There was a game on Monday? I thought they cancelled Monday Night Football about 10 or 12 years ago.
Once again, the tender sensitivities of the American television viewer must be protected. If Tom Brady, All-American Boy and hero to millions, wants to knock up two women to whom he isn't married, that's o.k., but god forbid a comedian should in any way mock the situation. Yeah, Kimmel's the one showing poor taste. Oooh, and joking about a Kelly Ripa fantasy, way off base. We'll use tits and ass to sell you anything from a microwave to a retirement fund, but when Kimmel mentions an attractive woman in the context of a joke, he's sunk too far. And, well, Theismann. Kimmel seems to miss him more than most of the rest of us do, and Joe's a big boy. He can take a joke, I'm sure. I've often thought Kimmel guilty of being remarkably unfunny, but he doesn't cross many lines that we haven't completely obliterated in our everyday lives.
To all who would rather see Kimmel than someone who actually knows and cares about the sport why don't you watch late nite crap. Or switch the channel and watch some other fantasic show while Kimmel is doing his thing on MNF. Oh wait a minute there are no fantastic shows to switch to. I think he is very humorous in his venue but is useless on MNF. However I don't think anyone should blame Kimmel, he goes where his agent can sign a contract. I also think the true football fan can turn the volume down if he doesn't like the way the game is being announced. Most Americans who watch MNF want to watch football and don't give a hoot about the comedic factor on MNF. Most comedians are held to higher standards when they open their big mouths about something they don't know. Again they should stick to what they do best COMEDY, not making fun of former football players. It's all about ratings, and money,money,money.
I only caught maybe a minute or two of Kimmel on MNF as I was switching between channels for the MLB Playoffs. It didn't really seem too out of line or over the top. What I want to know is why? Are the MNF powers-that-be so under confident in the guys they have, that they have to bolster the commentary with "Celebrities"? As for Tim McCarver: Bob Gibson once told Tim as he walked toward the mound; "Get back behind the Plate. The only thing you know about pitching, is how not to hit it."
I thought the Kimmel piece was also interesting. It's weird that they cited his betting question for a reason to be banned, but I thought it was very relevant.
A small point, but I think an important one. If TV announcers are scared of saying what they really think in case it offends their employer, the league or advertisers, then it is not "political correctness". Whatever that means anyway. It's about money, and power. So call it "economic imperialism" instead. Thank you.
To all who would rather see Kimmel than someone who actually knows and cares about the sport ... Kimmel's a huge football fan.
Two words: Joe Morgan. Two more words: Tim McCarver. Three words: Read my post. I don't automatically agree with all of them, but at least they have the foundational background to give the input.
Kimmel was the morning drive-time sports guy for KROQ here in Los Angeles. His successor Matt "Money" Smith is now one of the afternoon drive time sports talk radio hosts on KLAC, and hosts the Laker's pre-game radio show.
Kimmel's a huge football fan. Same can be said about Dennis Miller. Tony Kornheiser made another off-hand comment last week on PTI that he doesn't even like watching football
If ESPN is listening, I stopped watching MNF when Madden left. Not that Madden was all that fantastic, its just that Kornheiser is that bad. I would like to listen to some intelligent commentary on the football game being played, not inane conversation about any topic that happens to pop into these clowns tiny brains. Same thing goes for all these celebrity appearances; get the camera out of the booth and back on the field. 99% of the time celebrities have nothing intelligent to add to the matter at hand, which is the football game. I don't care if Scarlett Johansson was in the booth nude, keep the camera on the field. Well, OK, if Scarlett Johansson was actually nude then the football game can wait.
The ban was redacted, ESPN fell over themselves saying he was welcome whenever (Read: ABC turned some screws)
Three words: Read my post. I don't automatically agree with all of them, but at least they have the foundational background to give the input. posted by bdaddy I did read your post, and i still think it's hogwash. I can come up with 5 other baseball announcers with playing careers that are absolutely terrible announcers. You've come up with no one to back up your claim. Maybe other sports are different, but I have yet to see any advantage for ex players taking the mike in baseball. Rick Sutcliffe at one time having the talent to pitch in the big leagues doesn't mean he's not an idiot behind the mike.
I have no strong feelings about Kimmel one way or the other but I can't be the only person who thinks that it's in MNF's best interest to ban him, along with everybody else, from the booth. How about we just have announcers who talk about football and the game going on in front of us? I like Jaworski but he's turning into Theisman, getting sucked in by that blithering idiot Kornheiser, and while Tirico occasionally tries to refocus their attention on the game, he's rarely effective. Last year, Jaws was excellent in limited duty as a color guy, but now in this team, he's just as useless as Theisman was. They waste entire quarters talking to hollywood stars and other games (plenty of talk about the Patriots... during the Falcons-Giants game). It's ridiculous.
I did read your post, and i still think it's hogwash. I can come up with 5 other baseball announcers with playing careers that are absolutely terrible announcers. You've come up with no one to back up your claim. well who we like as announcers is a personal preference thing, so how am I supposed to put up someone that would back up my claim? Sorry, as much as I don't like Joe Morgan if he's describing to me why it's a bad idea to pull a 2 hit pitcher out in the 9th to send in the reliever, I think I'd trust his analysis better than if Joe Buck was saying the same thing (although I happen to like Joe Buck personally) Anyway, to restate: "The only people who *I* trust in regards to analysis" I didn't say you had to agree with it.
Anyone else remember the short-lived movement in the early 80s to show games without commentators at all? I believe NBC experimented with that for one NFL game but that was it.
