Chucky heading to MNF booth

[Draft Dodger]

(via Twitter from Chris Mortensen)

Jon Gruden joins Monday Night Football booth with Mike Tirco and Ron Jaworski. Tony Kornheiser steps aside. espn.com should have post.

[RendeR]

This will make the Korny haters happy. I like Kornheiser myself but I can see how he could irritate some.

Not a fan of Chucky in the booth, he tends to mumble pretty badly at times. Have to see how he does.

[DataKing]

No more Kornheiser!!! This news just made my week!!! Chucky or whoever, they could have replaced him with Bobo the chimp and I'd still be happy.

[Ksyrup]

I'd still prefer the 2-man booth, but getting Kornheiser out of there is an improvement. That's nothing specifically against him, I just don't feel it necessary to inject comic relief into my football games. The Raiders already get too many nationally televised games as it is.

[Young Drachma]

Tony K didn't really fit in there. He's no Dennis Miller, but really he should stick to PTI with Wilbon, because it just wasn't a natural fit and while he clearly was trying to do his homework, Jaws sorta forces you to be on your Ps and Qs and Tirico, while I don't really favor him as the lead analyst, at least he's still something of a trained TV journalist and is adept at doing color for lots of different sports on TV. (Not convinced he does it all that memorably, but I digress...)

This should be an improvement, as Jaws and Gruden can provide the strategy and the perspective and Chucky has personality, so it should stay interesting.

Not that I'm watching MNF again until they allow me back on the message boards, but I find this interesting.

[Lathum]

this is good

[Big Fo]

No more updates on Kornheiser's fantasy football team? Awesome.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I approve of this change.

Hopefully it will also mean many fewer "guests in the booth" during games. Those are the worst.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I approve of this change.

Hopefully it will also mean many fewer "guests in the booth" during games. Those are the worst.

This won't stop that at all. Guest appearances in the booth during MNF have happened since the mid 70's.

[Kodos]

Gotta say, I like this development. Was never a fan of Kornheiser.

I was watching one of those old games that NFL Network was showing with the classic crew of Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf. Gotta say, that was my favorite combo. I know a lot of people hate Dierdorf, but to me he was okay. At least he was a true football person, as opposed to a lot of the clowns they've had over the years.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by RendeR

This won't stop that at all. Guest appearances in the booth during MNF have happened since the mid 70's.

I said fewer.

[Samdari]

Tony K is unquestionably the best personality in sports media today. While I somewhat agree with the "I don't want a comedian in the booth" sentiment, subtracting Mr Tony and adding Chucky will not improve the quality of any broadcast.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Not that I'm watching MNF again until they allow me back on the message boards, but I find this interesting.

Is this a reference to the OOTP thread here, or are you serious?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Is this a reference to the OOTP thread here, or are you serious?

Are you mad that I beat you to it?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Are you mad that I beat you to it?

I actually would have slid it into a much more unexpected spot.

So to speak.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

(via Twitter from Chris Mortensen)

Jon Gruden joins Monday Night Football booth with Mike Tirco and Ron Jaworski. Tony Kornheiser steps aside. espn.com should have post.

Awesome. I thought Gruden was absolutely excellent, very funny and came across as very likable as a NFL Draft analysis. This is a great addition by subtraction and then add Gruden win win for all.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Can't wait to hear Brad Dourif in the booth.

[Easy Mac]

I just hope this means the Tony Kornheiser show comes back. My ipod has missed him through this season of American Idol.

[Cringer]

Any change is good for this crew I guess. Gruden is a one year addition I would think, then he is gone again.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by Samdari

Tony K is unquestionably the best personality in sports media today. While I somewhat agree with the "I don't want a comedian in the booth" sentiment, subtracting Mr Tony and adding Chucky will not improve the quality of any broadcast.

Kornheiser may be a great sports media personality but what role does that fulfill in the booth? He wasn't a play-by-play guy and he was an analyst. He was just the guy making funny and oddball remarks, since he didn't have any great insight into football. It's not his fault -- they have just been trying to find another Howard Cossell and it isn't going to happen. First, Cossell was more insightful than he usually got credit for, and secondly, anybody today who says what Howard used to say would be fired at halftime. Despite what people say about Cossell making MNF interesting, no one watched the game for him. They watched MNF because we all had three channels and nothing else was on.

As for Chucky, it's an improvement to get a football guy into the booth but it seems like he's the wrong guy. He's got potential because he's likable, charismatic and smart. But he's 3-5 years away from being polished and who here has any doub that he'll be back on the sideline well before then?

Frankly I'd wish either NBC or ESPN would go after Troy Aikman to put in the booth. He's one of the best analysts working today from the insight, personality and charisma but working with Joe Buck is ruining him. Put him alongside some talented broadcasters like Michaels or in a booth with Jaws and he would be great.

