Jon Gruden is the new Tony Kornheiser. Just about everybody not working for NFL Network is cool with that. Mr. Tony the columnist and Pardon the Interruption co-host was nothing like Mr. Tony the third wheel in the Monday Night Football booth, and his departure -- whether on his own terms or otherwise -- is a welcome change. Before ESPN named Gruden to replace Kornheiser, NFL Network had similar plans: they wanted Chucky to move into Cris Collinsworth's seat (Cris graduated to Sunday Night Football after John Madden retired) and work alongside Bob Papa on the eight Thursday night games.
Didn't work out for NFLN, and they're still looking for a color analyst. According to Peter King, there are at least four people under consideration:
In the wake of NFL Network losing Gruden, the channel has considered a few options of analysts to pair with Bob Papa. One is Brian Billick, the quick-on-his-feet former Ravens coach who had a successful debut on Fox last season. Another would be a three-man booth, with Papa, Marshall Faulk and Joe Theismann, who, presumably, would walk to each game if the network would give him the gig. But I hear [Matt] Millen is the leader in the NFL Network clubhouse.Matt Millen didn't sully my favorite team's good name by making idiotic personnel decisions for almost a decade so I have no problem separating his skills as a general manager from his talents as a teevee analyst. But the fact that most of Michigan would prefer Joe Theismann to Millen is more evidence of his awfulness as the Lions' president.
I'd also be fine with either Brian Billick or Marshall Faulk, although I'd give the slight edge to Billick, who came across as a pompous blowhard as the Ravens head coach but surprisingly watchable on NFL Network's Playbook last season. He was less so during his stint in the booth for Fox, but he's already better than a lot of people in that seat*.
And I suspect Lions fans would be happy with anybody but Millen ("And now joining me in the NFL Network booth, Dane Cook!"). But like everything else related to football, Lions fans appear to be losers -- according to King, Millen's the front runner for the job.
* soft bigotry of low expectations
via Awful Announcing
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-02-2009 @ 6:21PM
getlow said...
not millen. although he knows foosball from an analytical perspective, he's the sports biggest loser.
Reply
6-02-2009 @ 7:57PM
Adam said...
Even though Millen might be capable of being good as a TV guy, he should be banned from everything sports related on principle alone.
Reply
6-03-2009 @ 10:43AM
packerbf4tb said...
Collinsworth may be knowledgable about football
but he is not popular with the viewers...he was
a poor choice for MNF....the NFL network should
consider Jamie Dukes or Marshall Faulk...two
guys that are excellent on the NFL network.....
my fav is Rick Eisen....too bad they couldn't
get Mark Schlereth...He is great also....Theisman
is irritating even though he too is knowledgable
....Collinsworth, Theisman or Millen do not have
the on air personality to succeed...choose someone who wouldn't annoy viewers with their
endless chatter....I personally feel that the
best choice for MNF would have been Troy
Aikman to replace Madden even though he works
for Fox...No Millen that is for sure....what is
so hard about choosing the guy best suited for
the job......of all the candidates Faulk is the
only one that stands out.......don't forget DUKES.....
Reply
6-03-2009 @ 12:44PM
Nate said...
Definitely not Millen, for crying out loud! He was a good announcer in the past, but now he oozes so much stank from his years of destroying the Lions that his presence in either the booth or the studio is insulting and distracting. He should either just go away for a while and get out of our faces or work some of the lower profile games for a few years so as not to disgust quite so large an audience. He can be rehabilitated, but he does not deserve to be doing marquee games so soon after his horrible career in Detroit.
My choice would be Billick. I know he can come across as obnoxious at times and many dont like him, but he is very knowlegeable and articulate and I always enjoy hearing his perspective on the NFL. Faulk is an unknown to me as a broadcaster. I have a good impression of him from seeing him in the studio a few times though.
Theismann is a little hard for me to figure. He knows the game, but it depends on who he is working with whether I can stomache him for a whole game or not. If he has a strong partner,or two, who can keep his humongous ego in check, he can be fun. If not, he can be really aggravating.
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