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The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

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  • #31
    Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

    Originally posted by 5IslandsWildcat View Post
    Melrose has his schtick, and I'm not a big fan of it, but isn't creating some character and performing part of nearly all "color" commentators? NOTE! I wrote "nearly all." Before you list the exceptions, think about the norm:
    1. Introduced with credentials possessed by many other players, coaches, whatever? Check.
    2. Primary qualification: ESPN execs like his character and performance. Check.
    3. Uninformed? Check.
    4. Decided before the game what to emphasize, and kept at it regardless of what happens? Check
    5. Producers provided some background on a player, and commentator inserts it whenever possible even if it has nothing to do with what's happening? Check.
    6. Went to cliche school, and passed, so could talk like a "real sports commentator" rather than an educated user of the English language? Check.


    And the list goes on. Melrose may be more bizarre than most, but few add anything. The solution? Mine is to turn on the radio coverage of my favorite team, by computer if necessary, and mute the TV audio. Melrose, or Sean or whomever, won't bother me a bit, and I'll probably not miss anything they say.
    Great point !!!!!!

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    • #32
      Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

      Originally posted by 5IslandsWildcat View Post
      Melrose has his schtick, and I'm not a big fan of it, but isn't creating some character and performing part of nearly all "color" commentators? NOTE! I wrote "nearly all." Before you list the exceptions, think about the norm:
      1. Introduced with credentials possessed by many other players, coaches, whatever? Check.
      2. Primary qualification: ESPN execs like his character and performance. Check.
      3. Uninformed? Check.
      4. Decided before the game what to emphasize, and kept at it regardless of what happens? Check
      5. Producers provided some background on a player, and commentator inserts it whenever possible even if it has nothing to do with what's happening? Check.
      6. Went to cliche school, and passed, so could talk like a "real sports commentator" rather than an educated user of the English language? Check.


      And the list goes on. Melrose may be more bizarre than most, but few add anything. The solution? Mine is to turn on the radio coverage of my favorite team, by computer if necessary, and mute the TV audio. Melrose, or Sean or whomever, won't bother me a bit, and I'll probably not miss anything they say.
      The good ones do. And asking someone getting paid to be prepared, is really not so much to ask.

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      • #33
        Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

        I will take Barry Melrose any day over Davey Starman.
        Anthem singers should not be American idol wannabes. - Dubbie31

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        • #34
          Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

          Originally posted by bicycleed View Post
          I had hoped that in seeing Melrose broadcast several games this year that they were attempting to to expose him more to the college game. I am not sure he comes with a bias against the college game, it is just that he does not have a feel for the passion that players and fans have for the game.

          He can certainly be colorful and will speak his mind regarding the pros and cons of a player. He does however make numerous mistakes during his broadcast.

          I am however another supporter of Bob Norton he knows the game, the teams, the coaches and the players. I do like others miss Tom Mees he was at the top of my list.
          Bob Norton sucks.
          Fly Eagles Fly!!!

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          • #35
            Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

            Every year this comes up. It is a right of Spring. As usual I too add my un-vote for the man with the Kentucky Krash Helmet hair. This say's it better and Barry even say's that length of hair equates intelligence.

            http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/sportology_20090316_13227.mp3
            He is as cool as a bomb disposal technician!

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            • #36
              Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

              Originally posted by dolan View Post
              I agree 100% with this.



              When I heard him say that, I laughed for the better part of 5 minutes.
              As did I, then I wondered...why do I get up to watch this thing? Every year the guy ****es me off.

              I wish they would work something out to get some people that actually know college hockey, say, the FANS, and have them do some volunteer type stuff or a contest winner from each conference. Then, BM and his desk mates can announce the brackets, the volunteers talk about the teams and then BM and whoever else can predict what will happen. The bias in the fans will only coincide with the bias they have currently.

              "The WCHA is the best conference..." but they didn't pick a WCHA team to win. DU, WI and UND have legit chances at going all the way, UND is hot now, DU might be able to turn it around, and WI lit up DU Saturday, that might have been enough to motivate them after losing to SCSU. SCSU may have a harder time getting to the F4, only because of WI. If they make it, and everyone stays healthy...who knows.

              Miami is a threat, and so is BC. I think it'll be an interesting tourney. (sorry if I'm being WCHA biased, I don't know much about the ET teams.)
              THE University of North Dakota FIGHTING SIOUX

              National Championships:
              1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000

              WCHA Regular Season Championships:
              1958, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2011

              Fan of:
              University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Hockey
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              • #37
                Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                I'm on the fence as to who is worse.....Melrose or Walsh from NESN. I guess Melrose, since as has been pointed out he reads the "story lines" before the game and sticks to it no matter what happens in the game.

