Insulting fans' intelligence

[NJDfan1711]

Agreed on pretty much every point Hasan made.  A very well written article - and I can only hope and pray it somehow makes its way to the Devils' brass.

 

I'm especially disappointed in the broadcast team this year.  I get Dano's new and that there are going to be growing pains - but my God, he's terrible.  I've been watching away feeds for the past few weeks, just to avoid his rambling and yelling into the mic.  Johnny Mac is, yaknow, terrible.  Deb is an eyesore - mostly because she talks strictly out of one side of her mouth.  It's just.. everything about the Devils just irks me now.  Which sucks.

No offense, but I think you're talking about some pretty insignificant stuff.  Maybe I just look at it from another viewpoint because I'm no longer in the NY-NJ area and therefore don't take games and anything Devils-related for granted, but I couldn't give two sh!ts who the off-ice personality is (i.e. Deb between faceoffs and commercials, or the other chick with Johnny Mac during intermissions, etc).    Also, sure the color commentary duo has a little impact on the game and how you watch/listen to it, but we were really, really spoiled with Doc for so many years.  I remember thinking and saying it several times when he was our guy, that we had the best announcer in the league, and I said that without any fan bias whatsoever. Sure enough, a few years later, he's plucked away and starts doing national broadcasts.  So I think it's really unfair to compare Dano/Steve to what Emrick brought us for so many  years, but with that said, I'm way more interested in the product on the ice than who is doing the play by play.  Hell, so many times I'll be watching the game on my laptop in the bedroom while my wife is watching a soap opera or another show and I'll just mute the thing so we don't have two things playing at once, so I don't even need sound at all to enjoy and watch the game.

 

Also, I absolutely hate it when I have to watch away feeds from other teams.  There are WAY worse options out there than our guys.  The Penguins guys are particularly awful, as are most of the Canadian announcers (Vancouver comes to mind as being almost unwatchable/unlisten-able)

[DJ Eco]

Good read, took the words out of my mouth.

 

Although, I don't feel as strongly against the broadcast team as some of you do. Steve isn't bad, he has a good voice for the job, and doesn't have much to work with in terms of actual game entertainment. These games are BORING. Even Doc might've struggled to entertain... Only one I agree with is Dano, I'm just not sure his voice is suited to be the second in command. Deb I don't mind, I think she gets a bad rap...

 

Our senses of this stuff are only heightened because how bad the team is, otherwise I don't think most people would have a problem with the broadcast team.

Edited February 16, 2015 by DJ Eco

[DevsMan84]

In regards to the current TV broadcast team, I cannot blame Steve, Dano, John and Deb to still keep mentioning that the Devils still have a shot (albeit a really long one) to make the playoffs.  This current crop of broadcasters are company guys (I guess people with Deb in there).  They know the Devils have no shot in hell to make the playoffs but as long as they are not mathematically eliminated they will tow the company line of saying the Devils still have a tiny shot at making it.  If you go and ask Dano on twitter about his thoughts on the team he is much more up-front and honest than on TV.  They are there to entertain us as well as inform us and to say that the Devils are playing out the string in January would make it even more depressing.

 

That said I really don't understand the big criticism of our TV team.  I really do think Steve is average (not great but not bad) as the PBP guy and while he has his sayings (sharp angle shot!, shat...scar!, etc.) but compared to the other 29 TV PBP guys in the league I would say he is pretty much smack dab in the middle.  Some are really just unlistenable and either over-do it or under-do it.  Dano, outside of his voice not meant for TV I think is pretty good and not as homerific as he was on HNL and the pre-game shows.  Deb is just alright and am kinda disappointed in Johnny Mac as I thought he would just bring more substance to the table.

 

If you really want to hear a train wreck then listen to the radio broadcast.  In no way is Matt a PBP let alone a radio one which is harder for hockey.  He is always more than a few seconds behind the play and doesn't get that he needs to announce the score and time more than just going into the few commercial timeouts per period.  Sherry provides zero insight to the game as it is going on and I often refer to her as Captain Obvious.  The funny thing is that lately I am driving into games more and more and so I listen to their post-game show and they are actually really good at that (go figure).  Matt and Sherry both have flashes of being brutally honest and insightfulness and wish they would do that more often during the actual game.  It's really like Jekyll and Hyde.

[CMONPETEYD]

When was the last time the Devils brought in an asset for the future, or a significant draft pick?  I can't honestly remember! 

[Marv4Life]

Glad people are starting to see the light. As long as that old man is in charge this organization will never progress. Any normal team will fire their GM and president for years of ineptitude on and off the ice so let's find out if ownership is normal.

Clean house. Except for one or two players at most no one is untouchable.

