Madden NFL 11 News Post

Gus Johnson Confirmed Play-By-Play Commentator For Madden NFL 11 w/ Gameplay Video

09:33 AM - May 21, 2010 by Steve_OS

Way back in late April some of our keen readers noticed Gus Johnson would probably make his way into Madden NFL 11.

Today, Kotaku has confirmed Gus Johnson has the play-by-play gig.

Quote:


	"Today, Johnson, the exciting and excitable CBS sportscaster, officially became the fourth play-by-play man to hold sports gaming's top booth job. Teased at the end of this video a month ago, Johnson's hiring is hardly a shocker, and neither are EA Sports' reasons for grabbing him. After nearly 20 years of often sedate, always straightforward calls by the likes of Pat Summerall and Al Michaels, Madden badly needed the kind of high-five-yourself enthusiasm Johnson imposes on a game."

You can also check out the newest video with Gus Johnson and Kotaku's Owen Good featured in Madden NFL 11 here.

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 61 CardsFan52 @ 05/22/10 12:30 AM

TLC- Best post ever, I hope your right on this one because it would be huge.

# 62 PVarck31 @ 05/22/10 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zav


	how hard is it for them to get more than one commentator team so it can be truly unique. The other guy is awful Johnson is good but the Commentary seems to give away the plays he said TOUCHDOWN about 5 seconds before the catch

Dude, I'm not trying to be mean, and this isn't just about you, but this is why 90% of the BS I read in this forum is exactly that, BS.

I will say this for the 50th time in this thread. This was NOT actual in game commentary. The other guy is a journalist who writes for Kotaku.

# 63 CardsFan52 @ 05/22/10 01:36 AM

LOL at ignorance.

# 64 SouthernBrick @ 05/22/10 03:52 AM

I believe the commentary will be better this time around.

# 65 CardsFan52 @ 05/22/10 03:54 AM

TLC- You may be on to something, I went back and looked through the blog and your right. Presentation with ESPN, stat overlays, new cameras/audio (Gus Johnson). I hope your right.

# 66 blklightning @ 05/22/10 05:36 AM

nice. also, whoever the other guy is, he needs to be in the next madden. i like how the two are bouncing lines off of each other. plus, collinsworth is very annoying, imo.

# 67 J Masta J @ 05/22/10 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlc12576


	Hey Cards,you seem to be a night owl like me so let me share this nugget with you first.To add on to what I was saying about something special coming,peep this. I just went back and read the blogs on NCAA Basketball 10,everyone should check it out.Notice the similarities in the things added to that game with the things added to NCAA Football 11 and Madden 11 so far.Pay close attention to the one major detail that hasn't been mentioned for NCAA Football 11,audio presentation.Also the one major detail that hasnt been mentioned for Madden 11 yet,real network broadcast brand. Now ask yourselves some important questions; Why would EAs' NCAA College Basketball 10 contain both CBS and ESPN presentation with two different announcer teams but not EAs' NCAA College Football 11? Why would the devs go from NCAA Football 11 presentation to Dynasty features,not discussing audio/commentary? Why haven't we heard any commentary for NCAA Football 11 in any videos? How often does NCAA Football contain something non-collegiate that Madden doesn"t? There is no way EA could showcase all that's in NCAA Football 11 from NCAA Basketball 10 before E3.Them showing too much of what's in NCAA Football 11 would be giving away what's in Madden 11. This aint rocket science,NCAA Football 11 and Madden 11 each have either two commentary crews,CBS and ESPN presentation or both.My guess is some variation of both and EA is just waiting for E3 to steal the show. Well done EA,about time you guys showed some billionare swagger! Either I am a foolish man or a genius but the good thing is,this far away from E3,nobody can tell the difference.LOL

Not happening...

# 68 MrSkagTrendy @ 05/22/10 08:19 AM

So many of you simply have no idea. Unbelievable.

# 69 at23steelers @ 05/22/10 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlc12576


	Hey Cards,you seem to be a night owl like me so let me share this nugget with you first.To add on to what I was saying about something special coming,peep this. I just went back and read the blogs on NCAA Basketball 10,everyone should check it out.Notice the similarities in the things added to that game with the things added to NCAA Football 11 and Madden 11 so far.Pay close attention to the one major detail that hasn't been mentioned for NCAA Football 11,audio presentation.Also the one major detail that hasnt been mentioned for Madden 11 yet,real network broadcast brand. Now ask yourselves some important questions; Why would EAs' NCAA College Basketball 10 contain both CBS and ESPN presentation with two different announcer teams but not EAs' NCAA College Football 11? Why would the devs go from NCAA Football 11 presentation to Dynasty features,not discussing audio/commentary? Why haven't we heard any commentary for NCAA Football 11 in any videos? How often does NCAA Football contain something non-collegiate that Madden doesn"t? There is no way EA could showcase all that's in NCAA Football 11 from NCAA Basketball 10 before E3.Them showing too much of what's in NCAA Football 11 would be giving away what's in Madden 11. This aint rocket science,NCAA Football 11 and Madden 11 each have either two commentary crews,CBS and ESPN presentation or both.My guess is some variation of both and EA is just waiting for E3 to steal the show. Well done EA,about time you guys showed some billionare swagger! Either I am a foolish man or a genius but the good thing is,this far away from E3,nobody can tell the difference.LOL

