Happy Days Ahead for NFL Network Viewers

by HinesField on Apr 14, 2008 11:16 AM EDT Comment 4 comments

The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived; Bryant Gumbel will no longer be announcing games broadcast by the NFL Network. Let us all rejoice.

In this particular case, I have no problem kicking him while he's down. I still remember the first NFL Network game to be broadcast live, Denver at Kansas City over Thanksgiving 2006, when I had to mute my television because Gumbel was just so damn awful. And over the next two years, he never really got any better.

However, I think we all remember the defining moment in his football announcing career coming after Willie Parker broke his leg at the beginning of a Steelers-Rams game last December, at which point Mr. Gumble so brilliantly observed:

Maybe there is some justice in Parker breaking his leg, because now Fred Taylor will get to go to the Pro Bowl.

Yes, Mr. Gumbel; it appears that long-overdue justice has finally arrived. Let's just hope that the NFL Network finds someone decent to work with Chris Collinsworth.

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YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you NFL Network!

And thank you HinesField for posting this. I'm going to go back and search for the discussions we had, but i remember us trying to find the NFLN contacts so we could write and complain. Thank God. He was so bad.

by Blitzburgh on Apr 14, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

rejoicing

I heard that on the radio this morning on the way to work and it was a great start to my day. Gumbel was by far the worst play by play guy that I've ever heard and you're exactly right he never improved on single bit. Some of the times, it sounded like he was a guy right off the street with absolutely no preparation.

The DAL/GB game this year stands out most in my mind as far as being ill-prepared. He was constantly getting the teams mixed up, calling GB the home team and couldn't even get Romo's name right in post game interviews. Pathetic job by a man who is much better served reading from a teleprompter.

by cgolden on Apr 14, 2008 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good call

I read this last night, but didn't think to post. I also rejoiced that Gumbel is gone from the NFLN. In what I read, I noticed that it was a "mutual agreement," which means he was asked to resign and given that option to save face. I remember that first game as well, and my wife heard from upstairs and commented on how bad he was. I've never heard a play-by-play guy who was so stiff sounding.

I actually thought he improved some, though. Either that, or I just got used to it. But, now there's hope. Who could they get to replace him?

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Apr 14, 2008 11:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs