November 06, 2024
ON THE AIR

Boston sports DVD worthwhile viewing

There’s only one thing to complain about regarding “City of Champions, The Best of Boston Sports,” a newly-released DVD celebrating Boston sports moments, figures, and games.

Even with the extra 48 minutes of bonus features included, the 60-minute program just isn’t long enough.

The product of Rabid Films covers everything from Rocky Marciano’s retirement parade to the 2004 World Series, from the Boston Bruins glory years to the current Red Sox run, the Boston Celtics dynastic years to the current New England Patriots’ championship run, and plenty of memorable moments and men in between.

This isn’t just a tribute to professional sports either. College sports are also covered with particular attention to Boston College’s Doug Flutie era and “The Pass” against Miami – which former Celtic player and general manager M.L. Carr calls “the greatest New England sports moment.” There are brief references to Boston University and Harvard college hockey championship teams as well.

The video chronicles – more in a passing fashion than an in-depth way – many of the most defining moments, personalities and teams in New England lore and includes commentary from a wide range of sports figures including Flutie, Baseball Hall of Fame writer Peter Gammons, Carr, comedian Mike O’Malley, announcer and former Patriots linebacker Steve Nelson, NHL Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, and Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, who had some brutally candid words to describe the notion of the “curse of the Bambino.”

A particularly impressive bonus in the 48-minute special features section is a 17-part image gallery featuring hundreds of photos featuring the names, dates and descriptions of those moments and athletes.

The DVD starts off with a montage of highlights and original play-by-play calls involving the 1970’s Red Sox, the 1980’s Patriots, the B.U. Terriers (scoring a goal against Maine), Marvin Hagler, Orr, the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team with Massachusetts native Mike Eruzione and then proceeds on to highlight various major moments, eras and teams. The film is a hodgepodge of eras and moments with a style or order that seems like someone hit the video equivalent of a CD player’s “scramble” or “shuffle” button on the contents.

The first “chapter” of the film focuses on the 2002 divisional playoff “snow bowl” game between the Patriots and Oakland Raiders which catapulted the Pats to the Super Bowl championship.

The film features digitally-enhanced audio clips of the original play calls from noted announcers like Johnny Most, Gil Santos, Joe Castiglione, Jerry Trupiano, Ken Coleman, and Fred Cusick.

Fans of recent history and yesteryear will be happy with this video effort and rock music fans will appreciate the driving soundtrack that features groups like AC-DC, Aerosmith, Creed, Pearl Jam, Train, and Crossfade. It’s not just rock as The Boston Pops, Isley Brothers, and Pete Yorn are also included on the playlist.

Recent stars like David Ortiz, Curt Schilling, Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri are intermixed with legendary names like Havlicek, Bird, Cousy, Yastrzemski, Brad Park, Fred Lynn, Carlton Fisk, Steve Grogan, Bourque, and many others.

If this video isn’t among the others in the sports section of your home library, it’s leaving a gaping hole. This will definitely be worth including on your Christmas list.

It retails for $24.98.

Ice is out on NESN

New England Sports Network dropped the puck on its 71-game Boston Bruins broadcast schedule Wednesday night. This is the 22nd season of Bruins hockey for the regional cable television network.

Topsham native and Bowdoin College graduate Dale Arnold is back for his 10th season as the play-by-play man. He’ll have two partners this season as former Bruin Andy Brickley returns for his fifth season as color analyst, this time during home games. The road analyst is former ESPN announcer Jack Edwards, who signed a multi-year deal with NESN.

They will be joined by a revolving lineup of pre- and postgame studio announcers including former Bangor sports anchor Eric Frede and former Bruins Gord Kluzak, Rick Middleton, Barry Pederson and Don Sweeney. The new rink-side reporter for all 71 telecasts is Detroit native Rob Simpson, a former host of Maple Leaf America in Toronto.

NESN gives the Bruins a bit of a luxury this season with 71 of their 82 games on the regional network. Following a one-year lockout which forced the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, the NHL has been left with no national TV network coverage deal.

And the winners are…

The Maine Association of Broadcasters has released its list of winners in the annual creative awards competition and the awards are as follows:

. TV – Photojournalism: First place, Dave Simpson, John Holyoke WVII (Channel 7) Bangor for “River Vultures” segment on weekly John Holyoke Outdoors segment.

Same-day sportscast: First place, Norm Karkos, WMTW (Ch. 8) Portland.

Sports feature/program: First place, “Lumberjacks fold,” Tim Baier and Elgin Traylor, WVII; Second place, “Baseball steroids,” Adam Pellerin and Kristen Griffin, WGME; Third place, “Chrysler Q-School Shootout,” Ted Lombardi, Phil McFarland, Jayson Maker, Brad Munson and Dave Simpson, WVII.

. Radio – Sports feature/program: First place, “Remembering Jeff Cole,” Clem LaBree, WZON Bangor; Second place, “Parade of Heroes,” Dick Johnson, WGAN Portland; Third place, “Fire Steinbrenner,” George Hale, WBFB Belfast.

Sports play-by-play: First place, “Dexter-Dirigo Title Game,” Toby Nelson and Ian Wilbur, WDME Dover-Foxcroft; Second place, “UMaine Hockey,” Dan Hannigan, Larry Mahoney, Ian Wilbur, Pat Speckhardt, WZON Bangor; Third place, “Rockland vs. Presque Isle,” Don Shields and Randy Hooper, WMCM Rockland.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or at aneff@bangordailynews.net


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