Couple of Thoughts on the NHL All-Star Game Coverage by Versus

Since I had work to do on Sunday and knew I wouldn't be able to watch all of the NHL All-Star game, I decided to burn a DVD copy to watch later.

What I saw was disappointing from the production side of the broadcast, so it's a good thing I used a DVD-RAM and could erase it right away.

Why is it that Versus and the Southern California FOX outlets have so little regard for face-offs? They are either too busy running promos, showing replays, taking closeups of players on the bench, or interviewing celebrities to bother with showing this part of the game.

Show the faceoffs, you fools! It's the game that we want to see!

Ah, that feels better now.

Another point that left a bad taste in my mouth was the announcing job by Emrick and Engbloom. Mike "Doc" Emrick has been a top announcer for years, but he seemed to sleepwalk through most of this game. It didn't seem to me that he even cared enough to do his prep work.

Brian Engbloom, who usually is in the studio, was flat-out horrible. He was far too interested in hearing himself talk than actually comment on what was happening on the ice.

I know he was filling in for Ed Olczyk at the last second, but this wasn't Engbloom's first rodeo, either.

At one point in the game, he was in mid-story when a goal was scored. He stopped for a second, then carried right on with what he was talking about. Obviously his little story was more important than the goal.

It's too bad, because the game was very entertaining. Yet the crew at Versus seem to try and do everything possible to ruin the experience.

I'd be interested to hear from others who felt the same way, or with a different point of view.

Photo info: Carey Price sporting a LA Dodger cap...gotta love it!