Game Telecasts on MSG

[CUPNOW]

While I feel the telecasts of games has been professional and a good watch, Peter Rutgaizer excluded, I have noticed a decline in the overall production and how much I enjoy watching games on TV. I won't talk about the pre-game show since I refuse to waste my time with the same boring format of "Here's what's on the MSG family of netwokrs". like I give a crap, then the previous game recap, as if I don't know, then uselss interviews and "features". I think the game production takes a serious step back with Jiggs at the mic for SO many games. The director has fallen in love with switching to the low, ice level camera angle nearly every time there's a puck or chase into the corner and we end up not seeing the play that results. Puck ends up centered for a scoring chance, or even a goal, and we don't see it because the director thought it would be great to see a close-up of the players skating into a close-up. Hey director, WE WANT TO SEE THE GAME!! Jiggs and Butch are either road weary or just not good together. Look, every duo makes mistakes but they happen SO much with these two. At one point there was an icing and Jiggs said the whistle was for a too many men penalty and Butch had to correct him. There was even a point in the game when Jiggs and Butch were talking about some dumb topic for wyhat seemed like an hour, and the Isles came in on a 2 on 1 but he never even acknowledged it. Even Howie starts these topics sometimes and the games just gets lost. OK - I have to vent so I created this topic. Thoughts/opinions/criticism will be appreciated.

[Dom]

While I feel the telecasts of games has been professional and a good watch, Peter Rutgaizer excluded, I have noticed a decline in the overall production and how much I enjoy watching games on TV. I won't talk about the pre-game show since I refuse to waste my time with the same boring format of "Here's what's on the MSG family of netwokrs". like I give a crap, then the previous game recap, as if I don't know, then uselss interviews and "features". I think the game production takes a serious step back with Jiggs at the mic for SO many games. The director has fallen in love with switching to the low, ice level camera angle nearly every time there's a puck or chase into the corner and we end up not seeing the play that results. Puck ends up centered for a scoring chance, or even a goal, and we don't see it because the director thought it would be great to see a close-up of the players skating into a close-up. Hey director, WE WANT TO SEE THE GAME!! Jiggs and Butch are either road weary or just not good together. Look, every duo makes mistakes but they happen SO much with these two. At one point there was an icing and Jiggs said the whistle was for a too many men penalty and Butch had to correct him. There was even a point in the game when Jiggs and Butch were talking about some dumb topic for wyhat seemed like an hour, and the Isles came in on a 2 on 1 but he never even acknowledged it. Even Howie starts these topics sometimes and the games just gets lost. OK - I have to vent so I created this topic. Thoughts/opinions/criticism will be appreciated.

I mostly agree, but I can't get upset with Jiggs, seeing as he's basically doing us a favor and taking a handful of games from Howie here and there.

Now that the $MG lease is over and done with, the next big thing to look forward to is the end of the M$G broadcast contract. Just 14 more years to go before we can bid it out to SNY, YES, and whoever else wants to get in line.

IMO, the quality of our broadcasts will always be limited as long as we share a network with the Rag$.

[mw147]

I love Jiggs and having him do a few games a year is a treat. But this year it's been too much. He's not what he used to be and Howie is just better.

As for the production I agree with Dom, as long as MSG is doing the games we will always be second class citizens.

I do think Shannon is very good.

[CUPNOW]

I totally agree with the reasoning that the broadcast will be what it is as long as MSG is in charge - my contention is it could be much better without added expense. We all know that is the bottom line.

[CUPNOW]

I love Jiggs and having him do a few games a year is a treat. But this year it's been too much. He's not what he used to be and Howie is just better.

As for the production I agree with Dom, as long as MSG is doing the games we will always be second class citizens.

I do think Shannon is very good.

Even Shannon's post-game questions with Jack have taken a step back. I think this whole production crew is actually tired and getting stale. Love Shannon but the repetitive nature of each broadcast is hurting everyone in my opinion.

[Jethro]

I'll go a step further and say that MSG brass purposely "produce" segments that take shots at the Islanders, case in point the Edmonton game. The cable deal was a necessary evil and kept the team afloat for many years but I would look to break the lease and put it out for bid.

[TK27]

I love Jiggs and having him do a few games a year is a treat. But this year it's been too much. He's not what he used to be and Howie is just better.

As for the production I agree with Dom, as long as MSG is doing the games we will always be second class citizens.

I do think Shannon is very good.

I have to agree about the Jiggs part. I can still remember fondly walking in a sports bar in Victoria and getting them to put the Isles game on the main TV. Hearing Jiggs and Eddie's voice in what sounded far away because of it being in the bar. So hearing Jiggs makes me pretty nostalgic but like you said time has passed him by. Once a year would be great maybe twice.

