Brett Hull says Versus "ridiculously bad channel"

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printedition...9.column?page=2

Hull slaps shots at NHL's moves

Even with Johnny Miller and now Tiki Barber in the fold, the loosest lips in NBC's analyst arsenal have to belong to Brett Hull, who was in fine form yesterday on WFAN.

He blamed weak All-Star ratings on the NHL's choice of a cable partner, saying, "I don't even think people know Versus is a station. " He called it a "ridiculously bad channel. "

Gary Bettman? "I don't think he really understands the game. He doesn't understand the history and at times I don't think he really gives a hoot. All he cares about is if he's making the owners happy. "

NHL players in the Olympics? "I think it's ridiculous they send the pros. "

Mike Keenan, one of his former coaches? "I'd rather not talk about him. ''

[pisani34 10]

i've never seen a live game on versus, but i've seen highlights that were taken from their broadcast, and even from those little clips that i have seen, it just doesn't seem right when you compare it to some of the canadian broadcasting channels

[Hordie Gowe 17]

You can't really argue with most of what he has to say, he is spot on about everything.

[willy0314 0]

I've never liked the presentation on VS, but I don't know how much you can say about bettman because the NHL has done a nice job of turning itself around after the lockout. (how much he has had to do with it I don't know). But I'd bet if you had a "hockey guy" running the league and not a "business guy" the league would end up in the crapper.

But I could care less about what Brett Hull has to say anyways, that guy has always been an ass. Running your mouth on some radio station isn't going to help the league.

[mack 44]

But I'd bet if you had a "hockey guy" running the league and not a "business guy" the league would end up in the crapper.

And not on the pedestal that it's on now?

[Hooah4 12]

I've never liked the presentation on VS, but I don't know how much you can say about bettman because the NHL has done a nice job of turning itself around after the lockout. (how much he has had to do with it I don't know). But I'd bet if you had a "hockey guy" running the league and not a "business guy" the league would end up in the crapper.

But I could care less about what Brett Hull has to say anyways, that guy has always been an ass. Running your mouth on some radio station isn't going to help the league.

Brett has always done 2 things well

1. score goals

2. promote Brett Hull

[Rustpot 1]

As long as people buy tickets, and as long as the owners aren't losing money, Bettman will be in charge.

I respect Brett, and I agree with him, but he would be much better if he took positive action instead of taking shots at Bettman and the current state.

[SirJW 207]

Worst thing about VS right now is that the HD feed is only available on Comcast. In a nutshell - Comcast owns Versus and they just launched VS-HD, available to all carriers except no other has picked it up. Since they want others to air the channel they wont make it available for other cable Co's on INHD or DISH or Direct TV.

Once again, thank you so very much Gary Bettman for the crappy TV deal.

They better figure something out b4 playoffs...

BTW the NHL hired the former producer of Hockey Night in Canada to improve the US broadcasts (local and national broadcasts) but I haven't seen any improvements.

[LkptTiger 1]

Brett has always done 2 things well

1. score goals

2. promote Brett Hull

You forgot "backcheck" :P

[topshelf11 0]

Brett has always done 2 things well

1. score goals

2. promote Brett Hull

You forgot "backcheck" :P

I play beer league. What is this "backcheck" that you speak of? ;)

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

BTW the NHL hired the former producer of Hockey Night in Canada to improve the US broadcasts (local and national broadcasts) but I haven't seen any improvements.

Ralph Mellanby, who is Scott's dad.

[Trooper 8]

I've never liked the presentation on VS, but I don't know how much you can say about bettman because the NHL has done a nice job of turning itself around after the lockout. (how much he has had to do with it I don't know). But I'd bet if you had a "hockey guy" running the league and not a "business guy" the league would end up in the crapper.

But I could care less about what Brett Hull has to say anyways, that guy has always been an ass. Running your mouth on some radio station isn't going to help the league.

Brett has always done 2 things well

1. score goals

2. promote Brett Hull

+1

Hull has NO IDEA why the ratings for the All Star game are down. He has NO IDEA what it's like being in charge of a league. If he wants to break down the game of hockey for me, I'll listen, but when he spews about stuff he is ignorant about, I'm tuning out. I'll be listening to the Dixie Chicks give me political advice, oh wait....oops :o

[Thockey17 1]

Worst thing about VS right now is that the HD feed is only available on Comcast. In a nutshell - Comcast owns Versus and they just launched VS-HD, available to all carriers except no other has picked it up. Since they want others to air the channel they wont make it available for other cable Co's on INHD or DISH or Direct TV.

