Madden on Monday Night Football

[Figrin D'an]

I'm sure most everyone has heard by now that John Madden signed a 4 year contract with ABC and will be the color comentator on Monday Night Football next season. He'll join Al Michaels in the booth, who will still call the games. Dan Fouts and Dennis Miller will both leave the booth, although reportedly Miller was offered (and declined) a deal to take on a "lesser role." Fouts will still be with ABC, and will likely return to college football coverage. It was also reported that Eric Dickerson will not be back next season either, although Melissa Stark will still be the main sideline reporter.

I'm kind of mixed on this newest incarnation of MNF. Madden is probably the best color commentator the any sport has ever had, and once he and Al Michaels get used to each others styles, they'll be a great team. But, Dan Fouts and Dennis Miller were a lot of fun to listen to. Fouts is a great analyst, and of course Miller brought a new kind of humor to the broadcasts. I know some people hated Miller in the booth because they felt he wasn't funny. Quite frankly, I think that is a sad commentary on how uneducated the masses really are.

I am glad that Dickerson will be gone though... he was just horrible as a sideline reporter... all he talked about was running backs... when he wasn't stumbling over his own words, that is.

One can't really blame ABC for making this move... when you have a chance to get a guy like John Madden, it's practically impossible to pass up. I think Miller/Fouts were starting to get good, though, as the got used to each other's styles.

Thoughts, anyone?

[Sith Ahnk]

I think they should put Jerry Lawler on Monday Night, he did okay in the XFL.
But Yeah... Madden is excellent. The commentators for the CFL absolutely suck... :cry

[Jedi Master Carr]

I like Madden and Michaels is the best play by play man in football so it will be interesting to see if it works. I never cared for Fouts I found him boring, I did find Miller's antics funny still somepeople didn't like Miller in the booth because he was non football person so who knows, I don't think the ratings suffered because of Miller and Fouts and I doubt if Madden will suddenly bring it back to extremely higher numbers maybe slightly higher.

[Figrin D'an]

Yeah, I think the expectations that MNF ratings will jump is kind of foolish... MNF ratings have been declining for the past 10 years at a pretty consistent rate. Maybe Madden will slow down the rate of decline, but I'll be really surprised if the rating increase at all... maybe for the first few games, but not for the season.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Jedieb has brought this up but the decline is because MNF isn't the only game in town any more with the internet, cable, etc people have other options. Also I don't the ratings take in the fact that a lot of people watch the game at sports bars and places like that.

[JonathanLB]

That is tight, no I actually had not heard that. I visit ESPN a few times per day but I never saw that story actually, weird. Thanks for posting.

Well, I love Madden, he is the man. I always appreciate Monday Night Football. I just love football in general and MNF is a nice chance to see football after the weekend if I didn't get enough ;)

I guess I'll have college next year to distract from my football watching, but hopefully that won't last more than a year. Stupid school, what a waste of time. For the 4,000 hours college would take, I could see and review 1,500 films or write about 10 books.

[JMK]

The commentators for the CFL absolutely suck...

False. 1000 times false.

[Jedieb]

Wow, this is HUGE NFL news! While certain MNF numbers have gone down, others have gone up over the years. MNF ranks much higher today than it ususally did in its Cosell days. It consistently ranks in the top 10 for ABC, week after week. The ratings numbers are down because the TV landscape is more fragmented than it use to be. ABC, NBC, and CBS simply don't garner the numbers they use to and they NEVER will again.

I'm a HUGE Dennis Miller fan. I saw him in concert in college and even briefly met him after the show. I thought he was pretty good on MNF. He wasn't at his best though. He's at his best on his HBO show where he doesn't have to concern himself with censors and can discuss whatever topics he and his writers choose. I think ABC would have been FOOLISH to pass on Madden. Like him or not, he's the most famous and arguably the best color commentator on football. Teaming him up with Michaels is a no brainer. You've got the best of both worlds here. Dumping Dickerson is wise move as well. He was painful to listen to at times. They should grab Tony Seragusa and dump him on a sideline with a bucket of chicken and a beer. Instant TV magic!

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think the combination of Madden and Michaels will be great and it will be an entertaining show, but I think the big problem is the lack of quality games on MNF and I think that is because of the way the league is some much parity which is nothing they can do, the Patriots are on two times next year who is to say they won't stink that is the way the game has become and MNF has trouble figuring out who to pick year and year out.

[Jedieb]

True, true. I also don't see how the league can compromise with the scheduling. People plan travel arrangements and vacations around NFL games. The league can't switch a Sunday and Monday game because the Pats are under five hundred and out of the playoffs by December1st. Oh, and the Pats will not even win their division next year. >D

[Jinn Fizz]

I agree with Jedieb, I like Dennis Miller as a comedian, but MNF just wasn't the right atmosphere for him. So I'm not at all sorry to see him go.

I think the combo of Michaels and Madden is going to make MNF fun to watch again! :crack

[Sith Ahnk]

JMK, as an mavid fan of the CFL, I'm pretty dissapointed in the commentary. Don't get me wrong... it's not an easy job, and they're a lot better than I am... but I don't like them.

[JMK]

Well love em or hate em, it is great (albeit much different than NFL) football.

[Jedi Master Carr]

There was talk about switching games it has come up twice not sure if it will ever be approved though. Not sure about the Pats they could win their division it will depend on how good Miami is, realize the Colts will no longer be there the whole league is going to be religned with the Texas coming in, I think this is the divisions will shape up in 4 team divisions with 8 divisons all together
AFC East
Buffalo
Miami
New England
NY Jets

AFC Central
Baltimore
Cleveland
Cinncinatti
Pittsburgh

AFC South (New)
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Tennessee

AFC West
Denver
Kansas City
Oakland
San Diego

NFC East
Dallas (which isn't in the East but they didn't want to move them)
NY Giants
Philadelphia
Washington

NFC Central
Chicago
Detriot
Green Bay
Minnesota

NFC South
Atlanta
Carolina
New Orleans
Tampa Bay

NFC West (the division the most shaken up)
Arizona
San Franscisco
St Louis
Seattle