The St. Louis Blues went the local route with their choice for a new radio analyst. However, though he’s a former player, the new man has never suited up in the Note.
The St. Louis Blues made a rather interesting choice with their pick for the team’s new radio analyst. Instead of going with a former member of the Blues, as was expected by many, they went with a local guy.
Joe Vitale was announced as the new radio analyst for the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, August 15 2018. Terms of the contract were not immediately released, but one would figure this is not a trial run and will be for multiple seasons, at least.
Vitale is a former player, having spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unfortunately for him, his career in Pittsburgh was sandwiched right in-between their championships since he wore the Penguin from 2010-2014, through four seasons.
Vitale finished his career with the Arizona Coyotes. Vitale will go down in history as a trivia answer, since he was part of the trade that sent Pavel Datsyuk’s contract to the Coyotes and Vitale, and a draft pick, went to Detroit.
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However, Vitale never suited up for the Red Wings in a regular season game. He was injured in the preseason and never suited up again due to concussion issues and retired in 2016.
Now, some will wonder why a player that did not play in St. Louis will be the radio analyst for the Blues. Well, Vitale grew up in the area, playing for CBC high school and the St. Louis Jr. Blues.
That first part will impress the most people, while it is the reason I dislike this signing – initially, at least.
Let it be known that I have no real issues with CBC or anyone that went there. It is more the St. Louis attitude toward such things. The entire mentality of “where did you go to high school?” is quite infuriating.
Most kids go to the school where they live, unless they go to private school. So, the mentality that you’re better because you went to this school or that, is very medieval in that you’re priviledged based on where you were born or how much money your family has.
Even in the county, I have seen people say they went to Parkway and if you do not name the right compass direction to the right person, they stick their nose in the air.
So, while it is no fault of Vitale’s, it touches a nerve for a person to be selected mainly because they are simply from St. Louis. Personally, I’d rather have had a former Blues player get the job rather than someone local.
That said, I do not think Vitale will do a bad job – quite the opposite in fact. As a broadcaster myself, I think Vitale probably had the most chemistry with Chris Kerber, which was likely the biggest reason he was selected. You can grow chemistry over time, which would have happened with other choices, but if Kerber and Vitale have it right away, so much the better.
In the end, we all wish the best of luck to Joe. I want him to succeed and think he will. Any negative spin on the idea is mainly from a long-standing grudge against the St. Louis mentality, not a person.
Hopefully Kerber and Vitale hit it off right away and we won’t even know that Kelly Chase is gone. It’s not the first time the Blues will have a new voice and it won’t be the last. Let’s all go into it with open minds, as I will, and give them every opportunity to succeed.