What has happened to Monday Night Football
 

I am on the road alone and was actually looking forward to watching MNF by myself n a hotel room.

Check in, get some ice for my single malt and settle in. I find ESPN and then proceed to get bored almost immediately by the announcers for the NO v MN game. Gruden offers good insights but the other dude was useless - B league.

Now the SD v Denver game is on and it sounds like a High School game. The announcers are both useless. What a waste of a great brand.

Rant over, time for bed

I didn't notice how bad the announcers were, my Saints stunk it up so bad I couldn't focus on anything else. Another losing season is clearly in our sights.

I know your pain - and it not just your Football code that has rubbish announcers.

Here in New Zealand, for Test Match Rugby Union, we are lumbered with an x-All Black Half Back who could be the most terrible announcer on the Planet.

He just wont shut-up, talks a load of BS, never praises the current half-backs (his ego is too big to allow that) and cannot read a game nor does he really understand the rules (makes the stupid comment that 'the Ref is technically right'- what???).

The guy is just an idiot. He gets over exuberant over the most mundane passages of play & just about has an orgasm when a try is scored- he drives me potty & just ruins the game.

On second thoughts, he's not the most terrible announcer on the planet- that honour falls to the Australian Channel 9 Cricket Announcers- they are nothing more than biased cheerleaders- but that's another story.

I'll now crawl back to my hole in the ground - muttering to myself

Watched on and off the NO/MIN game and didn't notice -- I do like Gruden -- sort of Maddenesq type guy.

Agree -- these guys on DEN/LAC game must be golf announcers called in for extra duty. They really get excited on a short run and then DEN just scored -- hard to get into it at 100 Max volume. May have to buy & install some subs for the next Monday night game. No, second thought a waste of money -- wouldn't help.

Best Sirs,

Bob

WOW yep, both of you are spot on, I get sad watching these knuckle heads! Sure has gone to crud on many broadcast.

I thought Romo was decent yesterday for sure knows the game and called many plays just watching the line ups :)

We I liked the games last night 'cause my teams WON!!! :) Plus at the end of the Broncos game, one of the announcers had this comment I thought was hilarious:
"Sometimes you're the fire hydrant,
And sometime you are the dog."

Because I watched from home in my listening room, my "announcers" were Rhiannon Giddens, Eva Cassidy, Gregory Porter, and a few others. Watching football while listening is great because you can easily follow what's going on without an announcer. If I happen to miss a play when fooling with music, there's always a replay.
I'm sure watching tv distracts from listening, and listening distracts from the game. However, it's pretty dang enjoyable overall. Years ago the band Barefoot Jerry had an album called "Watching TV With The Radio On". I guess I'm still stuck in that mode.

Craig, perhaps a different single malt next time ? ..................

Ha! Not sure that would help.

I think ESPN is changing their announcing lineup based on last year's ratings being down and their perception of what's needed to get their ratings back up... and it's not based on improved traditional play-by-play/analyst talent. Trying to cultivate a more diverse audience with a less expensive payroll?