[TK27]

I mostly agree, but I can't get upset with Jiggs, seeing as he's basically doing us a favor and taking a handful of games from Howie here and there.

Now that the $MG lease is over and done with, the next big thing to look forward to is the end of the M$G broadcast contract. Just 14 more years to go before we can bid it out to SNY, YES, and whoever else wants to get in line.

IMO, the quality of our broadcasts will always be limited as long as we share a network with the Rag$.

I was just curious not knowing the state of affairs there in New York. Do you think the other stations will even try to get the Isles games when it becomes available? I know it doesn't really effect me on the other side of the country. However I do get center ice and if the Isles aren't on HD that means I always get the other teams broadcast team. I much prefer listening to the homerism of the Isles guys

[Dom]

I was just curious not knowing the state of affairs there in New York. Do you think the other stations will even try to get the Isles games when it becomes available? I know it doesn't really effect me on the other side of the country. However I do get center ice and if the Isles aren't on HD that means I always get the other teams broadcast team. I much prefer listening to the homerism of the Isles guys

My guess is that SNY (the NY Mets station) would love to have the Isles, since they currently lack a major winter sports team. YES (Yankees network) has Nets basketball, but they might be interested as well.

Personally, I'd love to see us find a way to get out of the M$G deal, and wind up with SNY. It would be the reunification of the two original Sports Channel teams. I don't think M$G would be too keen on allowing that though. They want to keep their virtual monopoly on winter sports programming in NYC.

[TK27]

My guess is that SNY (the NY Mets station) would love to have the Isles, since they currently lack a major winter sports team. YES (Yankees network) has Nets basketball, but they might be interested as well.

Personally, I'd love to see us find a way to get out of the M$G deal, and wind up with SNY. It would be the reunification of the two original Sports Channel teams. I don't think M$G would be too keen on allowing that though. They want to keep their virtual monopoly on winter sports programming in NYC.

Well I really feel for you people in New York who have to constantly surf to find where you can find the Isles game. I'm assuming Rangers fans know exactly where to find their games.

[Dom]

Well I really feel for you people in New York who have to constantly surf to find where you can find the Isles game. I'm assuming Rangers fans know exactly where to find their games.

Yup, but M$G does bump the Rag$ over to their overflow station when there's a conflict with Knicks basketball.

[TK27]

Yup, but M$G does bump the Rag$ over to their overflow station when there's a conflict with Knicks basketball.

Ah so it is hockey that is the second class citizen not the Islanders specifically lol

[Dom]

Ah so it is hockey that is the second class citizen not the Islanders specifically lol

Unfortunately, yes. In fact, the Rag$ have historically been 3rd, and even 4th class citizens in their own building. Not only do the Knicks take precedence, but circus does as well. There were times when the Rag$ played their home Stanley Cup playoff games in the road team's building. Because of the Circus. For real.

[TK27]

Unfortunately, yes. In fact, the Rag$ have historically been 3rd, and even 4th class citizens in their own building. Not only do the Knicks take precedence, but circus does as well. There were times when the Rag$ played their home Stanley Cup playoff games in the road team's building. Because of the Circus. For real.

Yes I remember those days. It is funny when I was like 7 years old the only games we ever saw on TV were from Montreal or Toronto. Rarely a game was ever broadcast from the USA and when they did the camera was up about as high as it could be. It looked nothing like the games shown from Montreal or Toronto.

Any way the part I was going to tell you that as a 7 year old when I heard the Rangers played in Madison Square Gardens I wasn't sure if the hockey rink was square lol. So yes I remember the days of the Rangers getting kicked out by the circus. Oh ya one other thing. I think someone probably told me that MSG was 8 stories tall. But from about ages 7 to 10 I thought the arena was on the 8th floor lol. I thought what a weird hockey rink

Man did I ever get side tracked there lol

[CUPNOW]

My guess is that SNY (the NY Mets station) would love to have the Isles, since they currently lack a major winter sports team. YES (Yankees network) has Nets basketball, but they might be interested as well.

Personally, I'd love to see us find a way to get out of the M$G deal, and wind up with SNY. It would be the reunification of the two original Sports Channel teams. I don't think M$G would be too keen on allowing that though. They want to keep their virtual monopoly on winter sports programming in NYC.

The problem with SNY is that the Mes will always have priority so Islander games during the overlap of baseball season would need an overflow channel that SNY does not have right now. Those hockey games would be at the end and beginning of the season. So while SNY seems like a great alternative, I can't see how they can work that out as constituted.