Rick Jeanneret

Rick Jeanneret

Rick Jeanneret (Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada) is the television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. Having started with the team on radio during the 1971-72 season, he is the longest-tenured announcer in the NHL. He began television duties during the 1995-96 season. Jeanneret, a Canadian of Swiss descent who bears an uncanny resemblance to Rodney Dangerfield, is known for his energetic delivery, colorful player nicknames and passionate goal calls. Although it is commonly said he was born in Switzerland, Jeanneret is actually a native of Canada. He works alongside his partner Jim Lorentz.

Career

In 1963, Jeanneret took over the play-by-play of a Niagara Falls Flyers Junior A hockey game for the regular announcer, who had become sick. Jeanneret became the color analyst the following season before assuming full-time play by play radio duties in 1965. In 1971, Jeanneret had a trial run doing the call for the Cincinnati Swords, the Sabres' top minor league affiliate. When the Sabres took the ice for their second season, for a game with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Aud on October 10, 1971, Jeanneret was in the radio booth high above the ice surface.

From 1984 until 1992, he did the Sabres' play-by-play in addition to being a popular early-morning disc jockey at CJRN-AM in Niagara Falls, Ontario. In 1992, he chose to retire from CJRN and concentrate solely on the Sabres. "I had enough of two jobs. I finished the game, came home and had to be up by 4 a.m.," he said.

Jeanneret, whose own nickname is RJ, helped close the Aud on the final night of the regular season in 1996 with an emotional tribute to his colleague Ted Darling, who was the voice of the Sabres from 1970 until worsening of his Pick's Disease forced him to retire in the midst of the 1991-92 season. "I wish that standing next to me right now would be Ted Darling," said Jeanneret from the ice surface in a postgame ceremony. "See you in September, one block in that direction," said Jeanneret, pointing toward the new arena, then dubbed the Crossroads Arena and now called HSBC Arena after a stint as Marine Midland Arena.

In 2005, Jeanneret and the Sabres released a CD that collected some of his most memorable calls. Proceeds from the CD, which was titled Roll the Highlight Film, went to charity. It was followed up in 2006 with Top Shelf, a similarly themed DVD.

On September 1, 2006, the Buffalo News confirmed that Jeanneret would return for the 2006-2007 hockey season as play-by-play announcer on MSG and WGR 550 AM.

Memorable calls

Some of Jeanneret's most memorable calls:

• "MAY DAY! MAY DAY! MAY DAY! MAY DAY! MAY DAY!"

...after winger Brad May's spectacular series-clinching overtime goal at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium against Boston's Andy Moog in Game 4 of the 1993 Adams Division Semifinal. Of the call, Jeanneret would later say, "It just happened and I came out with the remark. All I can say is it was spontaneous. The words just came up. People ask, 'Did you plan to use that call?' How could I do that? That man (May) hadn't scored a goal in 29 or 30 games. If I were going to plan ahead, I'd start with No. 16 (Pat LaFontaine), No. 89 (Alexander Mogilny) or No. 10 (Dale Hawerchuk)." Despite his insistence that the call was spontaneous, Jeanneret had used "May Day!" at least once before, when May scored an overtime goal to beat the Blues at the Aud in January 1993.

• "AND THIS SERIES IS GOING BACK TO WHERE JIMMY HOFFA IS! BACK TO THE MEADOWLANDS IN NEW JERSEY!"

...after Dave Hannan's goal in the fourth overtime of Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (the longest game in Sabres history) against the New Jersey Devils. This sent the series to a Game 7.

• "ARE YOU READY LEGION OF DOOM? HERE COME THE BUFFALO SABRES!"

...after Derek Plante's Game 7 overtime winner in the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Ottawa Senators.

• "CURTIS BROWN MAKES A MAD DASH DOWN THE ICE!"

... after Curtis Brown's Game 4 overtime winner in the 2001 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Philadelphia to put Buffalo up 3-1 in the series.

• " AN ABSOLUTE BULLET!!!!-"

..... After Stu Barnes' overtime goal against the Penguins in Game 5 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals against Pittsburgh, to put Buffalo up 3-2 in the series.

• "DANNY BRIERE! DANNY BRIERE! ON AT LEAST HIS 13th SHOT OF THE NIGHT! AND BUFFALO WINS IT IN DOUBLE OOOOOOOOOVERTIME!"

...after Sabre co-captain Daniel Briere scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime of Game 1 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Philadelphia.

