I must admit I'm not sad that Macrae has been MIA for so many months at the "Top Dog" but I can't help but wonder is he being punished or in rehab? His delivery and schtick is boring and stale so again the void is not a problem. Anyone wanna share the facts,....Neil???
HMM, I guess since 'NW has all the investigative reporters no one wants to bite the hand that feeds them. He must have a good set of negatives in a safe somewhere to keep himself employed this long and not working. Sure curious about the truth ? short of that any opinions?
Actually he has more airtime on the ads for leaky roofs and used cars that run all day long on NW than any sports reports or comments he has done recently.
I suspect that he wisely has such an iron clad contract, NW is stuck with him even though he doesnt work!!! short of the endless boring commercials where he thinks saying "crap" is funny. Neil - thank you for all your years but take a chapter from Messier and don't embarass yourself anymore.
Yes I hear he's back on 'NW from his "break". There promo the "bad boy" is back. OOOO he's so provacative I wonder if he'll have a new nose? wrinkle free from the face lift? or if he's shaved his head due to his "break" being similar to Brittney's? Let's see, what were the circumstances for her head shaving again??
He'll send more people over to AM1040 once he starts with his old, tired, negative wit. It barely worked for Al Davidson and he just became an embarrasment in the end. We enjoyed the break.
He'll send more people over to AM1040 once he starts with his old, tired, negative wit. It barely worked for Al Davidson and he just became an embarrasment in the end. We enjoyed the break.
EXACTLY. "The Sedin Sisters" one liner is growing abit stale.
MacRae still the best when it comes to delivering hard hitting sport report. Love him or hate Neil, still a ratings winner. Entertaining, funny, sarcastic, straight shooter. Will be remembered as a "top Dog" in sport Vancouver. What you fail to realize that he is entertaining the listener like no other. Big Ego but when you deliver a report like his the act must come off.
I see MacRae as someone who knows very little about sports, as evidenced by his mispronunciation of names off the waiver wire. He can push the buttons by saying controversial things, but he doesn't have to defend or debate those points.
MacRae's act still works. He is the "angry man" with a sense of humor. The one thing I'll say about MacRae, he might not be a walking sports encyclopedia, but he understands "show biz" and thats the most important component any broadcaster can have, and quite frankly some of us don't understand it enough.
Although it's embarrassing to hear him apologize on the air.
He has to grow some stones and take these legal threats head on otherwise the jig will be up and the people he criticizes will know they can shut him up with a letter from their lawyer.
The Aquilini apology must have been really painful. Didn't he take his hiatus right after that?
MacRae is an embarrassment to the industry. An airhead with a big mouth. If he had any true knowledge of the sports he knocks he'd never have to make apologies, especially to the likes of an Aquilini. MacRae was fodder for Frosty and some what acceptable for a while but his delivery is stale, his views out of focus and his attempts to be humorous and controversial limited by his command of the English language. On the other hand, Neil and his employers seem unconcerned that many in the diminishing CKNW audience tuned in during his (thankfully) limited airtime are not laughing with him, but rather at him. Let's hope by 2010 that this radio station has some articulate broadcast journalists reporting on the Olympics instead of a warn out, over-the-hill excuse for a sportscaster.
MacRae still the best when it comes to delivering hard hitting sport report. Love him or hate Neil, still a ratings winner. Entertaining, funny, sarcastic, straight shooter. Will be remembered as a "top Dog" in sport Vancouver. What you fail to realize that he is entertaining the listener like no other.
I, and others here, just don't see him as any of these things anymore. He's not original, funny or entertaining. He relies on his same old, tired, negative, sarcastic approach and thinks that he's funny and witty but it's now to the point of emabarrassing. Frosty needed and used him well as a pinata and there was some fun back and forth. It's done...there's no chemistry with him on the show and he's like the drunk uncle that everyone politely smiles at and breathes a sigh of relief when he finally passes out. His ratings are on the coattails of a legacy show that's also a bit bland now and nothing to do with his contribution. Give him his own show and even "Penfolds roofing" would beg him to stop talking. If NW has him hanging around during 2010 they will risk a huge diservice to a once in a life time sporting event. I hope his contract expires by then and he can leave with some shread of respect in tact. It was unique in the 90's but know when to say goodnight.
