NFL Network coverage SUCKS! (1 Viewer)

[Kleck]

I happen to enjoy good, lively, intelligent commentary. Maybe Al Michaels screaming "Do you believe in miracles!" makes you roll your eyes. It sends chills up/down my arm every time I hear it.

You're reaching pretty big here. Seriously. Do you expect to see one of the greatest sports moments of the century each Sunday? This is exactly my point. I can remember only an incredibly small handful of times where an announcer said something memorable during an NFL broadcast. I'm sure you can count your own on less than one hand.

"Do you believe in miracles?""The Giants win the pennant!""I don't believe what i just saw!""He did it! Flutie did it!""And there's a steal by Bird...."yep, still one hand

Are you saying this is the standard for every announcer? Either deliver one of the classic lines in history, or be labeled as terrible?Further, you're completely ignoring the fact that the announcers that delivered all these lines were doing so during seminal moments in sports history. The announcers just happened to be present at those moments. They didn't create the moment with their great delivery. All these lines were created by athletes. The moments would still live on in history no matter who was announcing during those games.Did the announcers that did the CAR-STL game suck last week because they didn't deliver any historically significant lines? Perhaps they didn't have the opportunity because that games simply sucked.

 

[mooneylane]

Does anyone know of an article on the net explaining the situation with cable operators who have NFL Network but didn't show the game? Been looking but haven't found one.

It looks like there was an extra fee to actually carry the games on top of the fee to just carry the NFL network. "Insight Communications: Will not carry the games. Insight, which carries the NFL Network on its digital basic tier, has decided not to pay the additional surcharge to carry the game package."

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6393309.html

 

[joffer]

I happen to enjoy good, lively, intelligent commentary. Maybe Al Michaels screaming "Do you believe in miracles!" makes you roll your eyes. It sends chills up/down my arm every time I hear it.

You're reaching pretty big here. Seriously. Do you expect to see one of the greatest sports moments of the century each Sunday? This is exactly my point. I can remember only an incredibly small handful of times where an announcer said something memorable during an NFL broadcast. I'm sure you can count your own on less than one hand.

"Do you believe in miracles?""The Giants win the pennant!""I don't believe what i just saw!""He did it! Flutie did it!""And there's a steal by Bird...."yep, still one hand

Are you saying this is the standard for every announcer? Either deliver one of the classic lines in history, or be labeled as terrible?Further, you're completely ignoring the fact that the announcers that delivered all these lines were doing so during seminal moments in sports history. The announcers just happened to be present at those moments. They didn't create the moment with their great delivery. All these lines were created by athletes. The moments would still live on in history no matter who was announcing during those games.Did the announcers that did the CAR-STL game suck last week because they didn't deliver any historically significant lines? Perhaps they didn't have the opportunity because that games simply sucked.

i thought i was on your side of this

 

[cobalt_27]

I happen to enjoy good, lively, intelligent commentary. Maybe Al Michaels screaming "Do you believe in miracles!" makes you roll your eyes. It sends chills up/down my arm every time I hear it.

You're reaching pretty big here. Seriously. Do you expect to see one of the greatest sports moments of the century each Sunday? This is exactly my point. I can remember only an incredibly small handful of times where an announcer said something memorable during an NFL broadcast. I'm sure you can count your own on less than one hand.

"Do you believe in miracles?""The Giants win the pennant!""I don't believe what i just saw!""He did it! Flutie did it!""And there's a steal by Bird...."yep, still one hand

Are you saying this is the standard for every announcer? Either deliver one of the classic lines in history, or be labeled as terrible?Further, you're completely ignoring the fact that the announcers that delivered all these lines were doing so during seminal moments in sports history. The announcers just happened to be present at those moments. They didn't create the moment with their great delivery. All these lines were created by athletes. The moments would still live on in history no matter who was announcing during those games.Did the announcers that did the CAR-STL game suck last week because they didn't deliver any historically significant lines? Perhaps they didn't have the opportunity because that games simply sucked.