This is a good find. But isn't the obvious guess, is that madden 11 will use CBS sports, since Gus announces on CBS. I doubt, both games will use both, so this would be the only one that makes sense.

# 70 cowboy_kmoney @ 05/22/10 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlc12576


	I hear what you saying but I think you are forgetting something.If the only thing was CBS in Madden 11 we would have probably heard NCAA Football 11 audio by now.So NCAA Football 11 probably has two commentary teams like NCAA Basketball 10 and Madden 11,CBS presentation at the least. You might be right,they could just be waitng til E3 to make those big annoucements for each game but I think there is more for Madden 11. When I said it will probably be a variation of both,Im thinking Madden 11 will use CBS most games then use ESPN for Monday Night and other specific games.Think about it,Monday Night football was shown on the score banner in Madden 10.They add CBS this year,how annoying would it be to see CBS logo for MNF when we know they have the rights to ESPN. If we are lucky,they will sneak in a second commentary team too.Considering how diificult it was to keep Gus Johnson a secret,a second team isn't likely but all that early Johnson buzz could of been just another decoy. So I think we will see some great stuff come out of E3.The last element to finalize these presentation upgrades is so simple but so amazing,IMO.All this talk of stadium/team specific audio,might Hank Willams Jr be on the Madden 11 soundtrack?

Bro I think your right on with this because its realistic on them adding all the music plus Ive been saying in my old wish list post from last year they needed to put Hank in on Monday night games.

# 71 J Masta J @ 05/22/10 01:56 PM

Not to be a d/ck, but I think you are all setting yourself up for a colossal disappointment. EA has made some good changes so far, sure, but I'm not sure where your guys' absurdly high expectations come from.

# 72 Bgamer90 @ 05/22/10 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Masta J


	Not to be a d/ck, but I think you are all setting yourself up for a colossal disappointment. EA has made some good changes so far, sure, but I'm not sure where your guys' absurdly high expectations come from.

???

What do you mean? People wanted Hammond gone and people like Gus Johnson...

Seems to me that most people in this thread are happy just solely due to those things for the most part.

# 73 J Masta J @ 05/22/10 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bgamer90


	??? What do you mean? People wanted Hammond gone and people like Gus Johnson... Seems to me that most people in this thread are happy just solely due to those things for the most part.

I'm referring to people who think that this is somehow only the tip of the presentation iceberg, and that we're now bound to have broadcast elements from real TV channels and two teams...

# 74 Nature_Boy @ 05/22/10 03:16 PM

Gus Johnson is a welcome addition to the game. He brings new life to the commentary.

# 75 Bgamer90 @ 05/22/10 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Masta J


	I'm referring to people who think that this is somehow only the tip of the presentation iceberg, and that we're now bound to have broadcast elements from real TV channels and two teams...

Oh okay. I see what you mean then.

# 76 NFLHITMAN @ 05/22/10 04:04 PM

Gus Johnson is GREAT NEWS!

Hopefully he brings as much excitement to Madden that he did hear in week one of the 2010 season...

How about this great line from Gus...

"He has getting away from the cops speed"

# 77 UKCats @ 05/22/10 11:05 PM

I like Gus Johnson but, he isn't the best football broadcaster, IMO. I don't know who else they could have gotten. I like Hammond but, not in the game. This is an improvement no doubt but, won't make or break this game. Gus is the best basketball guy no doubt. He brings a ton of excitement. Hopefully they will implement that correctly.

# 78 splff3000 @ 05/23/10 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Masta J


	Not to be a d/ck, but I think you are all setting yourself up for a colossal disappointment. EA has made some good changes so far, sure, but I'm not sure where your guys' absurdly high expectations come from.