• "JASON POMINVILLE! SHORT-HANDED! OH, NOW DO YOU BELIEVE?! NOW DO YOU BELIEVE?! THESE GUYS ARE GOOD! SCARY GOOD!"

...after Jason Pominville's shorthanded, series winning goal against the Ottawa Senators in Game 5 of the second round of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He originally used the "These guys are good! Scary good!" call when Tim Connolly tied Game 1 of the same series with 10.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

• "THERE HAVE BEEN MORE CHEAP SHOTS IN THIS GAME THAN IN A MEXICAN CANTINA DURING HAPPY HOUR!!"

...During a 2001 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals game against the Philadelphia Flyers

• "AND NOW THE FLYERS WILL PICK IT UP AND BRING IT BACK, WHOOOOA WHAT A HIT BY CAMPBELL!! HOLY MACKEREL!!"

.... when Brian Campbell laid out Philadelphia's R.J. Umberger during the 2006 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with a clean, crushing hit.

• "HOLY MACKEREL! ROLL THE HIGHLIGHT FILM!"

....After a goal by Maxim Afinogenov.

• "DANNY BRIERE IS THE COOKIE MONSTER!!"

....After Daniel Briere scoring a shootout goal and 2 power play goals, all three hitting the "Top Shelf, Where Momma Hides The Cookies", on February 6, 2007 against the Atlanta Thrashers.

• "THE COOKIE MONSTER STRIKES AGAIN!!"

....After Daniel Briere scored an overtime goal, hitting the top shelf, on February 15, 2007 against the Edmonton Oilers.

• "DREW STAFFORD MAY NEVER SHADOW THE HALLS OF ROCHESTER AGAIN!!!!!"

....After Drew Stafford scored his second goal of the game on March 21, 2007 against the Washington Capitals, after slipping the puck past the Capital defenseman.

Top 10 Calls

Repeated calls

• "TOP SHELF WHERE MOMMA HIDES THE COOKIES!!!!!!!"

...after a goal is scored into the top part of the net. Arguably his most famous recurring call, Jeanneret has admitted he heard this catchphrase years ago but could not remember who the announcer was.

• ""CALL A COP! CALL A COP! HE ROBBED HIM BLIND!""

...after a Sabre goaltender makes a spectacular save.

Current players:

• "OOOHHH MY THE GOOSE IS REALLY HONKING NOW!!"

...after a goal or big hit by current forward Paul Gaustad.

• "MILLERRRRRRRR.....MAKES THE SAVE!!!"

...after an exceptionally big save by Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller.

Former players:

• "STUUUUUUUUUUUU BARNES!"

... after a goal by former Sabres forward Stu Barnes was scored.

• "HOLY ZHITNIK!"

... after a goal by former Sabres defenseman Alexei Zhitnik was scored.

• "OOH LA LA PIERRE!"

...after each goal scored by former Sabres center Pierre Turgeon.

• "ALEXANDER THE GREAT!"

...after each goal scored by former Sabres winger Alexander Mogilny.

• "LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LAFONTAINE!"

...after each goal scored by Hall of Fame center and former Sabres captain Pat LaFontaine.

or (when holiday appropriate)

"'Tis the season, FA LA LA LA LA LA LAFONTAINE!!"

Nicknames

Some of Jeanneret's nicknames for Sabres players over the years include:

• The French Gorilla (Donald Audette)
• The Little Devil (Miroslav Satan)
• The Sandman (Geoff Sanderson)
• Bobby O (Bob Sauve)
• Captain Crunch (Michael Peca)
• Alexander the Great (Alexander Mogilny)
• The Boogeyman (Bob Boughner)
• Wow-ie Hous-ley (Phil Housley)
• Oo-la-la Pierre (Pierre Turgeon)
• Matt the Rat (Matt Barnaby)
• Rayzor (Rob Ray)
• The Man from Vlad (Vladimir Tsyplakov)
• The Goose (Paul Gaustad)
• Soupy (Brian Campbell)
• The Dominator (Dominik Hasek)
• Heinze 57 (Steve Heinze)
• TV (Thomas Vanek)
• Cookie Monster (Daniel Briere, coined after getting two goals "Top Shelf (Where mama hides the cookies)" in one game)

External links

• 35 Years of Rick Jeanneret @ LetsGoSabres.com
• Rick Jeanneret Pictures and Audio Call Clips
• MSG Network profile