James Cybulski91裸聊视频檚 voice can be heard in basements and bedrooms of hockey fans around the world, and he still can91裸聊视频檛 quite believe he91裸聊视频檚 in his third year of being the play-by-play guy of EA Sports91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淣HL91裸聊视频� video game.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a total dream come true,91裸聊视频� the Delta-based broadcaster said with the kind of enthusiasm he brings to the popular game.
The latest edition, was released in mid-October with Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews on the box cover 91裸聊视频� again, for the second time since 2020.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檇 say you aren91裸聊视频檛 the only one saying, 91裸聊视频榃hat, AGAIN?! He was on the cover just two years ago!91裸聊视频� Cybulski said with a laugh, in a phone call.
91裸聊视频淢y vote for Ryan Reaves was clearly ignored,91裸聊视频� he deadpanned on Instagram back in August.
The video game offers 91裸聊视频渁 huge leap forward in graphics91裸聊视频� and the arrival of Superstar X-Factors, which 91裸聊视频渦nlocks the unique skills of the league91裸聊视频檚 most elite players,91裸聊视频� raves . 91裸聊视频淭his is breakthrough hockey.91裸聊视频�
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EA91裸聊视频檚 NHL title has been part of Cybulski91裸聊视频檚 life for more than a quarter-century, starting in his old Ottawa 91裸聊视频榟ood.
91裸聊视频淚 played the game as a kid, in the early- to mid-91裸聊视频�90s,91裸聊视频� he recalled. 91裸聊视频淚 played 91裸聊视频楴HL 9491裸聊视频� on my Sega Genesis (game system), then evolved to playing on the PC around 91裸聊视频楴HL 98,91裸聊视频� then converted myself to become a PlayStation guy. It91裸聊视频檚 funny, I91裸聊视频檝e always been an NHL video game guy, whether it91裸聊视频檚 playing as a teenager, or you know, playing in the my 20s and then even into my 30s, coming home after having way too many with my buddies and than trash-talking. You know, 91裸聊视频極K, let91裸聊视频檚 turn on the (game system) and let91裸聊视频檚 go, let91裸聊视频檚 settle this!91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
The game graphics have come a long way since those early days, of course 91裸聊视频� and so has Cybulski.
He stick-handled his way into sports broadcasting and show hosting for TV and radio outlets over the past couple of decades, both here and in Toronto, and recently landed a job calling games for the AHL91裸聊视频檚 Abbotsford Canucks.
Turns out, being a play-by-play broadcaster was Cybulski91裸聊视频檚 desire all along.
91裸聊视频淭he whole reason I wanted to get into the (broadcasting) business was to be a play-by-play guy, that was always the dream,91裸聊视频� he explained. 91裸聊视频淥ut of school, I had a chance to call Ottawa 67s games, on the radio for awhile. The whole time through high school, I volunteered at community television while going to school and working, for about six years there.
91裸聊视频淚 did it to get my reps, and any opportunity that presented itself, I would do,91裸聊视频� Cybulski added. 91裸聊视频淚 called ringette championships, university football games, basketball, karate tournaments, a pre-Olympic boxing tournament in 1992. I did minor hockey games, touch football, lacrosse games 91裸聊视频� a whole bunch of different sports, and I was young, all between the age of 17 and 23, in Ottawa, growing up.91裸聊视频�
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Three years ago, Cybulski auditioned for EA three times and ultimately got the gig as voice of the company91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淣HL91裸聊视频� game.
91裸聊视频淚t was honestly the most amazing moment,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭om, I91裸聊视频檝e been honoured to do some pretty cool, amazing things in my career, experiences and opportunities in my life, but man, this opportunity to be the voice of a video game franchise I grew up playing, so iconic, it91裸聊视频檚 just amazing to me.91裸聊视频�
He follows in the footsteps of some broadcasting 91裸聊视频渓egends,91裸聊视频� including Jim Hughson, Gary Thorne and Mike 91裸聊视频淒oc91裸聊视频� Emrick.
91裸聊视频淎nd then it91裸聊视频檚 like, 91裸聊视频榃hat the hell91裸聊视频檚 Cybulski doing here?91裸聊视频� he said with a laugh. 91裸聊视频淏ut the feedback has been really good, very positive. It91裸聊视频檚 a lot of fun, but a lot of work, too.91裸聊视频�
Cybulski91裸聊视频檚 voice work for the latest game was all done at his Tsawwassen home, due to the pandemic. Basically, he cleared out a bunch of kids91裸聊视频� toys and covered the office walls with foam.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 where I scream and shout a lot,91裸聊视频� he noted.
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PICTURED: Broadcaster James Cybulski at his Delta home with a framed copy of the 91裸聊视频淣HL 2291裸聊视频� video game autographed by Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews, who is on the box cover. (submitted photo)
His contract with EA calls for up to 300 hours of voice work annually, which translates to a couple days a week, usually four-hour sessions, adding content where needed.
91裸聊视频淥ne day it might be a 91裸聊视频榩hone book,91裸聊视频� as they call it, which is essentially going through name after name. Not long ago there was a day where we added close to a thousand names to the game, and it91裸聊视频檚 making sure you have, A, the right pronunciation, and B, the consistency in energy level,91裸聊视频� Cybulski explained.
91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檙e going, 91裸聊视频楶asses the puck to Singh, passes the puck to Jones, passes the puck to Zillich,91裸聊视频� you know, you want to make sure your energy level is the same all the way through, so that it doesn91裸聊视频檛 sound like a 1990s version of movie phone, that old automated voice 91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频�Please press 1.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 maintaining the baseline of energy to be consistent,91裸聊视频� he continued. 91裸聊视频淪o we do those, and one day it might be rattling off names, another day might be all goal calls. All those situational plays in hockey that are so common that you don91裸聊视频檛 even think about, we do all those 91裸聊视频� entering the offensive zone, gaining the line, but saying that 10 different ways without sounding the exact same. You can be a little cheeky sometimes while also being mindful to stay consistent with the traditional broadcast. We can kind of pick our spots to have some fun, too.91裸聊视频�
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WHAT A MOMENT!
91裸聊视频� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Justin Bailey's 100th career AHL goal and the first home goal in the history of the . on the call 馃帣锔�
Cybulski91裸聊视频檚 game call isn91裸聊视频檛 for everyone, and he knows that. He brings an energy some find too over-the-top,
91裸聊视频淚 think broadcasting is subjective, right, and for a broadcaster, you91裸聊视频檙e providing that soundtrack for people,91裸聊视频� he suggested. 91裸聊视频淵ou know, some people like something more subtle, but for me, personally, I91裸聊视频檝e always been drawn to the energy. To me, from a broadcasting standpoint, I91裸聊视频檓 kind of a salesman, I91裸聊视频檓 selling an event.
91裸聊视频淲hen I look at it from an NHL video game standpoint, I want it to be exciting because quite frankly, it91裸聊视频檚 the biggest thing in your life at that very moment, your focus. So I want people to feel like it91裸聊视频檚 the biggest game of their lives, in that world, in that moment. That91裸聊视频檚 the approach I go for, to have that feeling of it being the biggest game. It91裸聊视频檚 about being entertained.91裸聊视频�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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