ESPN: NFL Game Day

[WSUCougar]

Anyone else notice how much of a talk-over shout-fest this has become? It’s no surprise, given that they added Michael Irvin to the mix, but it is still distressing, because I think the other three are a good blend. Chris Berman, despite his carnival-barker style, still runs the ship pretty well, adds some light-heartedness, and knows the game, the players, the trends. Tom Jackson is a very good analyst (IMO), has an old school mentality, and partners well when the others (like Irvin) aren’t woofin. Steve Young is very intelligent and brings a quarterback’s perspective. Irvin remains nothing more than a loud annoyance who too often sides with players on issues so that he can pretend to bond with them.

Lately, all I hear is Irvin and Young talking over one another, Tom Jackson falling silent and looking pissed, and Chris Berman trying to draw conclusions from the maelstrom.

Edit: typo

[Butter]

I like Chris Berman and all, but if I hear him say "No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills" one more time, I'm gonna take a hostage.

[cthomer5000]

Steve Young has developed pretty well. He was absolutely horrible in his first year on. His first few episodes were particularly bad.

Irvin was a huge mistake, but I think they wanted to add some more of that FOX "zany" flavor. I can't stand it.

[Wasabiak]

Funny this came up. I couldn't concur with you more. My brother and i sit at his place with 3 tv's hooked up to Sunday Ticket (yes, we are rubes), and every week we discuss how we should do our own pregame show, because we are completely disgusted with the garbage that is in CBS, FOX and now ESPN. Man, would that be cool.

[Cringer]

Originally posted by cthomer5000

Irvin was a huge mistake, but I think they wanted to add some more of that FOX "zany" flavor. I can't stand it.


Irvin does blow......they went the way of CBS (Deion) more then the way of Fox. And i think overall they need to cut atleast a half-hour off of that show....atleast...

[WSUCougar]

I enjoy putting ESPN Game Day on in the background and then drinking my coffee, reading the paper with my wife, playing with my son, whatever. I can pay attention when a team, player, game, or storyline interests me, and I don't have to give it my full attention. With Irvin on there, however, there is this ongoing, noisy arguing that sort of ruins that whole concept. Ah well...

[Samdari]

I agree that all 3 major pregame shows are terrible. Every once and a while they cut to a reporter at the game who delivers a key piece of injury/inactive information. The shows need to be 1 minute long, from 11:55 to 11:56 for the fantasy crowd, otherwise, there is no need for them to exist.

[KWhit]

Agreed all around about the NFL shows, but I love College Gameday on ESPN (except every time Rocket opens his mouth).

I'm no fan of Corso, but his schtick seems to work pretty well on the show.

[Ksyrup]

One beneficial consequence of having a 4 year old is that I no longer have time to watch those shows. I've seen exactly 5 minutes altogether of any pre-game show this entire NFL season. And I can't say I feel a big void in my life...

[Darkiller]

Man, you guys are soooooooo lucky to have these NFL shows on TV.
Of course, here, we have NONE !

[johnnyshaka]

I miss Mortie!!!

Those were the days...Berman, Jackson, and Joe T. in chorus..."Mort, Mort, Mort!!"

I prefer watching Primetime simply because it's just Berman and TJ having a good time!! Those two just play off each other perfectly...something you don't find very often. Even when you listen to Berman do the colour for a baseball game...he just doesn't click with whoever he's working with like he does with Tommy.

Dick Irvin and Harry Neale are another pair that work really well together and will forever be the voices I hear in my head when I think of hockey.

[Kodos]

I would love to trade Irvin for Marino on ESPN. Irvin does go a long way towards ruining the only pregame show I like.

[Pumpy Tudors]

For those of you who watch these shows and hate them:

WHY DO YOU KEEP WATCHING?