Sam Rosen (sportscaster)
Encyclopedia
Sam Rosen is an American sportscaster
, best known as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Rangers
(NHL
) games on MSG
. On June 8, 2008, Rosen was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Rosen's current responsibilities include Rangers telecasts, Chicago Bears
preseason football for WFLD
, and Sunday NFL games for Fox
. He is paired with Joe Micheletti on Rangers broadcasts, Erik Kramer
on Bears broadcasts, and Chad Pennington
on national Fox broadcasts.
. Starting in 1986–87, when Esposito left to become Rangers General Manager, Rosen was paired with former Rangers goaltender John Davidson (nicknamed J.D.). The team would last 20 years together until Davidson left for a management position with the St. Louis Blues. Together, Sam and J.D. would be the longest-serving NHL broadcast team.
Beginning with the 2006–07 NHL season, Sam partnered with Joe Micheletti, who was New York Islanders
TV color analyst with former Rangers radio announcer Howie Rose
on Fox Sports Net New York
.
His trademark, "It's a power play goal!!!" started in 1984, when he was known for rather subdued commentary. J.D., following Phil Esposito
as color commentator
, is quoted as saying, "Sam, make it colorful, really colorful!" When the Rangers scored on a power play
in November 1984, Sam jumped out of his announcer's seat and joyfully exclaimed, "It's a power play goal!" Davidson erupted into laughter and Sam said, "Is that good enough for you?" From then on, it became a sarcastic trademark of Rosen's.
basketball telecasts on MSG.
Rosen was employed by ESPN
from 1979–1988, calling a variety of sports for the network including hockey, boxing, table tennis
, Australian rules football
, college baseball
, collegiate wrestling
, and table tennis
.
He handled play-by-play for NHL Radio
, a partnership between the NHL and Westwood One
. He has called the Stanley Cup playoffs
on radio for many years, as well as the 2002
and 2006 Winter Olympic Men's Hockey Tournaments
.
Rosen has also been a play-by-play announcer for The NFL on Fox
since 1996. Currently, he broadcasts with Tim Ryan
. Sam also calls preseason NFL games for the Chicago Bears
and previously did this for the New York Giants
for several seasons.
Rosen was also the lead boxing announcer for the MSG Network until 1993. In 1989, he won the Sam Taub Award
for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism.
Rosen has most recently joined the NHL crew at Versus
, calling games in the first round of the playoffs for the past two years.
Rosen was the public address announcer for the New York Cosmos
during their run at Giants Stadium in the late '70s and '80s. His call "It's a Cosmos Goal" pre dated and could be considered as the basis for his trademark power play call.
, the NHL allowed local coverage of all four rounds of the playoffs in the United States. Thus, Rosen made two of his most memorable calls.
Perhaps most famous is Rosen's call which he uses every time the Rangers score a goal on the powerplay. The call is simply, "It's a power play goal," but Sam Rosen uses a unique inflection which has been widely popular among Rangers fans and a staple of any Rangers broadcast.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, best known as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
(NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
) games on MSG
MSG Network
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
. On June 8, 2008, Rosen was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Rosen's current responsibilities include Rangers telecasts, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
preseason football for WFLD
WFLD
WFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
, and Sunday NFL games for Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
. He is paired with Joe Micheletti on Rangers broadcasts, Erik Kramer
Erik Kramer
William Erik Kramer , is a former American football quarterback. He attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA. After attending Los Angeles Pierce College and playing as their quarterback, Kramer transferred to North Carolina State University where he finished a successful college football...
on Bears broadcasts, and Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
on national Fox broadcasts.
New York Rangers
From 1982–84, he was the studio host on Ranger broadcasts, but was promoted to play-by-play in 1984, succeeding Jim Gordon, who had been the Rangers' TV voice since 1973. Rosen's first partner was ex-Bruin and Ranger star Phil EspositoPhil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...
. Starting in 1986–87, when Esposito left to become Rangers General Manager, Rosen was paired with former Rangers goaltender John Davidson (nicknamed J.D.). The team would last 20 years together until Davidson left for a management position with the St. Louis Blues. Together, Sam and J.D. would be the longest-serving NHL broadcast team.
Beginning with the 2006–07 NHL season, Sam partnered with Joe Micheletti, who was New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
TV color analyst with former Rangers radio announcer Howie Rose
Howie Rose
Howie Rose is an American sportscaster. He is currently the radio voice of the New York Mets on WFAN, and the television announcer for the New York Islanders on MSG Plus.-Early life and career:...
on Fox Sports Net New York
MSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
.
His trademark, "It's a power play goal!!!" started in 1984, when he was known for rather subdued commentary. J.D., following Phil Esposito
Phil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...
as color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
, is quoted as saying, "Sam, make it colorful, really colorful!" When the Rangers scored on a power play
Power play (sport)
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
in November 1984, Sam jumped out of his announcer's seat and joyfully exclaimed, "It's a power play goal!" Davidson erupted into laughter and Sam said, "Is that good enough for you?" From then on, it became a sarcastic trademark of Rosen's.
Other broadcasting areas
Prior to taking the Rangers play-by-play job in 1984, Rosen also served as a studio host for New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
basketball telecasts on MSG.
Rosen was employed by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
from 1979–1988, calling a variety of sports for the network including hockey, boxing, table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
, collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
, and table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
.
He handled play-by-play for NHL Radio
NHL Radio
NHL Radio was the official national radio broadcaster of the National Hockey League, covering the All-Star Game, Stanley Cup Finals, both Conference Finals, selected early round playoff action, and the Winter Classic. The package was distributed by Westwood One and premiered in the 1992-93 season...
, a partnership between the NHL and Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
. He has called the Stanley Cup playoffs
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
on radio for many years, as well as the 2002
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
and 2006 Winter Olympic Men's Hockey Tournaments
Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
.
Rosen has also been a play-by-play announcer for The NFL on Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
since 1996. Currently, he broadcasts with Tim Ryan
Tim Ryan (American football)
Timothy Edward Ryan is a former National Football League defensive tackle. He is currently an NFL analyst on the NFL on Fox and the host of "Movin' the Chains" on Sirius XM NFL Radio.-College career:...
. Sam also calls preseason NFL games for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and previously did this for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for several seasons.
Rosen was also the lead boxing announcer for the MSG Network until 1993. In 1989, he won the Sam Taub Award
Sam Taub Award
The Sam Taub Award is a yearly award presented by the International Boxing Hall of Fame for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism. The award is named after Sam Taub, a journalist and radio broadcaster who is best known for his work covering boxing. It is similar to Major League Baseball's Ford C....
for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism.
Rosen has most recently joined the NHL crew at Versus
NHL on Versus
The NHL on Versus was the former branding used for National Hockey League games broadcast on Versus. Versus became the NHL's cable partner in the United States beginning in the 2005-06 season from previous partner ESPN, providing coverage of regular season games, playoff games, and select games...
, calling games in the first round of the playoffs for the past two years.
Rosen was the public address announcer for the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
during their run at Giants Stadium in the late '70s and '80s. His call "It's a Cosmos Goal" pre dated and could be considered as the basis for his trademark power play call.
Memorable calls
Rosen has called many memorable games. During the Rangers run to the Stanley Cup in 19941994 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
, the NHL allowed local coverage of all four rounds of the playoffs in the United States. Thus, Rosen made two of his most memorable calls.
Perhaps most famous is Rosen's call which he uses every time the Rangers score a goal on the powerplay. The call is simply, "It's a power play goal," but Sam Rosen uses a unique inflection which has been widely popular among Rangers fans and a staple of any Rangers broadcast.