Does anyone else hate what ESPN has done to Monday Night Football
 

First, I HATE the Frank Gifford intros with his clips of old footage and the Chapter X, Are you Ready? The intros when it was on ABC with a celebrity skit that ended with Are You Ready For Some Football were great.

Second, they got rid of the colliding and exploding helmets with the MNF them playing. They hardly ever play the theme song any more.

It just seems like ESPN cheapened the whole Monday Night Football institution.

I'm not a fan of it. Mostly because of the 3 stooges in the booth.

Hate that it's on cable. Not that I don't have it, but it just doesn't feel right that not everyone in the country can watch MNF if they want to.

ESPN ****s up everything.

ABC owns ESPN. I wonder why they moved it to cable?

Anyone who cares about the NFL enough to watch it, has something other than an over-the-air antenna connected their TV.

Despite relatively high, if declining, TV ratings, ABC decided to end its relationship with the NFL after losing significant money on Monday Night Football. In addition to the fees, part of this decision may have been the result of a resurgent ABC primetime entertainment schedule during the 2004–05 season, particularly on Sunday evening with Desperate Housewives; thus ABC would be unable to satisfy the league's reported preference for a Sunday night game on broadcast television as opposed to Monday.

Because of that, Monday Night Football moved to ESPN, the cable network paying $1.1 billion per year from 2006 to 2014 for the rights. Unlike the broadcast networks, however, ESPN can generate revenue from subscription sales, in addition to traditional commercial breaks. The cable network's coverage begins at 1:00 p.m. ET with SportsCenter Special Edition: Monday Night Kickoff. The 2009 edition saw the game itself start at 8:30 p.m., with Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden in the broadcast booths.

If you ever have an hour to waste and want to read an interesting wikipedia article, I recommend this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_on_television

Gave me much insight as to why the NFL does things the way it does.

At least they got rid of that one who sucks the penis Kornheiser. Brilliant idea, putting some pipsqueak douche with a combover who comes across like a surly tax accountant in the booth as a color guy. ****. :shake:

Exactly

I'm not a fan of any of the institutions you miss except the theme song, which was a little overplayed, IMO. The commentating on the other hand is pretty awful. Hell, I preferred Miller.

Kornheiser can lick my 'taint. Every time the Chiefs come up in subject, he's always got something negative to say.

My general rule is **** ESPN.

Yes. I like Kornheiser on PTI, actually, but he was just pitiful on MNF. He was my least favorite ever followed by Jaws.

What's Hank turning the faucet on ...Is it water, paint, multicolored spooge?

Gruden comments like everything is the greatest ****ing thing he's ever seen.

This

Sunday Night Football on NBC is the spiritual successor to the original MNF. Today's MNF is just another game.

I actually prefer it now. ABC's Monday Night Football was constantly under impression that their "show" was more important/interesting than the game. Al Michaels has said so in so many words. Crap.

That is why he brought in 48 QB's to try to save his job. I seriously think that he would give Tebow a BJ if the opportunity came forth.

Really? It's the best group they've had in years... I usually tune them out, regardless of the channel and announcers, but I like listening to these guys.



And who gives a f*** about intros and colliding helmets? Off the top of my head, my requirements would be: talk about the game without bias and don't stick someone in the booth solely for entertaining the masses (seems like they now get this), tell us stuff we probably don't already know & spend time analyzing the current game & what's going on in the NFL (I love having Jaws in the booth, and Gruden is good at it, too), show replays, don't fall over each other trying to get to commercial every chance you get (CBS).... works for me.

Prolly haven't watch over five MNF games since they switched to SUCKN .......

This is just a great post, clear and concise, and it even has a cuss word in it. It's one of the best I've ever seen.

I see what you did there.:clap:

While I agree with most of this, in general the new MNF game is >> old SNF game. So the new arrangement is better for the fans.

its football and I have seen 25 years of it that I can remember, I don't need someone to tell me what is going on.

I hate that it's on cable now.

I rarely even watch it any longer. I can't stand ESPN.

Why does that matter?

I agree with Bearcat.

So they changed things. BFD. It's still football. Nobody likes announcers. They're always upset about something. They talk too much. They don't talk enough. They've never played football. They think they know everything because they played football.

It's a football game, and another 3-4 hours of avoiding things we ought to do but don't want to.

I can understand Tirico but what's not to like about Gruden and Jaworski?

And who gives a flying **** about the opening graphics and the ****ing song?

I swear to ****ing god, this place has become Estrogen Central lately.

It's ****ing FOOTBALL, BITCHES!

Shut the **** up already.

Yes, and Trico isn't terrible for a PBP guy. Seriously, they are one of the better teams going right now. My only complaint is that I really have to concentrate to distinguish Jaws from Dancing-Raider-Girl. They sound very similar to me.

And did anyone notice the tie Jaws was wearing tonight? It was horrid, dude has no fashion sense at all.

Thanks, Red.

:D

Quite honestly, the volume is on mute probably 75% of the time, and that includes Chiefs games.

I want to watch FOOTBALL, not listen to some overpaid douche dumb down a play, mis-pronounce names and call the wrong guy for penalties and tackles.

The only thing ESPN is good for is college sports.....to a degree.

Other than that they pretty much **** up most pro sports braodcasts. They've become the ET for sports....kinda stupid. But due to them being so much bigger than everyone else all combined, you're kinda stuck with them.