Shick, I think this qualifies for the HOF of taking a point out of context. The "miracles" example was in reference to this equally-weird stream of thoughts:

I don't rely on announcers to tell me what they see. I want to watch the game and think about what I see. I don't depend on the announcers to enhance my experience.

I don't think anyone here who lambastes some of the poor announcing teams we have would ever remotely use the word "rely" or "depend" to describe their appreciation to quality commentary. You're coming off here as if to say, "I'm the cerebral one who can "think about what I see" and if you depend on a good commentator to enjoy football, well...then, you've got other problems." That's the tone, at least, of how I take your comments. And, I'm simply stating they can enhance or detract from the experience--not that I depend on them to enjoy the game. The "miracles" line was at the extreme end here, where Michaels clearly cemented that moment. Without him, it would still be a great, memorable event in sports lore. But, I believe the effect was different--enhanced--by his call. And, to that end, I think all announcers have a role that can add or subtract from the experience. When you have a stuttering, ill-informed, monotone leader in the booth (i.e., Bryant Gumble), all we're pointing out is that he's not up to the standards one would expect from a primetime announcer in a primetime sport being broadcast from an emerging network. Michaels, Tirico, and others cohese the package and help bridge the action on the field with running storylines that are sometimes unknown to the viewer. Not once did I hear Gumble talk about his discussions with the teams in the day(s) leading up to the game. Instead, he chose to give us little nuggets about the area surrounding Kansas City and muttering his way through down/distance/player names, etc.Again I ask, do you just mute the games so you can have space to think about what you've just seen? If so, great. I happen to enjoy good, intelligent commentary and consider it a distraction when it becomes obvious that the majority of the audience knows more about the game and the teams involved than the announcers posturing as "experts."

 

[Marc Levin]

Does anyone know of an article on the net explaining the situation with cable operators who have NFL Network but didn't show the game? Been looking but haven't found one.

It looks like there was an extra fee to actually carry the games on top of the fee to just carry the NFL network. "Insight Communications: Will not carry the games. Insight, which carries the NFL Network on its digital basic tier, has decided not to pay the additional surcharge to carry the game package."

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6393309.html

Unbelievable - the FCC oughtta step in here - this sounds like extortion considering so many cable providers took the NFL-N knowing the NFL-N was going to advertise that they were carrying NFL games.I really lost respect for the NFL-N after seeing the product folks had to pay extra for.

 

[cobalt_27]

I say, just let the free market take care of this. Get DirectTV and be done with it. In many markets, it's cheaper than cable, anyway.

 

[joffer]

I say, just let the free market take care of this. Get DirectTV and be done with it. In many markets, it's cheaper than cable, anyway.

their High Definition picture quality sucks ### compared to cable

 

[cobalt_27]

I say, just let the free market take care of this. Get DirectTV and be done with it. In many markets, it's cheaper than cable, anyway.

their High Definition picture quality sucks ### compared to cable

Their choice of football games is far superior to cable.Advantage: DTV

 

[GRIDIRON ASSASSIN]

Has Steve Mariucci determined whether or not the Broncos offense has gotten past half court yet?

 

[cobalt_27]

Has Steve Mariucci determined whether or not the Broncos offense has gotten past half court yet?

He was so distracted by the goings-on behind him, he had no idea what he was saying throughout his entire bit. That line just punctuated the whole thing.

Really, I thought only Rich Eisen and Marshall Faulk came off looking good through that entire mess. Of course, I don't appreciate football as much as Shick!, so I depend on these sort of guys to help me get through a game.

 

[Darth Cheney]

Aikman/Buck is, IMO, the best commentating team out there.

I agree with half of that. I just cannot stand Joe Buck.

 

[BoltzNBrew]

My ears, my ears!

 

[Wu-banger]

I need something to gauge my ear drums !!!

Bryant Gumble.....UGGGHHH !!!!!

 

[gigantor]

Game is blacked out here. stupid ####

 

[Ron_Mexico]

Looks like Gumble is off the 'roids.

He's withering away to dust.

 

[Fiddles]

whats with gumble and the word glorious

 

[General Tso]

Bryant Gumbal is HORRIBLE. He should stick to the Today Show. DHe is unwatchable as a football broadcaster. I'm thinking he is aboslute horribleness.

