Edit; delete.Love Jack, but it was waaaaay past time. Half the time he sounds like he’s stroking out on live tv.
If you get a chance to listen to a broadcast it will be painfully obvious.The line in the release about him no longer being able to attain the standards he set for himself was a little sad. I know some people thought he was way too much of a homer but haven’t listened to a ton of Bruins games the last few years.
Why do people (including Jack himself apparently) think he’s toast?
Well said. I'll miss him even though it is clearly time.but he was a true home town announcer,
Do you watch Bruins games regularly? He clearly has developed some neurological related speech issues, about which he's spoken publicly even though his diagnosis -- IIRC -- is not established.The line in the release about him no longer being able to attain the standards he set for himself was a little sad. I know some people thought he was way too much of a homer but haven’t listened to a ton of Bruins games the last few years.
Why do people (including Jack himself apparently) think he’s toast?
More details here from JackThe line in the release about him no longer being able to attain the standards he set for himself was a little sad. I know some people thought he was way too much of a homer but haven’t listened to a ton of Bruins games the last few years.
Why do people (including Jack himself apparently) think he’s toast?
How much before him because Fred Cusick was the absolute gold standardI enjoyed Jack a lot. Sure he was a homer, but he was on the hometown broadcast of the hometown team, it's very different from a national broadcast where the announcers should care more about seeming unbiased.
Bruins broadcasts before him were passionless, dry, and boring. He made it much more fun to watch.
It is time, alas.
I'm thinking of Dale Arnold on TV, he was dry as dust to me.How much before him because Fred Cusick was the absolute gold standard
Aligned.I'm thinking of Dale Arnold on TV, he was dry as dust to me.
Someone, I think Pete Blackburn, and tweeted way earlier this year that Alex Faust could hang around long term. I know he filled in for Jack a couple times this year.Any ideas of possible replacements?
I think Jack was waiting/hoping until all the neuro and other tests were done (no issues found); and then if the speech therapy he was doing would help (It didn;t). (That's how I read the Glob story a few weeks ago, anyway).While he probably should have retired a year or two ago and can really struggle to call games to the point the broadcasts could be painful to listen to, my first immediate thought when I saw this thread was sadness. I loved the passion he brought even if he was prone to say some really dumb stuff(the whole Maroon incident), and you knew you were getting his all every night. In reading that article it sure seems like he was basically told it's time.
As to his replacement, I really hope they go the Celtics route and go outside the NESN family. I have enjoyed the preparation Drew brings, but with how the Bruins are run I'm expecting a re-tread to an even bigger downgrade from peak Jack
I feel bad for the guy. Loved his job. Was good at his job. Taken out not really by age, but by a mysterious malady. Not going out on his own terms must be tough. I hope his last game is a win. (a couple of weeks from now).Edwards is genuinely hopeful that speech therapy will help him get back to where he wants to be. And if not?
“I’m treating it like an in-season injury, something that’s going to get better,” he says. “If I, or NESN, decide that I’m hurting the product or costing the fans an enjoyable experience, I will say goodbye. But we haven’t had any discussions like that.
“l love my job, but I know that retirement isn’t that far off,” he adds, noting that his retirement plan will be to ski roughly 100 days a year.
“I’m going to turn 67 next month. I hope to make a graceful exit when the day comes.”
Shit, it's dusty in here.
This. I want him healthy and calling games, but that's not possible anymore. He is the voice to a lot of my favorite B's memories. He will be fondly missed.his passion was undeniable. It was time however.
Fred and Johnny Pierson were better in my opinion but yeah.I'm 43, so my earliest memories are Fred and Derek doing the broadcasts, and that might be my favorite pairing of all time in any sport, national and local.
Then we had Dale and Gord Kluzak and it was a low energy, stodgy broadcast calling games for a mostly rudderless franchise.
Jack was a much needed bolt of energy in the broadcast booth and was a welcome part of a rejuvenated organization. It's obviously time, but it still sucks.
I’m wondering if they open the wallet for Sean McDonough.Someone, I think Pete Blackburn, and tweeted way earlier this year that Alex Faust could hang around long term. I know he filled in for Jack a couple times this year.
Wasn’t NESN at one point trying to get away with not sending the announcers on the trips? I doubt they break the bank for anyone, but would love to be wrong.I’m wondering if they open the wallet for Sean McDonough.
"Like a coin that won't get tossed"I can't believe they are playing "Old Man" during the Jack segment.
Thats a great way to put it.He cared about the team and his craft, say what you want about his style. Much like John Sterling, I think the fan experience will be somewhat lacking without him, even if his replacement is very competent. Sports is entertainment, and it is shared memory, it’s not a 1010WINS news update.
I am in Tampa, so only hear him once in a while, but when I do, I am taken aback. He's not well and the quality of the broadcast has suffered. He deserved the right to be able to step down when he was ready, but the quaility of his play by play, to put it kindly, is poor. How much longer could that have continued?The line in the release about him no longer being able to attain the standards he set for himself was a little sad. I know some people thought he was way too much of a homer but haven’t listened to a ton of Bruins games the last few years.
Why do people (including Jack himself apparently) think he’s toast?
In this day and age, which job pays better? At least in my case, radio listening to Boston games is almost non-existent.Bring the guy from Vegas back. Pay him.Dave Goucher.
Before my time, i started watching right around the time Cable tv first came around in 84-85ish. The Fred and Derrick combo is just so memorable for me, not sure it will ever be matched for myself anyways..Fred and Johnny Pierson were better in my opinion but yeah.
He has admitted that he knew something was wrong. Described the medical tests for trying (unsuccessfully) to figure out what it was as well as the speech therapy trying (unsuccessfully) to address it.but clearly something is either wrong or he's just gotten too old and so it was time.