Author Archives: Dean Herman

What it’s like to be a Sports Broadcaster

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In Vancouver, the Canucks are king when it comes to the sporting world. Hundreds of kids across the country win the Stanly Cup in their driveways and dream one of one day playing in the show and bringing that dream to reality.  

But what happens when you can no longer achieve that dream? For me, it was pivoting to sports broadcasting. I can remember a time in my early years of elementary school, I decided during lunch I was going to do play by play while my classmates played ball hocky on the hardtop, one of my friends turned to me and commented that I sounded good at it, and from that moment, I was hooked. 

I had grown up hearing the legendary voices of Jim Hughson and John Shorthouse on the TV, and for me, they weren’t just commentators; they were the sound of hockey. To this day I still get goosebumps while listening to Alex Burrows knock of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 or the numerous, “Great save, Luongo!” from Jim Hughson. A good play by play guy can elevate the moment, not just call it. 

But where to start? You can’t exactly walk into an arena and start yapping into a mic. Thanks to an opportunity from the BCIT Radio Arts and Entertainment course, and also the unfortunate case of one of my friends leaving, I got the chance to step in to do play by play for the Port Moody Panther’s in the PJHL. 

So, what is it like to be a sports broadcaster in a lower-level league? Let me tell you, it is the best job I’ve ever had. I show up a couple hours early to do prep and set up the equipment. I love the sounds on the rink, freshly sharpened skates carving up the ice, the locker room stench and the general dampness of it all. There’s no place I’d rather be.

and then it’s show time. Whether the home team wins or losses it’s always a good time for me. Even though the playoff run was short lived, I am unbelievably hyped to come back next season to run it back and further improve and home in on my skills as a broadcaster, storyteller, and stat nerd. 

For anyone looking to get into play by play or sports broadcasting, and I know there is a lot out there, the Radio Arts and Entertainment, although it has had its ups and downs, it has opened more doors for me than I thought possible. I know find myself with not only paid play by play experience under my belt, but a hot radio personality prospect, and sending out demo reels with work fully voiced and produced by me to talent agencies for voice acting. 
Its just like the great one says, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. 

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How Good is a Vancouver Warriors Game?

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Vancouver is a well-known hotspot for sports teams, boosting a major league team for almost every sport. Everyone knows the Canucks, Lions, and even the Whitecaps.  

However, one team is almost never mentioned, the Warriors. Yea, the box lacrosse team in the NLL. Their season might be over, but the hype is far from dying.  

The 2025-26 season was a new high for the Warriors as they had a record of 13-5 and finished first overall in the league. You can’t do much better than that. This was extremely important for the team, as it was their first playoff berth since 2017, and the first since they rebranded from the Vancouver Stealth to the Warriors.  

So, I can hear you asking, that’s great man, but where are you going with this?
Well, as I guy who is fanatical about hockey, yet knows jack all about lacrosse, I ended up falling backward into going to a game with a handful of buddies after a student networking event in January.  

Now, like I said, I’m used to hockey, so when the Warriors went down 6-1 at the beginning of the game, I thought it was over. I mean, they even sent in the backup goalie for a few moments.  

So imagine our surprise when they stormed back and tied the game on a shorthanded rush goal. The fella’s and I all went nuts. 

The Warriors didn’t look back after that and continued to stomp their opponent for the rest of the first half. We actually got tired of cheering as they really racked up the score. With Jesse King and Christian Del Bianco making a lasting impression on me. 

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(Dean Herman)

So, the whole point of this, would I recommend going to a Vancouver Warriors game? 

Well, yea, I think I would, especially to anyone with a passing to heavy interest in lacrosse. The prices are much less absorbent than say, a Canucks game, and the product is significantly better too. The building also has just as much of a buzz in it as you would expect from any event held within Rogers Arena. 

The one piece of advice I have to give is, if you’re unaware of how high the score can get, don’t go all out with the celebration. By about the 8th goal we were all kind of cheered and did not want to end up losing our voice any further.  