I get Versus in HD and dont have Comcast

[Jim A 4]

Hullie is paid to speak out nowadays to draw "color" to the game..

if he cared so much about the game he would have shown up to the World Cup in 2004 in shape, or at least not so ridiculously out of it...

saw one of his last game's ...he was gassed on his 3rd shift..it was embarrasing....pretty soon he'll look like Barkley

[SirJW 207]

I get Versus in HD and dont have Comcast

When was the last time you got a game? What company do you have?

[Chadd 916]

He's probably pissed that they didn't offer him a job.

[AK10R 0]

How much longer does Verses have the contract?

ESPN (2) is almost as common as the “local broadcast channelsâ€. ESPN seems to be pissed at the NHL because it hard to see any hockey on there unless it’s in the Top Ten Plays or the three or four minutes they give Barry Melrose. How the hell does ESPN call that hockey night with Barry Melrose? They should call it Hockey Minute.

How can there be so much golf, poker (which is not a sport), billiards, women’s basketball, spelling bee and all that strong man crap, but no hockey.

It is so hard to find a frickin game on TV, My dish network does not offer verses because I’m on the “wrong satelliteâ€. I lost my ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX channels a few months back because the local ones are on the “other satelliteâ€. Ya I know, just venting.

I hope that there are some changes on the horizon.

[Chadd 916]

How much longer does Verses have the contract?

ESPN (2) is almost as common as the “local broadcast channelsâ€. ESPN seems to be pissed at the NHL because it hard to see any hockey on there unless it’s in the Top Ten Plays or the three or four minutes they give Barry Melrose. How the hell does ESPN call that hockey night with Barry Melrose? They should call it Hockey Minute.

How can there be so much golf, poker (which is not a sport), billiards, women’s basketball, spelling bee and all that strong man crap, but no hockey.

It is so hard to find a frickin game on TV, My dish network does not offer verses because I’m on the “wrong satelliteâ€. I lost my ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX channels a few months back because the local ones are on the “other satelliteâ€. Ya I know, just venting.

I hope that there are some changes on the horizon.

VS picked up their option year, then the NHL gave them an extension until 2011. Personally I think the extension was a mistake as they could have used that as a chance to get ESPN into the bidding and get a better contract from whoever was the top bidder. Evidently they just wanted to eliminate any debate as the contract neared expiration.

Why does ESPN show so much other stuff? Those other "sports" often buy the broadcast time, like a late night infomercial. Then they sell the advertising time and either make a profit or write off the loss as a marketing expense. Next time you watch a poker game or paintball tournament, listen to hear how many times sponsors are named, or look to see how many banners they have where you can see them.

[MDE3 0]

Personally I am about to boycott ESPN in general, as their attitude towards hockey is much worse than simply passive omission...They go out of their way to trash the sport whenever it is brought up..whether it was the All Star game on Mike and Mike in the morning, or on "Pardon the Interuption" these ESPN hosts never miss taking a shot at hockey as a sport and the NHL in particular. Even hiring Barry Melrose is like them poking fun at the sport..If I am the marketing director of the NHL..would I like Barry to be my only representative seen on ESPN?....

I would suggest that the NHL try to get hold of the ESPN archives of all broadcasts that mention hockey or the NHL in the past four years, and then I suspect after a review, seriously consider inititating a law suit for loss of earnings(television revenue due to reduced ratings) due to what might well seem a deliberate conspiracy to defame both the sport and the league. One or two comments would not suffice...but the overwhelming volume of material they will find should suggest a deliberate attempt by ESPN to negatively impact the marketing of the sport of hockey.

[Trooper 8]

I would suggest that the NHL try to get hold of the ESPN archives of all broadcasts that mention hockey or the NHL in the past four years, and then I suspect after a review, seriously consider inititating a law suit for loss of earnings(television revenue due to reduced ratings) due to what might well seem a deliberate conspiracy to defame both the sport and the league. One or two comments would not suffice...but the overwhelming volume of material they will find should suggest a deliberate attempt by ESPN to negatively impact the marketing of the sport of hockey.

