11/05/24
August 06, 2002
"The kids today, they know me from the video game, not from football on TV." : Madden bombs on Monday Night Football. Did'ja watch?
posted by kirkaracha to football at 09:17 PM - 12 comments
I thought the review was bizarre, too. Madden's analysis and delivery is "dated"? No shit? Does this guy think he's breaking new ground with that one? Personally, I want to see Steve Tasker calling some NFL games. If he can be as good as he was doing low-level college stuff, calling plays before they happen, then I'm all for seeing more of him. I'm a bit tired of this whole angle of bringing entertainment into football (first with Miller, now bringing in Madden because he's the best known name in the game, not necessarily the best), and pushing that angle. Football is a hell of a lot of entertainment as it is-- give me commentators who can actually tell me something about what's going on.
posted by nath at 10:09 PM on August 06, 2002
Argh, I meant Chris Spielman. Not Steve Tasker. Damn it all, me getting my ex-Bills confused.
posted by nath at 10:10 PM on August 06, 2002
My traditional response to Madden-bashing used "Let he who is without a Super Bowl ring cast the first stone," before I realized that doesn't make any damn sense (just goes to show you, don't mix Jesus and football). Anyway, I didn't see Monday Night Football so I suppose I should remain reticent.
posted by kirkaracha at 02:33 AM on August 07, 2002
The Dennis Miller experiment was to bring in people who weren't die-hard football fans. ABC wanted to re-create the early days of MNF with Cosell, Meridith, etc. Miller wasn't bad once you got used to him (and had an encyclopedia handy to look up his references), but the ratings weren't going up. Now, ABC's trying the pure football angle. I didn't see the game and can't comment on Madden until the regular season starts (I'll only watch some Packers' pre-season games).
posted by shackbar at 02:35 AM on August 07, 2002
OK, I saw the entire game, and I thought Madden did just as good a job as he has been doing in the past. Now, whether you liked his performances in the past would reflect on how you thought he did Monday night. I personally like him as a commentator, and look forward to his stay at ABC.
posted by bcb2k2 at 10:16 AM on August 07, 2002
I can't believe that people don't like John Madden. Listening to that fat idiot blather on is one of the only reasons I end up watching some games. Then again, I liked Dennis Miller, too. What's wrong with adding a little entertainment with your commentary?
posted by Samsonov14 at 10:52 AM on August 07, 2002
I just found it kind of funny that they have that quote about Madden only being recognized by the kids because of his Madden NFL video games, and there at the bottom of the article is a click-through advertisement for the Madden NFL 2003 video game. Nice touch, Slate.
posted by grum@work at 01:19 PM on August 07, 2002
Samsonov: well, there is the little detail that Miller was entertaining and Madden is not :) I just find him incredibly dull, obvious, and quite often wrong about his analysis. (Note that all of New England agrees with me now on this point.) Obviously, he knew the game of football at one point and most likely still knows more about it than I ever will. I just don't think he shows that very often, if at all, on TV.
posted by tieguy at 02:22 PM on August 07, 2002
Tieguy: Maybe you missed the game where Madden circled the marks made from some guy's sweaty swamp-ass on replay. Sophmoric? Maybe. Funny? Definitely. The reason I like Madden is because he's just so damned stupid when he gets sidetracked. That's good stuff. I wish I could remember the game in question - I know SB86 saw it. Maybe he can help me out. For the record, I'm a Boston fan too (or New England, if you must), but I think Madden is very entertaining when he's being an onscreen dumb-ass without apologies. He's the anti-Miller, but I love them both.
posted by Samsonov14 at 06:58 PM on August 07, 2002
Can't stand Madden, didn't like Miller. I thought Dan Fouts got a screwjob.
posted by owillis at 12:21 PM on August 08, 2002
I only caught some of the game around the time the player appeared to suffer a paralyzing injury. I think it knocked them for a loop and kept Madden or Michaels from having much fun on the air, lest they appear indifferent to an injury so severe looking that the entire Texans team kneeled in prayer on their sideline. This Slate review is bizarre -- criticizing the justification of the graphics is pretty damn picky.