Facile irritation aside, cantankerous fans are frothing at the mouth over the absurdity that is the NFL Network.
Merely stating they’ve bungled their forays into broadcasting football games is akin to calling the German advance around the Maginot Line a pleasant hike. Hear ye all who remain in the trailer serving as headquarters for this mess: fix it.
Start by offering the fans something special to make up for the inability to work deals with cable operators: A free night in Vegas, a team jersey of a fans choice, or a heartfelt apology. No, not the apologies players and coaches read out to cameras. Fans deserve an honest mea culpa. Failing to provide the aforementioned should result in the dismissal of the top executives at NFL Network most of whom came over from Enron.
The free jersey is in the mail, a long night in Vegas behind us, and the apology on DVD safely stored away, it’s time to discuss the broadcast itself. Let’s use a handy tool to portray the broadcast by comparing it to a city. The NFL Networks games are Beirut, during the summer, with an extra shipment of smuggled arms in the hands of the 150 or so splinter groups. In short, it’s a disaster.
Bryant Gumbel arrives at mediocrity, dismisses it, and plunges straight into sports hell. His play-by-play is reminiscent of a golf cart, sans an NASCAR idiot on the roof, crossing a road only to be struck by the Madden Cruiser-twice. Gumbel doesn’t understand the rudimentary rules of NFL broadcasts; down and distance, players names, and sounding as though you’re living. He’s the worst example of hype versus reality since Katie Couric.
As fans eagerly await playoff games, it’s time to give thanks for the regular announcers, most of whom are bad, but not Gumbeled. The playoffs are on real networks and if you can make it through the innumerable John Mellencamp songs, you’ve got it made.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Justin
I wish I knew what you were talking about in reference to Gumbel, but alas... I don't get the NFL network.
2 - RJ Elliott
Who does?
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
For some reason, me.
4 - RJ Elliott
I don't think it's even offered by my cable provider...
5 - buzmeg
I get it, and everything he states regarding the broadcast and Gumbel is right on the money. In two words "IT SUCKS" and the fact that it's shown on Thursday nights makes it suck even more.
I believe everyone thought Thursday's would be be an extension of Monday Night Football. WELL IT AIN'T! Cancel this bugger before it spreads. Football games and Survivor don't mix. This past week the game ran right into the Survivor time slot.
6 - Chizzy
This article is absolutley true! Bryant Gumble sounds like a birthday kid who has been inhaling the helium from the balloons. And tonight's game?
The Dallas Cowboys at the Atlanta Falcons. Gumble's normal play by play partner, Chris Collinsworth, couldn't make it to Atlanta, thankfully, so the NFL Network asked a big name Hall of Fame coach to sit in -- Dick Vermeil. Sports fans were celebrating because finally, a commentator who knows football. However, Vermeil has a case of the dreaded "frog in the throat" and can't speak clearly, or for that matter, be understood on television. So, we are now forced to mute our tv's and find a web cast on the internet to listen to the game. Gumble must go! If the NFL Network is truly listening to the feedback of the thousands (not millions) of subscribers, they must realize that Bryant Gumble does for Football what Tonya Harding did for Ice Skating.
7 - Joe G.
Thanks to the NFL
I have been looking for a way to mute my football addiction. I'll basically watch any game that's on when I'm home, wasting countless hours in the process. Now that the NFL has these games on its own network, which my cable operator doesn't carry, I'm actually doing something constructive while these games are on. Thanks NFL. I guess the way to quit smoking or watching football games is to stop cold turkey. You've forced the issue their on Thursdays and Saturdays. It may even carry over to Sunday. Thanks again.
Joe G.
8 - Sami
What a putrid broadcast tonight - why they decided to put in Dick Vermeil who couldn't even speak boggles my mind. And Bryant Gumbel hasn't earned the right to be arrogant, which he sure comes across as. Deion Sanders did a nice job though coming in later in relief for Vermail.
9 - E.string
It's at the point now where most working folks can't afford to be a fan. Looks like I'll be getting some things done around the house since I refuse to pay additional fees for the broadcasts. It may be a clever marketing scheme but it overlooks a basic factor...THE BLUE COLLAR FANS!