                But really, why is it so hard to find a decent commentator?
                Originally posted by Hokydad
                Maine will be better this year relative to rankings than BC will be this year

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                • #38
                  Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                  Barry "I'll Prepare as little as possible" Melrose vs Bob "Prep schools are the only thing that matters" Norton.


                  I would just pass on either.
                  Watching UVM hockey from afar.....

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                  • #39
                    Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                    Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                    Barry Melrose is a brand. Taking a page from the Don Cherry school of 'unique screen presence', Melrose has extended his mediocre coaching career into a well-paying ESPN analyst gig by carving out his differentitiation from the standard bland sycophant types of TV people.

                    The look of the brand is fronted by his distinctive mullet, paired with a loud suit and supported by blustery blowhard comments that nobody else would say. Don Cherry called Melrose "Billy Ray Cypress" (sic) on CBC TV for years, in homage to the early 90s mullet of Miley Cyrus' one-hit, Achy-breaky father, Billy Ray Cyrus. The difference between Cherry and Melrose is that Cherry does more homework, and is a more of Canadian nationalist/traditionalist. Cherry's blowhard comments are almost always traceable to that bedrock.

                    Melrose's bombast is more all over the board, and his condescension to college hockey is reflected in his lack of preparation and his lack of care. ESPN doesn't really care about college hockey either, and that's why they don't care about his lack of preparation or his bombast. They think Melrose will add some hockey cred that might not otherwise be there for the casual audience, and to an extent, they are right about that. Melrose is at home in the NHL world, and for Joe six-pack who channelsurfs into the NCAA hockey broadcast on ESPN, seeing the Mullet does gives the NCAA brand of hockey some level of credibility...

                    ESPN's late Tom Mees, who loved college hockey and cared deepy about broadcasting the NCAA Frozen Four with respect and serious effort, would be flabbergasted to see Melrose's lack of preparation and the insulting condescension that comes out of Melrose's mouth. I miss Mees and so does our game.

                    But this is our reality. ESPN broadcasts college hockey because it must as part of a larger NCAA deal for other sports. I wish we could get someone with more love of the college game, but we are stuck with Mullet. It's a curse for the serious college hockey fan. And while Bob Norton makes some ears bleed with his regionalism, his accent and his constant references to player origins, at least he's genuine, prepared and cares about our game.

                    Sound comparison. Even Michigan's own Sean Ritchlin was rolling his eyes. (BTW, did you hear him plugging the WCHA? A CCHA guy waxing on about the Badgers.)

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                    • #40
                      Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                      They should just get Wooger and Mazocco. Everyone knows they're the best.
                      Having a clear conscience just means you have a bad memory or you had a boring weekend.

                      RIP - Kirby

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                      • #41
                        Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                        Originally posted by funnnnn View Post
                        Barry "I'll Prepare as little as possible" Melrose vs Bob "Prep schools are the only thing that matters" Norton.


                        I would just pass on either.
                        I miss Adam Wodon. He did a super job at ESPN and at CSTV. Bring him back.

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                        • #42
                          Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                          Melrose just doesn't know much about college hockey. He apparently does know about the Cornell team. Bring on Doug Woog.
                          Bob is making me concerned
                          I am the voice of reason

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                          • #43
                            Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                            Originally posted by walrus View Post
                            He's not as annoying as Boob Norton.
                            But Norton, unlike Melrose, loves college hockey. And Norton, unlike Melrose, is a nice guy.
                            Originally posted by mookie1995
                            bc is superior to bu in nearly everything. while it is sad that it has come to it, it's the truth. if bu doesn't like it, improve.
                            Rep from Hokydad -"and your an old never been piece of ****"

                            Originally Posted by Dirty
                            Why is anyone surprised that Old Pio is acting like a grumpy old f^ck? He is a grumpy old f^ck.

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                            • #44
                              Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                              Originally posted by theprofromdover View Post
                              But Norton, unlike Melrose, loves college hockey. And Norton, unlike Melrose, is a nice guy.
                              I met both of them at the Frozen 4 in St. Louis. Both seemed like nice guys to me, Barry seemed alright, but we did buy him a beer, so that probably helped.
                              Having a clear conscience just means you have a bad memory or you had a boring weekend.

                              RIP - Kirby

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: The official I love or hate Barry Melrose..

                                Originally posted by bigblue_dl View Post
                                They should just get Wooger and Mazocco. Everyone knows they're the best.
                                You win the thread.

                                I want to see Frank and Doug ask Bob Norton about prep schools while Brown's announcer rants incoherently about ECAC officiating. That would be the best.

                                "I have come up with a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel. ."
                                -Blackadder
                                "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here. "
                                -Casablanca
                                "They could maybe hire another officer to catch the illegal immigrant drug dealers breast feeding at Dunkin' Donuts or whatever it is! Thank you!"
                                -Somerville Speakout

                                2008 POTY

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