sports// no. 6

Whitecaps playoff hopes dip
after loss to the Timbers

UU DEDE

 

The doctor is out

» Legendary broadcaster Mike
Emrick hangs up the headset

Brandon Yip
Senior Columnist

 

QO: October 19, one of the most
notable broadcasters of NHL
hockey games hung up the microphone:
Mike “Doc” Emrick retired after a
47-year career. He had been the main
hockey play-by-play voice for national
broadcasts on both NBCSN and NBC.

Notably, Emrick’s list of games
announced is prolific and impressive. He
announced 22 Stanley Cup Finals and 45
Stanley Cup Playoffs/Final game sevens.
Also, he has done the play-by-play for six
Olympics, 14 NHL All-Star Games, and 19
NHL Winter Classics and Stadium Series
games. In total, Emrick states that he
has announced approximately over 3,750
professional and Olympic hockey games.
Importantly, it should be noted that
while Emrick has retired, he will still be a
member of the NBC Sports department
by doing occasional work for its NHL
coverage in the future. Emrick plans to
write and provide voice narration for
special video essays.

Emrick had his own unique style
to calling a hockey game. He had a flair
for the dramatic, knowing exactly when
and how to elevate and project his voice
appropriately at the right moment.
When a big goal was scored during a
playoff game or a cup final, you could
count on Emrick’s voice to make you
stop whatever you were doing—and just
watch and listen.

Emrick has received numerous
accolades and awards during his
long and distinguished career. In
December 20u,, he was inducted into
the US Hockey Hall of Fame—having
the distinct honour of being the first
media member inducted. Emrick also

won eight national Emmy Awards
for sports broadcasting excellence,
making him the only hockey
broadcaster to be awarded with even
one. In 2017, Emrick was named

by Sports Illustrated as the greatest
sportscaster of all time.

In an interview posted on the
NBC Sports website in October 2020,
Sam Flood (Executive Producer and
President, Production for NBC and
NBCSN) said Emrick’s legacy in
hockey broadcasting is unparalleled:
“Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick is a national
treasure—simply put, he’s one of the
best ever to put on a headset in the
history of sports broadcasting. Doc’s
love of the game and his unmatched
style produced true artistry, engaged
new fans and quickly became the
soundtrack of hockey [....] Doc always
found the right words to meet the
moment. It’s impossible to put into
words the impact Doc has had not
only on the game of hockey, but for
anyone who has had the distinct
pleasure to work with him.”

Emrick was very proud of his
accomplishments as a broadcaster.
He has been thankful and humbled
by the praise he has received—as he
stated in an interview with the New
York Post shortly after announcing
his retirement: “I’m not proud of
myself, necessarily, but I’m thankful
that I was healthy during all that time
despite the cancer scare in 1991 and
the surgery that resulted. I’m very
grateful that I’m healthy, and I guess
I'm proudest of the fact that fans still
invite me to their Fan Club meetings,
and | like either going or attending
vicariously, because the fans are the
backbone of the sport.’

theotherpress.ca

» Loss puts the Whitecaps in a tough position

Mo Hussain
Sports Reporter

 

lhe Vancouver Whitecaps’ playoff

chances took a drastic fall on Saturday
after losing 1-0 to the Portland Timbers.
The club’s postseason hopes will now
depend not only on their own play but
outside factors as well.

The lone goal came from Timbers
midfielder Yimmi Chara in the 61st minute
with the help of a cross from teammate
Jorge Villafafia. The Whitecaps then had a
couple of chances to tie the game after that
goal, but unfortunately none of them got
past the goal line.

The Whitecaps needed to at least
tie the game in the second half, as after
Whitecaps and Timbers wrapped up
the first half, the Colorado Rapids had
defeated the Seattle Sounders 3-1, putting
the Whitecaps under a certain amount of

 

pressure to keep their playoff chances alive.

“Tt was a close game and unfortunately
some details like the goal they scored made
the difference,” said Whitecaps head coach
Marc Dos Santos in a press conference
after Sunday’s loss. “We were disappointed
because we needed to get out with at least
with a point. We still have a chance but we
depend a lot on the results of Colorado and
San Jose right now.”

In order for the Whitecaps’ playoff
hopes to somehow come to fruition, the
Whitecaps now need to beat the LA Galaxy
on Sunday afternoon, and hope the MLS
reschedules the postponed matchup
between San Jose Earthquakes and LAFC,
and for San Jose’s final two opponents
to beat San Jose. If the league does not
reschedule the matchup between the
Earthquakes and LAFC, San Jose will clinch
the final playoff spot.

Photo by Bruce C. Cooper via Wikimedia Commons