Well, Now What?

Now how will we know who's looking out his ear hole?

In a surprising move, John Madden has retired from broadcasting.  Citing a need to spend more time with his family, the former Coach is hanging up his headphones and presumably his tough actin’ Tinactin, his Awesome Blossom and any other endorsement deals he has. 

Madden has been a staple of NFL football for decades and while it is sad to see him go, the real tragedy here is that he left us with no suitable replacement.  NBC plans to put Cris Collinsworth in Big John’s seat.  While they’ll almost definitely save on the catering budget, the game won’t be nearly as enjoyable.  Collinsworth may be knowledgeable , but he lacks the charm and charisma that made America forgive Madden his faults.  

NBC surely realizes that they don’t have to please anyone with their announcer choices.  The only time anyone chooses a game based on the announcing crew is when they have a choice between multiple broadcasts.  Sunday Night Football is a football monopoly.  What are you going to do, not watch?  Spend time with your kids?  Listen to your wife tell you how her day went?  Eat vegetables?  Plant a garden?  Go dancing?  Take up sewing?  Other activities society has deemed effeminate? 

No, you’ll be there to see any 2 NFL teams battle it out even if the announcers are Mickey Rooney and Fran Drescher. 

Someday, another John Madden might step into the booth but the sad truth is that it’s not likely.  Madden is by no means a perfect announcer, technically.  He’s not overly descriptive or clear with his words, but damn it he sounds like football. 

With Cris Collinsworth in the booth, football games will take on a different sound: the sound of silence.

Tags: Cris Collinsworth, football, John Madden, NBC, NFL

No comments yet.

Leave a comment