Many fans of American sports can identify broadcasters like Jim Nantz and Joe Buck, but have never heard the name Mike “Doc” Emrick. As someone who intends to become a high level broadcaster myself, I can assure you that you are missing out on the greatest that the business has to offer.
Doc Emrick is the world’s premier announcer for ice hockey. Emrick is absolutely revered by those who have made their lives around the game. An oddity in the U.S., as many speak negatively of announcers like Joe Buck and daytime ESPN hosts.
Emrick, with a background ingrained deep in academia — where he got his nickname — is a play-by-play man who is both an authority on the game and a connoisseur of language. Complete eloquence is the summary of his delivery of the game. A machine gun of beautiful descriptors is unleashed each time he is behind the microphone.
Doc is able to speak in coherent sentences as chaos unfolds on the playing surface below. An NHL fan once totaled 153 verbs that Doc used in one game to describe the movement of the puck. Watch the entire special from HBO’s Real Sports below:
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