I am not sure if Cosell was a great broadcaster as I have only seen replays of his performances. Howard Cosell was a lawyer who turned his interest in sports into a broadcasting career. His style was mostly one of stating a point, then using his legal training to twist his own and his adversaries words to win the argument. Very few in the broadcast booth were his intellectual equal. His success on MNF was due to his using Don Meredith as his foil for his often biting and sometimes cruel wit. Meredith, for his part, played the "simple country boy" who was being picked on by the shrewd city slicker. Frank Gifford tried his best to describe the on-field action, but was often overwhelmed by the Meredith - Cosell verbal bouts. I rather disliked Cosell, because he seemed to let his mouth get in the way of a pretty good football game. But give the devil his due, the formula made for some enjoyable entertainment. Since Cosell, the MNF producers have been searching for the chemistry in the booth that will resemble that of the Meredith, Gifford, Cosell days. I think if you get a decent play-by-play announcer, put an intelligent and articulate analyst with him, and then have the 3rd guy in the booth just ask questions with some insight behind them, you will have a strong team. The 3rd man in the booth should not be playing it for laughs. As most of the comments above this one seem to indicate, it does nothing to help the broadcast.
They invited a clown into the booth - they should not be surprised by his conduct. This is the same show that hired Cosell for years - the most inept broadcaster of all time. I am not aware of any broadcaster that has come close to being as despised as Cosell was. Every time I listened to sports open line during the Cosell era there would be numerous calls pointing out his ineptitude and annoyance. One of Cosell's problems was he knew nothing about sports - he merely spouted words. I liked the expiriment of watching the football game with sound and no announcers - similar to being at the game. Others have told me that many years ago a single individual would call a game by himself on radio - now with TV it requires 3 people in the booth and one on the field. And many times they miss the action on the field while they are busy opining about something else. If they can't improve on silence then they do not need to be talking. I don't know if history repeats itself but Tim McCarver does - he seems to want to repeat himself 3 or 4 times as if no one heard him the first time.
I don't care if Scarlett Johansson was in the booth nude, keep the camera on the field. Well, OK, if Scarlett Johansson was actually nude then the football game can wait. I was going to say, "What the hell is wrong with you, man?" but I see you came to your senses. Maybe other sports are different, but I have yet to see any advantage for ex players taking the mike in baseball. I have to disagree. Maybe I'm biased but hearing ex-Mets legends, Ron Darling & Keith Hernandez team up with Gary Cohen on the SNY network calling a Mets game is music to my ears. They have this chemistry that just seems to work.
Calling games is hard. I think former jocks are less likely to be good at it, because they're less likely to put in the prep. Retired sports stars have many other ways to chase fame and a dollar. Guys like Joe Buck and Jon Miller just have the mike. One good current exception is Troy Aikman. When he started calling games, network execs gushed at the amount of work he did during the week to get ready. And I think it shows in the games he calls.
One good current exception is Troy Aikman. I actually was very surprised to see how well the transition was for Troy after his playing days. Not only is he a Hall of Fame QB but he's just as nice with the stick. Not all former jocks can do well in a speaking role and with a camera in front of them but Troy seems to have found his niche.
well who we like as announcers is a personal preference thing, so how am I supposed to put up someone that would back up my claim? Sorry, as much as I don't like Joe Morgan if he's describing to me why it's a bad idea to pull a 2 hit pitcher out in the 9th to send in the reliever, I think I'd trust his analysis better than if Joe Buck was saying the same thing Sure, we like who we like. I have no argument with that. And we trust who we trust, but that one's a little different. You should be able to put up examples of who you trust and why. You should be able to put up examples of former players that are better announcers that non-players. Who is trustable is more than just opinion. Being a player, having talent, using instincts, doesn't mean you're going to know more than a student of the game. There are whole web sites that break down the nonsense of joe morgan (and others). You can trust the man, but you'll be following the blind. His analysis has been proven BS time after time. I have to disagree. Maybe I'm biased but hearing ex-Mets legends, Ron Darling & Keith Hernandez team up with Gary Cohen on the SNY network calling a Mets game is music to my ears. They have this chemistry that just seems to work. You're picking one announcing team as an example. I didn't say there were none. And there are probably others. But they're far and few between. I haven't heard the mets team, but having the mlb cable package I've heard a lot, and the majority of ex-players are really bad. I'm not saying they don't exist. I'm saying they're far and few between. So if you tell me "we got a new announcer, don't know much about him, but he use to play in the majors" I won't be expecting much.
Maybe it's the homer in me that says this, but Paul Splitorff (former player) and Bob Davis do a fine job together announcing the Royals. Although I think it is Davis who carries the show. He also does Kansas football and Basketball. He is a true professional, and as far as I know he never made a big name for himself on any playing field.
What ever happen to listenting to music while watching telecast? Try it some time, you'll be surprised. Suggest 60 and 70's tunes excluding that shit disco crap. Some of the announcers and color people take away from the action. Haven't chimned in lately, my daughter got married and was busy. Letting you all know I'am back to put my two cents in.
Sorry, as much as I don't like Joe Morgan if he's describing to me why it's a bad idea to pull a 2 hit pitcher out in the 9th to send in the reliever, I think I'd trust his analysis better than if Joe Buck was saying the same thing Really? Take a look at the website justgary linked to. Joe Morgan is a lot of things but a halfway decent announcer is not one of them. Frankly, listening to him call games makes me want to bang my head against a wall.
Jimmy Kimmel is the man! I think people just miss understood him. I believe he was trying to get dialog started as to why Joe Theisman was not welcome back on Monday Night Football. The executives got salty and over reacted in my opinoion
