March 27, 2007

More Thoughts on MNF and Jaws

Now that we've had time to digest the new Tirico-Kornheiser-Jaworski ESPN MNF booth, I'm not so sure it was the right move. Here's my thinking:

Pro: Thiesmann got shit-canned.

Con: Thiesmann might have been the only person with live broadcast experience who could rationally talk to Jaworski.

Pro: No more celebrities in the booth. There's no way they'll let TK fly solo with the star of ABC's hit show du jour. They'd either have to rein him in or accept that he will make ABC look bad with his total lack of knowledge of the new guest star on Desperate Housewives or Lost.

Con: Do fans really want a tour of the sausage factory? We are aware that football is very complicated, but what if Jaworski reveals to us that it really isn't that complicated? Would that ruin some of the coaching mystique? What if it is so complicated that Jaworski makes us feel stupid? Would that hurt fan interest?

Pro: Jaworski will make bad coaches, bad schemes and bad decisions look bad in real-time.

Con: Jaworski might be the first legitimate coach-killer announcer. Unlike coaches who have dabbled in broadcasting, like Vermiel, Ditka, Jim Mora Sr. and Schottenheimer, Jaworski owes no deference to anyone (except Vermiel who is out of coaching). I guess this could be a pro if you want your coach fired (Coughlin), but a con if your fanbase has some delirious affection for their has-been coach (Gibbs).

Pro: Jaworski will make the telestrator the most important invention of the 20th century.

Con: Jaworski will operate the telestrator to total silence from TK and Tirico. They might as well have him in a separate booth. As smart as Thiesmann made Kornheiser look, Jaworski will make him look that dumb.

5 Responses:

Brien said...

I disagree. I still have hope that Kornheiser can be successful in the booth, provided he's comfortable. Done right, he and Jaws should be a nice balance: the Xs and Os guy and the comic relief.

Your worries about Jaws showing us that either football is more complicated than we thought or less complicated than we thought are misplaced. The point is that he would be showing us something and that puts him a step ahead of 90% of color commentators.

I feel smarter about football after listening to Jaws. That's got to be a huge improvement over Thiesman, right? And as much as Jaws is being talked about as a telestrator genius and someone who lives in the film room, keep in mind that he's really good on camera. He always seems to get along with the other guys in studio. He's also done a bunch of PTI appearances with Kornheiser. I was trying to remember specifics about them, but from what I recall, the two of them had decent chemistry.

I'm still optimistic and I think getting rid of Theisman can only be a good thing.

J-Red said...

I can't see how Tony will be comfortable in this new booth. Jaws will never call him to the carpet on anything, but he won't exactly set him up for some zingers like Thiesmann did either. Or worse, he will, and it will sound rehearsed.

The weak link may very well be Tirico. Mike Patrick has a much better sense of humor and would set TK up better. I die a little inside when I see Patrick calling women's tourney games.

Jaws definitely belongs in a showcase game. I feel like TK definitely could grow to the point that he belongs in a showcase game. The two of them together is just not going to work.

Mike Patrick-Cris Collinsworth-Ron Jaworski. Tell me that booth wouldn't revolutionize football.

Brien said...

Does Patrick do football? And I'm still not sold on the 3-man booth being such a great innovation. There are few enough good color guys around, we don't need two of them in the same booth.

J-Red said...

Patrick-Maguire-Thiesmann was the original Sunday booth. Patrick, I think, still does college FB. I have a feeling he'll be reunited with Maguire and Thiesmann for ESPN's showcase college game each week.

Brien said...

That's right, I forgot he did Sunday nights. Mcguire cracks me up every time he does his whole "I want you to watch this right here... watch this... BOOM!!" thing.

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