Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Analysis of Week 7 Colts/Jags broadcast.

The Broadcasters

Mike Tiricio: I don't mind Mike at all. He is a decent color commentator who gives a fairly unbiased view of the game. Mike points out important details occurring in the game and has good chemistry with Jaws.

Week 7 Grade: B

Jaws: Ron Jaworski is the Xs and Os expert. He knows his stuff but I don't think his talents are called up enough. In last night's broadcast, by my count, he did two, yes two, X and O segments. Both on interceptions that were thrown by the Jags. My biggest issue with Jaws is how he deals with Tony, often getting caught up in useless dialog started, of course, by Tony. At the end of last nights show it was almost embarrassing how Tony kept pushing the issue of who is the better QB, Brady or Manning, and it ended with Jaws flipping a coin.

Week 7 Grade C-

You can learn a little more about Jaws in this
article.

Tony Kornheiser: To put it bluntly Tony is what is wrong with MNF. Maybe I am not broad enough of a sports fan to know (or care) who Tony is. In fact until I saw his weaselly face on MNF I had no idea who this clown was. Maybe my problem is that I have never been enamored by his writing skills, on any given sport, or been caught up in any controversy he has tried to blow out of proportion like he does on a weekly basis on MNF. I understand sports writing is about creating controversy and that it sells newspapers but I think, for some strange reason, MNF should be about football. And Tony, well Tony is not about football. Tony is about contoversy! Tony's big issues last night were about the Jags dumping Leftwich before the start of the season, Brady vs. Manning, and what a stud Bob Sanders is. Besides those comments he had only two football related quips including talking about Del Rio's playing days under Tony Dungy and whether the Jags would go back to smash-mouth football to get back in the game. Other than those Tony might as well have not been in the broadcast booth. Here are an array of his stupid comments:
  1. The Jag's defensive roll call sounded like NASCAR.
  2. He comments that Del Rio throws his sock out instead of the red flag.
  3. Jaws is saying Bob Sander's is like Chuck Norris and he can do everything including drive Tony's bus after the game.
  4. Wonders if Brady is watching to see how Manning is doing. (Tony - These guys are not in some kind of epeen competition. Neither of them talks about their records without referring to their team. These guys are top athletes playing at very high levels who play a team sport. They are not like you- showing off in front of a national stage with an ego the size of Manhattan.)
  5. Puts Jaws on the spot with the earth shattering controversy of who is the better QB - Brady or Manning. No matter how hard Jaws tries to dodge the question Tony is on him and on him. Remember the game is still going on at this point
I could go on a lot longer about Tony but needless to say he says nothing worthwhile throughout the broadcast and in fact causes enough friction with Jaws to make for some uncomfortable moments. Besides all that he is a distraction from the game. There were times I felt like yelling "The game is still going on!". Note: Replace "felt like" in that last sentence with "was".

Week 7 Grade: F-

Commentators Total for Week 7: D-

Guest Commentator

Don't get me wrong, I like Russell Crowe. He's been in some cool movies and he comes across as a pretty tough guy. But about 7 minutes of game time was wasted talking about
The South Sydney Rabbitohs, that's right the Rabbitohs. If you really want to learn more about the Rabbitohs you can go here. I was watching the broadcast hoping to hear about some *GASP* football! Did they even once mention the game? I am not sure - I had visions of a rabbits running through my head. Watership Down anyone? All I know is that the entire time Russell was there the game took a back seat.

Guest Commentator Week 7: F (No Russell put down that phone.... Russell put down.. Nooooo!)

15 comments:

Joe Osborne said...

I actually Love the broadcast... Although they should bring Charles Barkley in more often. Check out my blog. Put my first story on there today.

sportsstorm.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I turn the sound down and watch the game, they have the worse show in football, EVER. I can't stand there chatter and say nothing approach.

Anonymous said...