I've always liked Jaws and Gruden doesn't annoy me at all. I think it's more match-up problems for me. I just don't have much interest in the teams they're putting on MNF these days. Frankly, I watch SNF less and less as well. I think it's mostly my disdain for the NFL that is creating a rift for me.

For the most part, I agree. There are fewer and fewer games each year on SNF that capture my attention.

With that said, I'm not wholly sure that it's NFL's fault. There have been definitely changes to the CBA the past few years that affected perspective months in advance of the season (and my mis-perception in August has been repeated ad nauseam).

NBC has been a trainwreck. Their CEO has been fired (well, as of the end of 2010) and Comcast, who SHOULD have a better handle on viewers needs will take over and hopefully make better decisions, all around.

ALL of that said, there are only 16 nights of Sunday Night Football each and even if I don't watch closely, I'd be remiss if it wasn't on in the room.

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the only thing i dont like is that as soon as ya get used to someone they leave, the good thing about SNF is consistency (Micheals). Gruden will probably be coaching again next year and then your left with tirico and jaworski, yikes.

i have almost gotten to the point where i can only watch the chiefs play and then just catch some highlights.

chris berman isnt great doing the highlights, but he is consistent and has been doing it for years

At this point they should just schedule games with as many likely fantasy football-loaded teams as possible and count on the gambler vote.

This.

****ing team is winning, we once again have two HB's than can just ****ing ruin a de-.......aw, **** it...

Gruden is horrible imo. I swear he talks up every god damn player on both teams. And he always has those stupid nicknames for them all. "Now this guy Cassell i call him the Chief, because hes a quarterback and is in charge." JUST SHUT THE **** UUUUUUUP!

You can tell that the longer he's out of the game the less he gives a $3it...

Every damn player is talked about in the way that Knowmo talks about the Broncos.

In a related note. Everytime Tasker does a Chiefs game, he talks about Cassel having one of the most feared deep balls in the game. WTF??

I think their halftime show is better than SNF's. At least ESPN does the Fastest 3 Minutes thing and shows some highlights. On SNF's they do that crummy Tiny Football commercial, then go to a coach's clicker which is Tony Dungy mumbling in front of a wall of TVs stuck together. It's like they want you to work to see some stupid analysis that has no value anyway. Then they throw it to a smug Bob Costas who gives a little editorial. I don't understand why they don't just show highlights from other games.

The intros? Colliding exploding helmets?

Jesus christ. It's a football game. People like you are why televised football becomes more and more a deviation from the actual game. Tune in to dancing with the stars if you want that shit, and leave football watching to the men.

Can't put my finger on it but yes, I do hate what ESPN has done to MNF.

And I would counter with anyone who cares about the NFL enough to watch it SHOULD have an over-the-air antenna connected to their TV. HD over open air absolutely rocks!!!

Their problem is that they usually spend just as much time promoting ESPN, talking about Tom Brady and Brett Favre, and telling you how awesome and insightful ESPN analysts are, as they do focusing on the game.

:LOL:

I really like Jaws and Gruden. They provide a lot of good insight.

When Gruden is willing to actually be critical in his analysis he does a great job, unfortunately he doesn't seem to be that willing to be critical in his analysis all that often. Presumably because he doesn't want to burn any bridges in case he ends up having to coach those players.

I think NBC has done a brilliant job with the "Football Night in America" angle and stealing a little bit of MNF's thunder. Plus the fact that it comes after that day's games, they've got a captive audience.

i might be in the minority here, but I absolutely can't stand Sunday Night Football / Football night in America etc.

Dan Patrick drives me insane.
Costas, as usual, comes off like a prick.
Dungy needs to get some sun and eat some food.

...dunno; just something about that program that irritates me.

Thats what it was intended to do by the NFL.

Essentially, the Sunday Night game became what the Monday Night Game used to be. (The Weeks "Premiere" Game).

While the Monday Night Game is still being promoted as "premiere", its really not. Its become what the old TNT/ESPN Sunday Night games used to be. (2nd Tier)

It's very smug. The studio show is terrible, but the actual in-game production is good, and I think Collinsworth is good. When he makes a point he usually does it quickly between plays and doesn't go on and on.

Rodney Harrison is nails on there. Tells it like it is with no BS.

But it's like they make him defer to everyone else. It always feels like he's the last guy to get to say anything.

yeah; I should've clarified. I meant the in-studio stuff etc.

I feel the biggest problem is the matchups... Seriously? Is the AFC and NFC east the only teams in the NFL....

Don't hate but I don't like it either, they have "sold-out" MNF!

I actually like the Sunday night game better .... a nice way to end the weekend.

At least they took Ober-douche off. The smug factor must have been off the charts with Patrick, Costas and Obermannic in the same air space.

Matt Millen is another one I can't stand. I see him on the screen and I just want to punch him in the face.

I had to turn off the volume last night during the Colts vs Texans. The Three Amigo's in the booth pretty much had a "Verbal Blow Fest" for Peyton and I about barfed.

I can understand your reaction to the studio show itself. My point was more specifically aimed toward the marketing of it as "Football Night in America," versus the studio aspect of it. Bad job by me.

Re: Gruden --

1) As mentioned many times before, he's doing a brilliant job not pissing off any potential teams who may want to hire him.

2) In prepping for these games over the last few years, he's had access to game film for nearly every good team in the league ... and he's smart enough to burn copies of his own to keep for when he does get a job. If I'm an owner, I'd want him to coach my team for that reason alone.