[MizzouRah]

I'm happy.. I can't stand TK on MNF.. he's always annoyed me.

[Subby]

I love TK - primarily because he sends the guys who take their sports way too seriously into fits of apoplectic rage.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

Kornheiser may be a great sports media personality but what role does that fulfill in the booth? He wasn't a play-by-play guy and he was an analyst. He was just the guy making funny and oddball remarks, since he didn't have any great insight into football. It's not his fault -- they have just been trying to find another Howard Cossell and it isn't going to happen. First, Cossell was more insightful than he usually got credit for, and secondly, anybody today who says what Howard used to say would be fired at halftime. Despite what people say about Cossell making MNF interesting, no one watched the game for him. They watched MNF because we all had three channels and nothing else was on.

As for Chucky, it's an improvement to get a football guy into the booth but it seems like he's the wrong guy. He's got potential because he's likable, charismatic and smart. But he's 3-5 years away from being polished and who here has any doub that he'll be back on the sideline well before then?

Frankly I'd wish either NBC or ESPN would go after Troy Aikman to put in the booth. He's one of the best analysts working today from the insight, personality and charisma but working with Joe Buck is ruining him. Put him alongside some talented broadcasters like Michaels or in a booth with Jaws and he would be great.

Well, the "football guys" have added nothing to the broadcasts for me after my first 10 years of watching football - or about the last 15 years. They are almost invariably pointing things out that I saw myself. I found Tony K's flippant remarks way more entertaining than that analysis - and I love Jaworski.

While Gruden is undeniably more informed about football, he will certainly not be as polished, or as funny. So, now, I'll get two guys telling me things I can see myself, and if we're lucky, they'll disagree! And I get to hear an argument on the air. More likely, they'll be told to disagree, and we'll get a fake argument between two bad actors. That ought to improve the quality of the broadcast.

[Ksyrup]

If I had to pick between listening to someone who knows what they are talking about tell me things I mostly already knew, or a guy trying to throw in one-liners and quips tangentially related to football, I'd take the former every time. I watch the football game to be entertained by the product on the field, not by Shecky Green in the booth.

Plus, when the color guy says something that I just said out loud 10 seconds earlier, my wife and kids get the mistaken impression that I'm smarter than I actually am. So there's a side-benefit to the Madden's of the world, IMO.

[Bad-example]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

If I had to pick between listening to someone who knows what they are talking about tell me things I mostly already knew, or a guy trying to throw in one-liners and quips tangentially related to football, I'd take the former every time. I watch the football game to be entertained by the product on the field, not by Shecky Green in the booth.

Agreed. Still waiting for the technology that will allow me to watch a game and hear the action while muting the announcers. The Partial Mute button.

[Fidatelo]

I never minded Dennis Miller (I might be the only one), but I could never stand Kornheiser. I'm glad they made this move, although I agree with many who say that 2-man booth > 3-man.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

If I had to pick between listening to someone who knows what they are talking about tell me things I mostly already knew, or a guy trying to throw in one-liners and quips tangentially related to football, I'd take the former every time. I watch the football game to be entertained by the product on the field, not by Shecky Green in the booth.

Of course the product on the field is the draw. I'd turn the game off in a hurry if it was about what was said between plays. The issue is what is less annoying, and clearly, less annoying is in the eye of the beholder.

I guess I find people telling me what I already know more annoying than people making funny comments unrelated to the game.

Tony K is not exactly Shecky Green. He's worked as a member of the sports media for 30 years, with zero days as a comedian. I think your opinion would change if you were a big Shecky Green fan too.

EDIT: I find broadcast disagreements that are obviously staged by producers the worst thing to listen to. That tends to be a staple of the '2 analyst' booth. I'd much rather listen to Tony kvetch about the traffic in the host city than Jaws and Gruden debate strategy when one is clearly arguing a point they don't believe in, but has been told is their opinion by the producers.

Plus, when the color guy says something that I just said out loud 10 seconds earlier, my wife and kids get the mistaken impression that I'm smarter than I actually am. So there's a side-benefit to the Madden's of the world, IMO.

Big difference here too. My wife and kids never listen to what I say.

[Ksyrup]

I actually like PTI, so this isn't about me not liking Kornheiser. I just don't want to listen to him during games. The fact that he's not a comedian is exactly why he doesn't work in the booth - all he has time for is to throw out a joke referencing a player or issue that has been in the news recently, and get the other two off the focus of the game. I just don't like that, regardless of who is doing it.

[PackerFanatic]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I'd still prefer the 2-man booth, but getting Kornheiser out of there is an improvement. That's nothing specifically against him, I just don't feel it necessary to inject comic relief into my football games. The Raiders already get too many nationally televised games as it is.

+100

I still don't know why they feel the need to have a third on MNF.