I don't understand all the hype either. When they made the change from radio guy, there wasn't this much hype. In fact, most weren't concerned with the commentators, but about the script. Here are a few quotes from the thread that announced Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth for Madden 09:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danimal


	Let me preface this by saying if there is one thing that is personal opinion it is what announcers you like. Having said that I don't care who it is to be honest, I care more about what is being said. If it flows seamless like the Show and I don't think about the commentary and it feel like I am listening to a game on TV then that's good enough for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	I'm only concerned with how their lines are intergrated. Give me dynamic commentary and as many lines as possible. Then spend the same amount of time next year adding to the commentary. But history has shown that what's recorded this year will make up 99% of what we hear next year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBucc


	It's great that they have real announcers back, but tbh it doesn't matter what team they got, what matters is what lines EA gives them and how well it's programmed. If the're repetitive with stupid lines and always a play behind people will hate them no matter what.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankdatazz22


	I like Collingsworth myself; Hammond is okay. Imo it's not necessarily the announcers, but how they're directed. Doesn't matter who it is if their lines are full of cliches, the two don't sound as if they're watching the same game, and it's not programmed in a way to make it sound fresh

What's changed in 2 yrs? Nothing. It doesn't matter if they resurrect Howard Cosell, get John Madden back in the booth, and throw in a dash of Brent Musburger and Al Michaels (the top 4 of the 50 greatest sports announcers of all time http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slu...nouncers013009 ), the commentary will be bad if they are putting in a lackluster effort with it, like they have been doing the last 2 years.

Tom Hammond was/is the scapegoat for poor commentary programming. Now I'm no programmer so I have no idea how easy or hard it is, but I do know one of 2 things has been happening the last 2 years. Either the programmers working on commentary lack the effort to fix it or they lack the talent to fix it. I would tend to think it was more of the former than the latter. It sounds harsh, but it is the truth. Anytime Hammond can pronounce Nnamdi Asomugha's(arguably the best CB in the game today) name wrong for 2 years in a row, you know something is wrong. I can't imagine how many people sent letters, emails, tweets, texts, etc to EA after Madden 09 saying that Nnamdi's last name is pronounced a-so-mu-wa not a-so-moo-gah, yet it made it into 10 the same way. That tells me something was really wrong with the effort put forth into commentary.

Now Tom Hammond is not completely off the hook. He was the one who said asomoogah in the first place, but I put more of the blame on the EA team. I've seen Hammond call games and he sounds nothing like he does in Madden. That's because the team has noticeable pauses before obvious spliced statements ie "Today's game is between **pause** the Oakland Raiders and **pause** the Denver Broncos. Tom Hammond doesn't talk like that. That's how the game is programmed.

You may say, well he sounds dull and bland like a robot. That's EA's job to tell him to put a little more excitement in his voice. They're supposed to be there to direct him. That's just more evidence of a lack of effort. If you ever watch a game that he announces, it's like night and day when compared to Madden. The first time I heard him call a game I was like who the hell is this? lol This isn't the same guy from Madden. While he may not be as exciting as Gus, he is definitely nowhere near as bad as he sounds on Madden.

I know a lot of you all are happy about Gus Johnson joining the Madden booth, but, like all those other guys said about Madden 09, it's not necessarily about the announcer, but about how the commentary is programmed to integrate into the game. If the team puts forth the same effort that they have been for the last 2 years, Gus Johnson may quickly become the new Tom Hammond.

# 79 Bgamer90 @ 05/23/10 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splff3000


	I know a lot of you all are happy about Gus Johnson joining the Madden booth, but, like all those other guys said about Madden 09, it's not necessarily about the announcer, but about how the commentary is programmed to integrate into the game. If the team puts forth the same effort that they have been for the last 2 years, Gus Johnson may quickly become the new Tom Hammond.

I understand what you are saying and agree about how things are scripted but even if things are scripted the same way as they were in Madden 09/10, Gus will still be better than Hammond imo....

Gus just has a much better voice than Hammond and shows more emotion even in the most basic of lines. I'm pretty sure that everyone "hyped" for Gus being in Madden 11 agrees. I did see Hammond on TV doing some things for the Kentucky Derby and while he was better than he was in Madden (obviously since it was real life) he was still dull imo. He had the same tone through out... didn't show any emotion and/or excitement.

# 80 NYyankz225 @ 05/23/10 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splff3000


	What's changed in 2 yrs? Nothing. It doesn't matter if they resurrect Howard Cosell, get John Madden back in the booth, and throw in a dash of Brent Musburger and Al Michaels (the top 4 of the 50 greatest sports announcers of all time http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slu...nouncers013009 ), the commentary will be bad if they are putting in a lackluster effort with it, like they have been doing the last 2 years.

They have made other steps, namely hiring a writer who actually knows how to write lines for broadcast with broadcast experience. One article states that they've made some changes to the commentary engine but it was not explained in any more detail than that so we really don't know what they mean.

I suspect hiring experienced broadcast writers will make much more of a difference than Gus Johnson would with the same people. If they have made changes to the commentary "engine" then it'll be much more improved. We still haven't actually heard much commentary for the game and won't until pretty late in the game unless the E3 videos actually captures audio which it usually never can with all the noise.

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