Not that I was one to pour over the NHL highlights during Barry Melrose’s tenure at ESPN, but I always found the guy rather palatable. Specifically when they’d do those debates about which sport had a better playoff system or something like that, and Barry Melrose would try and say how hockey’s was better than baseball’s, or college basketball’s, or something like that. It was like the little underdog scrapping for some significance; it was nice. I would like to have a beer and finger food with Barry Melrose someday.

And hey, get this: Now that he’s been canned by the Lighting (after an oh so brief tenure) Melrose is now back with ESPN for three years, according to Barry Horn at the Dallas Morning-News. Happy to see he’s back on his feet somewhere.

I look forward to his beautiful hair and accent. That’s if I’m not already asleep before “SportsCenter” starts.