Gruden on Monday Night Football

[Clocker]

I have generally found Gruden to be annoying (too hyper) and uninformative (too much unexplained jargon). I found MNF to be less entertaining with him on, and Mike Tirico was just kind of there, not good, not bad. I figured maybe it was just me, but apparently others think so too: NY Post (http://nypost.com/2014/11/13/wont-someone-at-espn-stop-jon-gruden-and-mike-tirico/)

[lamboguy]

i liked the broadcast when they had Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell and Don Merridith. the only pre-game show that i liked was the one that had Jimmy The Greek on it.

[Redboard]

yea, I agree with the article and thought Grudon was somewhat over-hyped last Monday night. The Eagles are his old team, maybe that had something to do with that. He seems to come up with his own stick about what's happening on the field, regardless of what's actually happening. Cosell was infamous for that.
Shame he didn't get offered another head coaching job. He is a super bowl winning head coach. Funny, back in the day, those guys used to be able to write their own tickets. Owners seem to want younger, cheaper, hungrier coaches these days. Besides, Gruden I can name several others, including,Bill Cowher, who won the big game and yet haven't been offered another job.

[Clocker]

i liked the broadcast when they had Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell and Don Merridith. the only pre-game show that i liked was the one that had Jimmy The Greek on it.

You would prefer Jimmy the Greek to Chris Berman? :eek:

Give that man a drink on me! :p

[lamboguy]

You would prefer Jimmy the Greek to Chris Berman? :eek:

Give that man a drink on me! :pi have to, he was my good friend

[_______]

You would prefer Jimmy the Greek to Chris Berman? :eek:

Give that man a drink on me! :p

That's nothing. I am apparently the only human being on earth that misses Dennis Miller.

[thaskalos]

i have to, he was my good friend
The Greek was an original. :ThmbUp:

[Clocker]

That's nothing. I am apparently the only human being on earth that misses Dennis Miller.

I am a fan of Miller, but when he gets out of his element, like on MNF, he tries too hard to be funny. This was obvious from the beginning. Then they started giving him canned "analysis" to read on the air, and that was obvious too.

[_______]

I am a fan of Miller, but when he gets out of his element, like on MNF, he tries too hard to be funny. This was obvious from the beginning. Then they started giving him canned "analysis" to read on the air, and that was obvious too.

I have a hard time believing he was reading material handed to him. Most of what he said was so obscure and idiosyncratic that my friends and I had a drinking game built around being able to explain what he had referenced.

Maybe it isn't him so much as the pleasant buzz of being wrong I miss.

[OTM Al]

That's nothing. I am apparently the only human being on earth that misses Dennis Miller.

Nope. I liked him too. The original group was quite good but always felt Cosell was the driving force there. Gifford was good early but was really slipping in the later years. Meredith had been hit in the head a few too many times I think. As for the guys now, I'd rather listen to the guys that do the pregame do the actual game than Gruden and Tirico. Gruden is just strange and Tirico may be the blandest play by play guy I've ever heard at that level. Ray Lewis, Trent Dilfer and a solid play by play guy would be so much better to listen to. Let Tirico go to doing golf full time and Gruden can go be a coach again.

[lamboguy]

The Greek was an original. :ThmbUp:he was a good man that took me to the cleaner's. but i had a whole lot of war stories with him.

one of the best ones i had was at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. i am with Jimmy and this other fellow that was nick-named "the coach". we go to the gate and they tell us there's going to be a 2 hour delay. i said we can play some gin rummy, the greek say's i am to good for them. the coach comes up with a brainstorm, how about some closest to the wall? i thought to myself, i have no problem with that, i'm a veteran of that game too. the greek says he'll play as long as i pick up the quarter's after each throw. i said sure thing. we are playing for $50 a pitch. after about an hour and a half i am ahead about $1700. all of a sudden the girl announces there is a further delay with the flight to New York due to mechanical problems. we keep playing and my back gets sore from picking up the quarters all the time. by the time we board the plane 5 hours delayed i lost back the $1700 i was ahead and lost about $1000 a piece to each of them!

