The HD Corner – HD Frustrations

I’m currently in the process of trying to watch a Caps – Sabres game only available in standard def on Bell (sidenote: viewers may have noticed the lack Harry Neale on HNIC tonight due to his Sabres MSG duties). Of course, the MSG broadcast keeps reminding me how the feed is available in HD (locally). So why doesn’t Bell pick up the feed and show it on one of their four HD Centre Ice channels? I have no clue. Instead I’m being tempted by a Lightning – Panthers matchup presented in crystal clear HD and 5.1 Dolby sound. I’d rather watch a Devil Rays – Marlins regular season game. I’m not certain as to how Bell’s HD selection process works, but it really doesn’t make sense when there are several open Centre Ice HD channels not showing anything.

Another point of frustration stems from the fact that the regional Flames and Oilers games (shown in the West region on Sportsnet West) are not available in HD. Instead, West viewers will get treated to an HD rodeo bullfight or other quality programming. Of course the Leafs are the only team that broadcasts select regional games in HD. Click here to find out more about this interesting phenomenon. Luckily, as Houston notes, Canucks games are soon to follow. For our readers on the West coast, I’m dying to know how Dan Murphy’s frosted tips look in HD. Please keep me posted.

On a completely unrelated topic, is Cassie Campbell arguably the worst “sideline” reporter? If anyone caught her interview with Mike Myers during the Leafs game tonight, you’ll know what I mean. Talk about awkward. It made the Suzy Kolber – Joe Namath interview seem normal. At one point she asked Myers around four questions all at once – I practically needed a pad of paper just to keep track of all the questions. Then when Myers asked “…and what was the last question?”, Cassie’s brilliant response was “back to you Bob”. After having the pleasure to meet Cassie at the Schmitts Live Casino in Vegas last year, I can attest to the fact that she is an excellent craps player. She just needs to brush up on her work in front of the camera, that’s all.