[RunninWithTheDevil]

In regards to the current TV broadcast team, I cannot blame Steve, Dano, John and Deb to still keep mentioning that the Devils still have a shot (albeit a really long one) to make the playoffs.  This current crop of broadcasters are company guys (I guess people with Deb in there).  They know the Devils have no shot in hell to make the playoffs but as long as they are not mathematically eliminated they will tow the company line of saying the Devils still have a tiny shot at making it.  If you go and ask Dano on twitter about his thoughts on the team he is much more up-front and honest than on TV.  They are there to entertain us as well as inform us and to say that the Devils are playing out the string in January would make it even more depressing.

 

That said I really don't understand the big criticism of our TV team.  I really do think Steve is average (not great but not bad) as the PBP guy and while he has his sayings (sharp angle shot!, shat...scar!, etc.) but compared to the other 29 TV PBP guys in the league I would say he is pretty much smack dab in the middle.  Some are really just unlistenable and either over-do it or under-do it.  Dano, outside of his voice not meant for TV I think is pretty good and not as homerific as he was on HNL and the pre-game shows.  Deb is just alright and am kinda disappointed in Johnny Mac as I thought he would just bring more substance to the table.

 

If you really want to hear a train wreck then listen to the radio broadcast.  In no way is Matt a PBP let alone a radio one which is harder for hockey.  He is always more than a few seconds behind the play and doesn't get that he needs to announce the score and time more than just going into the few commercial timeouts per period.  Sherry provides zero insight to the game as it is going on and I often refer to her as Captain Obvious.  The funny thing is that lately I am driving into games more and more and so I listen to their post-game show and they are actually really good at that (go figure).  Matt and Sherry both have flashes of being brutally honest and insightfulness and wish they would do that more often during the actual game.  It's really like Jekyll and Hyde.

 

we've been such a spoiled little rotten fanbase for so long

[DJ Eco]

That said I really don't understand the big criticism of our TV team.  I really do think Steve is average (not great but not bad) as the PBP guy and while he has his sayings (sharp angle shot!, shat...scar!, etc.) but compared to the other 29 TV PBP guys in the league I would say he is pretty much smack dab in the middle.  Some are really just unlistenable and either over-do it or under-do it.  Dano, outside of his voice not meant for TV I think is pretty good and not as homerific as he was on HNL and the pre-game shows.  Deb is just alright and am kinda disappointed in Johnny Mac as I thought he would just bring more substance to the table.

 

I agree, at worst, our team is middle of the road when compared to the rest of the league. Cangelosi's voice/range is fairly above par in my opinion, while his "personality" so to speak may be slightly below par. But he's young and relatively new, that personality will come. There are some very low-pitched monotone guys out there that I'm lucky we don't have.

 

One broadcast team that surprises me is actually Philly's, I really really like Jim Jackson and Keith Jones isn't bad as CC. And inversely, I can't stand Pittsburgh's or Boston's; most people can't. I don't rate the Rangers' or Islanders' team much better than our own, but that may be just an MSG thing. It's not easy to just go out and recruit a complete outsider to the team and corporation, when you look at it like a team trying to get a "free agent" lol which is what it is essentially.

Edited February 16, 2015 by DJ Eco

[Triumph]

When was the last time the Devils brought in an asset for the future, or a significant draft pick?  I can't honestly remember! 

 

Loktionov, so that was 2 years ago.  It didn't work out but they were willing to give a young forward a chance.

 

A significant draft pick - well if you count the Arnott deal as a wash (since they gave up a 2nd to get him and got a 2nd back for him), you have to go back to 1998 when the Devils got the final 1st round pick and took Scott Gomez.  But that's just how it goes - the Devils have been in win-now mode for 20 years or possibly longer.  It's just the natural cycle of sports.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Triumph

[Devil Dan 56]

when was the last time i brought up Parise? 90% of the time it's always you guys bringing it up Zach after something i post. Honestly.

 

We all know what "lose them for nothing" is code for. There's plenty of things people don't like about Lou, and a lot of us want him to move on. You're the only one that turns every single free agent signing or trade thread into it. 

[HellOnICE]

Glad people are starting to see the light. As long as that old man is in charge this organization will never progress. Any normal team will fire their GM and president for years of ineptitude on and off the ice so let's find out if ownership is normal.

Clean house. Except for one or two players at most no one is untouchable.

Yup years of ineptitude. Finals were 3 years ago. Teams wish they could be as inept at that. That doesn't mean Lou has no fault, etc - but come on - lighten up. 

[vadvlfan]

I watch other TV (Center ice) and radio (XM) feeds often . Our folks are no worse than any other team out there.  Is "homerism" the worst trait announcers can have? If that's the case

we're not all that bad. 

 

I too could care less about the TV/radio crew. Seems like people are finding fault with everything.  These are not good times for Devils fans, but look at how long we've been fortunate and pinch ourselves being proud Devils fans. 

