TSN will introduce new play-by-play commentator for Tor/Mtl game

[ArgoRavi]

A fellow by the name of Matt Devlin will be calling his first CFL game tomorrow night in Montreal and his second on Saturday night in Calgary. He will be working with Glen Suitor. I have never heard this fellow so don't know what to expect. Is anyone familiar with Devlin?

[Gill The Thrill]

A fellow by the name of Matt Devlin will be calling his first CFL game tomorrow night in Montreal and his second on Saturday night in Calgary. He will be working with Glen Suitor. I have never heard this fellow so don't know what to expect. Is anyone familiar with Devlin?

He is the Toronto Raptors TV play by play man. He took over for Chuck Swirsky after he left for Chicago several years.

I can't say I've heard him in large doses, as I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I immediately thought he was more professional than Swirsky and more versatile. I could not imagine Swirsk doing any other sport other than basketbal (to the point where he'd put down other sports and leagues including the CFL which he did not like) while Devlin has the type of professional tradional sportscasting delivery that can translate to doing other sports.

According to his wikipedia page...he is from Syracuse, NY, so he might have been able to catch CFL games on TV growing up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Devlin_(sportscaster)

[Argos]

I do follow the Raptors, but Devlin puts me to sleep. He seems disinterested in the game, no passion and he tells too many stories instead of just doing his job - play by play. There's nights I just quit watching as a result. He reminds me of some of the US hockey broadcasters who distractingly tell stories during the play, meanwhile, we can't tell the name or number of the player with the puck so we get lost. Hopefully this is just because Chris Cuthbert is at the Olympics or something.

[Gill The Thrill]

I do follow the Raptors, but Devlin puts me to sleep. He seems disinterested in the game, no passion and he tells too many stories instead of just doing his job - play by play. There's nights I just quit watching as a result. He reminds me of some of the US hockey broadcasters who distractingly tell stories during the play, meanwhile, we can't tell the name or number of the player with the puck so we get lost. Hopefully this is just because Chris Cuthbert is at the Olympics or something.Probably that's why...although, did they not try Suitor as a play-by-play guy in the past.

[Will]

Probably that's why...although, did they not try Suitor as a play-by-play guy in the past.

Presumably, Cuthbert is doing the Edmonton-Winnipeg game tonight and will probably stay out west to cover one of the games on Saturday (both are out west).

[ArgoRavi]

Rod Black is the one who is at the Olympics and who Devlin is replacing. I am surprised that they wouldn't get Gord Miller instead but perhaps he is on vacation.

Cuthbert is being paired with Duane Forde for the Winnipeg and Saskatchewan games while Devlin is working the other two games with Glen Suitor.

[Will]

Miller could very well be in London as well, Ravi.

[ArgoGabe22]

Matt Devlin is worse than Swirsky. Swirsky was fun to listen to, Devlin is just plain boring.

[AngeloV]

Matt Devlin is worse than Swirsky. Swirsky was fun to listen to, Devlin is just plain boring.

I like Devlin way more than Swirsky. Don't know if he'll be a good football PBP guy, but he's not a jerk like Swirsky.

[1argoholic]

Well hopefully he's not just another guy we get to rip. Read a bio that states he's called NFL, Olympics,baseball etc. Looks like a cheesy used car salesman.

[Gill The Thrill]

I like Devlin way more than Swirsky. Don't know if he'll be a good football PBP guy, but he's not a jerk like Swirsky.

Holy Mackeral, we agree on something...I better go have a look outside, the sky may be falling...lol;)

[Nob]

Does it matter? Suitor will still be there. That, in itself, will ruin the broadcast, no matter who is doing the PBP.

[AngeloV]

Holy Mackeral, we agree on something...I better go have a look outside, the sky may be falling...lol;)

In honour of the late Rodney King...I guess we CAN all get along.

[gilthethrill]

Lou Jaffe gets overlooked once again....

[Hollaway]

Watch a few Raptors games but can't remember this guy, we will see how he does calling football.

[Will]

I can't honestly compare Devlin to Swirsky. I don't think I've watched a single Raptors game in any great length since he took over.

[shayman]

Chuck Swirsky once, on his Fan 590 show, and in all seriousness: "What is the name of the Grey Cup trophy?"

[mchesher03]

who cares - anyone is better then Rod Black! "hey look the aussie rules kicker" 'this guy is a former nfl'er" - rod knows little and has about 5 lines that he repeats and repeats all game - he should stick to figure skating.

