The Sam Ryan fan thread

[folgersnyourcup]

Hi, this is the place to discuss/debate the most beautiful woman in interviewing hockey players history, Sam (Samantha?) Ryan.

So yeah. I wish they had her at Canes games last year interviewing players on the jumbotron between periods and such. Perhaps it would have eased our suffering just a bit to see such a happy face.

Hahahahahahaha! How pathetic of me! Can't wait till next year's finals when Sam Ryan gets to interview our Canes players! Her and Coach Mo should have fun talking about the canes being up 3-0 on the Red Wings heading into game 4 (unfortunately on Red Wings' ice as the Canes will have home ice advantage).

[nccanes]

I don't know much about her. Does she have a bio?

I was wondering how many ABC staffers it takes to cover a hockey game. Didn't they have as many on-air talents as there were hockey players on the ice at one time? ;)

Melrose
Saunders
Berman
Michaels (I saw him once)
Davidson
Clement
Thorne
Pang
Engblom
"Your" Sam Ryan
the guy that did the intermission interviews whose name escapes me

A little overkill perhaps?

No offense Folg, we gals have more opportunity to enjoy the view, but I'd rather have someone a little more involved in the NHL doing the interviews. Of course, wasn't she subjected to doing those insipid interviews with the dorky couple from Anaheim and Michelle Kwan? Wonder why they didn't send Pang or Engblom to do those. :roll:

Anyway - it's not like I have an opinion or anything. ;)

[Shell]

reminds me of this article....

Berman Ought to Get His Eviction Notice
Mike Penner, LA Times

"NINETEEN YEARS!" Gary Thorne screamed shortly before 8 o'clock Monday night. And no, that wasn't how long it took someone to score a goal in the fourth game of the Duck-Devil Stanley Cup finals.

Nineteen years was how long Duck right winger Steve Thomas had to wait before playing in his first Stanley Cup final game. Nineteen years. It gets a person thinking. That's nearly twice as old as the off-Disneyland attraction that now finds itself tied with the Devils, two games apiece, thanks to Thomas' goal 39 seconds into overtime.

Nineteen years. Back in 1984, did Chris Berman's oldies-rock references sound any less moldy than they do now?

This was Berman, moments after the Ducks' 1-0 victory at the Arrowhead Pond:

"Cinderella more than lives in the Hotel California! They stabbed them with their steely knives, but the Devils just could not kill the beast!"

And thousands of kids watching at home are asking Mom and Dad, "What in the world is he talking about?"

Followed by:

"The Eagles? I thought we were watching the Ducks."

Give that man a penalty for high-shticking. Please. Someone has to stop Berman, because he clearly can't stop himself, as he conceded after welcoming viewers to Game 4, wondering "what's to come tonight on the fro-zen tun-dra of the Arrowhead Pond."

And then, apologetically: "I had to."

Elvis left the building years ago, but Berman, like a broken-down Catskills comedian, never met a gag that was past its pull-date. And he'll go end-to-end to unearth another, noting that Lisa Marie Presley would perform at halftime of Wednesday's NBA Finals opener — also on ABC! — and somehow stretching to this conclusion:

"Well, we mentioned Presley. 'Caught in a trap' — No score after one period here in the Stanley Cup finals!"

The ABC-ESPN sports connection is overloaded with capable, knowledgeable hockey announcers, and most of them were in Anaheim on Monday. In fact, there were nearly as many qualified talking heads talking puck at the Pond as there were players on the ice. Thorne, Bill Clement and John Davidson weighing in on the action — ABC wishes its NBA behind-the-mike roster was as deep. Barry Melrose, limited to quick takes before and after periods, is under-utilized. Then there's Darren Pang analyzing the goalies, Al Morganti and Brian Engblom reporting from rinkside and Sam Ryan trawling the stands for fan interviews.

So what exactly is Berman doing here, besides killing time until the start of NFL training camp?

What next, Dick Vitale assigned to the Women's World Cup?

(Uh oh. That's an idea ESPN just might run with.)

Why not trot out John Madden while you're at it?

So, of course, ABC-ESPN did. Both ESPN's pregame show and ABC's between-period filler featured the same piece on the dueling John Maddens — the "Monday Night Football" commentator talking about the New Jersey Devil with the same name, and vice versa. Mildly amusing fluff or shameless self-promotion? Well, like the hockey game twisted around it, there was still much doubt until John Saunders exclaimed, "And the John Maddens have something else in common! Both are shining on Monday nights!"

To which Berman added, "You're a genius, Saunders!"

A scoreless overtime hockey game says more about the network televising it than the players and coaches producing it. Judging from the first two games in New Jersey, both Devil blowout victories, and the barely detectable TV ratings, ABC is apparently working on the assumption that this series is so boring, even the purists aren't tuning in. So, they are playing to the casual fan, which explains Berman's presence and some of Ryan's interview subjects.

"This is as interesting as it gets," Ryan said early in the game as she cornered a pair of fans who have wagered a wedding ring on this series. Steve DeSena has promised he will marry girlfriend Christina SerVoss if the Ducks win the Stanley Cup. And if the Ducks don't? "That's the $20-million question," DeSena said. "Win or lose with the Ducks, I feel like I'm always a winner when I'm with Christina."

Hmm. Twenty million dollars. A wedding that might not happen until the day the Mighty Ducks win the Stanley Cup. It sounds like a new reality series for ABC's summer lineup, although the title already has been used.

"The Bachelor."

During the middle of the third period, Ryan was back with Michelle Kwan, who might not be a hockey player, but certainly knows how to talk like one. Asked by Ryan if she had made a decision whether or not to train for the 2006 Winter Olympics, Kwan replied, "No, I haven't yet. Just taking it one day at a time."

Kwan let out a cheer for the Ducks, which pretty much sums up Disney-owned ABC-ESPN's attitude about this series. Which is why Barry "The Equalizer" Melrose is so important to these telecasts. Melrose has been frank in his assessment of this series — he believes the Devils are the better team, he says the Ducks were lucky to win Game 3 and he was blunt when sizing up the Duck predicament during in the third period.

"The Ducks have been the best team in this game," he said. "And if they don't win this game, you're going to see a team that's going to have a lot of trouble coming back emotionally and mentally in Game 5." And later: "If [the Ducks] don't win this game, they're done."

It took a while, but the Ducks got the message. Dead in the water on Friday, they're back even heading to New Jersey. As ice expert Kwan knows, you have to take it one day at a time.

[folgersnyourcup]

I could find absolutely ZERO information on Sam Ryan anywhere online. Fantastic.

On a side note, the woman that was doing the interviewing at the all-star game (and a few other NHL events) was HORRIBLE. She asked the CHEESIEST questions and just seemed really out of it!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

On a side note, the woman that was doing the interviewing at the all-star game (and a few other NHL events) was HORRIBLE. She asked the CHEESIEST questions and just seemed really out of it!

Acutally.....that's my opinion of Sam Ryan. I pretty much saw her as one of the empty but pretty headed women that ruin it for all the real women who want to get into sports and actually KNOW something about it. Just MVHO though. To each his own I suppose!

[nccanes]

Acutally.....that's my opinion of Sam Ryan. I pretty much saw her as one of the empty but pretty headed women that ruin it for all the real women who want to get into sports and actually KNOW something about it. Just MVHO though. To each his own I suppose!

Was Sam Ryan the one that replaced the experienced Leslie Visser on the sidelines for NFL games?

[folgersnyourcup]

Oh don't me wrong here, she's dumb as a brick.

:D

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Oh don't me wrong here, she's dumb as a brick.

:D

LMAO! OK...I got'cha. ;)

[nccanes]

LOL Folg!

Here's a bio I found:

http://sportsmed.starwave.com/i/abcsports/personalities/ryan_samantha_small.jpg

Samantha Ryan, a sports anchor and reporter for ABC's New York affiliate, joined ABC Sports in September 2002 as a sideline reporter for the network's coverage of college football. This fall she will team with play-by-play announcer Tim Brant and color analyst Ed Cunningham on a full schedule of regional and national games.

In addition to her WABC-TV experience, Ryan has also reported for WFAN radio, News 12 Long Island, WVIT Hartford, Conn., and Fox Sports Net New York, where she served as a reporter and anchor for the "New York Sports Report".

During her career, Ryan has reported on many diverse sporting events, including the 1996 Summer Olympics (ABC Radio Network), the 2000 Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets (FOX Sports N.Y. and MSG), the Chase Championship Tennis Tournament (FOX Sports), the N.Y. City Cycling Championship (WABC) and women's college basketball (FOX Sports).

She won a local Emmy award in 1999 for "Outstanding Series Feature-soft" and garnered a local AP award in 2000.

In addition to her on-air work, Ryan, who enjoys teaching, taught a class at Hofstra University this summer. She also enjoys running and is currently a member of the New York Road Runners Club.

Ryan was born in Port Jefferson, N.Y., and grew up on Long Island. She was encouraged to pursue a career in television by her mentor, Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster and News 12 Long Island Sports Director Bob Wolff.

