Per Andrew Marchand (New York Post) Troy Aikman is ESPN bound for MNF

[Stevie Ray]

15 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

So honest question-was it really that much better back then or do you just have a favorable memory? I honestly don’t know if the announcers are that much different than they used to be, we all just now have a way to voice our comments/complaints that we didn’t have back then.

 

it’s like when people say Michael Jordan would never complain like Lebron does now. Michael was one of the biggest complainers in the league (they even changed the rules for him!) but we don’t remember those things about him

 

Good question. I would say they were better back then in the sense that they were a little more focused on providing insight than being personalities. Don't get me wrong, analysts and announcers do that today, but sometimes I feel that they veer off into other areas or about themselves and I'd rather they just stick to the game. But you do make a valid point that perhaps the common perception of the announcers of those days may be similar to today, but the forum just didn't exist to for it to be commonly shared.

[Brand J]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

You are wrong on Collinsworth (and he is SNF anyway) but you are right on Troy and Buck. Snoozathon. 

You actually enjoy Collinsworth? Every time I listen to the guy, it seems he begrudgingly says good things about the Bills. Buffalo News even went so far as to write an article about it. He definitely feels like a biased commentator to my ears.

[WhoTom]

Good, since I never watch MNF unless the Bills are playing. If it features Buck and Aikman, I'll just tune to Peyton and Eli instead.

 

 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Amazing that Aikman would actually be worse than current ESPN crew.  And to pay him top dollar.  Utter nonsense.

 

14 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

You actually enjoy Collinsworth? Every time I listen to the guy, it seems he begrudgingly says good things about the Bills. Buffalo News even went so far as to write an article about it. He definitely feels like a biased commentator to my ears.

I enjoy Collinsworth too.  I know I'm in the minority on this board.  He says too many over the top statements, like "this is the best catch I have ever seen".  But typically his analysis is quite good.  He is not biased against certain teams.  He is biased for who has the the hot hand at any moment in the game.  

[GunnerBill]

15 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

You actually enjoy Collinsworth? Every time I listen to the guy, it seems he begrudgingly says good things about the Bills. Buffalo News even went so far as to write an article about it. He definitely feels like a biased commentator to my ears.

 

I think he is the best colour guy out there, yes. He has a tendency to ball wash some of the big market teams, but the has the best eye for breaking down a play immediately afterwards of any of them. That is what I want out of a colour guy. I care far less about what he fills the dead air time with during the numerous breaks and slowdowns in play. I want a guy who can add some value to what I have just seen right after a play has happened. 

[Gugny]

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I think he is the best colour guy out there, yes. He has a tendency to ball wash some of the big market teams, but the has the best eye for breaking down a play immediately afterwards of any of them. That is what I want out of a colour guy. I care far less about what he fills the dead air time with during the numerous breaks and slowdowns in play. I want a guy who can add some value to what I have just seen right after a play has happened. 

 

The ball-washing is my only knock on Collinsworth.  His voice can irritate me a little bit, but not too badly.  But the ball-washing ... it's horrible.  Even if he's ball-washing Josh, I still hate it.  Have a little goddamn dignity and self-respect, for the love of Christ.

[strive_for_five_guy]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

I can tell you that if the Manning Bros., were on, that I did NOT watch the games on ESPN.  That crew is horrendous - especially Levy.

This will help the Manning Bros rating in my household (if they do it again next year).

[Cotton Fitzsimmons]

2 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

Give me a color man who gets excited for plays, someone in the mold of Gus Johnson or Kevin Harlan.

Or Marv Albert with “THE FACIAL!”

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, Stevie Ray said:

I remember an experiment one of the networks did back in the 80's if I recall correctly, where a game was broadcasted without announcers. It was kind of weird, wouldn't necessarily say it was better or worse. Then again, the quality of commentary was way better in those days so broadcasting without announcers might be refreshing these days.

I remember watching a Dolphins-Bills game without announcers on NBC. I think it was 1981.

 

It was strange at first, but I could see what was happening, and it was never boring.

[34-78-83]

Aikman is a good man but I cannot stand him as an announcer. So very stuck in the way football was in his era.

[Nextmanup]

Aikman and Buck make up one of the worst combos in football broadcasting, despite being Fox's No. 1 crew for a long time.

 

I can't stand either of them, for different reasons.

 

Having said that, the MNF broadcast as currently staffed couldn't be worse....so there's that.

 

 

[eball]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

I can tell you that if the Manning Bros., were on, that I did NOT watch the games on ESPN.  That crew is horrendous - especially Levy.

 

I even watched the Mannings for the Bills game.  Light years better than the main crew.

[Patrick Duffy]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

 

The ball-washing is my only knock on Collinsworth.  His voice can irritate me a little bit, but not too badly.  But the ball-washing ... it's horrible.  Even if he's ball-washing Josh, I still hate it.  Have a little goddamn dignity and self-respect, for the love of Christ.

Agree, it's over the top. I doubt he would have any of the soap suds left at all for Josh anyways...

As for Aikman, I don't think he's too bad. I can deal with him. Although I don't watch MNF unless Bills are playing anyways

[longtimebillsfan]

3 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

Aikman and Buck rank near the bottom of my play by play crews. Most times I don’t know if they’re calling a football game, or providing commentary for someone painting a fence. Give me a color man who gets excited for plays, someone in the mold of Gus Johnson or Kevin Harlan. On a positive note, at least this gets the biased Collingsworth out of there.

 

EDIT: Cris calls SNF not MNF, my fault.

Joe Buck never shuts up. Aikman may be okay with another play by play announcer. 

[eball]

9 minutes ago, longtimebillsfan said:

Joe Buck never shuts up. Aikman may be okay with another play by play announcer. 

 

Buck may be the most arrogant, self-important prick of an announcer there has ever been.

[Patrick Duffy]

4 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Buck may be the most arrogant, self-important prick of an announcer there has ever been.

Could you imagine a prime time game with he and Collinsworth as the 2 announcers...Oh my....

[longtimebillsfan]

9 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Buck may be the most arrogant, self-important prick of an announcer there has ever been.

100% agree.

[Teddy KGB]

He’s gonna have to stop “smoking that stuff” when he moves to MNF 

 

 

[Man with No Name]

mark me down as another Collinsworth fan!

 

Aikman does nothing for me. I don't get it. granted, I don't watch a lot of fox games. he just doesn't do anything for me. not memorable at all

[Patrick Duffy]

3 minutes ago, Man with No Name said:

mark me down as another Collinsworth fan!

 

Aikman does nothing for me. I don't get it. granted, I don't watch a lot of fox games. he just doesn't do anything for me. not memorable at all

 

Don't hear that said very often lol. It pains me to hear his voice....