Tony Kornheiser replaced by Jon Gruden on MNF

[TriplecHamp]

Huge upgrade.

Gruden is smart, knows the game, knows the current players, has opinions and a personality.
That's what you want.

Yeah this is exactly what I was going to say. I like Kornheiser was funny every now and then but at the same time he wasn't exactly what you would look for in a color comentator. Gruden is one of my favorite football analasyst from what ive watched on NFL network.

 

[efin98]

Al Michaels and **** Enberg were always my favorite announcers

Michaels always rubs me the wrong way, he always comes off as smug and arrogant and goes over the top on the most basic of plays...

 

[TriplecHamp]

My personal favorite anouncers are Joe Buck and Troy Aikman Anybody else miss Pat Summerall?

 

[TrueBeliever]

Michaels always rubs me the wrong way, he always comes off as smug and arrogant and goes over the top on the most basic of plays...

I hate Al Michaels, and here's why.

In 1998 the Pats hosted the Dolphins in a Monday Night game. The Pats were behind most of the game and then Drew Bledsoe led them on a tremendous, never-say-die drive to score a touchdown and take the lead with (IIRC) less than two minutes left in the game. It was a hell of a comeback for the Pats.

So after the score they go to commercial, and when they come back Michaels says, "All the Dolphins would have to do here to get the lead back is head down the field and score another touchdown." Like the Pats' last drive meant absolutely nothing, like it was some fluke, like they had accomplished next to nothing. It was as if he was pulling for the Dolphins and was pissed that the Pats had the nerve to take the lead.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I like the move, never like kornholer, hopefully Gruden speaks his mind and doesnt get coach in the booth disease where they're afraid to speak up.

 

[Patjew]

Good, very happy about this.

 

[World Champs 3X]

About time

 

[fnordcircle]

So after the score they go to commercial, and when they come back Michaels says, "All the Dolphins would have to do here to get the lead back is head down the field and score another touchdown." Like the Pats' last drive meant absolutely nothing, like it was some fluke, like they had accomplished next to nothing. It was as if he was pulling for the Dolphins and was pissed that the Pats had the nerve to take the lead.

You really don't get it.

He was just hyping up what was rest of the game to make it seem like there was a good chance of overtime which is a more thrilling end, typically. He is there to hype the game as much as he is to call it.

 

[Patjew]

I have never heard anyone as effusive in his praise for the Pats as Al Michaels in 2004 when the Pats (ironically) lost to the Fins on MNF in 2004. He called them the best franchise not only in the NFL, but in any sport.

 

[bagwell368]

As soon as TK started talking I would mute for 9 seconds and hope the inane comment was over, and sadly half the time he was still talking. I hated him, thank god he got sacked. TK made Dennis Miller look like a genius.

Let's hope Gruden is good. I don't care for Tirico much, but anything is better then TK.

 

[TrueBeliever]

You really don't get it.

He was just hyping up what was rest of the game to make it seem like there was a good chance of overtime which is a more thrilling end, typically. He is there to hype the game as much as he is to call it.

Whatever.

 

[unoriginal]

I liked Kornheiser but he tried too hard to make what he was saying seem to be coming from somewhere other than the sportswriter or fan's perspective.

My perception of Kornheiser was that he was obsessed with bringing the perspective of the fan and the sportswriter into the booth.

I think about half of his time in the booth he spent asking Jaws what he thought the "big story" was in the game, or what Jaws thought so-and-so meant to the fans back in Some City or fans of football in general.

And then we would be treated to the following analysis:

Jaws: "Absolutely Tony, this young man is the face of the franchise..."

Half the time I felt Kornheiser sounded like he was wheedling Jaws for soundbites at a press conference, and the other half it sounded like he was reciting an opinion column he had just written.

 

[PatriotsDaily.com]

Here's ESPN's announcement of the move:

Jon Gruden Joins ESPN’s Monday Night Football

 

[hwc]

I thought Gruden's best line of the draft was when Tampa Bay drafted or traded for another QB. They threw it to Gruden for a comment and he said, "Hey, don't look at at me. I don't know what they hell they are doing...."