Joe V between the benches?
Moderators: STLtoday Forum Moderators, Blues Talk Moderators
Joe V between the benches?
Sorry if I missed this somewhere, but was last game the first time he was between the benches? I don’t remember him being there before. He seemed a little more focused
Re: Joe V between the benches?
I wonder if it is to break up the stupid banter between him and Kerber. Hope it will make for a better broadcast.
-
TruBlueFan_1970
- Forum User
- Posts: 1888
- Joined: 23 May 2024 16:32 pm
-
Galatians221jb1
- Forum User
- Posts: 2077
- Joined: 30 Mar 2023 15:23 pm
Re: Joe V between the benches?
I do mute them. Started with bigmouth Pang. If something happens I rewind and unmute to hear the call. Color man should only talk when play stops. Kerber has interrupted Vitale to call a goal. No play by play. Just “HE SCORES”TruBlueFan_1970 wrote: ↑31 Jan 2026 16:29 pmOnly way to make it a better broadcast would be to put him on mute.
Re: Joe V between the benches?
I guess they missed each other, Sat night they were both back together in the booth again.
-
the miracle
- Forum User
- Posts: 341
- Joined: 24 May 2024 12:14 pm
Re: Joe V between the benches?
FWIW - I caught an interview with Vitale on the radio Friday and apparently the broadcast uses different producers for different games. It was something along the lines that the producer who put him between the benches wanted to try it out, but a different person was producing last night's game and that's why he was back with Kerbs. Sounded like we might see more of it, but not a full time change
-
ManitobaBlues
- Forum User
- Posts: 1178
- Joined: 21 Jan 2022 08:54 am
Re: Joe V between the benches?
Joe V on ESPN was on sports talk bashing fans for dogging Thomas all year, saying fans need to back off because he’s been hurt. That tells me this guy has absolutely no clue.
Fans are the ones paying for the tickets, the merch, the parking, the beers — the whole (bleep) operation. If they want to dog a player who’s underperforming or whatever, they’ve earned that right. That’s how it works in every real hockey market.
You don’t get to lecture fans from a studio chair about how they should feel. This isn’t a charity league, it’s pro sports, they guy is horrible. Blues need a new crew to call these games.
Fans are the ones paying for the tickets, the merch, the parking, the beers — the whole (bleep) operation. If they want to dog a player who’s underperforming or whatever, they’ve earned that right. That’s how it works in every real hockey market.
You don’t get to lecture fans from a studio chair about how they should feel. This isn’t a charity league, it’s pro sports, they guy is horrible. Blues need a new crew to call these games.
-
Phil Roberto fan
- Forum User
- Posts: 85
- Joined: 01 Dec 2019 09:46 am
Re: Joe V between the benches?
+1TruBlueFan_1970 wrote: ↑31 Jan 2026 16:29 pmOnly way to make it a better broadcast would be to put him on mute.
-
Hazelwood72
- Forum User
- Posts: 1459
- Joined: 02 Feb 2021 23:05 pm
Re: Joe V between the benches?
As much as I loved Panger, I agree that he often talked too much and into the play by play. This seems to be an epidemic on many hockey broadcasts now, including national network feeds like TNT and ESPN. I suspect that they are using the philosophy of, “well it’s on TV, so you can see what’s happening and you don’t need the play by play guy describing each play”. But to me, this creates 2 problems: 1) on a simulcast like the Blues when you’re listening on radio, you NEED quick and accurate play by play description. 2). Even on TV, there’s nothing like a booming voice like John Kelly, John Forslund, Gary Thorne, Dan Kelly, Pat Foley etc, yelling “IN ON GOAL….HE SCORES!” or “OHH, what A MIRACULOUS SAAAAVE!”Galatians221jb1 wrote: ↑31 Jan 2026 18:30 pmI do mute them. Started with bigmouth Pang. If something happens I rewind and unmute to hear the call. Color man should only talk when play stops. Kerber has interrupted Vitale to call a goal. No play by play. Just “HE SCORES”TruBlueFan_1970 wrote: ↑31 Jan 2026 16:29 pmOnly way to make it a better broadcast would be to put him on mute.
I strongly believe that the color commentator should minimize his talking while the play is in action, or at least anticipate better and shut up when there’s a Grade A scoring chance. And that takes awareness and anticipation.