Smalltime
02-26-2006, 04:19 PM
So, after back to back losses to the Cougars, I really hope we don't have to play them in the playoffs. It was extremely frustrating hockey to watch and they seriously out-"teamed" us on both nights.
There seemed to be very few scoring opportunities for both teams and that played into the Cougars' hands. Well played to them. Unfortunately I had to listen to the Prince George radiocast of the game with my streaming video because it didn't sync up with the Giants radiocast. Why was this so bad, when it's perfectly acceptable at most other away games?
Because the two people who called the first game (and one of them was back calling the second night) were so offensive and disrespectful to the players. Calling Brule spoiled and opening up a game saying that the Cougars should run Slade and that Hunt is cheap and just gets away with it all the time was ridiculous.
I expect the home team radio guys to be rooting for the home team. But at least give the athletes the benefit of the doubt in some situations. When Fistric argues with the ref after high-sticking a PG player, I assume that he knows he's guilty of the offense (as evidenced by the cut on the player's face) and is arguing another point entirely. But instead I have a commentator telling me, in a disgusted voice, that Fistric is simply skating around trying to look good and that he should just shut-up.
The worst part of it was that the Cougar forecheck strategy might have been the most effective part of their game on Friday night and it didn't even get mentioned by the commentators who instead stuck to making condescending comments about any Giant they chose. On top of this, they took to criticizing the referee when some Cougar penalties were called because he refused to call diving against the Giants, or when he let the teams play on. I would be surprised if there weren't also Cougar fans who wished for a more hockey-centric version of the radiocast.
I've found a way to enjoy almost every Giants away game that I've watched online, win or lose. But the first game and to a much smaller extent the second game in PG (when one of the commentators was gone and the second behaved better) were simply unacceptable. That's not what hockey is about. I want to be a part of the hockey community, but I want no part in whatever game those commentators made it.
If they have been made aware that their broadcast makes up the audible portion of official WHL streaming presentations then I must conclude that they don't mind coming off as arrogant and demeaning to away team fans who have actually paid to hear their thoughts. I believe that the Prince George Cougars deserve much more than this even without considering their admirable on-ice performance in those two games.
There seemed to be very few scoring opportunities for both teams and that played into the Cougars' hands. Well played to them. Unfortunately I had to listen to the Prince George radiocast of the game with my streaming video because it didn't sync up with the Giants radiocast. Why was this so bad, when it's perfectly acceptable at most other away games?
Because the two people who called the first game (and one of them was back calling the second night) were so offensive and disrespectful to the players. Calling Brule spoiled and opening up a game saying that the Cougars should run Slade and that Hunt is cheap and just gets away with it all the time was ridiculous.
I expect the home team radio guys to be rooting for the home team. But at least give the athletes the benefit of the doubt in some situations. When Fistric argues with the ref after high-sticking a PG player, I assume that he knows he's guilty of the offense (as evidenced by the cut on the player's face) and is arguing another point entirely. But instead I have a commentator telling me, in a disgusted voice, that Fistric is simply skating around trying to look good and that he should just shut-up.
The worst part of it was that the Cougar forecheck strategy might have been the most effective part of their game on Friday night and it didn't even get mentioned by the commentators who instead stuck to making condescending comments about any Giant they chose. On top of this, they took to criticizing the referee when some Cougar penalties were called because he refused to call diving against the Giants, or when he let the teams play on. I would be surprised if there weren't also Cougar fans who wished for a more hockey-centric version of the radiocast.
I've found a way to enjoy almost every Giants away game that I've watched online, win or lose. But the first game and to a much smaller extent the second game in PG (when one of the commentators was gone and the second behaved better) were simply unacceptable. That's not what hockey is about. I want to be a part of the hockey community, but I want no part in whatever game those commentators made it.
If they have been made aware that their broadcast makes up the audible portion of official WHL streaming presentations then I must conclude that they don't mind coming off as arrogant and demeaning to away team fans who have actually paid to hear their thoughts. I believe that the Prince George Cougars deserve much more than this even without considering their admirable on-ice performance in those two games.