this is so true now on so many levels - the tail wagging the dog or the vocal minority shutting up the passive majority - Kaneda was brash and over the top on lots of things but that's what made his podcast great and he did get the inside scoop on a lot of things - whomever did go to his employer as others have said is really a piece of work and if found out, who knows, maybe they will find the other shoe up their ass doesn't feel all that good. I am thinking Cary Hardy could be a good fill in as he seams to tell it like it is and is not beholding to the pinball companies like our other notable podcast shill

the thing we all have to keep in mind is that these days your considered guilty as soon as someone makes any kind of accusation. This is corporate political correctness taken to the max and abused and used by the minority of subversives that know how to use social media to there advantage. Its obvious someone or company took exception to Kaneda's viewpoint and freedom of speech and took the underhanded steps to shut him down. Scumbag move

It sounds like some of these companies got caught with their collective pants down on the marketing front. Instead of looking at themselves and the people they employ to do this they decided to go after a guy that scooped them and make him pay. Maybe they should hire Kaneda and get rid of the turds they have now

Well you know that all the manufacturers need to up their game for the prices they want to charge. If Stern's (or others) model was to focus on the operators and not give a shit about the HUO market they need to re-think that priority. Who the hell is going out in this environment to play on location?? The thing is when you buy a new game and it looks like the moon after few hundred plays why would you want to purchase another from that company unless your an operator?? I know there is a thread for this, but to the point at hand, shutting up a vocal critic I guess they think may be good for business if indeed it was them. Maybe someone should compile a list and we can really get the conspiracy theories going

I sure hope so - BUY, BUY, BUY !!!

Yes you guys do seem to like this kind of mentality

It is but at the present as you guys like to say "USA,USA were # 1"

LOL - my apologies for trying to lump you in with our cousins to the south - at least I know our German friends have a level head on their shoulders

Yes EH - we have lots here as well but it is kind of fun to knock the top dogs off their posts once in awhile

On another note - if Kaneda wins a Twippy, I wonder how that acceptance speech will go, or will he be neutered at that as well by corporate correctness run amok

Yes EH - don't take away our Maple Syrup and as for hockey most of the Canadian teams suck these days so we have to cede that to our American cousins. I was in diapers the last time the Leafs won the cup and may be in diapers again before they win another

Now that Kaneda is gone maybe Cary will step up to the plate being he is not on TPN and is way more subjective than the other guys and main shill who will never criticize any of the manufacturers - you know Buy, Buy, Buy

You know i really used to enjoy SDTM but once he became a distro the whole vibe changed and to your point it feels like an infomercial now and some of it is just plain lame

Hey if you keep talking like this people will say that your not playing nice in the pinside sandbox

lmao - you go man - someone needs to tell it like it is now that no Kaneda. I hope our man Cary Hardy will carry the torch of honest and unbiased reviews going forward.

How does a machinist equate to owning that turd of a game?? is that some sort of Aussie term?

Ah ok lol - yes i agree, but doesn't mean the game isn't one of Stern's bigger turds maybe not in WWE territory......

Like Kaneda said in his final podcast Stern is the top dog and does put out more than all the others combined so that's a plus but there are also the minus items such as crap themes, display graphics and of course the shit playfields. The one good thing they do is for the most part have good artwork. Kaneda called it as it is and paid the price which is sad.

Don't worry he is reading all of this for sure, but will it matter as he is on the other side of the fence now as a distro and using media to drive sales. That's the part, where as many have said before that you can no longer be objective so as a pinball enthusiast you have to step back and see it for what it is. The whole TPN thing is a sales pitch with nary a negative comment on any of the manufactures games and just Buy, Buy, Buy

Well said!! - I love the oil essentials comparison - kind of like this topper is the best thing since sliced bread - buy, buy, buy!!

We are not hating on anyone it's just a lot of us used to wait faithfully for the next SDTM episode and always liked the way the guys got along and the banter back and forth. That all changed when $$ became the objective as a distro. There is nothing wrong with being on that side of the fence but you can't play both sides. As you said in your post we are looking for someone to fill the void left by Kaneda so thus some of the comparison.

TPN appears as a bunch of groupies for the manufacturers!! All the varying points of view that were present before the amalgamation into that entity have been snuffed out except for maybe Cary Hardy. Good marketing for sure on Flip N Out's part so kudo's for being savvy that way. Let's not get sold any of the snake oil that is being pushed on behalf of, for the most part Stern by these guys. I also understand that putting yourself out there in a podcast is not the easiest thing to do, but that is a choice you all make. We hope you hear our voices of concern, put forth a better more objective product or decide to step back to let other non-invested guys take the reigns and run with things.

Didn't you know the Swiss are neutral I am pretty sure the scumbag is home grown but hasn't enough balls to show himself for the coward he is.

He may very well be all the negative things that people say and I have to admit some of the rants with all the F bombs were over the top.

That being said, he did provide some decent content, and a psycho ying to the Stern sycophant yang that notable others (you know who you are) are putting out as content.

I fail to see why with being scooped on reveals that some of these companies are not looking internally at the useless marketing people they are using and gas them just like they likely did to Kaneda.

We all miss some of these. The new reality is that the clever marketing by certain individuals to create the TPN Stern sycophant suck zone has taken the air away from some other objective voices. With the loss of Kaneda we are just going to get all lollipops and rainbows from the manufacturers mouths to TPN's ears and blasted out to the masses in another infomercial to drive sales - Buy, Buy, Buy

The evidence, is in the opinions being put forth on TPN that all is rosy with every game being put out - especially as a distributor selling them. Its a savvy way to drive sales so good idea to think this up.

Most of us are not lemmings waiting in line to spend big $$ on a game that looks like the moon after a couple hundred plays or $600.00 on a topper just because someone says - Buy, Buy, Buy

As for liking Kaneda, at least he was objective for the most part even if way over the top on a lot of things.

We used to all love the SDTM episodes and the presentation put forth but we know how that changed. I feel bad for your buddy, as we all really like him, and he is now become an unwitting accomplice of another infomercial to shill product.

BTW- the singing on TPN sucks - I can just visualize your co-host Krienging every time it happens

Well said!!

I get that it's not easy to put yourself out there and make content and good for those that do!! The thing is, it is a choice, and should be open to some critique??

The gist of objections to TPN and I guess to be specific - The Pinball Show - is when you hear someone talking things up like some ring leader at the Carnival wanting you to come on in and see the bearded lady or guy with 20 toes - you know its either fake or an anomaly.

This is where Kaneda said it best regarding THE VALUE, we as purchasers, should expect for the hard earned and ever increasing $$ we are throwing down on new games. I know it's not in the nature of most people to act like Kaneda with f'bombs and such to get the point across so he gets a big F on that front.

That being said, as others have also weighed in, it's an inherent conflict of interest to talk every game up when you know full well some of the numerous documented issues going on with them.

RIP Kaneda - or until episode 500

Ok - Point Taken- I really have said more than i wanted too anyway. The rest of you can voice your opinion with it from here on out