[PackerFanatic]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I actually like PTI, so this isn't about me not liking Kornheiser. I just don't want to listen to him during games. The fact that he's not a comedian is exactly why he doesn't work in the booth - all he has time for is to throw out a joke referencing a player or issue that has been in the news recently, and get the other two off the focus of the game. I just don't like that, regardless of who is doing it.

+100 again

I think we are like the same person, KSyrup

[PackerFanatic]

Or in the case of us Packer fans, all he does is talk about Brett Favre.

[spleen1015]

If this means TK goes back to radio, then it is a sweet deal.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by PackerFanatic

Or in the case of us Packer fans, all he does is talk about Brett Favre.

That's another thing that I didn't really like about him - when he wasn't trying to be funny and was trying to start a legit discussion, it was always the most obvious issue that had been beaten to death by ESPN the following week/month. Like, how Aaron Rodgers has to deal with the pressure of replacing Brett Favre. To me, that's about as elementary and unnecessary to football commentary as John Madden giving his Football 101 "expert analysis."

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by Bad-example

Agreed. Still waiting for the technology that will allow me to watch a game and hear the action while muting the announcers. The Partial Mute button.

Sign me up for that shit.

[Sun Tzu]

Racist.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by Subby

I love TK

I KNEW IT!

/tk

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

I KNEW IT!

/tk

he loves you, but isnt IN love with you

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by Samdari

EDIT: I find broadcast disagreements that are obviously staged by producers the worst thing to listen to. That tends to be a staple of the '2 analyst' booth. I'd much rather listen to Tony kvetch about the traffic in the host city than Jaws and Gruden debate strategy when one is clearly arguing a point they don't believe in, but has been told is their opinion by the producers.

I don't find these things happening during games. Studio shows, yes. But during games, the closest I could see this happening is back in the Theisman/Maguire days of ESPN would their arguments would be so insipid that they seem staged when I think the reality is that they hated each other and would argue over the color of the sky if necessary.

The irony of this point is that Kornheiser's broadcasting success has come from a show that is staged by the producers to create disagreements and arguments. If everybody on PTI agreed, no one would watch.

Watching Miller and Kornheiser on MNF has been like watching games with a friend of mine from high school who hated sports and would just make non-sequitor comments the entire time. It would entertain the other people watching who didn't care about the game but those of us who were interested in the outcome and what was happening, it was freaking annoying.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

The irony of this point is that Kornheiser's broadcasting success has come from a show that is staged by the producers to create disagreements and arguments. If everybody on PTI agreed, no one would watch.

They are not staged - they just chose to televise arguments Wilbon and Kornheiser were having every day anyway.

[flere-imsaho]

The thing I appreciated about Kornheiser is that he'd occasionally insert a reality check into some of the hyperbole that could happen in the heat of the moment. Still, I often found myself thinking that a booth of just Tirico and Jaws would be just fine.

[Ksyrup]

Interesting post-script to this from Peter King. Would have been nice to see Collinsworth replaced, too. Oh well.

Also, I was wondering what happened to that Schefter guy - he just seemed to disappear from NFL Network. I didn't even realize he went to ESPN, or when it happened. I haven't seen him anywhere for months.

Do not invite Gruden and NFL Network czar Steve Bornstein to the same event anytime soon, or ever. Bornstein wants to wring Gruden's neck. The NFL Network is furious with Gruden for jilting the network after he'd verbally agreed to a deal to work there. The former Bucs coach had been very good on the NFL Network, colorful and opinionated, at the NFL scouting combine and the NFL draft, and the network had finalized everything but the signature on the paper for Gruden to begin working there immediately. In fact, he was slated to be at NFL Films this week to begin his job full time. But ESPN swooped in, offered Gruden the Monday night seat vacated by Tony Kornheiser (how convenient), and Gruden took it.

The NFL Network planned to put Gruden on the air all season, then move him to the Thursday night football booth alongside Bob Papa, replacing Cris Collinsworth. Now it's back to ground zero in its search for a voice to pair with Papa.

One of the reasons the NFL Network is so steamed, I'm told, is that no one from the Gruden camp called Bornstein to tell him. In many cases like this, the league might work with its TV partners to tell them, "Hey, hands off,'' or "Play fair here,'' but that didn't happen here. ESPN got to Gruden too fast.

Now there are two people who should have been NFL Network stars this fall -- Gruden and ace reporter Adam Schefter -- who will instead work for ESPN. And the NFL Network is not pleased about the defection of either one.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Interesting post-script to this from Peter King. Would have been nice to see Collinsworth replaced, too. Oh well.

Well, Collinsworth has to be replaced on the NFL Network games anyway, unless you mean you want him replaced on NBC's Sunday games too. That would actually be really funny!

[Ksyrup]

Oh crap, I forgot he is going to replace Madden. Damn, that sucks. All over again.

[terpkristin]

Interesting-ish little WashPost interview with TK.
Talking Points - washingtonpost.com

I guess he's not coming back to radio yet.

/tk