FanHouse Cbc

With only ten days left before the CBC closes their HNIC Anthem Challenge on August 31st, I figured this would be a good time to check in on the contest and the infamous 'Hockey Scores' to see how it is all progressing. About a month ago, I took at look at 'Hockey Scores' which was the most popular song in the contest and had taken the internet by storm. With babies crying, sheep and gun shots it's hard to imagine how this isn't the most popular song on terrestrial radio right now.

But how have the babies and sheep held up? Are they still on top of the leaderboard? Well, you probably don't care but I'm going to tell you anyway.

With ten days remaining in the competition, Hockey Scores remains atop all the leaderboards. It lead in views, with twice the amount of views as the second place Take it Higher. It's also has more comments and a higher rating than any other anthem on the CBC's website. And with a facebook group that numbers more than 1,300 people it's clear whom the people have chosen -- if only jokingly -- to win the CBC's anthem competition.

The only obstacle left is to see whether or not the CBC is going to fix the vote, like the NHL may or may not have done during the infamous 'Vote for Rory' campaign. After all, the CBC smartly added the rule that their decision is final, regardless of vote count, rating or whatever else. If they don't pick Hockey Scores, there is sure to be an internet uprising. Somehow, I don't think they're worried about that. But there will be backlash, however big or small it may be and I feel like is not the last we'll hear about Hockey Scores. At least until the techno-geeks start raising hell after it gets brushed aside.

If you were to poll Canadians on the most recognizable song in their country's history, you'd probably think a Celine Dion ballad, a Brian Adam's soft-rock song, or a crappy Nickelback tune would be #1, wouldn't ya?

The truth? The theme song for Hockey Night in Canada, a song that has been around for five decades, is, BY FAR, the most recognizable tune in the Great White North. There is a reason why it's referred to as Canada's "other" national anthem.

Sadly, hockey fans may very well have heard the theme song for the last time. Money, as usual, is the culprit.

HNIC currently pays $500 every time they use the song, and the contract expired last night. The composer obviously wants more money than CBC is willing to pay in a 'raise', so the CBC might be looking for a new song.

In the end, everyone loses: The fans, the CBC, and the composer, Dolores Claman. Greed sucks, kiddos.

So, listen to the theme while you can. Doesn't it just make you want to watch a hockey game?

While the NHL tried its very best to put on a glitzy, Hollywood-style awards show last night, there were more than a few things that went wrong for the little hockey league that could.

Viewers in the USA may have turned to VERSUS and found themselves watching programming that was anything but an awards show. It turns out there was a fiery reason why ...

A CBC broadcast truck almost caught fire during the network's telecast of the NHL Awards show from the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.

Technical problems resulted, the worst of which affected Versus in the United States. The overheated CBC truck caused transmission difficulties forcing the U.S. cable channel to cancel its live telecast. Instead, it aired a World Combat League show and carried a tape delay of the NHL show at 11 p.m. EDT.

The CBC had its own problems. Its red carpet interviews were interrupted by a sudden glitch that imposed a newscast from another region onto the telecast.

The technical glitches aside, there were some others issues with the show that need to be addressed.

Get a real host! Ron MacLean is a great studio host for hockey games, but not a great host for a nationally televised awards show. There are plenty of good comedians that would have loved to do the job. With all the revenue the NHL is raking in, couldn't they have sprung some dough for Dennis Leary? Andrew Dice Clay? Mike Myers?

The red carpet: A good idea in practice, but bad in execution. We get a load of Canadian 'celebrities' answering dull questions. Why not grill Martin Brodeur about the blonde chick he was seen with last night? Ask Sidney Crosby what brand of lipstick he wears? C'mon ... throw me a frickin bone, here!

How about some loud music for when certain people talk too much? Gordie Howe, as awesome as he may have been, put half the viewing public asleep with his rambling on and on and on. A blast from a trumpet would have woken the audience up and told the old fart to get 'er done!

The writers need to lay off the drugs, homerism, and booze. How else can you explain Rod Brind'Amour winning the Selke instead of Pahlsson?

For more, check out Mirtle's live blog from the gala.