Mike Tirico Leaving ESPN

[DragonFire]

Berman's like Jim Nantz, Billy Packer and Tim McCarver before him. You can keep your mediocre-at-best career for as long as you like as long as you possess the right nudie pics of the right people. Does anything else about Berman's pulpit make sense?

 

Ehhhhh, I don't think Nantz belongs in that group. Yes, he's made more for golf, but at least he does that well. Berman in particular, I can't even bear to hear him speak a word.

[ggclfan]

Tirico, Nessler, I think I read Dilfer has been dumped, yet Chris Berman is still there.

 

ESPN must be one messed up place right now...

 

Tirico is one of the best out there. Really glad he an CC will be teamed up now on Thursday. Have they announced who will do MNF with Gruden? ESPN still has that, right??

[rjs4470]

Berman's like Jim Nantz, Billy Packer and Tim McCarver before him. You can keep your mediocre-at-best career for as long as you like as long as you possess the right nudie pics of the right people. Does anything else about Berman's pulpit make sense?

 

I don't mind Nantz. I kind of grew up with McCarver, as he did Phillies games for a few years before going national, so he doesn't bother me so much, although I understand where people are coming from with their dislike of him. I'm with you on Packer.

 

Berman. There's no guy around that I used to like so much, that I now like so little. I thought he was great in the early days of ESPN, up through the mid 90's. The last 20 or so years though, he makes me turn the volume down.

 

Really, my ESPN watching is way down. Sportscenter used to be a daily morning and evening ritual for me. Hasn't been like that for a long time now, and if there isn't a game I'm watching, or a 30/30, I watch very little ESPN.

[Lawnboy13]

I don't mind Nantz. I kind of grew up with McCarver, as he did Phillies games for a few years before going national, so he doesn't bother me so much, although I understand where people are coming from with their dislike of him. I'm with you on Packer.

 

Berman. There's no guy around that I used to like so much, that I now like so little. I thought he was great in the early days of ESPN, up through the mid 90's. The last 20 or so years though, he makes me turn the volume down.

 

Really, my ESPN watching is way down. Sportscenter used to be a daily morning and evening ritual for me. Hasn't been like that for a long time now, and if there isn't a game I'm watching, or a 30/30, I watch very little ESPN.

 

Count me in this camp........however, the ONLY time I watch ESPN is if there is a college softball game on, other than the occasional 30/30.

[Big Slick]

ESPN is just cutting some big salaries. Just like Colin amd Skip.

[Jim Schue]

I don't mind Nantz. I kind of grew up with McCarver, as he did Phillies games for a few years before going national, so he doesn't bother me so much, although I understand where people are coming from with their dislike of him. I'm with you on Packer.

 

Berman. There's no guy around that I used to like so much, that I now like so little. I thought he was great in the early days of ESPN, up through the mid 90's. The last 20 or so years though, he makes me turn the volume down.

 

Really, my ESPN watching is way down. Sportscenter used to be a daily morning and evening ritual for me. Hasn't been like that for a long time now, and if there isn't a game I'm watching, or a 30/30, I watch very little ESPN.

 

I find Nantz to be horribly dull and perfectly suited for the horrible dullness that is watching golf on TV. The only thing he gets excited about these days is Peyton Manning and Duke. There's certainly nothing about Nantz that screams that he's the best at what he does, given the choice assignments he always gets. Again, it's those nudie pics of somebody important that he's holding.

[Clyde]

NFL has blocked NBC's plans to have Tirico call Thursday games. They want Al to call both nights.

[Jim Schue]

NFL has blocked NBC's plans to have Tirico call Thursday games. They want Al to call both nights.

 

Since when does the league get first call on announcing crews?

[gchs_uk9]

Since when does the league get first call on announcing crews?

 

My thought too, although it may be part of TV contracts on single game nights (Thursday, Sunday night, Monday). I'm guessing if a Thursday nighter late in the season between Jacksonville and Tennessee didn't look too appealing, a network might send in the JV crew, but with it being the only game on, the league wouldn't want that. Tirico certainly isn't JV, but it could set the stage for other networks to send weaker broadcasters. Just my guess.

[Clyde]

Since when does the league get first call on announcing crews?

 

Part of the TV rights negotiations.

[Getslow]

Tirico called one of my favorite football games ever: Louisville's 2002 overtime upset of Florida State.

 

"Henry Miller! It's Henry Miller!"

 

I suppose it's the NFL's prerogative to have Michaels out there for prestige and branding purposes, but Tirico is always good and it's not like anyone will or won't watch the Thursday game because of the announcing crew.

 

I will almost certainly continue to watch the college games on Thursday over the NFL and the announcers have nothing to do with why.