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September 7, 2006
Thursday Night Lights
It’s halftime of the Steelers-Dolphins game, the first contest of the NFL season and the return of football on NBC (We’re not counting those pre-season pretend games).
Here’s what I’m thinking NBC:
Cut the theme music. It sounds like something out of the “Star Wars� prequels. Is Charlie Batch about to throw a touchdown pass or is Anakin Skywalker about to invade Heinz Field?
The network’s choreographed introduction of its new “analyst� Jerome Bettis was truly a new low in sports television. Bettis arrived on the field in a super-sized yellow school bus to a thunderous applause. Later, he is shown cheering for his hometown Steelers. Yeah, that’s some neutral “analyst� you’ve got there NBC. Way to go.
Too many shots of Ben “The Motorcycle Diaries� Roethlisberger.
Too many Peyton Manning commercials (OK, we know that’s not your fault NBC).
Pink performed a song for NBC before the game. It was worse than listening to a screaming infant, a car alarm and a half-hour of MTV -- all at the same time.
Now for the good:
Broadcasters Al Michaels and John Madden are doing just fine. Madden is actually making some good points, while Michaels is his steady self. Madden spoke about a complicated defensive scheme (called a “double bubble�) and broke it down into laymen’s terms. Lately, it’s been popular to say that Madden has “lost his fastball.� Well, along the way it looks like he picked up a split-finger and a nasty curve.
The HD picture appears just as crisp as any other network’s.
Love the scoreboard, which runs at the bottom of the screen.
Ravers: Drop me a line.
Posted by Andy Ravens at September 7, 2006 10:39 PM
Comments
I think John Madden stinks as an analyist. It seems that every year he tries to bring some sort of new vernacular into football. First it was the 6-legged turkey, then wide receiver YAC (yards after catch), then it was running back YAC (yards after contact), now its the "double-bubble". People have been watching football for seventy years without these Maddenisms, I think we can survive without them.
Posted by: Smitty at September 8, 2006 5:34 PM
Madden said the Pats should kneel and play for overtime in Superbowl XXVI, enough said.
What up ARAV?
Posted by: The Joe at September 11, 2006 11:27 PM
The Joe,
Madden during that Pats Super Bowl win was bad, but I think he's improved since then.
Maybe he's doping now??
Posted by: Andy at September 12, 2006 10:08 AM