Best of Tripp Tracy and Mike Maniscalco's AMAs

Television broadcasters
Tripp Tracy
and
Mike Maniscalco
rounded out the team's Ask Me Anything (AMA) series on the
Canes' subreddit
, one of the many highlights of
Fan Appreciation Week
.
Here are the curated best questions and answers from each AMA.

Editor's note: Some questions and answers have been condensed or edited for grammar or clarity.

Tripp Tracy

Who is the biggest Caniac of them all?
Greensboro season ticket holders who have stood strong to this day always have my respect and appreciation.
Also, Frank Sinatra is the hugest Caniac. I'm very certain that he was beaming with pride for his hockey team doing the Storm Surge "my way."
In your opinion as a commentator, who is the most exciting Hurricane to watch and commentate on?
There are so many that come to mind! I enjoyed doing games between the benches, and I remember one shift and Roddy came off the ice, and you could see he was in a little bit of pain. He said something like, "No big deal," but he had just torn his ACL and MCL. He skated off the ice like it was no big deal.
Cam Ward in his prime was so fun to watch. I love the emotion of Petr [Mrazek] and how he feeds off the fans.
I also love watching the willingness to try anything of Svech.
Sebastian Aho, when he went toe to toe with Leon Draisaitl, was just amazing.
What is your favorite part of the game of hockey? What part of broadcasting do you enjoy most?
My favorite part of the game is the people, hands down. The relationships and friendships that, had it not been for hockey, I never would've met.
As far as broadcasting, I consider myself a spectator. The chance to watch this market grow and become part of the fabric of the community and the hockey world is something that is so special for me.
What is your all-time holy grail of Taco Bell orders?
First of all, I have walked the Taco Bell drive-through in a little place called Put-in-Bay, Ohio, at 1:30 in the morning. Back in the day, when I had a younger man's metabolism, it would be something like:
I love the beef Meximelt is because it is the perfect transition, easy-to-eat item to have after a game.

Mike Maniscalco

How do you work to improve your play-by-play skills in the offseason? What is one game you wish you could have broadcast?
I watch or listen to the games that I have called and try to pick up if I am repeating words or phrases. I am a play-by-play enthusiast, so I try to listen to as many different voices and styles that I can. That said, there really is no substitute for experience. So, I am hoping we get back to playing soon.
The game I wish I could have called is Team USA vs. the Soviets at Lake Placid in the Olympics, but Al Michaels has a pretty good call. It is probably best I was only 4 at the time.
How long has being in the booth been an aspiration of yours?
When it became crystal clear my athletic ability was not going to get me into professional sports, I pinpoint my junior year of college when I became part of the Buffalo State Bengals broadcast booth in the fall of 1994. I actually did color my first year with Mark Gorton, who was such an incredible play-by-play voice as a college student. That's when I knew for sure it was what I wanted to do.
How did you overcome the usual anxieties that came with being on television when you started?
I am always nervous before a broadcast, and I will be just as nervous for the next one as I was for my first Canes game on camera. And let's face it: I'm no Liam Hemsworth. However, I know I have done the prep work, I work with great people and I have done thousands of radio broadcasts. So, when the on-air light goes on, just forget about it and have fun. I'm talking about hockey for a living, so once it's time to go I didn't think about it.
John Forslund was obviously beloved by Canes fans, but you've done a great job filling his shoes. Did you feel a lot of pressure to "live up" to his reputation and commentating style?
I can only be me and do the job the way I can, not how someone else did. There is always pressure. I know how great the job John and Chuck Kaiton did and the legacy they have. But, no, I didn't feel any more pressure than what I put on myself to do my best.
Who's the funniest guy on the team to interview?
There are a few guys who are good for a laugh during almost every interview. In alphabetical order: Sebastian Aho, Dougie Hamilton, Jordan Martinook, Brett Pesce and James Reimer.
Where did the name The Big Rig come from?
Tripp Tracy. I have a husky build, and during a TV broadcast in my first year, I was going from place to place in the arena. To paraphrase Tripp, he said, "You don't want to get caught in front of that big rig coming at you."
I rated the podcast 5 stars, so we are basically best friends... right? My question for you: How much freedom do the Canes give you for your podcast? Can you do pretty much anything you want most of the time? Bonus question: Which Hurricane do you pick if you had to win a game of Tetris?
Best friends for sure! The Canes give us total freedom on the podcast. Michael and I are very fortunate to have that trust from the team. However, as the years have moved on, the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Hurricanes Bill Burniston has become our unofficial ombudsman.
As for Tetris, it has to be Andrei Svechnikov.
Do you prefer Eastern or Western barbecue? (Bill Burniston can see his way out)
The answer is yes. I have no preference. There are times when I want Eastern style and others when I appreciate the saucier Western. I know people think there is, but there is no wrong answer to this question. Bill Burniston will be texting in 3... 2… 1...