Dr. Z on Theismann

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SI.com had an article running down the broadcast talent from each of the networks broadcasting NFL games. In the spot about the NFL Network, the piece is critical of the addition of Theismann. The author, Richard Deitsch, also links to a Dr. Z review of the old ESPN Monday Night booth with Theismann and Kornheiser. Z dismisses both Tirico and Kornheiser, but saves his biggest blast for the man he expects more from and it makes a great story about the choices broadcasters can make during the game. Z also gets bonus points for crushing Denny Green.

Commentator Rankings By Paul Zimmerman - SI.com - February 14, 2007[/b]]Joe Theismann, Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser, ESPN
I've raged against this outfit for years and it hasn't done a bit of good, so I won't waste an awful lot of space on their newest clown, Kornheiser, or their play-by-play guy, Tirico, who brings you only part of the action, and none at all if there's one of those interminable guest-in-the-booth abominations. But I will say that I approached their Giants-Dallas show in Week 7 with absolute dread because I knew the T.O. stuff would be once again flogged to death in tedious and humorless terms. And they didn't disappoint me. When I die and go to hell, hell will be a Kornheiser bit on T.O.-prolonged indefinitely. What I'd like to concentrate on is one of the more dishonest things I saw in a telecast, and the perpetrator was the one member of the team who knows something about football, Theismann.

Week 6, Chicago at Arizona, a defining moment for the Cardinals and their coach, Denny Green, and their offensive coordinator, Keith Rowen. The Cardinals are driving for the victory. The Bears can't stop them, no matter what defense they throw up. Rookie QB Matt Leinart is killing them with underneath passes, the same way Peyton Manning did in the Super Bowl ... ironic, huh? Down the field they come. Theismann has talked to Rowen, who told him that he knew he could beat the Bears this way ... if only Green would let him do it, but the coach was bugged by Edgerrin James bitching about not being permitted to close out the contest. This was the knowledge that Theismann had in the booth, and at one point in the drive, he muttered, "Don't stop throwing." It just popped out.

But they did stop. They reached the Chicago 23-yard line and brought in two tight ends and two running backs, the ultimate give up. Now Theismann had a decision to make. He could lay out his knowledge of the situation, as practically any honest announcer would, and it would have been fascinating, a real coup for a guy who has been much reviled during his career. But just then Kornheiser came up with one of his grade school pronouncements ... "You have to admit it, don't you ... you're rooting for them." And Joe, given the choice, opted for the low IQ route, a little bantering back and forth with his sidekick.

Well, the Cards' heavy offense was stopped and they missed the field goal and lost the game. And in his postgame press conference Green went into some contrived rage thing about how the Bears were "anointed." And then he made Rowen the scapegoat and fired him. The viewers of ESPN could have been privy to all this ahead of time, they could have been in on a real scoop. But Theismann chose to ignore journalistic integrity and play marbles with Bozo the Clown. Personally, the whole thing makes me sick.