Keith Olbermann: Rogers dumping Strombo is “dumbest thing I’ve seen in 36 years”

Former ESPN broadcaster Keith Olbermann apparently has strong feelings about who should host Hockey Night In Canada. Monday’s report (initially from Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star) that Rogers plans to dump George Stroumboulopoulos and return Ron MacLean to his former role as lead host of the Saturday night national broadcast saw Olbermann go off on the decision on Twitter Monday and Tuesday, calling it “the dumbest thing I’ve seen in 36 years in TV sports.” And he didn’t stop there:

MacLean: saccharine, textbook MT @fangsbites Awful Announcing: Report: MacLean to replace Stroumboulopoulos on HNIC https://t.co/Wks9rT09xu

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 20, 2016

The decision to replace @strombo as host of @hockeynight is the dumbest thing I've seen in 36 years in TV sports #OthersAllInvolvedMe

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 20, 2016

What @Strombo did was let experts, guests talk, w/o the mawkish sucking up by the guy who reenacted the "live" role from Weekend @ Bernie's

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 20, 2016

I've long been told the innovators who run @Sportsnet @HockeyNight were overruled by morons. @Strombo story confirms it. Good luck w/Leno2

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 21, 2016

So @SportsNet and @HockeyNight, you dumped a host who made it about everybody but himself, and brought back Don Cherry's simpering enabler?

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 21, 2016

Lastly and seriously, @Sportsnet @HockeyNight: I don't like MacLean's work but he was a perfect fit for Hometown Hockey. You ruined that too

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 21, 2016

Not everyone will agree with Olbermann’s take here, as there were numerous Canadian hockey fans upset with the switch from MacLean to Stroumboulopoulos and plenty happy to see reports of a MacLean return. Olbermann certainly has substantial broadcast experience of his own, though, and he provides an interesting perspective on this. It’s worth noting that Olbermann has long been a supporter of Stroumboulopoulos’ NHL work; when he had Stroumboulopoulos on his ESPN show Olbermann last year, he introduced him as “the host of the best studio pre- or post-game show in North America, in English anyway.”

If this change does come to pass, however, there are some reasons for Rogers to make a move, including the sagging ratings and the widespread criticism of their broadcasts. Neither of those factors were necessarily about Stroumboulopoulos, of course, and analysts like Glenn Healy have taken much more sustained flak, but a change here looks like they’re doing something. This could also be part of the larger changes following April’s axing of Gord Cutler as head of NHL production. Moreover, it’s notable that a Globe and Mail report from James Bradshaw and David Shoalts Tuesday said Rogers has received the approval of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for this change despite his previous clashes with MacLean.

We’ll see what happens here, but it’s certainly noteworthy to see a prominent broadcaster like Olbermann sticking up for Strombopolous amidst numerous tweets from fans who want MacLean back. There may be some support for him internally, too, as this tweet from Shoalts suggests things aren’t rosy inside Rogers’ hockey division:

In hockey dept., morale could not be any worse. I knew it wasn't great but depth of despair among some surprised me. They expect the worst.

— . (@dshoalts) June 21, 2016

It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out, but Olbermann is certainly in Stroumboulopoulos’ corner. That may not be enough to change Rogers’ mind, though.

[Yahoo Canada Sports]