 

I feel good about ownership, Goaltending, our young D corp. Find the good my friends!  We've got a lot to look forward to. 

I think Lou could fix this by taking himself upstairs (like Holmgren did) and turn the keys over to a new GM and revamp scouting dept. start climbing out of the hole

[Marv4Life]

Yup years of ineptitude. Finals were 3 years ago. Teams wish they could be as inept at that. That doesn't mean Lou has no fault, etc - but come on - lighten up.

I meant off the ice as well as on it. PR, marketing, etc. The finals run was a fluke and window dressing. Four out of five years of missing the playoffs and before 2012 not making the 2nd round in a weak eastern conference since 2007. It's not too farfetched to call this period "inept" for this franchise's standards, or at least quite mediocre is it?

[Triumph]

I meant off the ice as well as on it. PR, marketing, etc. The finals run was a fluke and window dressing. Four out of five years of missing the playoffs and before 2012 not making the 2nd round in a weak eastern conference since 2007. It's not too farfetched to call this period "inept" for this franchise's standards, or at least quite mediocre is it?

 

For this franchise's standards?  If anything these last 9 years should teach you that the Devils aren't special.  No franchise is - not the Red Wings either, though they're pretty darn good.  This season and 2010-11 are the only seasons I would characterize as inept.  It's the natural cycle of sports.  What's sort of remarkable about the run that NJ had was that they really only had a few picks in Lou's reign way high up, and one of them was via trade.

[Devilsfan118]

No offense, but I think you're talking about some pretty insignificant stuff.  Maybe I just look at it from another viewpoint because I'm no longer in the NY-NJ area and therefore don't take games and anything Devils-related for granted, but I couldn't give two sh!ts who the off-ice personality is (i.e. Deb between faceoffs and commercials, or the other chick with Johnny Mac during intermissions, etc).    Also, sure the color commentary duo has a little impact on the game and how you watch/listen to it, but we were really, really spoiled with Doc for so many years.  I remember thinking and saying it several times when he was our guy, that we had the best announcer in the league, and I said that without any fan bias whatsoever. Sure enough, a few years later, he's plucked away and starts doing national broadcasts.  So I think it's really unfair to compare Dano/Steve to what Emrick brought us for so many  years, but with that said, I'm way more interested in the product on the ice than who is doing the play by play.  Hell, so many times I'll be watching the game on my laptop in the bedroom while my wife is watching a soap opera or another show and I'll just mute the thing so we don't have two things playing at once, so I don't even need sound at all to enjoy and watch the game.

 

With all due respect, I obviously care about the on-ice product first and foremost - but that doesn't make the other areas of the Devils entertainment 'system' insignificant to me.  We apparently watch the Devils in two very different ways..I enjoy the insight the PBP team should bring to the game, I prefer to not watch the game on mute.  Either way works obviously, to each their own and all that.  But I think that's why this broadcast team might not bother you as much as it bothers others and myself.

 

Doc was one of the best, and he definitely brought the best out in Chico.  We were spoiled for sure.. but that doesn't mean I can't objectively look at the current guys.  Objectively - Steve is boring, and Dano is bad at analyzing play and keeping up with the pace of a broadcast (and, imo, doesn't have a voice for TV).  I'm holding out hope that they'll find their chemistry in the coming years and it works out for the best because neither are getting replaced at this point.

 

Sure, Deb and JMac are insignificant, I'll give you that.  We see them for maybe 30 minutes total a night.. but they're kinda the sour cherry on top of this miserable situation for me personally.

 

There are worse pairs out there, but I'd say I prefer the majority of the away broadcasts at this point.  

[EdgeControl]

Yup years of ineptitude. Finals were 3 years ago. Teams wish they could be as inept at that. That doesn't mean Lou has no fault, etc - but come on - lighten up. 

yeah, Im giving lou these next two years of drafts and 2016 FA. I think Lou has built up enough good will to be granted that

 

if we dont find some decent forwards by then he can step away

[ATLL765]

yeah, Im giving lou these next two years of drafts and 2016 FA. I think Lou has built up enough good will to be granted that

 

if we dont find some decent forwards by then he can step away

I agree. He deserves to get at least a few years after hitting rock bottom to see if he can turn things around. SD acts like we've been irrelevant as a team for the last 10 years, but we were in the SCF just 3 years ago, had a decent year in 2013, but were done in by bad goaltending. 2013-14 was basically a repeat of 2013, but we lost Kovy unexpectedly that year, so that would have been a tough year for anyone.

This year is really where it's absolutely clear this team has zero chance of being competitive and cannot be fixed with FA signings. This is rock bottom. He earned the right from us to at least see what he can do to make us competitive(as in bubble team on the rise) by 2016-17. If we're not making progress by then or there's some sort of catastrophe between now and then, like missing on our 1st pick this year, then we can start really put LL on the hot seat since that would make it clear he doesn't know how to fix this team.

