Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

[GOPHER FREAK]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

Hennessy has had multiple great moments. Like when he almost got in a fight with a Yale fan on the air.

Yeah, My personal favorite was a few years ago. I was up at my deer shack and could only get the UND broadcast and he said "they should open up Parise's stick and check for magic in there". Then he rambled on for 5 minutes about how Parise was robbed the year before by Vanek, how much he hates the Gophers, and "that gopher dive" that we've been seeing for years".

There should be no Sioux fan that complains about any Minnesota announcer as long as Tim Hennesy is on the air. He is the homers homer. He makes Wally and Glen look impartial.

[Goon]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

There should be no Sioux fan that complains about any Minnesota announcer as long as Tim Hennesy is on the air. He is the homers homer. He makes Wally and Glen look impartial.

Come on! That comment is a bit of a stretch, both crew are bias towards their schools, Wally and Glen are the textbook definition of homers.

[Goon]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

Hennessy has had multiple great moments. Like when he almost got in a fight with a Yale fan on the air.

I would nominate him for Hockey announcer/broadcaster of the decade.

[Skeeterman]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

Hockey, by nature is a difficult sport to commentate, either play by play or color. The game sounds like a continuous mistake, due to the changes in puck possession and the speed in which they happen. That's why there are few really good ones at the NHL level, let alone the college level. Of the ones we do have, most of them are bland and lack the kind of colorful connections that resonate with viewers. Some fans want a vociferous cheerleader for the home team, others wan't a silky-voiced neutral. I think there is room in the middle of those two extremes. Doug and Frank were anything but smooth, but the level of fun they seemed to have in the booth made up for the often-poor delivery. Personally, I enjoyed them as an antidote to the blandness of most others out there.

Swami hits it on the head. Doug and Frank were entertaining. LaPlanta is average. The color tryout guys have been stupid and bland. dull and boring to the maximum.

[St. Clown]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

I have talked to excutive producers for Fox Sports and they tell me this season will be one big tryout. Just a hunch Anthony Laplanta stays and the jury is still out for the color guy. I asked why the big change and they explained Gopher hockey needs a facelift because everybody was growing old and stale.

I've pretty much heard the same from a guy who has access to both FSN production team and the Gopher sports director. Franky was simply fired while they kept Doug for pre- and post-game work. And it was due to the age thing, which I find funny that they then bring in McClanahan who played for the U only 15 years or so after the Wooger.

What I don't get is that they seem to think dwindling ratings had anything to do with the announcing crew and not due to the Gophers' poor play on the ice these last couple years. Just look at Mariucci. I was there on Friday and the only time I've seen it emptier was at last year's (Marriucci) Classic. The arena had to have been about 1/3 empty. It makes you ponder the thought process or inability to put dwindling presence of people in the seats and their ratings. If the Gophs and FSN want better ratings and thus better revenue, then figure out a way to right the product on-ice.

Swami hits it on the head. Doug and Frank were entertaining. LaPlanta is average. The color tryout guys have been stupid and bland. dull and boring to the maximum.

Yeah Swami did.

I've never been a LaPanta fan. His voice grated on me because it sounds like one of those fake voices disc jockeys sometimes adopt. He's decent enough for some of the quick minute or two work as the on-ice guy, but is simply not suited to be the main voice for Gopher Hockey's TV broadcasts.

Oh, and to those who go on about the Wooger acting drunk on the air, I have good word that he's been completely dry for a few years now. He's just that much fun all the time.

[UMDBulldogHockeyIsKing]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

Yeah, My personal favorite was a few years ago. I was up at my deer shack and could only get the UND broadcast and he said "they should open up Parise's stick and check for magic in there". Then he rambled on for 5 minutes about how Parise was robbed the year before by Vanek, how much he hates the Gophers, and "that gopher dive" that we've been seeing for years".

There should be no Sioux fan that complains about any Minnesota announcer as long as Tim Hennesy is on the air. He is the homers homer. He makes Wally and Glen look impartial.

Don't forget, no Sioux hockey player has ever committed an infraction during a hockey game.

[Dirty]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Hockey Announcers

Don't forget, no Sioux hockey player has ever committed an infraction during a hockey game.

You're one to talk. Ciskie is constantly whining about the refs.