Chapter 1: Why is Al Michaels returning to the Amazon booth next season?
And I'm not bringing this up to be mean or want to talk about the ancient history between you and this man. I just think that it's time now. And he said that he's coming back for another year. I just feel like Al Michaels calling games just has to stop at this point. And he's been one of the world's greatest broadcasters. I'll have great memories of him for a very long time.
I just think that he is hung on a little bit too long. And he doesn't sound like himself any longer. I think maybe two years ago he did. Last year, not as much. And then this year now, I think it's finally over. for him, but he decided he's going to come back next year, which I think is a mistake, but if he wants to do it, he's obviously earned that right.
Chapter 2: What are the concerns about Al Michaels overstaying his welcome?
The other thing that just needs to be talked about is we all know that Kirk Herbstreet's a college football guy. He does nothing during these broadcasts to shake that perception because that's all he does. So, for example... Cole Komet has been on the Bears for how long now? Five years, six years, right? He's been a tight end that they have had.
So, I mean, when you're Kirk Herbstreet and you're preparing for this game, you can't call Cole Komet 85. He goes, look at 85 over here. He does a lot of this where he doesn't know the names of the players, and then he'll say stuff like he did with Caleb Williams. That's what Caleb Williams is doing at USC. Yeah. Nobody cares about Caleb Williams at USC anymore.
Chapter 3: How has Al Michaels' broadcasting style changed over the years?
It could be a guy who's been in the league for 10 years, and he'll be like, you know, when he was coming out of college, we saw a lot of stuff like this with him at Ohio State. I understand you're a college football guy, but you're not hired to just talk about college football when you're calling these NFL games.
Nobody cares. I've always said he's a great college football announcer. He's the perfect guy. He knows all the... All the coaches, he knows a lot of the players. He's involved in so much of it because of the ESPN game day. Yeah. And, you know, basically he's doing a lot. I mean, he's probably working more than anybody else in the business.
When you think about, you know, the games that he has to do both on college game day and also for Prime Video. The only other guy that I think is maybe working harder may be Pat McAfee. because Pat McAfee is doing a whole week of shows. Yeah, daily show. And then he's going to go to ESPN Game Day, and he's flying all over the place. He also does the wrestling stuff occasionally, too. Exactly.
So he's probably the busiest guy, I would think, he and Michael Strahan. Strahan's also flying coast to coast.
Chapter 4: What criticisms are being made about Kirk Herbstreet's performance?
He gets Mondays off, though. Oh, yeah. He worked that into his contract. Very nice. Kirk Herbstreet is basically burning the candle at both ends. I've been there. I know what that's like. Sometimes in these bigger games, you want to hear a little bit more of an NFL take on things as opposed to a college take on things. I totally understand where you're coming from.
Also, let's know the players.
Yeah, that's important. It's not called by their number. I mean, you got a sheet in front of you. Can we not call him by their number? But I will say, like, you know, Chris Collinsworth, you can say whatever you want about how much he talks or whatever, but Chris Collinsworth knows every player. He can tell us straight every single play. He can tell you exactly what's going on.
Can he go a little bit overboard like last night with Mike Vrabel and Williams on the sideline with a bloody lip and all that stuff? Yeah, but that's Chris's personality. That is his sense of humor.
Knowing the guy for as long as I've known him, I don't think there's a smarter guy in football than him when it comes to telestrating, exactly knowing every single player, what every player is doing, where every player is from. And I think he and Mike Tirico are really buttoned up in that regard.
So it's the opposite. I think Tirico does a really good job, too. That guy is plugged in. He's prepared.
He's another guy who works his ass off. Yeah. He's like Ian Eagle. He's like Kenny Albert. Yeah. You know, Kevin Harlan.
Yeah, I'd like to see. If I could replace Al Michaels on Amazon when he decides to hang it up, I'd give it to Kevin Harlan. That's what I would do. I mean, do you want some energy? Give you some energy, yes. I mean, that to me stands out.
I don't know if CBS is going to let him go.
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Chapter 5: Why is it important for broadcasters to know player names?
And with all due respect to you, you are an icon and I love you. But here's my problem with the notion that I'd rather see the players play in the playoffs. The coaches for sure are now coaching the players so that you hold the receiver's arms, hold both of them. They're not going to call it. Hey, Ray Mickens could be an all pro in the playoffs these days. It's ridiculous.
And it's hurting the good players because the good players who are all pro during the year are It's a reason. Their footwork, their brains, everything. Now it just levels the playing field that any quarterback just hold the receiver's arms and that's it.
You know, Rick, back in the mid-2000s, I want to say 2006, 2007, there was a playoff game between the Patriots and the Colts. And Lawyer Malloy basically accosted Marvin Harrison. Changed everything. And out of that game came all these ticky-tack, you know, pass interference calls, defensive holding, illegal contact.
As I'd like to say, back in the day, we didn't have those opportunities as quarterbacks because we didn't have five or six of those calls a game, which gave us an extra first down. Now they do, and it's one of the reasons why the passing game is so much more significant now than it was back then.
But I will say that part of me, if the ball is completely uncatchable because of where it is thrown – I hate the fact, as an offensive player, that a defensive back could get screwed if a ball is like 10 yards under thrown and the wide receiver's trying to come back and the defensive back's running with him and he's in his way and the guy can't come back and there's a flag.
I mean, is that real? Is that really pass interference?
Not in the essence of the rule, no.
Right, so I also believe that they do tell these officials that, look, man, use your judgment as best you can And let's try not to make this a flag fest because we all hate the flag fest games. Oh, yeah.
It sucks. Yeah, the more you can keep yourself out of it, the better it is for the league.
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