How did this Happen?

To steal a line from Lowetide “This is Pierre McGuire.”

It came to my attention earlier today that Mr. McGuire was nominated and won an award for the Best Game Analyst from the Gemini Awards, which “recognize the best of Canadian Television”.

Now you have to be freaking kidding me. McGuire actually won this award? In my mind he should not even have been nominated. Or if he was nominated should have lost to guys like Bob Mackenzie or Kelly Hrudey (both of which actually were not even nominated).

Here are the top three things that I hate about Pierre McGuire’s broadcasting:

1. Grandstanding of minute plays

When I listen to Pierre McGuire on the NHL on TSN I think to myself, does this guy actually know what is going on? During games he will grandstand minute plays and make them the key to why a player is successful. For example a player is in a scrum along the boards and kicks the puck to a teammate. That team mate then undresses a defenseman; make a complete mockery of the goaltender and scores. McGuire will build that simple little kick pass to be the play of the year.

2. Continual ranting about certain aspects

Pierre will see something happen in a game and continually complain about it. For example one player is hitting with his elbow a little high, but he will continually point this out time after time. It gets a little repetitive because as a hockey fan I can plainly see that too, I do not need to be reminded of it time and time again in an annoying fashion. Show a replay of a move, do not show me clip after clip of how you are right and a player hits leading with his elbow.

3. McGuire’s "monster"
   

I like the idea behind this in rewarding a player for individual effort in a team game. But seriously some of the guys that he picks are mind boggling. There are some games that you could have a player have 2 goals and played lights out and McGuire will give the monster to a plugger that made the inconsequential kick pass mentioned in #1 (Buffalo vs. Ottawa Feb 7, 2006)

Sure he was a coach (with a great record of 23-37-7), but that obviously does not make him a great hockey analyst. You become a good hockey analyst by looking at all the sides to the game. Not grandstanding plays, continually ranting about such and such play, or making people out to be “monsters.” All I can hope is that next year a real analyst like Mckenzie or Hrudey gets the nod. But, then again maybe I am just biased towards Mr. MrGuire.