Bob Cole (announcer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Cecil "Bob" Cole (born 1933 in St. John's, Newfoundland
) is a Canadian
television announcer and former competitive curler
.
Cole was the primary play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada
'HNIC' on CBC
, usually for Toronto Maple Leafs
games, from 1980 to 2008
. Aside from the Leafs broadcasts, he was also a staple for the CBC during the Stanley Cup playoffs
. He broadcast at least one game in every Stanley Cup Finals from 1980
until 2008
, after which he was replaced by Jim Hughson
. Since that time, he has been HNIC's number two play-by-play man, primarily calling Montreal Canadiens
games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
for broadcasting excellence.
Cole received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Memorial University of Newfoundland
in St. John's in 2002.
as the skip for the Newfoundland
team. He also played in the 1965 and 1973 Canadian mixed championships.
in 1969 and moved to television in 1973 when HNIC expanded its coverage.
does– it– a–gain!"). Other common phrases made by Cole are: "He's a goalie, yes sir, and a good one at that!" after a great save, "He was nailed" after a great hit, and "Alexei Ponikarovsky
takes a soft dump in the corner!" after a player would deftly and gently dump the puck in the corner behind the goalie.
Some notable stylistic traits of Cole's calls include both a trademark cadence that trots and gallops independent of the pace of play, as well as a general ambiguity towards puck location and its possessors: "They. are. doing it folks. they. are. doing it now!" "He. tried to. GO IN THERE!" "There's a drive. ANOTHER ONE!" Bob also has a proclivity for referring to the game itself as "this baby." "Pittsburgh better get a quick one here. or this baby's gonna be Over!" or "Scores! And this baby is tied."
In describing a great play, he would use the term: "Now THAT...(pause)... was a piece of hockey!"
at Nagano between Canada and the Czech Republic represented Canada's failure at the games and haunted fans for years. With Canada scoreless in the shootout and Brendan Shanahan
representing their last chance, Cole said in a panicked voice as Shanahan skated in towards Czech goalie Dominik Hasek
, "He's gotta score, that's all!" But Shanahan was stopped by Hasek, prompting Cole to dejectedly say "No, he can't do it."
At the gold medal game of the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City between Canada and the United States, Cole's animated call of Joe Sakic
's second goal of the game is also one of his more memorable moments. Also, on the fourth Canada goal of the game, with four minutes remaining in the third period, Cole was so excited when the goal was scored he yelled out "GORE!" (a hybrid of "goal" and "score"), and then proceeded to call out "Goal, Canada! Goal! Wow! [...] The place goes crazy here in Salt Lake City, and I guess coast to coast in Canada, and all around the world!" When Sakic scored Canada's fifth goal with one minute and twenty seconds remaining, Cole yelled out "SCORES! JOE-SAKIC-SCORES! And that makes it 5-2 Canada! Surely, that's gotta be it!" As the final seconds of the game ticked away, and as the crowd broke out in perfect unison singing O Canada
, Cole said, "Now after 50 years, it's time for Canada to stand up and cheer. Stand up and cheer everybody! The Olympics Salt Lake City, 2002, men's ice hockey, gold medal: Canada!"
With an average Canadian audience of 10.6 million viewers, that game was the most-watched CBC Sports
program, beating the previous record of 4.957 million viewers for Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals
in which the New York Rangers
won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years
, beating the Vancouver Canucks
, another moment Cole himself called: "The New York Rangers have done it here on a hot June night in New York! The Rangers are Stanley Cup Champions!"
. They were first teamed up in the season. From 1987
to 2007 Stanley Cup Finals
, they broadcast 20 Stanley Cup Finals together. Prior to that, his usual partners included Gary Dornhoefer
, Mickey Redmond, or John Davidson. Dick Irvin, Jr.
also often joined his broadcast team as a third man in the booth for big games. From 2007 to 2010, his most frequent partner was Greg Millen and now he is usually paired with Garry Galley
.
In 2007 Cole captured his first Gemini Award
in the area of Sports Play-by Play.
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television announcer and former competitive curler
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
.
Cole was the primary play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
'HNIC' on CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, usually for Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
games, from 1980 to 2008
2007-08 NHL season
The 2007–08 NHL season was the 91st season of operation of the National Hockey League . It began on September 29, 2007, with the regular season ending April 6, 2008...
. Aside from the Leafs broadcasts, he was also a staple for the CBC during the Stanley Cup playoffs
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
. He broadcast at least one game in every Stanley Cup Finals from 1980
1980 Stanley Cup Finals
-See also:* List of Stanley Cup champions* 1979–80 NHL season* 1980 NBA Finals* 1980 World Series* Super Bowl XV-Notes:...
until 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2008 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2007–08 season. As a culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings defeated the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh...
, after which he was replaced by Jim Hughson
Jim Hughson
Jim Hughson is a Canadian sportscaster, best known for his play-by-play of professional ice hockey and baseball.-Biography:...
. Since that time, he has been HNIC's number two play-by-play man, primarily calling Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is an award named after Foster Hewitt and presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to members of the radio and television industry who make outstanding contributions to their profession and the game of ice hockey during their broadcasting career...
for broadcasting excellence.
Cole received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
in St. John's in 2002.
Curling
Cole is also a former curler, playing in the 1971 and 1975 BriersTim Hortons Brier
The Tim Hortons Brier, or simply the Brier, is the annual Canadian men's curling championship, sanctioned by the Canadian Curling Association . The current event name refers to its main sponsor, the Tim Hortons coffee and doughnut shop chain.The Brier has been held since 1927, traditionally during...
as the skip for the Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
team. He also played in the 1965 and 1973 Canadian mixed championships.
