Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Monday Monday
I have had it with the endless promotion of Monday Night Football by ESPN. This promotion has not stopped since they had announced arriving the package. If I had to see another commercial, I would have thrown up.
Even during their bottom line, the small bar at the bottom of the channel which shows the score had an entry for MNF and a separate one for NFL. You got to be kidding.
So how does the new look on MNF seem to be doing. I think it will do fine. But I feel most network executives need to realize that people are not going to watch a game because of the announcers.
The days of Howard Cosell are over. A Cosell could not be around in this politically correct world we are in. The mostly highly rated MNF game happened in 1985, when the 13-0 Bears met the Miami Dolphins. The broadcast booth? Frank Gifford, Joe Namath, and OJ Simpson.
You think the fans stayed up to watch them? Nope.
Tony Kornheiser looks good in the booth and I think it will work. It is nice to have a fan perspective in the booth.
When MNF hired Dennis Miller 6 years ago, it did not work for several reasons.
First, I feel the fans and Miller himself, did not know whether or not they wanted him to be funny or a serious analyst.
Second, when he was funny, you needed an encyclopedia to translate what he said.
Third, the bottom line was, the product had to be good to watch MNF.
Kornheiser is at least a sportswriter and he is funny. He knows sports, he writes a column for the Washington Post and hosted a radio show on ESPN plus hosts the critically acclaimed PTI on ESPN.
With him, I don't think Miller expectations are there. He is funny but he knows how to conduct himself and he does not really need to analyze what is going on. Mike Tirico provides the play by play, even though I thought Mike Patrick was good at it. Joe Theismann is the analyst and does a good job, better than Paul Maguire (Now watch this!)
It will be Kornheisers' job to bring up questions or comments a fan might provide if he was in the booth with these guys. And I have to say he was good during the first telecast. You really cannot go by preseason games.
But please, why do we have sideline reporters, much less two of them. Granted they are cute to look at, but what is a sideline reporter going to comment on?
What the coach said before the game?
What new technique the star player is using to get his rehab going better?
What type of gloves the player was wearing?
What adjustments are to be made at halftime? (Stop making mistakes, score more points, get the running game going again, get some protection up front)
The only thing I see good in a sideline reporter, is if a player gets seriously injured, whether it was the injury that was really severe (back, neck, concussion) or the player who got hurt (star quarterback, star running back, star defensive player), the reporter can probably get the info quicker to the booth than if there was not a reporter.
Just look at the Chiefs-Bengals game, it took awhile for info to be brought on Trent Greens' injury.
Anyway, it is still football and now that it is here, please ESPN, stop the commercials, we get it already! We just have to change the channel.
Even during their bottom line, the small bar at the bottom of the channel which shows the score had an entry for MNF and a separate one for NFL. You got to be kidding.
So how does the new look on MNF seem to be doing. I think it will do fine. But I feel most network executives need to realize that people are not going to watch a game because of the announcers.
The days of Howard Cosell are over. A Cosell could not be around in this politically correct world we are in. The mostly highly rated MNF game happened in 1985, when the 13-0 Bears met the Miami Dolphins. The broadcast booth? Frank Gifford, Joe Namath, and OJ Simpson.
You think the fans stayed up to watch them? Nope.
Tony Kornheiser looks good in the booth and I think it will work. It is nice to have a fan perspective in the booth.
When MNF hired Dennis Miller 6 years ago, it did not work for several reasons.
First, I feel the fans and Miller himself, did not know whether or not they wanted him to be funny or a serious analyst.
Second, when he was funny, you needed an encyclopedia to translate what he said.
Third, the bottom line was, the product had to be good to watch MNF.
Kornheiser is at least a sportswriter and he is funny. He knows sports, he writes a column for the Washington Post and hosted a radio show on ESPN plus hosts the critically acclaimed PTI on ESPN.
With him, I don't think Miller expectations are there. He is funny but he knows how to conduct himself and he does not really need to analyze what is going on. Mike Tirico provides the play by play, even though I thought Mike Patrick was good at it. Joe Theismann is the analyst and does a good job, better than Paul Maguire (Now watch this!)
It will be Kornheisers' job to bring up questions or comments a fan might provide if he was in the booth with these guys. And I have to say he was good during the first telecast. You really cannot go by preseason games.
But please, why do we have sideline reporters, much less two of them. Granted they are cute to look at, but what is a sideline reporter going to comment on?
What the coach said before the game?
What new technique the star player is using to get his rehab going better?
What type of gloves the player was wearing?
What adjustments are to be made at halftime? (Stop making mistakes, score more points, get the running game going again, get some protection up front)
The only thing I see good in a sideline reporter, is if a player gets seriously injured, whether it was the injury that was really severe (back, neck, concussion) or the player who got hurt (star quarterback, star running back, star defensive player), the reporter can probably get the info quicker to the booth than if there was not a reporter.
Just look at the Chiefs-Bengals game, it took awhile for info to be brought on Trent Greens' injury.
Anyway, it is still football and now that it is here, please ESPN, stop the commercials, we get it already! We just have to change the channel.
# posted by ttheman @ 6:18 PM 
