who are your favorite ex-player TV commentator guys?

[Azazello1313]

hopefully I didn't miss too many of the big ones.

Edited December 21, 2008 by Azazello1313

[Grits and Shins]

Troy Aikman

[darin3]

Voted for Steve Young although I may have selected Collinsworth if he were a choice.

[Azazello1313]

damn, I missed some obvious ones. poll modified to add aikman, moose, and collinsworth.

[Grits and Shins]

damn, I missed some obvious ones. poll modified to add aikman, moose, and collinsworth.

 

I like Moose too

[BeeR]

lol @ how you put "lol" next to Theismann and not many of the other morons on this list.

 

Really they almost all blow. Even Jaws who is traditionally great is succumbing to the ESPN circus clown mentality.

[polksalet]

Emmitt Smith

[Chavez]

Jaws is the Rolls-Royce of ex-player analysts.

 

I liked TJ until his gutless backtrack on the Rush Limbaugh/McNabb situation - "I didn't say anything because I couldn't believe what I was hearing." What-EV, TJ.

 

I like Sterling and Boomer on pre-game - they make good points and have a passing familiarity with both debate (looking at you, Irvin) AND the English language (looking at you, Emmitt). Not to mention they are always prepared (looking at you, Deion).

 

I think Moose and Aikman are solid-to-very good as gameday color men. Plus as they've aged they look less like some freakish cloning experiment.

[Azazello1313]

Emmitt Smith

 

except for deion, I tried to leave off the ones who can't even talk in complete sentences. if I put emmitt on, next thing you know someone will want neil smith. it's a slippery slope.

[Chavez]

Even Jaws who is traditionally great is succumbing to the ESPN circus clown mentality.

He's got quite a ways to fall before he ends up on par with Berman's schtick or Irvin/Deion/Emmitt's shuckin' and jivin'. The latter 3 might as well be in a minstrel show.

[BeeR]

He's got quite a ways to fall before he ends up on par with Berman's schtick or Irvin/Deion/Emmitt's shuckin' and jivin'.

oh absolutely.

 

The latter 3 might as well be in a minstrel show.

which is different from almost all the others how?

 

Sports announcing/reporting is a total joke nowdays, period. It's the "ESPN Era" :vomit:

[Chavez]

which is different from almost all the others how?

....ummmm.....*

 

Sports announcing/reporting is a total joke nowdays, period. It's the "ESPN Era" :vomit:

I always think back to Howard Cosell railing against the "jockocracy"....and he was correct as he was correct so many times.

 

I have no problem with former players in the booth. The problem is there is this perception that ONLY former players have any sort of legitimacy, which is B.S.

 

Aside from that, most former players probably DO understand the game better than non-players, or at least should have some interesting perspective that a non-player wouldn't have. The problem then is that most ex-players are either unwilling or unable to step up and offer insight and criticism for whatever reason. People dislike Collinsworth, but at least he has some integrity; when a former teammate confronted him because Collinsworth had said he was playing poorly, Collinsworth told him to play better and he wouldn't criticize him anymore.

 

Coaches are a little better because they don't give a f*ck what the players think, but most of them are looking to get back in the game somewhere down the line, so any criticism of team management you might as well just forget.

 

Bottom line is gimme the down and distance, occasionally the score, and tell me something that I might not have noticed watching the regular-speed or slo-mo replay.

[Azazello1313]

I voted for sterling, TJ, young, jaws and dierdorf. collinsworth knows his schit, but he just annoys the piss out of me for some reason.

[Grits and Shins]

I liked Sterling and couldn't believe when ESPN canned him. Jaws is good. I agree on Collingsworth .. he is annoying.

 

Ex-players tend to have a bias toward their previous position this seems most evident in ex-WRs. Emmitt has a bias toward WRs too.

[gilthorp]

jackson, young, jaws, collinsworth, and of course, da coach.

[Favre4ever]

Merrill Hoge..

[Chavez]

collinsworth knows his schit, but he just annoys the piss out of me for some reason.

It's probably one of those "you guys are so much alike" kinda things.

[budlitebrad]

Phil Simms

[Chavez]

Phil Simms

Oh, good call.

 

I also forgot to vote for Howie Long - he manages to maintain an air of dignity and professionalism opposite Bradshaw's Moe Howard-isms on Fox's pregame.

[Bill Swerski]

Jaws is the best analyst. He's second to none at breaking down plays and teaching the game. Also a big fan of Woodson and both Sharpes in the studio.

 

In the booth, I like Simms, Collinsworth, and Fouts. Fouts was solid on MNF and has been doing a great job of calling college games since. The NFL needs to bring him back.

[Ursa Majoris]

Fouts was solid on MNF and has been doing a great job of calling college games since. The NFL needs to bring him back.

Excellent call. Knew his stuff, didn't scream and shout, didn't talk down to you.....nah, there's no way he's fitting in.

[Randall]

Jaws away from games, Collinsworth has been solid this year in games.

Edited December 21, 2008 by Randall

[skylive5]

..... and Fouts. Fouts was solid on MNF and has been doing a great job of calling college games since. The NFL needs to bring him back.

 

 

Excellent call. Knew his stuff, didn't scream and shout, didn't talk down to you.....nah, there's no way he's fitting in.

 

Was wondering when Fouts would be mentioned. And Ursa hit the nail on the head there.... not a chance does Fouts reflect the idiocy of the announcers they pawn off on us. Guy is intelligent and they can't handle that.

[whomper]

Phil Simms

 

 

Bingo

[BeeR]

....ummmm.....*

lol

 

I always think back to Howard Cosell railing against the "jockocracy"....and he was correct as he was correct so many times.

He was such an ahole that few gave him as much credit as he deserved in that way.

 

I have no problem with former players in the booth. The problem is there is this perception that ONLY former players have any sort of legitimacy, which is B.S.

In fact it's largely bass ackwards, as many players have proved in painful quantities.

 

Aside from that, most former players probably DO understand the game better than non-players, or at least should have some interesting perspective that a non-player wouldn't have. The problem then is that most ex-players are either unwilling or unable to step up and offer insight and criticism for whatever reason.

Mostly unable. ie articulation and intelligent expression (never mind analysis) of - well pretty much anything - shall we say isn't exactly their strength.

 

People dislike Collinsworth, but at least he has some integrity; when a former teammate confronted him because Collinsworth had said he was playing poorly, Collinsworth told him to play better and he wouldn't criticize him anymore.

I agree and while he annoys me sometimes too, don't think he gets enough credit.

 

 

Bottom line is gimme the down and distance, occasionally the score, and tell me something that I might not have noticed watching the regular-speed or slo-mo replay.

Exactly. Save the antics for the circus.