NFL Network: best enjoyed with the sound off

[Ryan A]

The Cowboys/Packers game is reminding me of how horrible the NFL's commentators are.

After breaking up a pass (making a nice play): "boy oh boy, that Ken Hamlin, what a tool he is!"

Heard earlier in the game: "that's what you need to do in case he tries to rub you off."

[Bill Dungsroman]

Marginally better than last year, when Gumbel was calling players by their wrong names and referred to a touchdown as a "goal."

[Shmtur]

Watching it being broadcast locally here, I can't help but think I wouldn't want to pay for this.

Also, I've noted Gumbel mixing up the teams more than once in the game so far.

[Not One Of Us]

Also, I've noted Gumbel mixing up the teams more than once in the game so far.
Yep. Gumbel's a god damned idot. Collinsworth's job priority should be to duct tape Gumbel's mouth before the game starts.

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

I miss Curt and Al....

[Matt Perkins]

I can't stand either one of them. Gumble is broken and Collinsworth can't stop blathering on about whoever is winning. It's so annoying.

[Rollory]

I am not a sports fan, so I honestly don't know the answer:

Does anyone ever find any value whatsoever in the commentators in any sport?

I mean, if you're making dinner with your back to the TV or something and want to follow along, ok. But that's about it. 90% of the incessant blathering chatter is useless and annoying and distracting. The audience is there for the athlete, not the commentator. Simple statements of what happens are enough.

Actually I think the golf tournaments I've seen seem to stick to that, mostly.

I particularly notice this with things like ice skating competitions. You mainly want to watch the art, not have a moron listen to himself speak. And particulalry not have said moron go back over every single fall in exacting detail three times over the moment it happens.

[caesarbear]

Color commentators can be a good thing on rare or odd plays. It's just rare to find good color that doesn't overreact or miss the obvious.

[Bob Cherub]

"Rick Romo"

[Alan Dunkin]

When the commentate on formations, mis-plays, penalties and other facets of the game it can be quite useful. Some are also more enjoyable to listen to than others.

On another topic, I learned most of what I know about baseball by listening, not by watching, but I grew up listening to some great announcers.

--- Alan

[Shadarr]

After breaking up a pass (making a nice play): "boy oh boy, that Ken Hamlin, what a tool he is!"
Actually, it was DeMarcus Ware. My brother and I were joking for probably five minutes after that about him being a tool, and that his teammates will probably never let him live that down, to the point where on one of those stupid broadcasts where they let a player introduce his teammates Ware may well just get introduced as "The Tool."

I am not a sports fan, so I honestly don't know the answer:

Does anyone ever find any value whatsoever in the commentators in any sport?
There are good ones. Unfortunately, the move at ESPN/ABC and elsewhere is toward idiots who hype the superstars over intelligent observation, so you get a lot of "Nobody can make that throw except Brett Favre" and "_______ is the best in the league at ________" where they may attribute supremacy in the same area to multiple players in one game, and certainly throughout the season.

The best commentators are the ones who break down replays and tell you things that you might not have noticed on your own.

[Matt Bowyer]

About once per game, John Madden shows why he's been one of the best color commentators in history with some remarkably intelligent insight to a blocking scheme, why this is succeeding over that, or something else obscure that no one else is going to get. He used to do this all the time -- now as he gets older, he's getting worse.

Fox has removed starting lineups from the game broadcasts, according to a recent Dr. Z column on SI.com -- they take away from the storylines.

The radio guys are probably the best way to listen to a game, if you have good radio announcers. Both of my teams (Chiefs, Redskins) do.