 

[General Tso]

Looks like Gumble is off the 'roids.He's withering away to dust.

Did Syd Barrett really die? I [partied with him in London a lifetime ago. One of the most nutty [people I've ever met.

 

[22613]

So I lean over to the wife during dinner today and say, "It's going to suck having to listen to everybody complain about the announcers during the game on NFL Network." She gives me the .I just sort of shake my head and say, "It doesn't matter what they say. People will complain about it." I seriously regret not posting this earlier today.

agreed. the cool thing to do this season is bash announcers. it's unreal. i blame the guys over at profootballtalk.com for making it what it is. sure announcers can enhance or detract from a game to some degree, but dude....who gives a...? are some announcers better than others and are some annoying? sure. i guarantee though that the people complaining wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they were listening to "good" announcers. they'd have nothing to talk about.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

Looks like Gumble is off the 'roids.

He's withering away to dust.

Did Syd Barrett really die? I [partied with him in London a lifetime ago. One of the most nutty [people I've ever met.

The legend is gone, at 60.I would love to hear about your party experience with Syd Barrett.

He wasn't one to party in moderation.

He was known to ingested large sums of LSD in his morning coffee..... regularly.

While this provided the spark for the amazing lyrics

and sounds he was able to generate in the late 60s

it also led to his eventual undoing..... a true pioneer of psychedelic music.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...7/12/db1201.xml

 

[chihawk]

Bryant Gumbal is HORRIBLE. He should stick to the Today Show. DHe is unwatchable as a football broadcaster. I'm thinking he is aboslute horribleness.

Couldn't agree more....he just seems lost as a commentator...COME ON (with my best Gob impression). Hopefully he will improve as he gets more used to it, or he may get pulled.Chris Collinsworth, on the other hand, I thought did a really good job.

 

[Horses Mouth]

Gumbel = ear pain

 

[T-Bone976]

Here was my favorite call of the night by Bryant,

"McNair....passes....this side....doesn't get it" [ refering to the first down].

Bryant is simply not good at calling the play be play. I hope they find someone else soon.

 

[3C's]

Looks like Gumble is off the 'roids.He's withering away to dust.

I thought Bryant was always sort of small/skinny. His brother Greg on the other hand...

 

[joffer]

didn't get to listen to the game last week. i figured that Gumbel couldn't possibly be as bad as the posts on here suggest. i got to watch it last night, and he's actually worse. holy #### i almost felt sorry for him after a while. i've never heard a play-by-play man get so much flat out wrong. truly horrible.

 

[jonessed]

I like Collinsworth, but Gumbel is pretty bad. This appears to be a new thing for him though so maybe he will get better.

 

[levinakl]

Gumbel is awful. How many mistakes can he make? 3rd and 14 is not 3rd and 4. Player identification errors throughout the game. No enthusiasm. Let's drop him now and move on to someone who could do a better job. They could grab almost anyone off this board and they'd do at least as good a job IMO.

 

[Bad_Mo]

What would suck worse is not having an extra game on free (for me at least) tv.

I think the coverage is as good as MNF, listening to those 3 clowns.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

I think someone should keep a running tally of the BGum mistakes and post them on here. I would do it however he puts me asleep by half time.

 

[Wheelhouse]

I think someone should keep a running tally of the BGum mistakes and post them on here. I would do it however he puts me asleep by half time.

I'd like to see it too. I can't participate, because I don't have DirecTV. BTW, Gumbel needs a nickname.Bumbel, Gumby, Dumbel

 

[Rovers]

I dumped Cablevision in NY for Verizon fiber optics based television.... not only do they carry the NFL network, I get more channels, better HDTV quality a modem that NEVER slows down when the kids get out of school are start mega-downloading music, sucking up all the bandwidth and it's cheaper to boot.

As far as Gumble goes, we discovered last night that the game wasn't on a 7 second delay, and we turned on the radio instead. Made the game much more enjoyable. I mean MUCH more enjoyable.

 

[coachjim]

Actually I kind of like Collinsworth. Gumble the bumble has to go though.