Broadcasting
Cole began broadcasting hockey on CBC RadioCBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
in 1969 and moved to television in 1973 when HNIC expanded its coverage.
Catch phrases
Some of his more famous phrases include "Oh baby!" and "Scores!"/"Holy cow" He is known particularly for 'Colisms' (such as "Heavens to Betsy!", "Oh Nelly!", and the trademark "What a dandy!" used to describe a great game) as well as for slowly emphasizing each word when an exciting play has happened ("Can he do it again? Scores! Pec–a–Michael Peca
Michael Anthony "Mike" Peca is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League . He most recently played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. He has also played for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple...
does– it– a–gain!"). Other common phrases made by Cole are: "He's a goalie, yes sir, and a good one at that!" after a great save, "He was nailed" after a great hit, and "Alexei Ponikarovsky
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Oleksiy Volodymyrovych "Alexei" Ponikarovsky is a Ukrainian Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League .-RSL:...
takes a soft dump in the corner!" after a player would deftly and gently dump the puck in the corner behind the goalie.
Some notable stylistic traits of Cole's calls include both a trademark cadence that trots and gallops independent of the pace of play, as well as a general ambiguity towards puck location and its possessors: "They. are. doing it folks. they. are. doing it now!" "He. tried to. GO IN THERE!" "There's a drive. ANOTHER ONE!" Bob also has a proclivity for referring to the game itself as "this baby." "Pittsburgh better get a quick one here. or this baby's gonna be Over!" or "Scores! And this baby is tied."
In describing a great play, he would use the term: "Now THAT...(pause)... was a piece of hockey!"
Olympics
Cole's work during CBC's broadcasts of the Olympic games have also become memorable among legions of Canadians. His call on the final shot of the shootout in the semi-final game of the 1998 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to...
at Nagano between Canada and the Czech Republic represented Canada's failure at the games and haunted fans for years. With Canada scoreless in the shootout and Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Frederick "Shanny" Shanahan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently serves as the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL Entry...
representing their last chance, Cole said in a panicked voice as Shanahan skated in towards Czech goalie Dominik Hasek
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek is a Czech ice hockey goaltender who is currently with HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL.In his 16-season National Hockey League career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the...
, "He's gotta score, that's all!" But Shanahan was stopped by Hasek, prompting Cole to dejectedly say "No, he can't do it."
At the gold medal game of the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
in Salt Lake City between Canada and the United States, Cole's animated call of Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
's second goal of the game is also one of his more memorable moments. Also, on the fourth Canada goal of the game, with four minutes remaining in the third period, Cole was so excited when the goal was scored he yelled out "GORE!" (a hybrid of "goal" and "score"), and then proceeded to call out "Goal, Canada! Goal! Wow! [...] The place goes crazy here in Salt Lake City, and I guess coast to coast in Canada, and all around the world!" When Sakic scored Canada's fifth goal with one minute and twenty seconds remaining, Cole yelled out "SCORES! JOE-SAKIC-SCORES! And that makes it 5-2 Canada! Surely, that's gotta be it!" As the final seconds of the game ticked away, and as the crowd broke out in perfect unison singing O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
, Cole said, "Now after 50 years, it's time for Canada to stand up and cheer. Stand up and cheer everybody! The Olympics Salt Lake City, 2002, men's ice hockey, gold medal: Canada!"
With an average Canadian audience of 10.6 million viewers, that game was the most-watched CBC Sports
CBC Sports
CBC Sports is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for English-language sports broadcasting. The CBC's sports programming primarily airs on CBC Television, with some additional broadcasts on bold, CBC.ca, and occasionally CBC Radio One...
program, beating the previous record of 4.957 million viewers for Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals
1994 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
in which the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years
Curse of 1940
The Curse of 1940, also called Dutton's Curse, was a superstitious explanation for why the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League did not win the league's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, from 1940 to 1994.-Popular theories:...
, beating the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, another moment Cole himself called: "The New York Rangers have done it here on a hot June night in New York! The Rangers are Stanley Cup Champions!"
Colour commentators
Cole's long time colour commentator on HNIC was Harry NealeHarry Neale
Harold Watson Neale is a hockey colour commentator, who currently works for the Buffalo Sabres on the Sabres Hockey Network...
. They were first teamed up in the season. From 1987
1987 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1987 Stanley Cup Final was played between the Edmonton Oilers and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the series 4–3, for their third Stanley Cup victory.-Paths to the Final:...
to 2007 Stanley Cup Finals
2007 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2007 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2006–07 season. As a culmination of the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Anaheim Ducks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Ottawa Senators in...
, they broadcast 20 Stanley Cup Finals together. Prior to that, his usual partners included Gary Dornhoefer
Gary Dornhoefer
Gerhardt Otto Dornhofer , better known as Gary Dornhoefer, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, known for winning two Stanley Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League in 1973-74, and 1974-75....
, Mickey Redmond, or John Davidson. Dick Irvin, Jr.
Dick Irvin, Jr.
James Dickinson Irvin, Jr. is a retired Canadian sports broadcaster and author. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 under the broadcasters category1...
also often joined his broadcast team as a third man in the booth for big games. From 2007 to 2010, his most frequent partner was Greg Millen and now he is usually paired with Garry Galley
Garry Galley
Garry Michael Galley is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League from 1984 to 2001...
.
In 2007 Cole captured his first Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
in the area of Sports Play-by Play.