Analysis of Week 12 Dolphins/Steelers' broadcast.

A few comments about the broadcast last night. It was terrible as usual, which is a shame (as usual), because the game was actually quite entertaining with a close game right to the end on the worst field ever. Did you see the punt that went plunk? That alone made the game a classic.

I do have to comment on one of the worst commentator comments ever. Made by none other that Tony Kornheiser. After asking Jaws how long it had been since a game had gone 0-0 Tony's reply went something like this:

"Twenty years since a game went 0-0 this long? This game feels like it's been 20 years."

ESPN.... does anybody in management actually listen to the broadcast? Can you not tell this guy is like a cancer? Tony might as well just come out and tell viewers to change the channel. Please... Please get rid of him!

I would also like to comment that Jaws has gotten really annoying as this season has progressed. I don't know if he is in a competition with Tony to see who can be the most entertaining (and by entertaining I mean abrasive) but he was acting like a class clown in the booth last night. Note to Jaws: Grow up and do your job. Go with the football knowledge thing because the "you being funny thing" is NOT WORKING!!!!!

Week 12 Dolphins\Steelers Preview

This game has a 'car crash' quality to it in that we want to look away but we can't. It's not because someone is going to be bent in all the wrong directions but because the Phins are on route to a season of perfect imperfection. Something that has never been done before. The irony here is that they are the same team who has the league's only perfect season. Are we watching history unfold where both the perfect and imperfect season records could be set?

The Steelers are coming off a loss from last week in which their opponent, the Jets, already proved, the following Thursday, that they are not on an upswing after being swatted by the Cowboys. Does this become a statement game for the Steelers, who have the surprising Browns sniffing at the door?

We'll find out tonight.

Too bad Tony and the boys will wreck it for us.

Sunday Night Football

I imagine a good number of NFL fans watched Sunday Night Football, this week, where the New England Patriots battled, and won, against a well coached Philadelphia Eagles team. It was a really enjoyable game to watch.

Did anyone else notice how well Madden and Michaels covered the game?

• Every major play had one (or more) replay(s)
• Almost no plays were talked over
• The game was allowed to stand on it's own merit.
  

I never once had to say shut up to the announcers, which I do regularly during MNF. I didn't roll my eyes because an announcer (hint: Tony) made the game out to be the biggest thing in history since the birth of Christ. And I never felt uncomfortable because an announcer (hint: Tony) made everyone else in the booth feel awkward by having to respond to a stupid comment he'd made.

It's nice when the game gets to be just a game!

Make Your Voice Heard

Here at I Hate Monday Night Football we want to hear from people.

This means the 1 to 4 people each week who select Great! on the broadcast polls. You thought it was great? Let us know why. (cause honestly I have no idea how you think that!!)

For people that hate ESPN's Monday Night Football (about 70% of the people who poll) please take the time to vent. Trust me, you'll feel much better!

Ripples on the Pond

The question is everywhere. Here is another article asking:

Is 'Monday Night Football' losing it?

Yes... yes it is.

Analysis of Week 11 Broncos/Titans' broadcast.

This, once again, was a sub par broadcast overshadowing, and indeed stream rolling over, a good game.

Tony's spew at the start was so annoying as he talked about how well known the Broncos are, thanks to Elway and his rings, and "almost no one" knows about the Titans and the fact they were 1 yard away from tying the game and going to OT with the Rams in Superbowl XXXIV.

The who?

It was one of the most exciting finishes in Superbowl history and yet "almost no one" knows about the Titans. Just so you know, football fans, we are "almost no one". I bet Tony had to go to Wikipedia to find out about that game.

Game Over Watch
I have never seen an announcer so quick to tell an audience the game is pretty much over and they might as well go watch another station. I am sure Tony would rather be watching Dancing with the Stars (certainly he had it Tivo'd) but shouldn't the network be a little ticked that one of their announcers is asking whether the game is over when one team is down by 14 in the first quarter? Each week I am more amazed at what goes on.