Tony is humorous on PTI, but I agree that watching MNF is now a chore, not a joy. I hate guest sessions. People tune in to watch a game and instead get to listen to garbage. ABC knows people will watch, and so they use the broadcast as a platform promoting anything and anyone they want.

Anonymous said...

I don't like Mike Tirico on MNF, because he talks too much. When you have a three-man broadcast, the play-by-play guy should do the play-by-play and let the analysts do their thing breaking the game down.

Part of the problem is that there's only one analyst, and he's not that good at captivating the audience. Let's face it, for the casual fan watching MNF, Jaws is pretty dull and boring. I like what he brings to the table, but it's not good enough to keep the ratings where ESPN needs them to be.

Secondly, Kornheiser is great on PTI, but MNF isn't PTI. He either needs to bring some insightful analysis to the table or leave. I don't want to hear his jokes. We tried that years ago with Dennis Miller.

My MNF team would consist of a PBP guy who just did PBP, and two analysts/color guys who could break the game down between plays. I don't want to see Russell Crowe talking about the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The game is on.

Anonymous said...

For years I never thought I'd see a NFL commentator I hated more than Joe Theisman, until they added Kornheiser. I can't believe how bad he is and how the tv execs can't see it.

Esse Quam Videri said...

They don't see Kornheiser they see ratings. I am sure they could make the show better and maybe improve ratings but they are just happy with what they have.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for creating this blog...MNF on ESPN has turned into one really bad/long commercial. I think Tirico is one of the best in his profession and I love Jaws (when he's not arguing w/ Tony) but Kornheiser not only encompasses whats wrong w/ MNF...he's what's wrong with this country in general...this guy was a career towel boy...i hope he drops dead on the set of MNF...

Anonymous said...

Couldn't agree with this site's m.o. more. I think this actually sums up what next week's Pats-Broncos will sound like:

http://foodcourtlunch.com/?p=208

Anonymous said...

Also, Kornheiser would not shut up about Sanders = Chuck Norris, and then brought up the same stupid analogy on PTI the next day! He's infuriating.

Esse Quam Videri said...

Ya the Chuck Norris comparison was so annoying. Bob Sanders is one of the better safeties in the league but the comment about his driving Tony's bus was retarded. If I was Bob Sanders I would go Chuck Norris on Tony.

And Tony has a bus? Let's hope he gets thrown under it some day.

Anonymous said...

The vitriol in these posts is disturbing.

Do we really take football so seriously that we demand constant in booth "analysis?" Fact is, football is entertainment, and Tony, like Miller before him, is an entertainer.

It's almost as though Tony's less serious approach forces us to consider just how not serious a football game is, and, perhaps, threatens the identity of those of us who take it a bit too seriously ...

Esse Quam Videri said...

If I found Tony to be at all entertaining I would agree with you. Tony is a writer and, from what I understand, a good one. He should stick with his strengths.

Miller was a real entertainer and he also liked football. His ego didn't make the booth cramped and he didn't take away from the game. I would take Dennis over Tony in a heartbeat.

Thanks for posting, I really do appreciate everyone's comments. I never expected everyone to agree with my personal view and you are entitled to yours.

Evlogi Logismoi IV said...

Tony is not that bad at all. I think the fury directed toward him is misplaced.

I for one enjoy an analyst who is a not a square-jawed gridiron meat-head, Tony is witty and entertaining, and I think a lot of people who dislike him so immensely just choose not to understand his humor.

I actually would have loved this blog before last year, when espn picked up MNF. One has to have perspective with MNF: it has ALWAYS been entertainment first, football second. And it was atrocious before espn. Remember football players playing musical instruments badly? Remember when we got NO NFL news during halftime?

I think espn has slowly brought MNF toward what it should be about: football. Tony talks football. He's just not an idiot when he talks. Idiots hate that.

Anonymous said...

Not a bad site....altho Tirico is technically a play-by-play man...

Anonymous said...

Haha, Watership Down! Hells YES! Man that book rocks, and i totally had that running through my head too.