10 - JimNantz'pants
Gumble has earned the right to be arrogant: He's one of the smoothest studio hosts around, in sports and news.
But as a play-by-play guy, he absolutely sucks. As the poster said much more eloquently, ya gotta give the down and distance. Ya gotta tell us who's got the ball. You know, play-by-play.
I thought this network was especially aimed at the football fan, unlike, say, ABC's MNF, which geared its broadcast toward snagging the casual fans and nonfans it needed to justify that prime-time network slot. I feel like the announcers on the NFL network think we're morons.
I'm watching with the sound off and my new complete works of Mozart playing real loud from now on.
11 - Robert Sturm
I've been playing or watching football for over fifty years. In that time I have heard very good annoucers, good annoucers, bad ones and very bad ones, but Gomble has got to be the worst there ever was. get rid of him
12 - Jim O'Hara
This simply does not serve the NFL fan.
Put these games on broadcast TV or on ESPN with a professional play-caller (not Brian Gumble)--in fact, maybe even offer a feed WITHOUT AN ANNOUNCER ("will Brett Favre return" tires even Green Bay Packer fans).
The idea and the execution both are failures.
13 - Jim O'Hara
This simply does not serve the NFL fan.
Put these games on broadcast TV or on ESPN with a professional play-caller (not Brian Gumble)--in fact, maybe even offer a feed WITHOUT AN ANNOUNCER ("will Brett Favre return" tires even Green Bay Packer fans).
The idea and the execution both are failures.
14 - Jason
I hope the NFL network is listening too.
Like millions of other football fans in the greater New York City area, I am outraged the the NFL would stoop this low as to disenfrachise the faithful. I realize that they have to help their fledgeling network, but to create a situation where people are unable to watch regular season games in areas all across the country just makes no sense at all. If the powers that be stop being so damn greedy, in the long run, they will make their money.
15 - Scott
The NFL Network is bush league
Who get's the channel, hardly anyone. Don't they realize that people already stay up Sun. night for that game, go into work tired Mon. and then stay up for that game too. So now there's a Thu. game that I'd stay up for if I could watch it.
I was at the Pittsburgh/Cleveland game and the stadium was empty. It was bitter cold but that hasn't stopped fans in the past. Other highlights that I've seen on ESPN the next day have been similar with low attendance.
Get a clue, who's going to pay just to see one maybe two games a week that they can't on regular TV, especially if it isn't your team. To me it's just greed on the NFL's part.
16 - Disgusted Fan
Gotta say the original article has it right. Gumbel at times confuses which team is on defense or offense. Repeatedly called a FG attempt as hitting the right upright when I could see from my living room it was the left. He doesn't know how to even follow what's going on, let alone announce it. I don't care for Madden either, with his repeating everything 5 times along with his man-love for Brett Favre, but at least he knows football.
17 - Alan
Why does Gumble keep saying that a team is "turning it over on downs" when its 4th down? Isn't turning it over on downs when a team goes for it on 4th and doesn't make it? Whats up with the burping during the Giants/Redskins game?
18 - Blake
This was the worst NFL broadcast I have ever watched. Bryant Gumble has no business being even close to an NFL game not to mention doing play by play at one of the biggest games of the year. I actually found myself cringing at times in response to Gumbels calling of the game. Putting games of this magnitude on the NFL network is a diservice to the NFL fans around the United States, and to the integrity of the game. I felt like I was watching a college football replay on comcast sports network. The game just simply did not have the excitement of and NFL game. Bryant Gumble, please step down from your position as NFL network announcer. Chris Collinsworth, you do a great job.
19 - Luis Cruz
From a broadcasting perspective, Thursday's game between the Packers and Cowboys was a complete disaster. First, Bryant Gumbel makes me cringe when I hear:
a) His annoying , dry, emotionless, monotone, high pitched voice
b) His uncritical, pointless commentary on irrelevant topics
c) His common mistakes regarding the action on the field. He consistently misnames both teams and players, errs on the "down" spot for the ball, and makes innacurate points which show a lack of preparation before the broadcast.
On top of it all, he has the tenacity to be cocky and arrogant. So not only is he lacking in the technical aspect of being an announcer, but clearly has character problems which, by the way, is a major turnoff for viewers.