How is he an embarrassment to the industry? Big mouth is the "Schtick" The guy is a ratings winner and the schtic will continue. I'm sure the "schtic" will be asked to tone it down for any reporting on 2010. NW will have people reporting back on the events not like Neil is going to be on location.
DEAD AIR: MacRae is not am embarrassment, but a challenge to anyone like you that could do better at gaining ratings. NW wins with him, and personally am glad to hear he is back tomorrow.
A good question was raised as to who's good on sports. I enjoy BMac and Taylor. Not constantly negative and don't do "schtik" They are not trying so hard to be witty, they simply are commenting on things as they see them, discussing like we all do with our friends and don't fabricate contraversy by saying "idiot" and "crap". The NW morning show has strong numbers, not MacRae. He happens to be on a very established station and show. A fencepost could get those ratings if it was on the NW morning show. But it wouldn't say crap all the time and think it was so funny. I've heard often that it's an act for Neil and he's actually a great guy. I buy that and that's my point, it's an act and the act is done and let the curtain fall. Dhaliwal did great. Anyone wanna chime in as to where he's been. Suspension? Self imposed break to "heal"? Neil..share would you?
I've been a friend of Neil McRae since the seventies and it's been interesting reading this thread. Neil has always provoked people positively or negatively since I've known him, both personally and professionally. One thing I can tell you is that he's never pandered to the lap dog sports guy position. He's always had the courage to take on the 'establishment' particularly back at a time when it wasn't cool. He had battles with every Canucks general manager and had a couple of great local talk shows in the city on different stations. He has the courage of his convictions and isn't afraid to speak his mind. If you think he's been around there too long how about all the rest of the old guard who never criticized anything to do with what they were dealing with. Neil was never part of the "group".....he's his own man. My Opinion
There are a lot of sportscasters in Vancouver, now, and over the years, who've been good. But, not many draw the kind of reaction Neil does. Everybody's act eventually wears a little thin unless you constantly re-invent yourself. Neil hasn't, but I don't fault him for that. He did what so many of us try to do in this business, or wish we could do. People know his name whether they like him or not, and he's made a good living at it. In radio! That alone deserves praise despite your feelings towards him. Not everyone has to like you for you to be a success.
"How is he an embarrassment to the industry? When comparing MacRae to the likes of fellow broadcasters Bill Good (Sr. & Jr., for that matter) or Steve Armitage or the always credible Dr. Sport, Greg Douglas, you can not think of MacRae as even being in the same league. Speaking strictly of his 'On Air' persona, he's a buffoon who lacks credibility, a broadcaster who generates little or no respect from many in the word of sport or the media.
"I'm sure the "schtic" will be asked to tone it down for any reporting on 2010." Then it won't be "schtic" any more, will it?
"Who else around town on Vancouver radio gets you excited when it comes to sport talk?" Listening to MacRae is not exactly an orgasmic delight, but then I don't get 'excited' at any time listening to sport talk on radio when conducted by those who, either don't attend sporting events or have little or no knowledge of the history and rules of the sports they attempt to be experts in.
Comparing MacRae to Don Cherry doesn't work since Cherry 'schtics' to what he knows best and that's hockey. MacRae is all over the board and often with egg on his face.
Does anyone remember 'Bill Al' Davidson, one of the hardest working sportscasters in the market, who made doing a broadcast with both feet in his mouth an art. At least Al had he fortitude to show up at functions and meet head on with those he attacked on air and was not opposed to apologizing, sometimes on air, when he knew he'd gone overboard. At least he was someone the industry respected for most of his career for his on air integrity. And of course management and the sales staff benefited greatly from Al's history of unexpected diarrheic critiques.