[BostonNala370]

I only care about the on ice product. The playoff finals were a fluke as someone said. Missing the playofgs 4 out of 5 years and this being the absolute worse Devils hockey team, IMO Lou has run out of rope. I miss going to games but I am glad I didn't spend a dollar on this team.

[Louismydad]

I only care about the on ice product. The playoff finals were a fluke as someone said. Missing the playofgs 4 out of 5 years and this being the absolute worse Devils hockey team, IMO Lou has run out of rope. I miss going to games but I am glad I didn't spend a dollar on this team.

The playoff run wasnt a "fluke" it was the outcome of Brodeur getting hot at the right time(and at 40 years old wtf), Kovalchuk being the best player ive ever seen for those games, and everybody firing on all cylinders(salvador, CBGB)

Edit: If you put that playoff bracket together with the same teams, I would bet money we make a similar run.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Louismydad

['7']

Dano has grown on me but i hate cangi, deb, johnny mac, and stan

 

Everything John MacLean has touched in the Devils organization since he cried his way out of town in 1998 has turned to sh!t.

[DevsMan84]

Everything John MacLean has touched in the Devils organization since he cried his way out of town in 1998 has turned to sh!t.

 

Eh I thought he was a decent assistant coach for all those years.  I think I also read a bit back that when Lou took over in 2007 after he fired Julien that Johnny Mac pretty much coached the team during those last few games and playoffs that year while he just oversaw it.

 

He also made the Lowell Devils (or was it in Albany already?) relevant for the 1 season he coached after years of that team being the bottom feeders of the AHL.

[Satans Hockey]

Everything John MacLean has touched in the Devils organization since he cried his way out of town in 1998 has turned to sh!t.

Let's get him fired and see what happens. He's the absolute worst. Deb and her awful fake tan need to go too.

[mouse]

I only care about the on ice product. The playoff finals were a fluke as someone said. Missing the playofgs 4 out of 5 years and this being the absolute worse Devils hockey team, IMO Lou has run out of rope. I miss going to games but I am glad I didn't spend a dollar on this team.

This is nowhere near the worst Devils team, and your high standard is a direct result of Lou being one of the greatest execs of all time. It's gotten ugly, and he's certainly somewhat to blame. He certainly may have hung on too long. But show a little respect for the man who built this franchise into something special.

[mouse]

The playoff run wasnt a "fluke" it was the outcome of Brodeur getting hot at the right time(and at 40 years old wtf), Kovalchuk being the best player ive ever seen for those games, and everybody firing on all cylinders(salvador, CBGB)

Edit: If you put that playoff bracket together with the same teams, I would bet money we make a similar run.

And considering Lou was building around Kovalchuk, who left, you could make a case that the past couple years have been just as fluky as the cup run. Not trying to sidetrack this into a Kovalchuk debate, just saying if you're going to call our recent success a fluke, our recent failure has been just as fluky.

Look, I think Lou made some huge mistakes (picking Matteau especially), and I'm hoping to God he sells at the deadline, and I wouldn't be crushed if he retired in the spring, but he's earned as much respect as anyone in his franchise, and it's ridiculous how some people here speak about him. Then again, some people here also sh!t on Marty and Nieds, so I guess it should be expected.

[Louismydad]

And considering Lou was building around Kovalchuk, who left, you could make a case that the past couple years have been just as fluky as the cup run. Not trying to sidetrack this into a Kovalchuk debate, just saying if you're going to call our recent success a fluke, our recent failure has been just as fluky.

Look, I think Lou made some huge mistakes (picking Matteau especially), and I'm hoping to God he sells at the deadline, and I wouldn't be crushed if he retired in the spring, but he's earned as much respect as anyone in his franchise, and it's ridiculous how some people here speak about him. Then again, some people here also sh!t on Marty and Nieds, so I guess it should be expected.

Agree 100%

[Neb00rs]

Now we have Devils fans calling the 2011-12 run a fluke. Lou just can't win. 

 

Let's misremember things like the Devils having 48 wins (6th), 26.8 SA/GP (2nd - but only .1 shots behind the Blues),  a .421 winning percentage when trailing after the 1st period (3rd), 12 shootout wins (1st), a .649 W% in 1 goal games (2nd) 15 shorthanded goals (1st), and an 89.6 PK%: the best PK in NHL history (only 27 fvcking PPGA!). 

 

The only things that team really did bad were faceoffs (29th) and blocked shots (30th) and both of those stat categories are questionable in terms of importance. We also may have only taken 27.5 S/G (27th) but we had an oiSH% of 9.6 (7th). And our poor FF for and CF for numbers at even strength were offset by our excellent FA and CA numbers. I suppose we could have controlled the puck a bit more though.

Edited February 17, 2015 by Neb00rs