With all the other issues hockey has to deal with, this is what you think they should be spending money/resources on? Something like this has about a snowball's chance in hell of being successful, and that's being extremely generous.

[BK 0]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printedition...9.column?page=2

Hull slaps shots at NHL's moves

Even with Johnny Miller and now Tiki Barber in the fold, the loosest lips in NBC's analyst arsenal have to belong to Brett Hull, who was in fine form yesterday on WFAN.

He blamed weak All-Star ratings on the NHL's choice of a cable partner, saying, "I don't even think people know Versus is a station. " He called it a "ridiculously bad channel. "

Gary Bettman? "I don't think he really understands the game. He doesn't understand the history and at times I don't think he really gives a hoot. All he cares about is if he's making the owners happy. "

NHL players in the Olympics? "I think it's ridiculous they send the pros. "

Mike Keenan, one of his former coaches? "I'd rather not talk about him. ''

I have been saying the same thing all season long. I usually get shot down my chadd lol. He likes um. :)

[mack 44]

Versus sucks so much log it's not even funny. Their productions are crappy but I can live with that as I've lived on Centre Ice for long enough to get past some of the porn-y coverage/cameras that some stations offer.

The problem is the channel itself is so void of entertainment that who wants to pick it up for a couple hockey games a week? At least ESPN offer(s/ed) a lot more than bullcrap like bull riding and lacrosse.

[BK 0]

Post thought: Honestly though.. The NHL doesn't seem welcome on any station in the US. ABC, Fox and NBC wont take them because it would take away prime time from Hero's, The Office, CSI and the other big name shows. I don't know if this was discussed yet, but there was a shooting here in SLC a few days ago. They had a live update that cut into Heros on ABC and 24 on Fox. There were litterally 1000's of complaints from people who missed half of their show. Think of the backlash of some bitchy housewife who turns the dial and expects to see The View and gets a nice shot of Ovy shooting a snot rocket on the bench. ESPN hates hockey and Fox Sports is too devided, and you wouldn't get to see any good games if you wern't in the right region (Fox East, Fox West, Northern, Northwestern, South of main street, Peewee's playhouse region etc).

In my opinion.. The only good place for NHL and hockey in general would be a dedicated hockey channel that only has hockey shows/games... And even then, Bettman would probably make it a pay-premium channel lol..

[MDE3 0]

I would suggest that the NHL try to get hold of the ESPN archives of all broadcasts that mention hockey or the NHL in the past four years, and then I suspect after a review, seriously consider inititating a law suit for loss of earnings(television revenue due to reduced ratings) due to what might well seem a deliberate conspiracy to defame both the sport and the league. One or two comments would not suffice...but the overwhelming volume of material they will find should suggest a deliberate attempt by ESPN to negatively impact the marketing of the sport of hockey.

With all the other issues hockey has to deal with, this is what you think they should be spending money/resources on? Something like this has about a snowball's chance in hell of being successful, and that's being extremely generous.

Well if nothing else it might stop ESPN from taking all those free "shots" at the sport..... as for a being a "waste of money".....I think it would do a couple of things..besides possibly reducing the "cheap shots"....

It would get "face time" as long as the story kept some interest. It would also show that the NHL itself has some of the character the game expects it's players to exhibit, when confronted with cheap shots..and maybe glean some fan credibility by showing that it too is prepared to defend itself..instead of just woosing out....think what impact that might have on it's supporters...Hockey needs a rallying point...and Jessica Simpson, as recently suggested, may not be the answer....Nothing like the possibility of a good conspiracy to get people riled up.

[Chadd 916]

Versus sucks so much log it's not even funny. Their productions are crappy but I can live with that as I've lived on Centre Ice for long enough to get past some of the porn-y coverage/cameras that some stations offer.

The problem is the channel itself is so void of entertainment that who wants to pick it up for a couple hockey games a week? At least ESPN offer(s/ed) a lot more than bullcrap like bull riding and lacrosse.

The production isn't that bad and certainly no worse than a lot of the games that were on ESPN2. The biggest problem is their intermission show. They do need to have some other decent programming that doesn't include killing animals.