HOCKEY NIGHT IS OUR RITE

From time to time, Associate Blogger Neil Acharya will contribute the occcasional post to Out of Left Field. For his first broadside, he weighs in on the possibility of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. losing its NHL rights after 2008, as was discussed here last Friday:

Neate has asked me to argue why should Hockey Night in Canada stay on the CBC. I took a few moments and responded, "Hockey Night in Canada is a cultural institution... it is no different than airing Anne of Green Gables, just a lot of more exciting."

Is that all I can come up with? Maybe there is no logical reason that justifies dipping into the public purse to get into a bidding war with Bell Globemedia, but what I’ll miss (if and when HNIC goes) will be in the little details.

What I like about Hockey Night in Canada is that it strays away from the Sports Hype Machine and is easily the most storied sports broadcast in North America. It has some bells and whistles, but not much more than a knife salesmen’s convention. Maybe that’s what attracts me to it: It isn’t supersized. When I watch it, I don't feel like I'm watching a celebrity convention or a red carpet gala.

It's a lot more like going to grandpa's house -- a little outdated, subdued, a mix of the entirely unpractical with old school convention, and yet it seems to work.

Perhaps it's paranoia to feel that if CBC loses its Saturday night institution, then whatever replaces it will be some American-style broadcast. Maybe it will be great, but I'll still feel bad for all those old folks in Marmora who may not get to see certain playoff games. Maybe they will get used to it, as they are already more likely to see a blue jay through the window by the bird feeder then see the team of that name play baseball on any over-the-air channels.

WEEKLY DIET

Seriously though, who is going to upgrade the cable package for a 60-minute game which has at least 30 minutes in penalties?

Isn't hockey part of our weekly diet? Come on! Even when the cable goes out on a Saturday night, you can still haul out the rabbit ears and get the fuzzy images of HNIC, even if the reception is snowier than Trois Rivieres on a winter night.

However, if CTV/TSN does become the main broadcaster in the name of progress, so-called, then Hockey Night in Canada should move to CBC Radio. That way, if we don't like what we hear, we can just mute the TV and crank up the radio. Sure, you may say, will Bob Cole still be calling the game (he did start in radio you know) and I'll say, I don't mind, because sure he misses a few things every now and then, but in the 22 years I've been watching him, he has never preached to me (but then he has never had a Randy Moss incident happen on his watch). With that said, he doesn’t seem to be the type of person that wants any more attention than just being that guy that brings you the game. His colour man, Harry Neale, possesses a wit which most colour commentators should aspire too.

Yes, yes, this is so sappy, there should be a note at the top instructing you to play The Maple Leaf Forever while reading it. But hey, isn't there something so nostalgically Canadian about these two guys who just do their job and never do cameos in movies?

While tradition is the illusion of permanency and nothing lasts forever and maybe we can all take solace in those phrases if HNIC as we know and love it bites the dust, but here’s hoping the CBC continues to carry it after 2008, warts and all.

Why? Because I like it just the way it is... and there may be a few hockey fans that agree.

For more of Neil Acharya's work, visit Cyberkrib.com.

Related (from Sager): Bell Globemedia Breaks Bank To Get Hockey Broadcast Rights (July 11), I'll Tell Ya What (June 6) & Cole Whiners (April 30)