I have yet to find/see the video on this, but a few outlets are freaking out because the NFL on FOX's Howie Long decided to call co-worker Terry Bradshaw a "scumbag" during the pregame show on the network. The comment came after Bradshaw said he was rooting for the Lions to lose their last game and finish 0-16. Via Phil Mushnick at the NY Post....

WHAT are we doing to us, why do we continue to do it, and when, if ever, will it stop?

Two minutes into Fox's one-hour pregame yesterday, host Curt Menefee noted that panelist Terry Bradshaw last week said he'd like to see the Lions finish 0-16.

"S--bag," panelist Howie Long said of Bradshaw.

"I am a s--bag," Bradshaw said.

That gave Long, Bradshaw and Fox 58 minutes to apologize, to express their regrets to a national audience for having ambushed it during Sunday daylight.

None came. Perhaps they felt they'd said nothing inappropriate, or, at worst, it was no big deal. Hey, if there were kids watching, that's what the Fox robot is for!

I think Phil Mushnick is a fine journalist, but that's a little much if you ask me. I'm of the vein that thinks kids have heard a thousand times worse in their time on this Earth, but I guess I'm not the person who should decide where the line is drawn. I didn't even know the term "scumbag" was that bad of an insult. Good to know.

Foul-Mouthed Ambush Mars Pregame (NY Post)

It was just a year ago that we were saying the exact same thing about another Giant in Tiki Barber, and apparently it's now a right of passage to talk trash about your teammates before entering the TV World. Newly hired FOX Analyst Michael Strahan had this to say about ex-teammate and current Giant, Jeremy Schockey....

"I don't think you gain much by keeping a guy around. Regardless of how well he plays for you, there's always that tension, and that's one thing you can't have if you're expected to go back and repeat."

Strahan added Shockey might do his job well, but that doesn't mean he would be happy.

"You don't need that out of one of your leaders," the recently retired defensive end said. "So I think the best thing for them and for Shockey is if they have the opportunity, let him go."

That's the kind of thing Fox will be looking for from Strahan, who signed a four-year deal believed to be worth about $2.3 million a year after fielding offers from other networks.

I'm not saying it's not refreshing to have honesty in the Sports Television world, but you might want to wait at least until the start of the season before bashing your former team. We saw how unaccepted Tiki Barber became before last year and it would be a shame for the same thing to happen to Strahan (even if he is right).

Neil Best also has this tidbit to share as well in the article....

"It's a one-way contract, so the players, you have no rights," he said. "They can come in and say, 'You suck, get out of here,' but I can't walk into the team and say, 'You know, this team really sucks. I want to go somewhere else."'

Eventually Johnson cut him off, saying, "Michael, that is bull," and argued bonuses amount to guarantees. Soon the entire cast was arguing, with Strahan and Terry Bradshaw trading barbs about their respective divorces while Fox Sports president Ed Goren beamed.

"Save it for the show!" Fox Sports chairman David Hill shouted.

Greaaaaaaaat. They're already yelling at each other. If only Caliendo was there as Madden to moderate. Ugh.

Strahan: Giants should dump Shockey (Newsday)

Sad news for FOX Pregame Show fans and Louisianans everywhere.....Terry Bradshaw says he plans to retire when his contract is up in 2011. From the NY Post via Extra Mustard...

Terry Bradshaw's getting ready to throw in the Terrible Towel. Bradshaw said yesterday that he expects to retire from TV when his contract with Fox runs out in 2011.

"I think in three years it may just be my time," Bradshaw, a four-time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers, told The Post. "I see the energy and the enthusiasm these young guys have, and I think it's time to hang it up."

Bradshaw's retirement plans appeared to catch Fox Sports officials by surprise. They said the network believes he can be convinced to stay past the end of his current contract.

That's a shame that he feels that way actually because I think it's just the reverse. Even though Terry is almost 60 years old it's his youthfulness that makes him enjoyable to watch. I remember when Terry and Howie called last year's Sugar Bowl with Kenny Albert and the two ran circles around the younger Albert. Sure he can't do highlights on time to save his life, but you get the sense that he just loves the game of Football (unlike some of the "younger" guys).

If you want to retire you've certainly earned it Terry, but I think a lot of people would be upset that you're leaving.

Terry Bradshaw Set To Retire (NY Post)
We Hope Jillian Can Handle The News (Hot Clicks)

So who's ready for a weekly feature of ex-Cowboy coaches debating BCS Standings on an NFL Show (just shoot me now)? For some reason (that's completely beyond me) the NFL on FOX has decided to hire Barry Switzer to join the pregame show.

Fox Sports announced Tuesday that Barry Switzer is joining the cast of its Fox NFL Sunday pregame show. Switzer will debate ex-Cowboys field general Jimmy Johnson in a weekly "Coaches Corner" segment and analyze NFL action and college football's BCS standings.

Johnson said Fox colleague Terry Bradshaw will referee the debates. "Terry will keep us separated," he jokes. Johnson added that ex-Cowboys coach-turned new ESPN football analyst Bill Parcells visited him in the offseason to talk football.

Ugh. When are they going to learn? My Redskin Fandom aside.....is there anything more annoying on this planet than an ex-Cowboys' coach??? Not only can you enjoy Barry Switzer on television this season, but on XM radio as well (FYI- I got a press release on this but didn't think I'd waste your time telling you about it).

