires.

Edited September 11, 2018 by LittleBallofHate

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 hours ago, DevsMan84 said:

I remember Dano the player being alright albeit a bit cold.  There was a free autograph event back in the early 90's with him and MacLean at the old Chimney Rock Ice Rink (not to be confused with BSA) and Dano was a no-show.  Since his stint in rehab he has been nothing but nice in my interactions with him.

Regarding our announcers, I like everyone right now but Matt as our radio PBP guy.  I think he is a good interviewer and emcee at events, but he is terrible at calling plays on the radio.  He is always a solid 3-6 seconds behind the play and the guy can't bother to announce the score more than 1-2 times a period.

As for Thorne, the guy is an alright announcer, but man did he really piss me off with his blatant cheerleading for the Avs in 2001.  Even in 2000 him and Clement were acting like the Devils were beating the snot out of the Stars because of something the Stars weren't doing right, and not because the Devils might be, you know, the better team.  Finally, that call where Thorne really wanted that Friesen goal in game 7 of the ECF to not count was the cherry on top of the cake for him hating Thorne forever.

I don't know about the bolded...Thorne and Clement were actually giving the Devils a lot of praise in that series, talking about how both Elias and Sykora had given the Devils a new element (talent and speed), how in Game 2 that the Devils were so deep that they had Gomez and Mogilny laying in the weeds ready to contribute after going pointless in Game 1...they talked up Madden and Rafalski later...they were actually quite complimentary during that series.  He was cheerleading for Bourque and the Avs in 2001, but so was damned near anyone who wasn't a Devils fan.

The bolded is really more accurate about John Davidson during the 1995 Finals.  It was NEVER about the Devils...it was about how the Red Wings just weren't playing up to snuff...when they took that 2-1 lead in the first period in Game 4, you would've thought he pissed himself with happiness...then it was "Finally, the REAL Red Wings have shown up!"  It wasn't until the Devils took a 5-2 lead that iced Game 4 that JD FINALLY dared to heap any kind of praise upon the Devils...and even then, it was kind of begrudging at first.  He gradually warmed up to the idea of praising the Devils towards the very end of Game 4, but I never forgot how little credit he would give to the Devils for just about the entire series. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Just now, Kinkyisth3b3st said:

Oh my god. Matt as the radio guy gives me horrible anxiety. I didn't realize how bad it would be until I was commuting during games and listening to his play by play. You could ALWAYS hear the crowd reaction or stadium sounds a solid 5 seconds before the call. I'd be watching a home game and hear "awhhhhhhhhhh" and the organ start playing before he'd mention that the away team had scored. Last year during the Devils/Kings game I was driving from Miami to Orlando. I got in the car at the beginning of the second period, excited because I forgot that the Devils had an afternoon game. He didn't mention the score for the entire second period. This isn't even a joke. He finally mentioned it as they were going to the commercial break before intermission. I wanted to scream. 

Odd, re:  the lack of score mentions...you'd think someone above him reviewing his in-game work would mention that to him, as something worth correcting.

Yeah, there's been a couple of times where I didn't have my phone on me, and we were in the car, and I wanted to check the Devils score and hear a little of the radio broadcast, and after close to 10 minutes I'm thinking "Jesus H, can you just say the friggin' score already?!"

[MadDog2020]

 

[CommonDreads]

The Yzerman thing is very bizarre, wonder what the story is there but I imagine it’s something personal, if there’s any GM in the NHL that had job security it was him. Literally the best GM manning the best team right now, hopefully Brisebois can save the Eastern Conference and muck it up somehow.

Also glad to see the Rags waste a draft pick on acquiring McQuaid, McQuaid is not very good at all.

[MadDog2020]

Yzerman is going to Detroit the minute that contract expires. That’s my guess.

[CommonDreads]

6 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

Yzerman is going to Detroit the minute that contract expires. That’s my guess.

Either that or he wants the challenge of an expansion team? Seattle is going to need one at some point, maybe that could be the play as well.

[CommonDreads]

 

[MadDog2020]

6 minutes ago, CommonDreads said:

 

 

[NJDevils1214]

16 minutes ago, CommonDreads said:

 

This is weird to me. 

[Jimmy Leeds]

52 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Odd, re:  the lack of score mentions...you'd think someone above him reviewing his in-game work would mention that to him, as something worth correcting.

Yeah, there's been a couple of times where I didn't have my phone on me, and we were in the car, and I wanted to check the Devils score and hear a little of the radio broadcast, and after close to 10 minutes I'm thinking "Jesus H, can you just say the friggin' score already?!"

There was an old time Baltimore Orioles radio announcer (for like 50 years) and he had a small sand timer that he'd flip and every time it ran out, he'd say the score.

Probably easier with baseball I'd imagine

[DevsMan84]

59 minutes ago, Kinkyisth3b3st said:

Oh my god. Matt as the radio guy gives me horrible anxiety. I didn't realize how bad it would be until I was commuting during games and listening to his play by play. You could ALWAYS hear the crowd reaction or stadium sounds a solid 5 seconds before the call. I'd be watching a home game and hear "awhhhhhhhhhh" and the organ start playing before he'd mention that the away team had scored. Last year during the Devils/Kings game I was driving from Miami to Orlando. I got in the car at the beginning of the second period, excited because I forgot that the Devils had an afternoon game. He didn't mention the score for the entire second period. This isn't even a joke. He finally mentioned it as they were going to the commercial break before intermission. I wanted to scream. 

I 100% believe that.  I cannot begin to count the number of times I am driving in my car for 15-20 minutes straight at a time and Matt doesn't say the score once in that time.  First rule of being a radio PBP guy is that you have to understand the audience cannot see what he is seeing, so you gotta say simple stuff like the score pretty often.  Every other radio PBP guy says the score at least once every 2-3 minutes.

5 minutes ago, Jimmy Leeds said:

There was an old time Baltimore Orioles radio announcer (for like 50 years) and he had a small sand timer that he'd flip and every time it ran out, he'd say the score.

Probably easier with baseball I'd imagine

That's a smart idea.  Maybe I should gift one to Matt and include a small card with instructions.

[Satans Hockey]

Matt is pretty active on Twitter, if you guys messaged him something along the lines of "hey listen all the time in the car, is there any chance you can say the score more often during the game?" he would probably make a note of it. Just don't be a d*ck about it lol

Edited September 11, 2018 by Satans Hockey

[MadDog2020]

 

[mfitz804]

3 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

The bolded is really more accurate about John Davidson during the 1995 Finals.  It was NEVER about the Devils...it was about how the Red Wings just weren't playing up to snuff...when they took that 2-1 lead in the first period in Game 4, you would've thought he pissed himself with happiness...then it was "Finally, the REAL Red Wings have shown up!"  It wasn't until the Devils took a 5-2 lead that iced Game 4 that JD FINALLY dared to heap any kind of praise upon the Devils...and even then, it was kind of begrudging at first.  He gradually warmed up to the idea of praising the Devils towards the very end of Game 4, but I never forgot how little credit he would give to the Devils for just about the entire series. 

Imagine going back to the Rangers fan base after praising the Devils for a series and the reception he would've gotten. 

I get they are supposed to be impartial, but none of us would have been especially pleased if our guy did that for them either!!

[Jimmy Leeds]

4 hours ago, DevsMan84 said:

That's a smart idea.  Maybe I should gift one to Matt and include a small card with instructions.

Pretty sure it was Chuck Thompson. I'm looking for pictures in the booth where there is a sand timer

[mfitz804]

5 hours ago, DevsMan84 said:

I 100% believe that.  I cannot begin to count the number of times I am driving in my car for 15-20 minutes straight at a time and Matt doesn't say the score once in that time.  First rule of being a radio PBP guy is that you have to understand the audience cannot see what he is seeing, so you gotta say simple stuff like the score pretty often.  Every other radio PBP guy says the score at least once every 2-3 minutes.

That's a smart idea.  Maybe I should gift one to Matt and include a small card with instructions.

Will the card say “You’re so bad at your job that I believe you need part of a board game to do it effectively”?

[titans04]

1 hour ago, mfitz804 said:

Will the card say “You’re so bad at your job that I believe you need part of a board game to do it effectively”?

Absolutely if we're being honest.

 

Dear Matt:

Edited September 12, 2018 by titans04

[MadDog2020]

https://deadspin.com/steve-yzerman-is-leaving-tampa-and-hell-yeah-motherfvck-1828980312

[DevsMan84]

13 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

Will the card say “You’re so bad at your job that I believe you need part of a board game to do it effectively”?

In all brutal honestly, yes.  The guy is just a miserable PBP guy.

It's funny too because as I said earlier I think he is a very good interviewer and emcee.  I am somewhat hoping he will take over Deb's old job and someone else will be our PBP guy on the radio.

[MadDog2020]

56 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

In all brutal honestly, yes.  The guy is just a miserable PBP guy.

It's funny too because as I said earlier I think he is a very good interviewer and emcee.  I am somewhat hoping he will take over Deb's old job and someone else will be our PBP guy on the radio.

I wish we could get Don LaGreca, but I doubt it’s possible.

[MadDog2020]

We have Deb’s replacement- Erika Wachter: https://nypost.com/2018/09/12/devils-find-their-deb-placey-replacement/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons

Edited September 12, 2018 by MadDog2020