Ryan and her husband, Jeff, currently reside in Bay Terrace, N.Y., with their infant son, Nicklaus.

[puckin_A]

you left out Steve Levy. He was one giving the interviews.

[Jeff O Rocks]

Ryan and her husband, Jeff, currently reside in Bay Terrace, N.Y., with their infant son, Nicklaus.


folg is pissed about this line!! :D ;)

[Guyute]

Good looking woman, but has no place holding a microphone near NHL players. ridiculous.

don't they still hire "Ring girls" in boxing? surely she would be better at that. :roll:

[nccanes]

Good looking woman, but has no place holding a microphone near NHL players. ridiculous.

don't they still hire "Ring girls" in boxing? surely she would be better at that. :roll:

Well let's no go overboard. I may be an old windbag, but I'm a feminist windbag too. ;)

Actually I agree with your first sentence, but I don't think that women sports reporters are necessarily a bad thing. It appears from her bio that she's done a fair bit of sports reporting, but I totally agree that there are FAR more qualified candidates out there that should have been standing on the ice interviewing players after winning the cup. BTW, does Bucci just get banished once ABC takes over the Finals? :roll:

There are plenty of qualified women sports casters, but they've paid their dues earning their way. What I dislike is presuming that a pretty face on the sidelines (with a little reporting on their resume) in some way is making their telecast better/stronger/drawing more men, etc. BTW, it was Melissa Stark that took over for Leslie Visser on the Monday Night Football sidelines.

I love Robin Roberts who has been part of ESPN/ABC for forever. Do I think she should have been on the ice doing interviews? No! The NHL isn't her speciality either.

Poor folg. He probably wished he'd started a Men's Only thread for his little proclaimed crush. (Not that putting it there would have dissuaded some of us to chime in ;).)

[Guyute]

Actually I agree with your first sentence, but I don't think that women sports reporters are necessarily a bad thing.

woah, hold on there feminist franny!!! :D

I didn't say women should not be sports journalists. I said SHE shouldn't.
Yes there are good and bad female sports broadcasters/journalists/whatever out there.... the same can be said for men.

I don't like seeing idiots of any sex. But to take someone like Sam Ryan and give her the job during the SCF's is tatamount to using a ring girl. debate that all you want. they hired a pretty face, who's as bright as a sack of hammers.

[nccanes]

woah, hold on there feminist franny!!! :D


LOL! :p :angel:


I didn't say women should not be sports journalists. I said SHE shouldn't.
Yes there are good and bad female sports broadcasters/journalists/whatever out there.... the same can be said for men.

I don't like seeing idiots of any sex. But to take someone like Sam Ryan and give her the job during the SCF's is tatamount to using a ring girl. debate that all you want. they hired a pretty face, who's as bright as a sack of hammers.

I agree. I chose my words poorly in response to yours. I guess I meant that her resume reflects her sports journalism experience, but I'd rather see her sit behind a desk for a few years (okay maybe more than a few) and do the grunt work rather than leapfrog over more experienced people to get that plum job.

I don't know if her IQ is that of a sack of hammers, but ABC surely didn't do anything to make us think otherwise - which was probably fine with them.

I wonder what type of research will indicate that having Sam Ryan on staff will draw those folks back next season. ;) Which is why I think the whole premise is stupid. C'mon I give you guys more credit than that! ;) :D

And don't get me started on the Jill Barbarrie (sp?) chick on Fox's NFL stuff. (Yeah, I know what else to expect from FOX).

[Guyute]

And don't get me started on the Jill Barbarrie (sp?) chick on Fox's NFL stuff. (Yeah, I know what else to expect from FOX).

well... that's what the MUTE button is for!! Get dem gals in bikinis and let 'em do all the 'journalism' they want!! :p

*ducks flying hammers*

[nccanes]

well... that's what the MUTE button is for!! Get dem gals in bikinis and let 'em do all the 'journalism' they want!! :p

*ducks flying hammers*

Can I take my "give you guys more credit than that" comment back? :p ;)


You asked for it ---> http://community.the-underdogs.org/smiley/armed/hammerhead.gif

[Shell]

ya know, I could be a female reporter for the Canes.. I'd ask intelligent questions, maybe. ;)

(This thought brought to you by the following webpage: http://www.sensations4women.com/femReporters/ Contains Nudity!)

[Jeff O Rocks]

ya know, I could be a female reporter for the Canes.. I'd ask intelligent questions, maybe. ;)



Sure Shell..you would interview O and your brain...(and mine)...would be mush!!! :D :p :evil: ;)

....sorry...I know that was "puck bunnyish".. :roll: