NFL Network- does it work?

[Dan2330]

Overall I thought the NFL Network did a good job on the game. It has been so many years since I have heard Bryant Gumble call a game I almost forgot how pathetic he is. Gumble missed lots of obvious down calls, mispronounced players names and often times sounded as if he were interviewing Collinsworth for his HBO Inside Sports show. I have always been a fan of Chris as the tv guy in the booth, he was at his best when he was with Fox as the third man with Aikman.

You have to wonder if the NFL placed games on their own network to force cable and satellite companies to pick them up, if I recall Gumble plugged the network twice letting viewers know to call their cable subscriber. I did like at the beginning of the game when they showed the starting lineups with the players pictures scrolling by, this is much better than what other networks do, especially when they have a player do it and he gives us the players nicknames (do we really care why they call a player 'Bug'?) or when they have the players say what college they went to (were exactly is Southern Midwest State college?).

The three hour pregame show was awesome too, if you are into the whole Football 24/7 thing. I can not recall a game besides possibly the Super Bowl where we got to watch the national anthem and the players come onto the field during the introductions. I also liked when they did the studio commercial breaks with other NFL related news, I think we often forget that primetime games such as thing can't exactly fill dead time with cut aways to other games highlights.

IMO nice job by the NFL Network too bad we go from watching the Champs battle it out this week to watching the Chumps next week in what will be a horrible game between the Browns/Steelers.

[Tasher]

Gumbel is RUSTY!

Wow.

Otherwise very good.

[HoosierCat]

You have to wonder if the NFL placed games on their own network to force cable and satellite companies to pick them up,

There's no "wonder" about it. The answer would be a big fat greedy "yes."

As with all good things, the NFL is starting to kill the proverbial goose that lays the golden eggs.

[Bengalhead]

Gumbel was absolutely horrendous. That guy has to have incriminating pictures of someone to have that gig.

I agree that the intro of the players was the best yet. Collinsworth has some vandetta against the Bengals IMO.

[skyline]

I had mixed feelings. I got HD this week, ordered digital cable, and then got the extra sports package specifically so I could get NFL Network and see this game. Unfortunately, Comcast doesn't carry the HD broadcast, so I was somewhat screwed on picture quality, but you can't always have everything, right?

Gumble really annoyed me at first. He said some things that really highlighted how much of an NFL person he is not. But, as time went on, I thought he smoothed things out, and I got the impression that he's really done his homework. He talked some football history, and made some competent comments along the way.

I enjoy Collinsworth. People complain about his arrogance, and I can see that, but he's not arrogant in a Michael Irvin way, so I can handle it

[agreen_112]

Man I was so surprised to turn on the game and it was in High Def. I have Time Warner Cable (digital cable) and they don't even carry the NFL network. I didnt' know that the NFL network broadcasted in HD. I wonder why you didnt' get it sky?

[Bengalhead]

I had mixed feelings. I got HD this week, ordered digital cable, and then got the extra sports package specifically so I could get NFL Network and see this game. Unfortunately, Comcast doesn't carry the HD broadcast, so I was somewhat screwed on picture quality, but you can't always have everything, right?

Gumble really annoyed me at first. He said some things that really highlighted how much of an NFL person he is not. But, as time went on, I thought he smoothed things out, and I got the impression that he's really done his homework. He talked some football history, and made some competent comments along the way.

I enjoy Collinsworth. People complain about his arrogance, and I can see that, but he's not arrogant in a Michael Irvin way, so I can handle it

Yeah, that's true. I think that Collinsworth is knowledgable and provides interesting color. It just seems to me that he doesn't want to associate himself at all with the Bengals. I know he should be impartial when calling these games. I would expect nothing less. But I just get the feeling that he's afraid to compliment them sometimes. I dunno, maybe I'm reading too much into it.

[agreen_112]

I had mixed feelings. I got HD this week, ordered digital cable, and then got the extra sports package specifically so I could get NFL Network and see this game. Unfortunately, Comcast doesn't carry the HD broadcast, so I was somewhat screwed on picture quality, but you can't always have everything, right?

Gumble really annoyed me at first. He said some things that really highlighted how much of an NFL person he is not. But, as time went on, I thought he smoothed things out, and I got the impression that he's really done his homework. He talked some football history, and made some competent comments along the way.

I enjoy Collinsworth. People complain about his arrogance, and I can see that, but he's not arrogant in a Michael Irvin way, so I can handle it

Yeah, that's true. I think that Collinsworth is knowledgable and provides interesting color. It just seems to me that he doesn't want to associate himself at all with the Bengals. I know he should be impartial when calling these games. I would expect nothing less. But I just get the feeling that he's afraid to compliment them sometimes. I dunno, maybe I'm reading too much into it.

I don't know what game you guys where watching, but all I can remember is Colinsworth praising the Bengals all night. Imagine if you were a Ravens fans how much that would drive you nuts! Colinsworth does associate himself with us, but he tries, key word TRIES, to be unbiased. He's also got a job to do and he has to give credit when the other team makes a good play too.

[UK Bengal]

How the hell does chris collinsworth have a vendetta against the bengals!!!!! do you have a basis for this.

The guy comes to every home game he can he even buys seats for his friends and has done for a while this was his first bengal game hes called for many years. I think he was very impartal and he sounded as shocked as the rest of us that the bengals D played like they did because he was shocked as was I.

[jjakq27]

http://www.nfl.com/nflngames

Here's a link to their page and their take on the game last night.

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20061130_BAL@CIN

[Bengalhead]

How the hell does chris collinsworth have a vendetta against the bengals!!!!! do you have a basis for this.

The guy comes to every home game he can he even buys seats for his friends and has done for a while this was his first bengal game hes called for many years. I think he was very impartal and he sounded as shocked as the rest of us that the bengals D played like they did because he was shocked as was I.

Like I said maybe I was wrong. Actually, it was probably all of the alcohol that I was drinking. When I noticed it, he was commenting on how the bad the Ravens were playing - not how good the Bengals were playing.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Gumbel was absolutely horrendous. That guy has to have incriminating pictures of someone to have that gig.

I agree that the intro of the players was the best yet. Collinsworth has some vandetta against the Bengals IMO.

I do also like the standard player intros versus the silly live shots of some guy who can barely speak a proper sentence embarrassing himself on national TV.

I really don't know what you mean about your second comment - Collinsworth was great and I miss him on SportsTalk with Boomer back in the late 80's and early 90's. He actually says things about the Bengals' you don't hear anywhere else (but should). We didn't get a 100% dose of Chad nonsense and he talked about the franchise as a whole and it's struggles etc...,

[SkinneymulleT]

Gumball was a complete idiot. He miss counted rudy's carries like 10 times, called steiny "steinbeck", would only repeat crazy stats that he was obviously reading, showed almost no real knowledge of either team by continually misidentifying players and the current down and often talked over the game which is soooo annoying. This is his job and most fans know more about football and the teams playing than that idiot. And after listening to him screech for a few hours, someone needs to make sure he pees standing up or else she needs to cut down on the hormone replacement therapy because I think she might be getting a little to much estrogen since shes in the men-no-pause. Cris always tries to be the neutral observer so much so that i think he over compensates to balance his love of the bengals. Also, how annoying were some of the camera angles? Alot from the back of the endzone at ground level??? And the failure to show different camera angles on replay of the 1st down challenge and other close plays? What up with that? NFL trying to control controveresy about refs bad calls?

[redsbengalsbucks]

I loved the game, Gumbell was rusty but at least he is not a blathering idiot like Madden,Cross or Dierdorf.

The NFL network is a great idea and there is no conspiracy to get more cable/satellite companies to pick them up. The conspiracy lies with the NFL/directv relationship on Sundays.

If your company still has not picked up the NFL network you are missing some of the best behind the scenes football info out there. So call and tell them you are dissapointed in thier service for this reason and you will stop being a customer unless it changes.

[Kirkendall]

I loved the game, Gumbell was rusty but at least he is not a blathering idiot like Madden,Cross or Dierdorf.

The NFL network is a great idea and there is no conspiracy to get more cable/satellite companies to pick them up. The conspiracy lies with the NFL/directv relationship on Sundays.

If your company still has not picked up the NFL network you are missing some of the best behind the scenes football info out there. So call and tell them you are dissapointed in thier service for this reason and you will stop being a customer unless it changes.

You'd rather have Gumbel than Madden?

[PMThor]

I just watched the game again. Gumbel is horrific, yet, he had one of the greatest statements ever spoken during an NFL game.

"We are going to get a muff here."

[HoosierCat]

I just watched the game again. Gumbel is horrific, yet, he had one of the greatest statements ever spoken during an NFL game.

"We are going to get a muff here."

For anyone interested, the highlight video on nfl.com features Brad & Lap, not Gumble and Collinsworth...

http://www.nfl.com/video?clip=http://play....s_short_300k.rm

[Walrus]

I just watched the game again. Gumbel is horrific, yet, he had one of the greatest statements ever spoken during an NFL game.

"We are going to get a muff here."

I rather enjoyed the affected French-y pronunciation he used when talking about Jeanty. "That's Rashad Jhon-TEE with another stop..."

[jjakq27]

I just watched the game again. Gumbel is horrific, yet, he had one of the greatest statements ever spoken during an NFL game.

"We are going to get a muff here."

I rather enjoyed the affected French-y pronunciation he used when talking about Jeanty. "That's Rashad Jhon-TEE with another stop..."

That reminds me of a few years back when we were stuck with Don Criqui and he kept talking about this Arab-sounding linebacker named Khalib Miller. Or at least that's the way he pronounced it.

And who can forget Pat Summerall's swan song on Sunday night FB in 2004 when we played Miami and he could not pronounce TJ's last name. One of the local radio stations uses that clip when playing highlights about TJ .

[HairOnFire]

I'm convinced that Don Criqui mispronounces the names of his own children.

And to answer Kirk's question, yeah, I'd rather listen to Gumble than Madden, but that shouldn't be taken as an endorsment of Gumble. I simply can't stand John Madden, and I would happily punch him in the throat if given the chance.

[DontPushMe]

I have to join in on dissing Gumbel, he was terrible, i was really close to muting it, i just couldnt stand the guy. He kept saying "and the _ will turn it over on downs" after failed 3rd downs..

[jjakq27]

An interesting piece from NPR that discusses the NFL's desire to control the way their product is distributed in the future. And how the cable operators are saying no thanks even though they are considered the most watched sport in the US.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6599973

[aaronburr]

I didn't mind Gumbel so much. Mostly, I think, because I don't really pay attention to the play-by-play. I can see for myself that the pass was to Jeremi Johnson, so it doesn't really matter to me that Gumbel says it was to Kenny Watson. And it's cute when he says "turn over on downs" when the team's going to punt. It's kinda like when your girlfriend asks if they "scored a first down". Why don't you make yourself useful, Bryant, and go get me a beer.

But with the thought of having some interesting-but-not-intrusive sounds accompanying my viewing pleasure, it was nice to have a different kind of announcer last week. At times I had the feeling that I was watching the Today Show, but it's much better than Kenny Albert trying to fill every second with meaningless noise.

And Collinsworth is great. He knows his stuff, he's not afraid to call somebody out (but doesn't do it to aggrandize himself, unlike Joe Buck), and he's not an obvious homer (which is usually just another way to promote yourself, ala Michael Irvin).