Eating jellyfish on a budget

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Vancouver is really expensive. Its affordability and cost of living issues have been well documented. So it’s important that you know where to go to get the best bang for your buck when you go out to eat. Especially if you’re taking someone out. 

 Let me introduce you to a small place, quaintly named, Chinatown BBQ. 

It’s a hole in the wall restaurant in Chinatown that you might not even notice if you’re not looking for it. 

It’s a relatively small place with only about 10 tables inside the building. But this small place hides a massive secret. It’s like the Tardis from Doctor Who but for food in Chinatown.  

Being a broke college kid, I’m not exactly willing to spend the big buck when I go out to eat. So we settled on the BBQ pork. Looks good, and only thirteen bucks.  

It comes out on this big plate on a huge bed of rice. Yea, that’s great, I hear you say, but the taste is kind of the most important part when it comes to food. For what it is, a simple and inexpensive dish, it was freaking phenomenal.  

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After demolishing that, something else on the menu caught my eye. Something you might not see in very many other places.  

Jellyfish 

Yes, jellyfish. Now, I have never had a jellyfish before. I was expecting something like a soup with a couple of the tiny one’s floating around in the broth.  

Boy, could I have not been more wrong. It looked like glass noodles, but cold and kind of crunchy. The only seasoning it had was a little bit of chili oil. Safe to say, I was a little underwhelmed. Although, it’s still a cool story to tell, only cost me like $20 altogether, and at least I can say I’ve eaten jellyfish. Since then, I’ve actually made it my own side quest to try unique and weird foods whenever I had a chance, including the mentioned jellyfish, gochujang, and sea cucumber. 

Wow, I went on a tangent. Let’s get back on track. My point was, its like a cheat code at life to know where the best places to eat ona budget is. You don’t want to be eating instant ramen noodles in your dorm every night. Chinatown BBQ absolutely makes that list. If you want to discover a secret part of food culture in Vancouver, this is the place to do it.  

Vancouver’s Sports/Culture Guide to this Weekend

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Looking to get more involved in the sports or culture scene in Vancouver this weekend? Or even just looking for hangout opportunities or date ideas? Well, this is your guide to the Vancouver sports and culture events this weekend, Friday, May 1st to Sunday, May 3rd.  

Starting off on Friday at Nat Bailey Stadium, The Vancouver Canadians take on the Hillsboro Hops for an all-weekend long matchup. That’s right! Three days. Three matches. One of the most underrated sports experiences in the city. Great place to take the family out to or enjoy a stadium dog with a couple buddies. Tickets are super affordable, starting as low as $37, but they are going fast.  

An afternoon ball game is the perfect way to spend a fair-weather weekend. 

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If you’re looking to slow things down, the Museum of Vancouver just opened its exhibit featuring work by Gu Xion, and it might be worth your time. 

His art explores themes like personal identity, migration, and cultural memory. The exhibit mixes sculpture, photography, video, and large-scale installations. And the best part, it’s not some boring, glum, just the facts kind of way, it’s all about personal connection. 

Vancouver is one of the most multicultural cities in Canada, making it the perfect placed to host such an exhibit. This is the place to go for a quiet, thoughtful rest of the mind. 

 

If you want something louder, head downtown and catch the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. They take on the LA Galaxy on Saturday at 7:30pm.  

Even if you’re not a hardcore soccer fan, the atmosphere alone makes it worth checking out. Having an MLS team in the city is a privilege Vancouver might not have for much longer. So if you’ve never been to a Whitecaps game, you might want to check it out before it gone.  

It’s one of those experiences that reminds you how much this city shows up when there’s something to rally around. 

 

Finally, the Richmond night market came out of its hibernation last week and will run until September. 
Expect crowds, tons of neon lights, and more food options than you can handle. Some examples include skewers, bubble tea, and fusion snacks from all around the globe.  

Be aware, this isn’t just a market, it’s a full sensory overload. Think positive chaos, but in the best way. 

 

My advice? Go with a group of friends to get the full experience. Trying to tackle this one-of-a-kind market solo is a rookie mistake. 

From a baseball game to an art exhibit to neon-soaked late-night street food, Vancouver is a city that can offer a variety of sports and culture that few places can. 

BC’s Most Beloved Colour Guy

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If you grew up watching Vancouver Canucks hockey around the turn of the century, you probably got very familiar with John Garrett.  

Garrett, often and affectionately referred to as “Cheech” was originally paired with play-by-play announcer Jim Hughson, and later John Shorthouse. The voice of Garrett’s colour commentary was warm, familiar, and friendly, and over the years of his voice over Canucks games, it was like he became part of the family.  

Over the 20 years John served as the primary colour guy, he became infamous for his stellar game analysis, food references, and let’s say, his unique brand of optimism about the Canucks.  

When Garrett announced in March 2023 that the 2022–23 NHL season would be his last as the regular Canucks colour commentator, it sent shockwaves not only across BC, but the entire hockey world.  Following his last broadcast alongside his longtime broadcast partner, and close friend John Shorthouse was an emotional one, ending with tears in his eyes, and a big smile. Showing just how much the job, the team, and the city of Vancouver meant to him. 

But John didn’t only represent the Canucks on the broadcast. One of his most well-known stories was during his playing career. Four days after he was traded to the Canucks from the now defunct Quebec Nordiques, The Canucks starting goaltender, legend Richard Brodeur, who was selected for the 1983 NHL All-Star Game, would not be available due to injury. Needing a replacement representative, Garrett would step in to the All-Star Game.  

After having the game MVP stolen from him by none other than the great one himself, Wayne Gretzky, Garret said on an interview with Canucks Army, that if he had won game MVP and the new car that came along with it, he would have sold it to cover team gambling losses. As you can see, the seeds of one of the most entertaining colour commentators in the league were in there long before he put a microphone in front of his face.  

So obviously I’ve been avoiding the elephant in the room. Partly because I don’t want to face the reality. John Garrett passed away this morning at the age of 74.  

John leaves behind a long life that touched more people lives than you or could count. Full of fantastic stories, crazy experiences, and most likely, no regrets.  

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From across the province, the nation, and the entire hockey world, he will be missed. 

State of the Whitecaps

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To the surprise of no one, Vancouver is a huge hotspot for sports. The city is crazy for Canucks and has massive hype around the newly added PWHL team the Vancouver Golden Eyes and the recent news that the city approved a motion and is actively working to bring an MLB team to the city.  

However, one team, at least until recently, always seems to get lost in the shuffle.  

The Vancouver Whitecaps.  

For a while now rumors have been swirling that the Whitecaps might not be in Vancouver much longer. The team has been up for sale for a while, over two years, in fact. So, why has it been so hard to find an owner willing to take on a team in a major Canadian market?  

The Whitecaps have been… how do I say this? Rather mid, caught in the mushy middle. It is like they’re not bad enough to completely ignore, not good enough to truly care about. They’ve been background noise in a city dominated by other sports teams. This has led to attendance not being the highest. This, combined with a lease deal with BC Place that severely limits the team’s revenue, the club has been left financially fragile.  

However, the start of this season could finally be the turning point. Because for the first time in a while, they’re not just putting together decent results. They’re winning convincingly and consistently, including a gutsy 2-0 win over New York early in the season. Right now, the Whitecaps aren’t just doing well, but they’ve had one of the best starts in MLS history and sit on top of the standings with a record of seven wins in their first eight games. 

And the most important part, fans are showing up. Although it is early in the season, the Whitecaps are averaging the second highest average attendance they’ve had in their history, with already an over 2000 increase over last season. 

Strong attendance is key for enticing investors and potential owners; a winning team can rebuild its own market. It also strengthens the case for a new stadium, not only is the current deal with BC Place unsustainable, with the Whitecaps making tens of millions less than their rivals, but the stadium is rather outdated, which is why the city is kicking tires on building a new stadium for  possible MLB franchise coming to Vancouver. 

Their performance alone won’t save the Whitecaps, but it does give them the most leverage the club has had for a while and could be the catalyst for a turning point to being heading in the right direction. 

