One of our primary complains about most NHL broadcasters is that they seldom say anything interesting, let alone controversial. Which is why Mike Milbury remains the embodiment of "be careful what you wish for."
The former Boston Bruins player and New York Islanders architect of calamity has called the Washington Capitals the "Crapitals" on the air; he's engaged in passionate debates about fighting in which he's labeled his broadcast partner as a flower child and angered gay groups by tossing around the phrase "the pansification of hockey"; and, in perhaps his most patently offensive remarks, he even endorsed the managerial practices of the current Tampa Bay Lightning ownership.
During last night's Boston Bruins/Philadelphia Flyers game, Milbury nearly tasted his own shoe once again on NESN's intermission report. While watching highlights of the Buffalo Sabres' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Milbury offered a candid assessment of Sabres forward Tim Connolly.
He definitely called him "self-centered," but Kevin at Barry Melrose Rocks wasn't the only one who thought Milbury added a [potentially NSFW] noun to the end of that phrase. Listening to it a few times, however, Milbury clearly says "self-centered dink" rather than "self-centered" ... uh, Mr. Cheney:
Clearly, Milbury's status as a pot-stirring NHL voice has grown to the point that it's assumed he slipped up when talking about a player he doesn't care for. As Barry Melrose Rocks points out, "Mike Milbury and Tim Connolly have a bit of a history. Milbury drafted Connolly in 1999 when he was GM of the Islanders and then subsequently shipped him off to Buffalo two years later in a draft day trade." The two aren't exactly swapping holiday cards.
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Look, we've had our fun with Mad Mike for being one of the single most inept hockey executives of the last 20 years. He has a track record of administrative uselessness that makes Dunder-Mifflin look like Apple.
But watch any Versus telecast, and tell us that hockey doesn't need more Mike Milbury-types on television who are willing to toss around words like "pansy" and label their enemies as "self-centered little dinks"? Even if it means stomaching Mike Milbury to hear them.