MONTREAL, QC.– Tonight amidst the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, shiny hardware will be presented to the best-of-the-best of the NHL. Hockey is a team game but at this time of year it’s individual talents of superstar players that are front-and-center. Fans in Montreal will be dusting off their “hockey formal” duds to attend a viewing party to watch the NHL Awards at McLean’s Pub.
In this atmosphere, we thought it would be the ideal time to recognize the folks in the traditional media who make their contributions to your hockey coverage choices. Today we are launching the All Habs Mainstream Media Awards, an annual event designed to highlight the accomplishments of our hockey friends, who are associated with large media conglomerates. They appear on your radio, television and in your newspapers, and some have even taken the leap into the area of social media.
The mainstreamers are already wondering: What are the awards? Who assembled the nominees? Do we get a trip to Vegas?
We won’t be gracing the stage of the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel this year but sharing a pint with real hockey fans at McLean’s is nothing to sneeze at. I was pleased to work together with Joe (@WinterLions on Twitter) as we designed the categories and assembled the nominees. The finalists were chosen by a blue ribbon panel that included hockey analysts, fans and family pets.
Did we get the categories or the nominee list right? Probably not. Our aim was to include the people in the industry who you have likely encountered in following the Montreal Canadiens and NHL hockey.
We could have separated the media by language but we recognize that many of you choose a source you like rather than one determined by native tongue. We followed the approach of a meritocracy — no attempt was made to balance language, gender or eye colour.
You will notice that the lists are skewed towards Canadiens fans who follow the Montreal media which may be a disadvantage to Habs fans scattered around the planet. We also understand that most of you no longer make a distinction between traditional and new media sources — you simply seek out the best coverage that you can find on the Canadiens and NHL hockey. For this, we apologize and it will likely result in changes and a more inclusive set of finalists for future awards.
Please vote for your favourites, leave your comments and share with your friends. Voting will close on July 1st at 11:59 pm.
So, without further adieu, let me present the All Habs 2011 Mainstream Media Awards! You can call them “The All Habbies!”
The Lorne “Gump” Worsley Award for favourite Montreal sports radio personality.
Gump Worsley was known as one of the most colourful players in hockey yet his goaltending earned him entrance to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980. The broadcaster winning this award will combine the best of hockey information and entertainment.
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The Dick Duff Award for favourite radio guest.
Dick Duff was not a first-liner but he known as an impact player, and a clutch performer when it came to playoff time. Similar to Duff, radio guests have a short time to make their points and leave a lasting impression. The winner of this award will emulate the best qualities of Duff.
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The Red Fisher Award for favourite Montreal hockey writer.
Red Fisher is closing in on a half-century of covering the Canadiens and is the role model for most mainstream hockey writers in Montreal.
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The Red Burnett Award for favourite national hockey writer.
Red Burnett was one of the most knowledgeable hockey writers and an icon in sports journalism. The winner of this award is knowledgeable, opinionated and passionate in their writing following in Burnett’s footsteps.
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The Rene Lecavalier Award for favourite Canadiens broadcaster.
Rene Lecavalier was the golden voice that Quebeckers relied on for coverage of the Canadiens for more than 30 years. The winner of this category can hope to captivate Habs fans with their description of the most beloved sport in the province.
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The Danny Gallivan Award for favourite national play-by-play person.
There was no one who could more colourfully describe a hockey game than Danny Gallivan spawning a whole new set of phrases to the hockey lexicon. Gallivan moved and excited fans setting the gold standard as a goal for the winner of this category.
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The Dick Irvin Jr. Award for favourite national colour commentator.
Dick Irvin displayed the epitome of class in his role and incredible timing as he sprinkled gems of knowledge and interest throughout the broadcast. The award winner should be a compliment not a distraction to the hockey coverage.
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The Scotty Bowman Award for favourite national analyst.
While Scotty Bowman was only a hockey analyst for a short period of time in his storied career, there are few who can break down the game better. The winner of this category can dissect, describe the game and effectively communicate his message to all hockey fans.
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Thank you for participating by voting for your favourites in the first annual All Habs 2011 Mainstream Media Awards! You are encouraged to leave your comments.
Hi,
I think Mathias brunet should be considered as well as marc de foy for the red fisher award
Thanks
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