In the early off season for the Blue Jackets, more news is being made by the club about people that announce the games than the players that play it. In a move that came out yesterday in a report by Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch, the on-ice/locker room reporter for FS Ohio, Jim Day, won't be back to do Blue Jackets games next year. Day also does field reports for the Cincinnati Reds broadcast for the same network. Day is not being fired by FS Ohio just moved to do something else during the hockey season.
In a move that was swift by the fans; a petition went out to keep Jim Day reporting on the Union Blue. Brian Cluxton, a Vice President of an I.T. consulting firm, started a petition through his Twitter account.
"I heard the news this morning on the Puck Rakers blog and figured someone had to do something to try to get the CBJ and/or FS Ohio to change their mind. Lots of people were upset with the way the CBJ handled the contracts of the other TV and radio guys and this was handled poorly as well. I know a lot of people like Jim Day and the work he does with the Jackets (and Reds) and am hopeful we can get them to sign the petition," stated Cluxton.
Cluxton went on to say, "Jim Day is a great interviewer and very entertaining with many of his comments. He also clearly loves hockey, loves the Blue Jackets and enjoys interacting with fans. I'm not sure what more you could ask for in a TV reporter."
Well those "comments" might be the problem. In an updated story this morning in the Dispatch, Portzline reports that, "he was chided this season for using "disappointment" in a question posed to Blue Jackets assistant coach Gord Murphy when the Jackets fell behind by two goals March 28 at St. Louis."
Well I know I was offended when I heard Day use the word "disappointment!" I mean, I couldn't get my son's tender ears covered soon enough!
Come on Blue Jackets! You are making a mockery of yourselves and your professionalism. A professionalism that, I know for a fact, that you try very hard to pro tray. The organization is either very naive or totally misguided in there attempt to control the broadcast. This is no longer 1920 where all you had to do is control the radio guy and the beat writer and the fan base would just accept whatever they said as gospel. Especially hockey fan where they are by far the most savvy sport fans that use several outlets, like HockeyBuzz, to get more in depth and opinions that aren't always towing the company line. What all of this has done is probably chase away any decent broadcast talent that would want to come to Columbus but more importantly has discredited the entire broadcast team and what they say. None of which is any fault of their own but now the Blue Jacket fan base knows that they are only mouth pieces for the organization.
At this point, I don't know if Jim Day would want his gig back with the Blue Jackets where he has been from the very first season of the organization but if you would like to help Cluxton and the rest of the fan base that is displeased with this move, you can sign the petition by going to
Keep Jim Day Petition
If this decision doesn't change, I would like to thank the Westerville native (suburb of Columbus) in the same way that Rostislav Klesla would end each interview with Jim Day that became a standing joke and part of the charm that fans loved, "Thank You, Jim Day."
Fire The Cannon!
Eric Smith
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