Billick, Millen And (Gulp!) Theismann In The Running To Replace Collinsworth At NFL-N
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Well at least that's what Peter King is trying to tell people. is reporting that newly signed ESPN analyst, Matt Millen, is the leader in the clubhouse to replace Cris Collinsworth, but the network is also considering Brian Billick, Marshall Faulk and the one and only....Joe Theismann!!!
Remember I told you a couple of weeks ago how NFL Network was furious with Jon Gruden for agreeing to a deal to do color on the Thursday night games in a two-man booth, then reneging to sign with ESPN? NFL Network wasn't exactly thrilled with the worldwide leader for ripping off Gruden. Well, ESPN and NFL Network may just have to play nice now to get another deal done -- if league TV decides to make Millen the color man to replace Gruden for its eight-game slate of late-season games.Bob Papa and Matt Millen would actually make a heck of a team, but to do so, Millen would have to work approximately 90 hours a week. He'd potentially be in studio for Monday Night Football, have NFL Live during the week, Thursday Night Football and finally College Football work for ESPN on the weekend. Even the most dedicated of broadcasters can't talk that much without losing their voice.
In the wake of NFL Network losing Gruden, the channel has considered a few options of analysts to pair with Bob Papa. One is Brian Billick, the quick-on-his-feet former Ravens coach who had a successful debut on Fox last season. Another would be a three-man booth, with Papa, Marshall Faulk and Joe Theismann, who, presumably, would walk to each game if the network would give him the gig. But I hear Millen is the leader in the NFL Network clubhouse.
While I think Joe Theismann would be a bad choice, I almost miss him at this point. A three-man booth of Papa, Theismann and Marshall Faulk, would be dreadful....it would certainly provide tons of posts for the site. Hmmm....someone flip a coin for me.
The Matt Millen Job Fair (SI)
10 Comments:
"NFL Studio Talent"
Really? Is that what Keith Olbermann is called?
AA, having Theesman back will be great, trust me.
We don't necessarily want ALL of bad announcing fixed, just some of it.
I wouldn't call Olberman studio talent either.
I wouldn't mind Millen in the booth. He was great with Fox.
I don't think we can really go wrong here. NFL-N can get Millen and thus a great analyst, or they can get Theismann, and thus, nonstop hilarity!
We can go wrong with whoever they pick but at least AA will have some new material. Like when Joe T contradicts things that he said 10 minutes prior...always kills me.
The potential appearance of Mr. Theismann on my television makes me glad I don't get the NFL Network.
BCS 2010 will be Musberger, Herbstreit and Millen.
So, a guy lined up for NFLN is doing ESPN MNF, and a guy working for ESPN could do NFLN games?
If they settle on Millen, they should just swing a deal where Millen works MNF and stays in the ESPN family while Gruden, the guy NFLN wanted in the first place, goes to Thursdays. Probably won't happen with the bridges Gruden burned, but it would probably be best.
I'm with Morgan Wick. We need to have Gruden and Millen to cross over if this is to work successfully. Baldinger and Wilcots do it for CBS and FOX, respectively as well as the NFLN, so this can work if Gruden hasn't offended too many people.
90 hours a week? Millen? The same guy who went home to Pennsylvania every week and rarely did any scouting while he was being paid $5M a year to do so?
NBC just sent out a press release indicating that at noon tomorrow there will be a conference call whereby Dick Ebersol will announce the NFL Studio Talent for this season.