[jerrym]

who cares - anyone is better then Rod Black! "hey look the aussie rules kicker" 'this guy is a former nfl'er" - rod knows little and has about 5 lines that he repeats and repeats all game - he should stick to figure skating.
I agree unless he is the reincarnation of Pat Marsden.

[AngeloV]

Chuck Swirsky once, on his Fan 590 show, and in all seriousness: "What is the name of the Grey Cup trophy?"

And when he had his own show on the Fan, he would go on and on about the CFL needing to go to 4 downs. Never liked him.

[marcwagz]

lmao great...
expect him to tell many 'exciting' stories about his college days and to randomly start singing Bon Jovi

[argotom]

And when he had his own show on the Fan, he would go on and on about the CFL needing to go to 4 downs. Never liked him.


I am not so sure we can expect any better from this new guy.
US bred with relevant stories, no doubt.
And yes when I flipped across TSN and the Raptors, this guy did put me to sleep as well as the team.

[ArgoRavi]

I am not so sure we can expect any better from this new guy.
US bred with relevant stories, no doubt.
And yes when I flipped across TSN and the Raptors, this guy did put me to sleep as well as the team.

I will be curious to see what this Devlin chap knows about the CFL. On the surface, it seems like an odd choice by TSN but we shall see how he does.

[argotom]

Like someone previously noted, both Gord Miller and now Rod Smith must be in London so this is plan C.

[argolio]

I have some reservations about Devlin, but let's see how he does first before we kill him.

[gilthethrill]

who cares - anyone is better then Rod Black! "hey look the aussie rules kicker" 'this guy is a former nfl'er" - rod knows little and has about 5 lines that he repeats and repeats all game - he should stick to figure skating.

My favorite Rod Black line.... "Lemon...drops"....

[1argoholic]

Devlin has been good. Even Suiter isn't the normal knob we have to listen to. So far so good.

[ArgoRavi]

Devlin has been good. Even Suiter isn't the normal knob we have to listen to. So far so good.

I think that Suitor knows that he has to step up his game because Devlin's CFL knowledge probably only goes back to 2008. The two of them did a decent job in the first half.

[paulwoods13]

Devlin did great -- way better than any game Black has called, IMO.

[1argoholic]

Keep Devlin and ditch Black!!!! I really enjoyed not having to hear Black.

[Fungi]

Devlin has been good. Even Suiter isn't the normal knob we have to listen to. So far so good.
No, sorry. Suitor is still a knob. You didn't notice because it was a good game. If it was mediocre, you'd be throwing things and insults. Suitor is mediocre...and I would say that to his face...just in case anyone thinks I'm not being nice!!!!

[1argoholic]

Don't get me wrong. I think Suiter is still a knob just not as knobby today.

[gilthethrill]

If Devlin knows nothing about the CFL, he sure fooled me. I thought he was very good.

[argotom]

Devlin wasn't bad, but Suitor is the best colour guy hands down.

[AngeloV]

A very good first effort, IMO. Not once did he marvel about a player's past NFL resume.

[argotom]

Did anyone mention how the early camera work on TSN was horrible.
Like volunteer work for Rogers cable.

[flafson]

Unless they told to each other welcome to the CFL, i wouldn't know he was a noob.

[1argoholic]

The camera work was horrible early on. The best TSN camera folks must be in England.

[KCargosfan]

Devlin wasn't bad, but Suitor is the best colour guy hands down.

Agreed, I think Suitor is a great colour guy. And I'm probably still the only guy on the planet who thinks Rod Black does a good job, was missing him on there tonight, but Devlin was ok as a sub.

[Will]

Yeah, myself, Cossack, T-Bone, Ania and a few others were commenting on the camera work and also concluded that many of TSN's best camera people were in England.

I have no complaints with Devlin, and even chuckled when he referred to Swayze Waters as Patrick Swayze! You knew it was bound to happen eventually people.

[1argoholic]

I laughed my socks off at the Patrick comment but it's pretty easy mistake to make.

[Argos]

It was about as I expected. Devlin's way too monotone and unexcited for my taste. I really enjoy both Cuthbert and Black because they bring enthusiasm to the game. I like Suitor, but my favourite commentator is Dunigan (he usually does a few games a year as commentator), he makes even a boring game fun! I found my mind wandering in the second half, it's just the effect Devlin's monotone voice has on me. LOL

Devlin reminds me more of some of the US broadcasters. I'm not an NFL fan so I usually only watch the Super Bowl, but wow, that broadcast team usually makes me mute the game, no passion or enthusiasm.

I agree there was one play the camera totally missed. But overall, this was far and away the best camera work this year in Montreal IMO. The last couple of Alouette home games, they'd zoom in so much on the ball carrier, we couldn't even see a ten yard window. Montreal has been the main place this is an issue. Without seeing where the defence is, it's not that interesting just to watch someone run.

