AL Michaels and Ryan Fitzpatrick...TNF

[Xwnyer]

8 hours ago, Bubba Gump said:

I'm not a huge fan of John Murphy, but if I could listen to Fitz and Wood every week, I'd love it.

Would be a great duo for sure.  

[Buffalo03]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

He really is. Al sounds like he realises he made a mistake to me. 

Exactly, I think AL has plenty of energy. I just don't think he's interested enough to express it. The dude was just fine last year and every other year of his career 

[First Round Bust]

agree...the game prime presentation isnt that as its  too quiet-sterile...lacks energy...Kirk is a newcomer to the NFL and his analysis-insights are very basic cuz the college itself provides energy-enthusiasm on the field and the students-alumn in the stands...the band...but its basic in the X and Os...

 

Al is same ole Al...love the guy for decades but he isnt an entertrainer and retirement is a lot sooner than later it seems

[Rico]

2 hours ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

I really like the whole TNF broadcast. Picture is super clear, the pregame is cool. Fitz and Sherman are really good. I like the women involved (Rooks especially) That being said, if they came back from commercial at any point and the stage was cut and Tony Gonzales’ chair was gone, nobody anywhere would ask questions. There might be nobody on earth worse at their job then he is. I’m not sure why they wanted him to begin with but after 4 mins of week 1 it wasn’t working. You got to get rid of that guy as soon as possible.

Gonzalez belongs in the Punchable Face thread.

[Paup 1995MVP]

Herbstreit is College Football personified.  He and Chris Fowler have been doing a great job of it for over two decades on ABC and ESPN.  Pros are a very different game.  And he is getting his feet wet.  He isn't great yet, but give him some time.  He knows football.  Just has to find his groove w the NFL game.  Al has been doing this forever.  He still knows his stuff.  He is just old now.  The Vin Scully of Football.  The sound is very quiet on the Prime Video broadcasts.  They do the audio w muting of most of the crowd noise.  Makes it sound like the games are being played in a studio.  

 

I think the problem is more the games then the broadcast.  Too many prime time games.  And most on Thursday nite are lousy.  Not enough good NFL teams.  How many times can you watch an Indianapolis Colts team w Matt Ryan as your starting QB??!!  Colts-Broncos, Bears-Commanders, Seahawks-49ers.  Last nites game.  Unless you are betting the game, pretty tough to watch.  And even then it aint pretty.  For my money, other then the Bills the college game is much more exciting.  

 

As for announcers, if you want excitement like your hair is on fire, listen to Gus Johnson do College Ball.  And for analysts, Tony Romo and Charles Davis are excellent.  And for those who have an affinity for Ohio State and Buffalo Bill alum, I always loved listening to Chris Spielman.  His knowledge and dry humor is excellent.  

[Scott7975]

5 hours ago, Since1981 said:

Kind of myopic. If you hear complaints about streaming and hangs in this forum…NEVER happens with broadcast TV.  Me? I had a couple hiccups. The tech is very close.  But WOW my device buffered 2 min 3Q Bills game, it fixed but boy I was worried!! I believe so many in my neighborhood were running multiple streams, it bogged down the system. 

 

Yeah it could be the neighborhood but thats not Amazon.  Thats your internet provider not able to handle the bandwith of everyone streaming at the same time. I'm assuming you have cable internet if that is the case (I do to actually) because fiber doesnt have that problem.  I have watched every stream but one.  Never had any buffering issues at all.

 

I understand why people would complain if they have buffering issues and cutouts and such but its not likely Amazons end. Now I am also hearing that people are having sound issues which I have also not had.

[Scott7975]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

We in the UK are lucky that we don't have to stream it. We get the feed but via Sky TV.

 

Agree a bit on Al but I also thing he knows he is working with a dud. Al was never super high energy but he worked with Madden and then Collinsworth who are high energy guys and he complimented them and it was a perfect balance. I know he is hated here but personally I think Collinsworth is very good and he and Al are my favourite broadcast duo of my NFL fandom (I only caught the back end of Madden). I don't know if amazon would do it given how his NFL career ended but I think Gruden would be great with Al and then, yes, they need some better games to call. Last year's Thursday slate was decent so maybe it is just a down year? But if something doesn't change not sure I see Al agreeing to do it again. 

 

Yeah I agree here.  I think mostly people dont like Collinsworth because of the Mahomes ballwashing. I dont hate him really, but he was ballwashing Mahomes even during non Chiefs games and it does get nauseating.  Like you, he and Al were my favorite. Obviously Madden was my favorite all time.  That guy was the best.  I also I can't leave out Van Miller.  Miller was awesome and Murphy is garbage without him IMO.  Romo was great his first year, but I think he got "commercialized" by the networks because his style has changed to also ballwashing.  I honestly dont remember and Gruden stuff so I dont know what to think about that.

 

Agree on the games. Last year was way better. The games on Thursday this year, outside of a few of them, have mostly been boring.  I think Al commented that he was going to retire if he got one more of them they were so bad lol.  If you look at the schedule preseason, they should have been good matchups but the Broncos were terrible and not many if any expected that.

[Deadstroke]

12 hours ago, TwistofFate said:

Herbstreit is less than adequate as Michaels partner, he makes the game terrible to watch. 

 

Fitz during halftime was awesome and I think he would make a way better partner and announcer than Herbstreit. 

 

Come on fashion fitzy, let's make it happen. 

Boy, do I ever disagree.  IMHO Herbstreit is knowledgeable and adequate, but a bit boring in his delivery.  OTOH Michaels has totally lost whatever he may have one had.  It just seems to me that it's as if the producers told him not to put any emotion into good plays.  He describes a 30 had run with the same emphasis as a 3 yarder.  He has lost it!   

[BuffaloBillsGospel2014]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

We in the UK are lucky that we don't have to stream it. We get the feed but via Sky TV.

 

Agree a bit on Al but I also thing he knows he is working with a dud. Al was never super high energy but he worked with Madden and then Collinsworth who are high energy guys and he complimented them and it was a perfect balance. I know he is hated here but personally I think Collinsworth is very good and he and Al are my favourite broadcast duo of my NFL fandom (I only caught the back end of Madden). I don't know if amazon would do it given how his NFL career ended but I think Gruden would be great with Al and then, yes, they need some better games to call. Last year's Thursday slate was decent so maybe it is just a down year? But if something doesn't change not sure I see Al agreeing to do it again. 

 

I've never understood the hate for Chris Collinsworth myself even when people try and explain it to me on here all they usually do is put smiley face emoji or a disagree emoji, I don't think they even know why they hate him. I agree, Collinsworth is 1 of my favorites also.

[Nextmanup]

12 hours ago, Rico said:

Herbstreit is brutal zzzzzz, Fitzy may wake Al Michaels up… make it so.

The only way I can watch these games is through alternative online means, and they have been unreliable this year.

So I have maybe seen half the TNF games.  

 

Had they all been on TV like in the past, I would have probably watched them all.

 

But Herbstreit is terrible; I know him from college football.  He's just boring and a conservative guy by nature; probably highly religious too.

 

Al's talents are being wasted, but I don't think he cares. What is he making?  $20 million a season?

 

I really wish AL was still on TV and not this Amazon crap.

 

 

[TFBillsfan]

Time for Al Michaels to enjoy retirement after this season.

[msw2112]

Herbstreit is great on college football with Chris Fowler.  He's OK on TNF, but seems a little bit muted or understated.  I can't quite put my finger on it.  And Michaels also just seems a bit off.  Not sure if it's father time catching up with Michaels, a lack of chemistry between them, Herbie being new the NFL, bad matchups, the Amazon broadcast, or what, but something is definitely lacking.  Unless the Bills are playing, these TNF games have a hard time keeping my attention.

Edited December 23, 2022 by msw2112

[bigK14094]

Holy Mackeral sounds vintage ,but not whiteish.  imho.  Everybody wants to find racial everywhere.

[chongli]

2 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Yeah I agree here.  I think mostly people dont like Collinsworth because of the Mahomes ballwashing.

 

2 hours ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

 

I've never understood the hate for Chris Collinsworth myself even when people try and explain it to me on here all they usually do is put smiley face emoji or a disagree emoji, I don't think they even know why they hate him. I agree, Collinsworth is 1 of my favorites also.

 

I don't like Collinsworth because he has a member of the hated Bengals in the 80's. They eliminated us twice in the playoffs: once in 1981 in the divisionals and again in 1988 in the AFCCG. They were an arrogant bunch. Same way with Tom Brady. Whenever his podcast comes on on SiriusXM NFL radio, I shut it off. Can't stand his voice and its choreographed arrogance.

[msw2112]

Brady has earned his arrogance.  Like him or not, you can't argue with what he's accomplished and what happened after he left New England leaves no doubt of his greatness.  Collinsworth, not so much.  That said, I don't mind Collinsworth as much as some on this board.  Yes, he's a big Mahomes guy and that gets old, but Mahomes is great....Collinsworth has also been very positive about the Bills and Josh Allen too.  Seeing Collinsworth's kid on NBC is a bit annoying.  He's OK, but do you really think a guy that young would be where he is today if it wasn't for his father?

[Livinginthepast]

Football always has eras of certain commentators , Madden/Summerall, Enberg/Olsen, Charlie Jones, Don Criqui to name a few. Al Michaels might be the only guy left from that classic late 70s early 80s era where I started watching football. But I think he is probably a few years past it now. It amazes me that Al still wants to do it let alone that someone is offering him a huge contract to do so.  They need some new younger energy in the booth. As for Collingsworth , he is just too annoying and Captain Obvious for me. he should fade away as well. Nantz and Romo are probably the only two that are still at a good level. I think Romo has rejuvenated Nantz to an extent.

[DieHardFan]

15 hours ago, Since1981 said:

78 Micheals

76 Trump, 80 Biden

40 Fitz

42 Romo

 

Thankfully Micheals retires. Old people.  Dear god—Go play with great grand kids or something?? !

And leave you woke whiny ***** to rule the world. Yeah, that's justice.😜

8 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

The only way I can watch these games is through alternative online means, and they have been unreliable this year.

...Had they all been on TV like in the past, I would have probably watched them all.

It's rebroadcast on the NFL network about an hour after the game ends, althoug those aholes show the final score during it.

 

[White Linen]

19 hours ago, Nelius said:

 

OK? So perhaps we're in agreement then. He's the legend so maybe you kick Herbstreit to the curb and try to inject some life, but his listless commentary this year has been a hard listen. Maybe he doesn't like Herbstreit, there's always that angle.

 

I think he's lacking energetic commentary,  because he's 78.

[MJS]

10 hours ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

 

I've never understood the hate for Chris Collinsworth myself even when people try and explain it to me on here all they usually do is put smiley face emoji or a disagree emoji, I don't think they even know why they hate him. I agree, Collinsworth is 1 of my favorites also.

You are allowed to like him. Lots of people do. I absolutely loathe him, for lots of reasons which I will list for you:

 

1) He is terribly condescending when talking about many players, teams, etc. This is BY FAR the worst thing about him. Many of his "compliments" are backhanded.

 

2) He has brutal, horrible takes regularly. I think he used to do a lot of homework on players and teams, but just plain doesn't anymore, so his opinions are dated and often just wrong.

 

3) He has one of the most annoying voices I have ever heard. He has some of the most annoying phraseology I have ever heard "Now HERE'S a guy...", etc.

 

4) He clearly thinks very highly of himself, but feigns humility for some reason. He thinks he is God's gift to television.

 

5) He is very biased, and let's that cloud his judgement when reviewing plays, considering penalties, etc. This is fine for fans, but he is not supposed to be a fan. He is part of a national broadcast and should be more objective.

[Utah John]

Herbstreit is extremely knowledgeable.  He thinks that providing lots of information is his job.  

 

Actually, I am fine with getting the entertainment buzz from the play on the field, and getting all that information from Herbstreit.  I understand most people want more entertainment from the announcers, so most people think he's boring.  

 

I think the solution is to have three people in the booth, just like the old MNF team (Cosell, Gifford, Meredith).  Cosell and Gifford alone would be sort of fun to watch, but adding Meredith with the big happy personality made that team rock.

Edited December 24, 2022 by Utah John