Stadium Food – Have We Gone Too Far?

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Let’s be real, sometimes the best part of going to a game in Vancouver isn’t even the game. It’s the food. Even if overpriced a good stadium snack can elevate if not carry the entire experience. You’ve got the classic, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and there’s usually a steady rotation of upgraded options or seasonal items. 

But have we gone too far? 

Recently while I was on Evolution 1079, I made my own segment that I dubbed, “fat guy corner” where I go through all the new menu items from fast food places that just look ridiculous. 

But this is another level of insane; this takes a cake (wink wink).  

While I was scrolling on Instagram this morning, I saw that the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled a new menu item at their games. If you guess what it is you should consider buying a lottery ticket, you’ll never see it coming. 

They call it cotton candy mayo fries. 

What in the udder heck?  

Of course it comes from Toronto, Who in their baked mind came up with this? And then who approved it?!  

Quote from the team’s post, “The Toronto Blue Jays are taking ballpark food to new heights with their buzzworthy and polarizing Cotton Candy Fries, a unique blend of crispy fries, creamy mayo drizzle, and fluffy blue-and-white cotton candy,”  

This monstrosity was referred to as smuf fries in the comments. I’m honestly shocked that this isn’t some AI hoax. Now look, I get it. Stadium food is supposed to be fun, over-the-top, and a little ridiculous. But there’s a difference between “creative” and “what were you smoking?” 

Alright, enough manic energy. Let’s actually break it down. French fries are the posterchild for salty food. It’s not supposed to be sweet. It doesn’t work when you dip them in your DQ soft serve and it’s so bad its offensive here.  

To be honest, this feels like social media rage bait. Something that would go virla online for the WTF factor. Which if it is, its pretty good. But I genuinely wonder how many of these they expect to sell.  

At the end of the day, cotton candy fries are a harmless, if not slightly cursed menu item. And will most likely be quickly phased out within a month or so. No one should be shamed for indulging in them.  

However, some ideas should be left on the drawing board.  

New Art Exhibit at Museum of Vancouver Hits Different

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The Museum of Vancouver is tapping into a new kind of exhibit. Opening May 28th, Becoming: The Art of Gu Xiong isn’t just any art show, it’s more like walking through someone’s life story. The exhibit mixes sculpture, photography, video, and large-scale installations. And the best part, it’s not in some boring, glum, just the facts kind of way, it’s all about personal connection.  

If you’re not caught up to speed with Gu Xiong and his work, his life is a journey of all kinds of twists and turns. Born in China, he lived through the Cultural Revolution, worked labor-intensive jobs, and later immigrated to Canada. However, that was not the finish line. Coming to Canada alone would not propel Gu into instantly being a big a name artist.  

He would work long hours as a dishwasher, janitor, or even a pizza chef, all while continuing to create art in his basement. The kind of grind anyone would go through while trying to find their place in a city as large and competitive as Vancouver. Now, he is referred to as an “internationally recognized multidisciplinary artist”. Showing that hard work and a never give up attitude pays off.  

What makes this exhibit special is how it connects the story of Gu Xiong to something bigger. Vancouver is one of the most multicultural cities in Canada and is commonly referred to as a cultural melting pot. Whether you’re first-generation, an international student, or just trying to find your place, there’s something in this story that might connect with you and hit you right in the feels. It’s not about the artist, it’s about one shared experience of struggling, learning to adapt, and evolving from it.  

One of the most interesting parts about the exhibit, is even though some of the piece’s spans as long as decades, it still manages to feel current. Themes such as identity and culture shock are still prevalent discussions today. Especially for younger audiences who are constantly cycling through different versions of themselves both online and in real life in an attempt to discover their true selves.  

At the end of the day, this isn’t just an exhibit you go to because you feel like you should. It’s one you might actually connect with. And there’s no better place to host it than the city of Vancouver, that kind of story hits a little closer to home.  

Becoming: The Art of Gu Xiong opens May 28th at the Museum of Vancouver and will run into early 2027