One thing I will give MacRae - - he does take a stand, but one has to wonder at times does he really believe what he's saying or is he just mouthing off for the benefit of being different, controversial, outspoken. Nothing positive is really accomplished by a broadcast commentator who wastes his time being negative all the time and offering opinions for no reason at all. Yes, Neil is a solid guy off air but, turn the mic switch on and his dialogue is no better than that of some dude sitting in a bar spouting off for the sake of hearing himself talk. If Neil is returning what a pleasant surprise it would be if he expended some of his energy to being complimentary occasionally or presenting an intelligent style of delivery. After this is sports, folks, nothing more, nothing less.
The late Annis Stukus once told me the moment you go on the air, be it radio or television, the audience considers you an expert. On the assumption that you wouldn't have the job otherwise. We have news anchors who've never been reporters and people don't know and don't care. Weather forecasters who have not one clue about meteorology but are fun to watch and the audience doesn't care. In Neil's case, a sportscaster who doesn't go to many games, or press conferences, but the audience doesn't care. It's show biz, plain and simple. I think too often in the media we take runs at people for things like this without realizing that a lot, (obviously not all), of the audience only cares about what it hears or see's and doesn't concern itself about whether said broadcaster is a walking encyclopedia in a certain field. You can say he's lacking credibility with his peers, but so what? There's so much jealousy and backstabbing in the media, he'd get ripped even if he was coming to games every night.
[quote=1134]" a broadcaster who generates little or no respect from many in the word of sport or the media.
I would say that Neil more than likely doesn't give a rat's what people in the world of sport or the media think about him. Everyone, at least many, particularly on this site can do the job better than the other guy or gal. There are no lack of critics to be found. Who really matters , however, are the listeners and the people who hand him a rather handsome paycheck every couple of weeks. That's what "really" matters and so far he seems to be getting thumbs up from both parties. Love him or hate him he's doing the job and although I doubt he even thinks about other's in the media and what they think about him he get's the last laugh every payday.
OpenMike . . . . . With the line of thinking you've presented on MacRae's behalf this suggests that students in the broadcast industry should be encouraged to ignore good manners, integrity and factual reporting since the path to a 'handsome paycheck' is to emulate the style of a guy who speaks from the seat of his pants. Ask Jim Robson if he ever cared what others thought of him and he'd probably respond in his humble way that his broadcasts were not about him, being outspoken and controversial but presenting factual accounts without demeaning overtones and drawing attention to himself. It's hard to be critical of someone whose on air demeanor is as pleasant and honest as his off air personality. However, it's easy to knock a would-be personality who seldom has anything positive to say without throwing in his meaningless two cents worth because he couldn't care a rat's derrière what others think. Robson built his reputation on being fair and honest and still managed to speak his mind when he thought it was necessary. Neil, on the other hand, demonstrates his lack respect for himself at the expense of those he chooses to editorialize about because, after all, it's all about him, not them. Hall of Fame material . . . not bloody likely . . . but what the hey, Neil probably couldn't give a . . . and besides, that would mean he'd have to spend an evening out among his peers, or does he think of you and his listeners as his subjects?
(Good grief, I've now spent more time talking about MacRae than I've listened to him over the past five years . . . and I 'm sure he couldn't care one way or the other)
Unfair comparsion. Jim wasn't doing sportscasts, he was describing what he saw during a game, and no one did it better. There are different ways to do various media jobs. In Jim and Neil's case both approaches worked for them, and in turn enough of an audience loved it to keep them employed.
Have never met McRae and I am about 110 per cent sure I never will so can't comment on what the guy is like off air but it doesn't matter I have heard him on air. All that I am saying is that despite all of his detractors, many of which seem to be or were once in the business, the "act", "schtik", "show", "presentation", whatever you want to call it is still working. If it wasn't he more than likely wouldn't be on the air, it really is that simple.
This was all fun. But we still don't know why he was off the air so long. He appears to be "healed" and sounding sick and tired as ever. We may never know where he was.....
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