Former Cowboys coaches go head-to-head on Fox (USA Today)

Actually a lot of things. I don't think I've ever read an article with more quotes than this one, but it's pretty awesome. Among the topics that Bradshaw comments on with his hometown paper are: Tim Rattay, Ratings, FOX's Pregame Show, Hitting a Lady in the Face with a Football, JaMarcus Russell, OBGYNs, The WAC Conference and Scheduling, Howie Long's kids and my personal favorite.....People throwing Beer Cans at Jimmy Johnson.

"You don't want to be in Philadelphia and say they don't have a chance to win today because of this... Jimmy Johnson just took a beating," Bradshaw said. "We had a full can of beer thrown at Jimmy and it hit the awning right above his head. If it would have hit him it'd been the hospital or could have killed him.

Yeah I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have killed him, but that would have f'ing hurt. When I was in Highschool (Way back in 19 dickity two. We had to say dickity cause the Kaiser had stolen our word for 20.) I saw a kid get blasted with a Hawaiian Punch Can in the grill. Not Pretty.

Sorry for the diatribe.....back to Terry. He's also taking shots at the 49ers organization for getting rid of fellow LA Tech grad Tim Rattay....

"I don't understand it because Tim's not someone who's a problem. He's a good locker room guy," Bradshaw said. "I don't know why in San Francisco that the fans got on him. That's a sorry-assed football team. Horrible offensive line."

Great stuff all-around from Bradshaw. And just for good measure......about that lady???

"I hit a lady in the face with a football. Knocked her down. She deserved it, though. The stuff she was saying."

Nice.



Bradshaw Speaks His Mind (Shreveport Times)

So FOX and the NFL Network tried to throw their respective hats into the BCS ring this Bowl Season, and I'm here to show you the damage. The reviews were mixed depending on the Bowl, so let's see the teams.

Texas Bowl Spero Dedes, Mike Mayock, Sterling Sharpe, & Marshall Faulk
Fiesta Bowl Thom Brennaman, Barry Alvarez, Charles Davis, and Chris Myers
Orange Bowl Matt Vasgersian, Pat Haden, Terry Donahue, and Laura Okmin
Sugar Bowl Kenny Albert, Howie Long, Terry Bradshaw, and Jeanne Zelasko
Championship Thom Brennaman, Barry Alvarez, Charles Davis, and Chris Meyers

Best Announcing Team- Albert/Long/Bradshaw

It has been a long, long, long time since I've been able to stand announcers during a blowout. I normally can't stand Kenny Albert, but he did a good job of sticking with the game, and keeping up with Howie and Terry. I'll overlook the fact that he kept calling Chevis (pronounced Shh-EV-is) Jackson.........Cheeeeeeevis.









Worst Announcing Team- Thom Brennaman, Barry Alvarez, Charles Davis, and Chris Meyers

Every single one of these cats botched something at one point. I was extremely surprised that they were tabbed for the Championship game. TB just seemed mad in both games and couldn't get the correct yard-line on any play. Alvarez and Davis just yelled stupid stuff over each other. And Chris....well Chris ruined a marriage proposal. I guess about the only thing they did right was give me a nickname for CD......Mangina. (It's a shame that Wikipedia had to change the CD entry)

Lowlights-

"Oh yes indeedy....Jack Bauer would be most pleased by this Florida effort."- TB
"Didn't they make Waiting to Exhale in Arizona?"- CD, in response to TB talking about the up and down pace of the game.
"It feels so good. And he doesn't mind flash dancing out of there."- CD
"Are the Gators just going to win everything this year? Football, Basketball.....Dancing with the Stars?"- CD












(Don't even ask me what this logo is for. And DO NOT ever google Mangina....it's not fun at all.)

Best Supporting Actor (Best Color Guy)- Terry Bradshaw

Highlight- Terry's diatribe about Dwayne Bowe's girlfriend from the Sugar Bowl.....

"He had dropped a lot of passes, so they took him in and checked his eyes and said, ‘You need surgery.' He got the surgery," The first thing he did when he opened up his eyes and he could see, I asked him, I said, 'Did you have a girlfriend going in?' He said yes. I said 'When you opened up,' I said 'What happened after you could see?' "Well, when he opened his eyes up and he finally could see, he said he broke up with her. "That’s not a good story to tell on national television, but that’s what he did."

Best Supporting Actress (Best Sideline Reporter)- None of them....they all sucked.

I hate sideline reporters.....well Except Erin Andrews. Screw it, she wins again. I don't care if she worked these games or not.

Best Bowl Game- Come on....do I even have to tell you?



God....I could watch that all day.

AA's Final Grade:

Well as far as announcing goes it was pretty much a 50-50 split between good and bad. One team really good.....one team really bad. The NFL Network wasn't that bad, but I thought Sterling Sharpe would have been better (he stammered a hell of a lot).

The real problem with FOX was on the production side. In multiple games...including the championship....they had audio problems. Mics cut out, talking coming in and out of commercials, and the worst.....Trying to make a joke while unaware that they had just started the National Anthem (Ahem! Mangina.)

NFL Network: C+
FOX Announcers: B+ (KA,TB, HL) & C-Minus (TB, CD, BA)
FOX Production Trailer: D-Minus