[Clocker]

I have a hard time believing he was reading material handed to him. Most of what he said was so obscure and idiosyncratic that my friends and I had a drinking game built around being able to explain what he had referenced.

Maybe it isn't him so much as the pleasant buzz of being wrong I miss.

Mostly I agree. But after the first few shows, a couple of time a night he would go into a couple of minutes of straight football, with no attempt at humor. It was like the producer threw a switch for 2 or 3 minutes 2 or 3 times a night and Miller did his color commentary act. Then back to business as usual.

[Stillriledup]

I agree about Gruden, his "act" is wearing thin.

[MutuelClerk]

Agree on Gruden. Wearing thin, but being a Raider fan I have love for Chucky. I remember as a kid Howard Cosell when the Bills were at Miami. Leading off the game saying, Miami has the oranges BUT Buffalo's got the Juice. Great voice, players today couldn't handle being interviewed by him. They're too fragile. MNF used to be special, not so much anymore. Too much football on TV.

[Stillriledup]

Agree on Gruden. Wearing thin, but being a Raider fan I have love for Chucky. I remember as a kid Howard Cosell when the Bills were at Miami. Leading off the game saying, Miami has the oranges BUT Buffalo's got the Juice. Great voice, players today couldn't handle being interviewed by him. They're too fragile. MNF used to be special, not so much anymore. Too much football on TV.

Also, ESPN has ruined things too.

[Robert Fischer]

he was a good man that took me to the cleaner's. but i had a whole lot of war stories with him.

one of the best ones i had was at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. i am with Jimmy and this other fellow that was nick-named "the coach". we go to the gate and they tell us there's going to be a 2 hour delay. i said we can play some gin rummy, the greek say's i am to good for them. the coach comes up with a brainstorm, how about some closest to the wall? i thought to myself, i have no problem with that, i'm a veteran of that game too. the greek says he'll play as long as i pick up the quarter's after each throw. i said sure thing. we are playing for $50 a pitch. after about an hour and a half i am ahead about $1700. all of a sudden the girl announces there is a further delay with the flight to New York due to mechanical problems. we keep playing and my back gets sore from picking up the quarters all the time. by the time we board the plane 5 hours delayed i lost back the $1700 i was ahead and lost about $1000 a piece to each of them!
great story :ThmbUp:

[Stillriledup]

he was a good man that took me to the cleaner's. but i had a whole lot of war stories with him.

one of the best ones i had was at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. i am with Jimmy and this other fellow that was nick-named "the coach". we go to the gate and they tell us there's going to be a 2 hour delay. i said we can play some gin rummy, the greek say's i am to good for them. the coach comes up with a brainstorm, how about some closest to the wall? i thought to myself, i have no problem with that, i'm a veteran of that game too. the greek says he'll play as long as i pick up the quarter's after each throw. i said sure thing. we are playing for $50 a pitch. after about an hour and a half i am ahead about $1700. all of a sudden the girl announces there is a further delay with the flight to New York due to mechanical problems. we keep playing and my back gets sore from picking up the quarters all the time. by the time we board the plane 5 hours delayed i lost back the $1700 i was ahead and lost about $1000 a piece to each of them!

I used to play that game, was REALLY fun to play. We would play on a step that was about 2 inches high, so you would get extra credit if you "leaned" the quarter on the wall and extra credit if you got the quarter to bounce up on the step.

[banacek]

. Besides, Gruden I can name several others, including,Bill Cowher, who won the big game and yet haven't been offered another job.

From what I have read they both have been offered positions. Why would they leave...Gruden makes $4 million..a lot easier job.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1435078-jon-gruden-and-bill-cowher-would-be-crazy-to-come-back-to-coaching

[horses4courses]

he was a good man that took me to the cleaner's. but i had a whole lot of war stories with him.

one of the best ones i had was at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. i am with Jimmy and this other fellow that was nick-named "the coach". we go to the gate and they tell us there's going to be a 2 hour delay. i said we can play some gin rummy, the greek say's i am to good for them. the coach comes up with a brainstorm, how about some closest to the wall? i thought to myself, i have no problem with that, i'm a veteran of that game too. the greek says he'll play as long as i pick up the quarter's after each throw. i said sure thing. we are playing for $50 a pitch. after about an hour and a half i am ahead about $1700. all of a sudden the girl announces there is a further delay with the flight to New York due to mechanical problems. we keep playing and my back gets sore from picking up the quarters all the time. by the time we board the plane 5 hours delayed i lost back the $1700 i was ahead and lost about $1000 a piece to each of them!

Old school.....great stuff :ThmbUp:

Lambo, "the coach" wasn't a big tall guy (shaved head, close to 300 lbs), was he?
I knew a guy in the late 80s/early 90s - everyone called him
"coach", but his name was Dick something. He was pretty sharp, and
his specialty was greyhounds. Maybe not the same guy, though.
He always wore shorts, too.

Gruden is torture to listen to.
Great football mind, fine coach, but I don't want to hear him.

I wish Al Michaels called every game.
I could probably put up with Gruden, or anyone,
if Michaels is calling the play by play.

[Redboard]

From what I have read they both have been offered positions. Why would they leave...Gruden makes $4 million..a lot easier job.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1435078-jon-gruden-and-bill-cowher-would-be-crazy-to-come-back-to-coaching

The article doesn't state that either has been offered a NFL head coaching position? - I don't believe they have been. Maybe college positions, but that's not what I'm talking about.

When the Eagles head coaching position was available (after they fired Andy Reid), it was reported( through his agent or whatever) that Gruden was interested in it.

I stand by my statement that they would take one if offered, but they haven't been. And about half the NFL head coaches make more than $4 million. TV commentating may be easier, but is it more fun? It's like being General of an army. You have all these assistant coaches who suck up to you. You have the glory of winning. I guess it all depends on the individual.

[banacek]

The article doesn't state that either has been offered a NFL head coaching position? - I don't believe they have been. Maybe college positions, but that's not what I'm talking about.
.


I agree..it really depends on the personality. According to this link from a couple of years ago, Cowher said he has turned down several teams.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/bill-cowher-has-turned-down-at-least-three-nfl-teams/1#.VGaXNvnF9O8

Gruden has been rumoured for many...and you are right that doesn't mean much...last thing I heard was Oakland..I think he's better off in the booth :)

[sandpit]

Gruden can wear thin on occasion, but I do appreciate what certainly seems like his genuine joy for the job he's doing. And like was mentioned, who wouldn't at $4M a year?

Going outside of the tv realm, my favorite Monday Night duo was when Jack Buck and Hank Stram did the games on radio when I was a youngster. Many a Monday when I had to hit the sack for school did I fall asleep to some of the best called ball games of all time.

[Valuist]

With Gruden, everyone is THE GREATEST. He really needs to back off on the hyperbole.

[Stillriledup]

The NFL using coaches and ex athletes as commentators acts as if nobody really bets. While ex NFLers can give insight that regular citizens cannot, if that "insight" doesn't help you cash bets, what good is it?

Most of us would rather have an elite sports bettor talking about the games than some person who's no longer good enough to play the game he's talking about.

[burnsy]

The NFL using coaches and ex athletes as commentators acts as if nobody really bets. While ex NFLers can give insight that regular citizens cannot, if that "insight" doesn't help you cash bets, what good is it?

Most of us would rather have an elite sports bettor talking about the games than some person who's no longer good enough to play the game he's talking about.

Shhhhhhh. There are a lot of people that think these people provide good info. The secret to betting football is being able to evaluate these teams without being a homer. If you can't be unbiased, analyze the team in its entirety and think for yourself.....don't try to bet football. These guys on TV are the example of a losing bettor. Why do you give away secrets on here? ;) Football is the king of hypocrisy....you are not supposed to bet....wink, wink. Why put real gamblers on? This message was brought to you by Fantasy football dot com....... :lol:

I've been complaining about Gruden for a couple years. People are finally catching on. Its hard for me to believe he was successful as a coach. He must be tons better in a locker room and is one guy that should rethink his position.

[mountainman]

I agree about Gruden, his "act" is wearing thin.

The friggin guy talks like Kurt Russell in "Big Trouble in Little China."