Compare Michaels from Sunday Night Football. He is constantly making up for Madden's deficiency's as an announcer but never comes across as arrogant. On the contrary, Michael's generosity only adds to his likeability. Gumble should be kept somewhere behind the scenes and not in the broadcast booth.
Second, the cgi was atrocious. For instance, I started watching the game well after it had started and had to wait about fifteen minutes before I was told what quarter it was. Nowhere on the screen was such information displayed during this time - and for much of the game. Also, when introducing Marion Barber on the screen we see Terrell Owens' picture with the #24 instead (What? Couldn't distinguish between two African American football players? What a wreck!).
And last, the entire broadcast was bereft of insightful information. Cris Collinsworth was a breath of fresh air at moments when he tried to make insightful commentary regarding receivers routes and other such areas of football with which he is familiar. He also gave the broadcast some life by getting excited once or twice, but that wasn't nearly enough to salvage an already embalmed corpse of a broadcast.
The only bright spot from that broadcast was Deion Sander's coverage. He is humorous and likeable (but he is still not a play-by-blay announcer by any means). When Deion was back at CBS I noticed some tension between Boomer Esiason and him. I suspect it was racially motivated from Esiason's part since it continued between Shannon Sharpe and Esiason after Sanders left. Recently Esiason has seemingly backed off a little. He is not as aggresive toward Sharpe and his bodily behavior doesn't express as much antipathy and animosity towards as it did at first (and which never ceased when Sanders was there.
Did anyone else notice the same dynamics between the two?
20 - John
My 10 year old brother knows more about Football and has more energy to call a game on NFL Network than Brian Gumbel. HE MUST GO!! NFL Please make this his last season. Brain Gumbel should learn from FOX's Joe Buck, NBC's Al Michael, CBS's Kevin Harlen, and ESPN's Mike Teriko. Brian Gumbel makes me hate Football.
21 - Brian
I agree wholeheartedly!
Bryant Gumbel's announcing has to be the worst I've ever heard!
Does the guy have an ounce of emotion in his body?
I've been more excited watching a Martha Stewart show (don't ask)!
And the fact that he continually makes mistakes regarding players' names is unacceptable. I will gladly take over his broadcast for half the price.
That is, if he was getting paid for the "work" he was doing.
I can be sure of one thing, though, any sports event that involves Gumbel, will be one that I watch with the sound off. Pathetic!
22 - Julian Green
Please, pass on a comment that the NFL network game announcers (Bryant and Chris) are not doing a play-by-play of a soap opera. For several weeks now Chris C. has gotten onto a fluff peice that continued through several plays. He and Bryant go several plays and never reference the field live action. Fluff is ok between plays but they constantly ignore the action in lieu of their back stories about players, coaches, girlfriends or anything but play-by-ply.
PLEASE!!! The people watching these games are football fan purist, not soap digest readers.
Neither of them are play-by-play guys and each week it becomes evermore evident. They need to stick to their anaylitical shows and stay away from live games.
Julian Green
Atlanta
23 - Julian Green
Bill Cowart, please un-retire and save Atlanta! You are the perfect person for that job either as GM and/or Hd Coach.
Your Honorable
Your player respected but demanding
Your a loyalist
Your a WInner
Atlanta and Arthur Blank needs a man of your character and characteristics!!!
Thank you in advance for saving Atlanta!!
SOMEONE PASS THIS TO MR ARTHUR BLANK and COACH BILL COWART
24 - Dawn M
Please get rid of Bryant Gumble...........and give NFL fans something serious on your network im watching the Pats game tonite and Gumble makes it sound like a non-descript college game.................need some excitement!!!!!
25 - BA
I was turned off right away when I started hearing the NFL Network was coming. I could get it on my cable system but haven't yet and don't want to. I would've thought baseball would have been the first to test the waters in this area of leagues owning, operating and marketing their own thing, etc. But football was first...I think. Well, maybe it'll go away...maybe not. And another thing this sort of thing is what made boxing become so restricted and thus unpopular for the most part, leagues running their own stuff and monopolizing it as much as possible.