I love the fact that David Michaud, my partner in crime on Kelowna Rockets broadcasts, has a blog.
While we attend many of the same events, and share those experiences on our blogs, we often both take away different things from what we either hear or see.
David, www.michaudinthebooth.blogspot.com had some interesting thoughts and observations from Tuesday's Kelowna Rockets press conference.
He may have had the best line, when he said to Kelowna Daily Courier Sports writer Doyle Pontenteau, "I suppose you tell your kids there is no such thing as Santa Claus". Michaud made the comment tongue-in-cheek after Pontenteau broke open the Rockets announcement Tuesday morning by having a interview with Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton on who the teams new coach was going to be - Ryan Huska.
While Hamilton gave Doyle a 'verbal shot' when the press conference began, I sympathize with what Pontenteau was trying to do.
The way I see it, if Hamilton wants to talk in great detail about who the coach is, on the record, before the press conference takes place, how can he just sit idly by and not report it? Plus the paper can be at a disadvantage when it comes to these early morning press conferences, because by the time it's reported in the paper, it's old news, as the TV and radio stations have spread the news to the mad-information hungry public 12 hours before it hits the pages of the local paper.
Plus I can't slag Pontenteau, because he is responsible for tying my ties. For the life of me, I can't master the double windsor.
_________________________________
My main point is...don't hack of my favorite paper guy. Sorry Gregg (Drinnan), you get second billing. I have heard some criticism in the past about the Courier's Rockets coverage, yet Pontenteau has done a great job with it, since he took over as the beat writer for the daily rag.
The fact is people in Kelowna don't know how good they have it. The Daily Courier is, surprise surprise, a daily newspaper. Where I'm from (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) the best thing that community had to offer when I was broadcasting the games for the mighty Broncos was the Southwest Booster. That paper (I use that term loosely) came out three times a week, and was so out of date when it arrived on your doorstep, it wasn't even worth opening. Scott Anderson was the sports reporter there at the time, and let's just say a motivational speaker couldn't have jump started this guy.
The Southwest Booster was great for bowling scores, but little else.
__________________________________
And a nice story out of Regina about a WHL player:
A junior hockey player who received severe head injuries in a car crash in southern Saskatchewan says he's determined to attend his team's training camp next month.Garrett Robinson, 19, of Surrey, B.C., says he's working out and skates every day to prepare for training camp for the Western Hockey League's Moose Jaw Warriors. Robinson received severe head injuries and two other players received minor injuries when a pickup truck being driven by a 23-year-old man slammed into their vehicle near Moose Jaw last October. Robinson says his doctors have told him he can't play any contact sports, but he's determined to go to training camp `no matter what.'Robinson and his teammates were in Smith's car on a road trip when a pickup ran a stop sign and slammed into the vehicle's passenger side where Robinson was sitting. In May, Curtis Jay Mullen, 23, was sentenced to nine months in jail after admitting he'd been drinking before the crash.
5 comments:
Uh-oh Regs... I can hear the Boosters lawyers already planning a rebuttle! (been there, done that) Good stuff! Three times a week? Not since I've been here. Its strictly a weekly.
Last season their sports reporter was in the "Build a Burger" promotion on the ice. Hey! You're supposed to be covering the game! haha. Switz and I still laugh about that one.
It's so good to hear Garett is making a full recovery!
Hi Regan. I worked with you in Swifty and remember clearly the day we broke the story of a big trade. The Broncos called a news conference for 10 o'clock thursday morning (20 years ago), but wouldn't say what it was about. That peaked my curiosity and after some digging I found out the Broncos had traded Ryan McGill to Medicine Hat for Kelly Hitchins. I announced it that morning, about 3 hours before the conference. When I attended the conference, Broncos President John Rittinger went ballistic. If they'd have told me what the conference was about, I wouldn't have been able to say anything. Duh.
Hi Kevin. Wow that's a blast from the past. I remember you. I was the zit faced teenager that thought you were the God of radio (in my eyes) at the time at CKSW as the Sports Director. I remember going with you to a SWAC high school football game and expecting to do color. But you ended up using someone else, but just being there on the sidelines was a thrill. Approaching 40, I still have a love for radio, and still feel like that kid at the SWAC football game. Are you still in Alberta? It's funny how at the time you probably thought you had little impact on me, but you did, and not in a negative way.lol. It just goes to show that when and whoever we meet, making a good impression on someone, no matter what the age is paramount. Do you miss radio in any way? Good to here from ya Kevin.
Sorry about the football thing. If I'd have know then what we know now.......I misread the potential! Oops.
I'm selling Real Estate in Alberta but stay involved with hockey helping out our Senior Men's team, the Tofield Satellites (www.tofieldsatellites.com). I'd like to do some radio stuff in the future though....
Keep up the good work......your blog is a great way to keep in touch with the WHL, etc.......
Post a Comment