Shock of the Broadcast
I was extremely surprised in the second quarter when Tony actually stopped talking for a play. Of course his useless rant went around two plays but he did pause as each play was run. He has never let a little thing like a football game going on get in the way of his insights before. I wonder if he had a talking to?

"There is a game going on" Oprah Moment!
Thank you Michelle, the sideline girl, for talking over 4 plays about Vince's vulnerability in speaking candidly about his father being released from prison and their troubled relationship. Thanks for opening the door for Tony to continue talking about how professional athletes are people too (What an insight!!). Don't forget during all of this touching dialog Vince was driving down the field to possibly get within a score in a game that was, according to Tony, basically over. It was a really touching moment -- sarcasm off --

Then there is the wonderful conversation about how great buddies Shannahan and Fisher are and how Shannahan trusted Fisher, his old coaching mate with the 49ers, to give him the truth on Cutler. This is gripping drama people. How can we concentrate on the game when there is this to listen to? -- sarcasm off --

Best Two Minutes of the Broadcast
Did anyone notice how, just before the half, the broadcast was almost stomachable? It was 2 minutes of pure joy. We got replay after replay as the Titans' marched down the field trying for an all important score. The crew even commented on a play that looked like a catch and should have gone to the booth for a review but didn't. Talk about controversy. Bet we got 5 replays of that play (and I agree it was a catch). The Titans ended up cutting the Broncos lead in half with a field goal. Why were those last 2 minutes so nice? Tony was on his way to PTI.

Anyone else have some "key moments" from the broadcast? We'd love to hear them in the comments.

Week 10 Broncos\Titans Preview

So we have a bit of a slow game tonight on MNF. Denver has been underachieving all year and Tennessee has been winning some of the most boring games all year. (Boring for the rest of us not for Titan's fans) So how will the MNF crew make it an exciting broadcast? Check out this article posted today:

League looking into Packers 'bounty' offers

Be prepared for the game to be talked over in great detail as Tony and the boys discuss this very important issue that could very well put a asterisk beside all of Brett Favre's records. -- sarcasm off --

Edit: The game was a lot better than I previously though and would like to apologize for my oversight.

Prison Break

Here's an article about a prison in the States which is going to get Direct TV so the inmates can watch Monday Night Football on cable as they haven't been able to watch it since it moved from ABC to ESPN:

Clayton prison requests satellite TV for inmates

I think the warden should reconsider doing this. Letting inmates watch Monday Night Football in it's present state might end up bringing about a prison break.

Joe Theismann has a point even if it sounds like sour grapes.

Just an update on some comments by ex-MNF commentator Joe Theismann about this year's broadcast. Joe is quoted as saying:

"Personally? No, I don't like [the new MNF]. And it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm not there. I watch football games to learn and watch football. I see Ron Jaworski trying to do football. I see Mike Tirico trying to get back to football.

I have no problem with Tony Kornheiser. He's just out of his element. He's a fish out of water. That environment, and that setup, is not conducive to watching football. And I look at it this way: ESPN, or Disney, paid 1.1 billion dollars annually to be able to broadcast football. And now you want an issue show. I think, to me, that's not the most sound business approach to take. I miss Monday Night Football."

Some of the articles, listed below, take shots at Joe for his comments but I think the truth is the truth no matter what the source. Why shouldn't Joe say he doesn't like MNF when it really does suck?

Awful Announcing

The Lefty Call

Watchdog

Analysis of Week 10 49ers/Seahawks' broadcast.

So I'll be honest. I didn't watch more than 20 minutes of the game last night. The NFC West is one of the weakest divisions in the league and the 49ers are simply terrible. So terrible in fact I feel sorry for them. Anyway, I did not watch enough of the game to give a full critique of the broadcast but I can give one example that proves they haven't changed. Here is the Play-by-Play from NFL.com

3-1-SF 2 (4:15) 8-M.Hasselbeck pass incomplete short right to 18-D.Hackett.

What I saw was Hasselbeck throw a floater to Hackett in the end zone from the 2 yard line. The play was closely defended and Hackett couldn't pull it in. It looked like there could have been some pass interference on the play. After the play here is what we were treated to:

• The camera followed Hasselbeck as he ran to the bench.
• A closeup of Holmgren's scowling face (or is that the way he always looks?).
• A good closeup of kicker Josh Brown as he readied himself for a 20 yard field goal.
  
• An extended closeup of Josh as he readied himself for a 20 yard field goal.
• Josh kicking a 20 yard field goal.
  

Here is what we did not see after a closely contended pass play in the end zone that might or might not have been pass interference:

• Any kind of replay of the play

And the worst of it is there was no mention of the play by the broadcast crew beyond the play-by-play. There was no talk about whether it could have been pass interference through any of the above, riveting, footage.

Anyway, as stated, I didn't watch much of the game from there. If anyone wants to add a a fairly obscenity free critique of the game in the comments section I would be willing to post it. Trust me being obscenity free when watching or commenting on MNF is not easy.

Analysis of Week 9 Steelers/Ravens' broadcast.

The game is not even over yet but I though I'd get a quick post out on the broadcast. I know the game was not that good. The Steelers got out to a quick lead and the Ravens never did anything to get back in the game. But even though the game wasn't great (unless, or course, you are a Steelers fan) the broadcast was especially terrible. I have a list of Tony's useless comments that I am not going to post right now but they are brutal. I am just too saddened by the broadcast to say anything about it. But some other low-lights are were all the sideline interviews going on with Steeler greats DURING THE GAME! Ever heard of half-time? Anyway needless to say:

Week 9 Grade: F

Week 9 Ravens vs. Steelers

We have the makings of a pretty good game tonight. After the game this weekend it will be hard to match in hype but we have some good story lines and two teams that have a legitimate shot at post season play.

On one side we have Pittsburgh. A team many people considered a giant killer leading up to week 7 (as in look out Patriots and Colts) but who took a deep dive in many people's power rankings, including my own, after loosing to Denver in Mile High. I personally think this was a case of the Black and Yellow being out coached more so than them being outplayed. As for their first year coach we know Mike Tomlin has it (The it from the Old Spice advertisement) but he is still a rookie coach and that means a wily old coach like Shanahan can still pull a fast one on him. Will we see that tonight?

On the other side of the field we have Baltimore, a divisional opponent in the suddenly competitive AFC North - courtesy of the surprising Browns. If Baltimore has any hopes of making it to the post season they need to make a statement tonight. The problem in Baltimore is that they are having problems scoring on offense. The defense is aging, yes, but the Ravens still hang their hat on their D. Ray Lewis is one of the most recognizable defensive players in the league and Brian Billick may be on the hot seat after years of offensive meritocracy under the offensive minded (and mouthed) coach.

How will the Monday Night Football crew screw it up? Tune in at 8:30 tonight to find out.

Colts/Pats Aftermath

I hope everyone was able to check out the game yesterday. It lived up to all the hype, yet at the same time we didn't need to be reminded, ever few seconds, about the hype by the broadcast team. The game was able to speak for itself! We saw replay after replay and great play breakdowns by Simms. I don't remember even once wishing Simms or Nantz would shut up like I do every 2 minutes with the MNF 3 stooges.

People say that ESPN's broadcast is the way it is to be entertaining but after a great broadcast like CBS' this weekend, for a huge game like the Colts and Pats, I hope people understand how a game is supposed to be called.

Here's an article about the broadcast:

CBS announcers let Patriots-Colts game speak for itself

It pretty much says what I say above but I am not a professional/syndicated writer and well.. Michael Hiestand is.

Colts/Pats

Huge game this weekend between the undisputed top two teams in the NFL. After this weekend we will have a better idea who top dog is and who has to go 'back to the drawing room'.

Is anyone else as happy as I am that this isn't a MNF game? I am pretty sure... There is no doubt in my mind the ESPN broadcast would have ruined it.

One of the better broadcast teams (best in my mind), Simms and Nantz, are covering the game and I hope many of you will watch this game and come away with an appreciation for how a game should be covered. It will be nice to watch a game that is about *GASP* the game! What a wild concept.

Everyone enjoy the contest. I know I will. Games with this kind of hype are few and far between.