For the first time in 10 years, boating enthusiasts were unable to catch any of the action from Saturday’s 29th Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race on television.

But thanks to the efforts of a local radio station, that void was filled capably. What Bangor’s WZON lacked in pictures, it made up for in flavor, humor, and description as it broadcast the race from its 8:30 a.m. start to noon.

The only knock I found was on the technical side. Numerous microphone shorts and fade-outs interrupted the flow of the broadcast. They were annoying, but didn’t affect the overall quality of the broadcast.

Race action was called by Dale Duff, Brent Slowikowski, Don Carrigan, Rich Kimball, Jen Monahan, Ernie Clark, and Jim Churchill.

Divided into teams broadcasting from different points along the 16-mile course, the WZON crew unearthed several interesting nuggets of race trivia, humorous stories, and entertaining interviews.

Slowikowski broadcast the race from his kayak on a cellular phone while he took part in the race.

Carrigan talked to Fred Parker of Portland and Gene Monahan of Bangor, who were accompanied in their canoe by Monahan’s seeing-eye dog.

“She barks once for left and twice for left,” Monahan said, adding that he and his dog had done other river races.

The broadcast also reached new depths in lame humor.

“I asked that dog earlier what she thought the conditions would be like coming down Six Mile Falls,” said Duff. “And her answer was `ruff.’ ”

The funniest part of the broadcast? That’s easy: Kimball’s interview with “race veteran” Ira Doughty (a.k.a. Joe Bennett of Hermon) and his partner, known only as Enoch.

Doughty’s Tim Sample-esque stories had me chuckling the whole time he was talking.

“I’ve been trying to get on my wife’s good side. And I’ve been circling her for days, looking for it,” Doughty said with a Maine accent.

Kimball asked Doughty about the fishing poles in his canoe.

“We figured if we got the chance, we’d do some trolling out there,” Doughty said. “From time to time, if we’re trolling, the line gets fetched up. If you can fetch up on a fast one, he’ll carry you right down the river.”

Duff and the other announcers kept the action flowing right along, interspersing comical interviews like the ones with Doughty with the serious business of calling the race action and talking to participants and winners.

Overall, this was a grade-A effort that was a lot of fun – for both listeners and announcers alike.

The second half of the announcing team calling New England Patriots presesason TV games has finally been announced.

Former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms will do color commentary along with play-by-play man Don Criqui for the four preseason games, which will be broadcast locally on WVII (Channel 7) in Bangor.

In the first of four nationwide, prime time appearances by the Patriots this coming season, New England’s preseason game at Philadelphia on Thursday, Aug. 17, will also be aired by Turner Network Television (TNT) at 8 p.m.

The other national telecasts are regular season games Sunday, Oct. 8 (vs. Denver on TNT), Monday, Oct. 23 (vs. Buffalo on ABC), and Saturday, Dec. 23 (at Indianapolis on ESPN).

ESPN’s Chris Berman has been named national Sportscaster of the Year for the fourth time in his career. He is the only cable commentator to get the award, which he also won in 1989, 1990, and 1993.