AA Review: MNF Week #1 (Baltimore-Cincy)
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
I really had no idea what I was getting into before I started last night. I didn't really give any thought into how drained I would be after two Monday Nighters, but I'm exhausted. That may have something to do with staying up until 2am, but I'm not sure. I can't really think straight. Let's just start out with what worked last night, you know....the positives.....
First and foremost, Jaws is awesome. If you can't appreciate his genius then I feel sorry for you. I thought he might lose a step going from analyzing game film to an actual game, but that's not the case. You can easily tell he's on point after a preaseason and one regular season game. I don't know if it was because of the 2nd game being so god awful, but it seemed like a solid broadcast overall. No guest in the booth makes a world of difference, and Tirico is growing on me. I think he was just lost having to deal with Tony and Joe last year.
Grade: C+
So you're probably asking why this was such a low grade after all of the positivity above right? Well it boils down to one person, and you know who that is. I don't know what it is about MNF that makes Tony Kornheiser so unbelievably unfunny, but he's terrible. In the span of the broadcast he referenced a 60s band, hanging chads, and Dirk Nowitzki. He's just flat out awkward in the booth. I'm sorry, and it's kind of unfair, but every broadcast rests solely on his shoulders. Everyone is looking at him for something and he gives nothing.
Announcing Quotes of the Night:
"To me I think Willis McGahee should have a good night. He should surpass that 990 yards he had last year."- Emmitt Smith
"When you throw the ball down the field it's tougher in the NFL."- Mike Tirico
"The big hit by Dan Wilcox from Appalachian State."- Mike Tirico
"Where have we heard that before Ann Arbor?"- Tony Kornheiser
"That spheroid is now a pancake, after 325 pounds falling on it."- Jaws
"It's certainly not a souffle."- Tony Kornheiser
"One of five Michigan rookies in the NFL.....all you rocket scientist who want to know about Michigan!"- Mike Tirico
"You're a little defensive about that."- Jaws
"No No just clearing it up."- Mike Tirico
"That's why you put the beam on him. Beam me up Ed Reed!"- Tony Kornheiser
Commenting Quotes of the Night:
"We've replaced your regular Steve McNair with Jeff Blake. Let's see if anyone notices."- Anon
"I wasn't aware Dakota Fanning was a Bengals fan."- Suss
"Could the Bengals front office not have gotten Marvin Lewis a Segway? I mean, honestly, he looks pitiful, and I bet Segway would donate one for the free publicity."- Ryan
"My wife just found out that there's a second game. I think I'm sleeping on the sofa this week."- Anon
"Wow. Did Kornheiser really just start cackling after Jaws used the phrase "Biggest Johnson"? How professional. And mature."- Bstone
"Boller can't complete a pass to the end zone. But hey, remember the video where he threw the ball 50 yards while sitting down? "- Anon
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Not a terrible game for the first team, but it could have been better. I get that Chad Johnson is entertaining, but there are 50 some other players on the Bengals. Again, I know it's unfair to blame an entire broadcast being bad on one person, but I just can't stand Tony Kornheiser. He's wrong about 80% of the time when he tries to say something and is horribly and tragically not funny. He does seem to have a better relationship with Jaws over Joey Sunshine, and it is only the first game. It could have been worse right? You know....like Game #2.
Let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments, and I'll be back in a few with the Game #2 Review.....I don't think you'll want to miss that one.
11 Comments:
Chad Johnson is not funny, Tony. The sooner you realize that, the better.
A Sam Cooke reference!!! I knew it was coming and was utterly shocked that he waited until the 2nd quarter to drop it.
Can't you see the difference between MNF Tony and even halftime mini-PTI Tony??? It's all about comfort.
Love on the Radio and on PTI, finger nails on the chalkboard in the booth. Come on Norby make the change now
previous comments about Kornheiser
RJ: huhuhuhhuhuhhuhuh
TK: huhhuhhuhuhhuhhuhuh
RJ: huhu hu huh huh hu
TK: aaa huhhuhhhuhhuhhuh
RJ: yeah, but huhhuhuhuhhu
TK: huhhuhhu
My only complaint with Jaws was his repeating of the "outside the numbers" stats for Carson Palmer. Okay. You're right. We get it.
Kornheiser...it's like he's trying too hard to be funny and then not being even remotely funny. It's a two-for-one. And honestly, this PTI thing is played out. It doesn't need to be part of Sportscenter, it doesn't need to be part of MNF. By itself, it's a fine show. Let it remain a good show without the overexposure.
It's only part of Sportscenter because they want PTI's audience to stay around and watch the first 15 minutes of the next show.
If they are going to drag Wilbon to the MNF gamesite to do PTI live, why not use them on halftime? Better than seeing Beerman do the highlights.
Kornheiser: "Kanye West - think he's any relation to Adam West?" Did I hear that??
Am I the only one who thought the HOF celebration was completely lame? I mean, it took him until after the extra point to pull it off. I expect and demand better, Ocho Cinco.
The highlights at halftime need to go away. This isn't the 1970s where no one has seen any other game highlights. Especially with ESPN showing the crapola of Berman and Tom Jackson on Primetime highlights on a virtual continuous loop leading the to the game.
Jaworski: Fantastic. I'm OK with Tirico, but the clear A team is Nessler-Jaworski-Vermeil as evidenced last year.
Tony K: Yes, he's trying too hard, but I also think the problem is he needs to instantly react and have something funny to say immediately because it's, well, a live broadcast. He doesn't have time, like when he was a writer, to take his time to craft stuff. Or to look at something that is a segment on PTI and write stuff out, bounce it off people/producers for their reaction, to see if it will work. It's live TV, so he's just throwing stuff out there and seeing if it's sticking, and it's not. Time to pull the plug.
I agree with everything said here so far. Craggy faced Kornheiser is the weak link diminishing the reputation of the MNF booth. The guy, who suffers in the shadow of Howard Cosell, offers no cultural relevance and very little field insight. They don't need a glorified sideline reporter in the booth. He knows less than Suzy and Michele. ESPN should replace him with Parcells and stick TK with Stu Scott's group. Serve 'em right. Clearly, MNF is looking second rate.
Jaworski - You know who the biggest Johnson is?
Kornheiser - (After laughing for 30 seconds) I'm leaving that one to you.
Tirico - Silence.