[jerrym]

The camera work was horrible early on. The best TSN camera folks must be in England.

The early camera work was not horrible. It was the worst I have ever seen. It seemed like they were clueless about football. Then it suddenly improved to average as if they realized they better change the cameramen or lose most of their audience. Devlin passed the Rod Black test (which is not hard when it comes to football).

[Will]

For someone who was doing his first (and second) Canadian football games, Devlin did seem like he did lots of preparation beforehand. He might not have been the best, but as jerrym says he passed the Rod Black test.

[argolio]

Despite a few hiccups, Devlin did a fine job this weekend. Unlike Rod Black, there was no screaming like a teenage girl, no excessive NFL references (if anything, Devlin stressed the CIS background of Canadian players), and no "Mr. This" or "Mr. That" nonsense.

I'll never understand why TSN believes a guy most comfortable with figure skating and gymnastics is suitable for football.

[gilthethrill]

I will miss Devlin when Rod returns.

[1argoholic]

Devlin must stay. Perhaps Rod will get lost in England.

[AngeloV]

Devlin must stay. Perhaps Rod will get lost in England.

Would be nice, but come October, he will have his Raptors commitments.

[ArgoRavi]

Despite a few hiccups, Devlin did a fine job this weekend. Unlike Rod Black, there was no screaming like a teenage girl, no excessive NFL references (if anything, Devlin stressed the CIS background of Canadian players), and no "Mr. This" or "Mr. That" nonsense.

I'll never understand why TSN believes a guy most comfortable with figure skating and gymnastics is suitable for football.

i have watched a minute or two of the Olympics gymnastics here and there and Black seems much more comfortable calling that sport than he does football. Football just isn't a good fit for Black but TSN has persisted in shoving him down our throats for a decade now and it doesn't appear as though they plan on changing this anytime soon.

[paulwoods13]

i have watched a minute or two of the Olympics gymnastics here and there and Black seems much more comfortable calling that sport than he does football. Football just isn't a good fit for Black but TSN has persisted in shoving him down our throats for a decade now and it doesn't appear as though they plan on changing this anytime soon.

Is that true: a decade? Wow, time really flies.

[1argoholic]

Rod has to stick to figure skating and gymnastics. He really rocks the gymnastics. No better play by play gymnastic guy in the world. I think he should get work covering the World Gymnastics Tour. If there isn't a tour develop one and hire Black as your go to play by play guy.

[ArgoRavi]

Is that true: a decade? Wow, time really flies.

I know that Black has been calling CFL games since at least '02. I may be wrong but I think that he started as a fill-in for John Wells when Wells became very ill for a time and had to miss a good chunk of the season. It wasn't long after this that Black became entrenched as the #2 play-by-play commentator behind Wells and then Chris Cuthbert when he joined TSN in '05 (Wells dropped to #3 that year before leaving the network).

[DanTheFan]

My favorite Rod Black line.... "Lemon...drops"....

My favorite Black-ism is when he misinterprets what happens on the field and follows it by "Or IS IT??"
:(

[AngeloV]

Did you know that Steven Black was the cousin of T.O.? I didn't until Black pointed it out for the 500th time.

[Will]

Did you know that Steven Black was the cousin of T.O.? I didn't until Black pointed it out for the 500th time.

Or that Arland Bruce was the cousin of Isaac?

[gilthethrill]

I also did not know the gameball used in the 90th Grey Cup was a relative of the gameball used in Superbowll XXXVI..

[ArgoRavi]

I didn't know that the punter for the Ticats was an Aussie until Black pointed it out for the 100th time over the first three games of the season.

[ArgoGabe22]

Can someone please define YAC? Black keeps saying it. I'm joking btw

[Midnight Blue]

Can someone please define YAC? Black keeps saying it. I'm joking btw


Here's a picture of 1argoholic (wearing Double Blue!), while on vacation in Belarus,

getting some YAC yards :


http://blogs.ucdavis.edu/egghead/files/2012/07/Yak_racing-300x225.jpg


Close-up :

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ltbnjOjCiVU/Tf5kHipo8eI/AAAAAAAAAj4/ikEhmpG6H_M/s1600/bovine%2B01%2B-%2Byak%2B02%2B-%2Byak%2Bracing.jpg

[1argoholic]

hahaha. I should never has posted that pic. Ooh the vodka was flowing heavily that weekend. As you can see I had the lead until the Yak threw me like a Canadian Equestrian at the Olympics.