I hate watching games with Chris Collinsworth in the announcer booth, and last night was chock full of reasons for that hatred. 

The guy always seems to be hanging on the nuts of the all-stars.  On one of the drives, I heard him use Peyton’s name on almost EVERY play.  Addai runs for 4 yards for the first down.  “Peyton just wanted that first down.”  Addai runs for 8 yards after contact.  “Peyton made a great adjustment in his play-calling there!”  But throwing a ball high on the back shoulder of a receiver with trailing coverage?  Nothing mentioned but the receivers earlier mistakes.  Even to start the game, they seemed to agree that NYJ had the better team, but Indy “has Peyton.”

I loved watching him get excited about the Vinatieri FG.  With A MINUTE REMAINING, they were both acting like the game was over, and that Peyton had carried them to victory once again.  Watching that final Jets drive had me standing.  (I’d passed out on the couch at half-time, so I felt some energy.)  Awesome work.

Congrats on the road victory, New Yorkers!
Maybe Jacksonville can watch those tapes in the off-season and learn something about perseverance.

Til_Kismet - 09 January 2011 06:14 AM

I hate watching games with Chris Collinsworth in the announcer booth, and last night was chock full of reasons for that hatred. 

The guy always seems to be hanging on the nuts of the all-stars.  On one of the drives, I heard him use Peyton’s name on almost EVERY play.  Addai runs for 4 yards for the first down.  “Peyton just wanted that first down.”  Addai runs for 8 yards after contact.  “Peyton made a great adjustment in his play-calling there!”  But throwing a ball high on the back shoulder of a receiver with trailing coverage?  Nothing mentioned but the receivers earlier mistakes.  Even to start the game, they seemed to agree that NYJ had the better team, but Indy “has Peyton.”

I loved watching him get excited about the Vinatieri FG.  With A MINUTE REMAINING, they were both acting like the game was over, and that Peyton had carried them to victory once again.  Watching that final Jets drive had me standing.  (I’d passed out on the couch at half-time, so I felt some energy.)  Awesome work.

Congrats on the road victory, New Yorkers!
Maybe Jacksonville can watch those tapes in the off-season and learn something about perseverance.

well, I think Collinsworth has a point in that a lot Manning’s pre-snap adjustments and audibles help create big runs for the backs because he something he thought the team could exploit. Yes, the announcers were all over Peyton in that game, but that’s not too different from any other broadcast featuring Peyton. For what it’s worth, I think Collinsworth, most of the time, provides good insight and is not so overbearing that it’s chore to listen to him, which is more than I can say for a lot other guys out there.

Til_Kismet - several of the Bruno Boys staff (at least those who were with us last season-not sure about all the new guys) have admitted man-crushes on Peyton, so I’m not sure they would have had a problem with Collingsworth or any other announcer fawning over “Peyton.” However I agree with Cory’s assessment of Collingsworth’s overall skills in the broadcast booth as a commentator/analyst and generally don’t mind listening to him. The guys that I find it painful to listen are Matt Millen and Joe Theismann of NFL Network - have you caught their act on Thursday Night Football? And while he usually doesn’t get on my nerves, Jon Gruden was just about unlistenable in ESPN’s Week 16 coverage of the Falcons-Saints game. He was so over-the-top in his praise for just about every player that night. Who knew so many guys could be “game changers” for doing the most basic things on the field - like making tackles, catching passes rather than dropping them and tying both of their shoes.

As a Giants fan…Its near impossible for me to listen to Troy Aikman/Joe Buck. Whenever they do a GMen game Aikman just destroys them for anything and everything. But I agree with Both Cory and Kismit. I think Collinsworth does give insightful info, but he’s just kind of a d*ck. I still think the NFL is pining for a new John Madden. Thats my analyst team of the ages, Madden and Summerall were the best. Madden drawing on the screen was the greatest thing ever.

Haha, as dumb as he sounded some days, I did enjoy Madden’s commentary.  He made some boring games a lot more fun. 
I never really listened to the commentary on Thursday night.  Usually just followed the progress of those games online.  I’ve heard a lot of negativity on them, though.  And I can’t agree more on Gruden, so I trust y’alls analysis of the NFL Network crew.
Anyway…I think Collinsworth is too damned opinionated in most of his commentary.  He tends to dismiss anybody that he doesn’t care for, regardless of skill.  He craps on guys like Cassel and makes sarcastic remarks about anybody that makes a mistake.  Plus….his voice….argh! 
Anyway…just wanted to laugh about the uncomfortable silence as the Jets made their comeback.  Thought it was priceless.

Glad you started this thread Til_Kismet. It’s fun to comment on something other than the players and so many of us have issues with what passes for play-by-play and/or color commentary these days.

Til_Kismet - 10 January 2011 06:02 PM

Haha, as dumb as he sounded some days, I did enjoy Madden’s commentary.  He made some boring games a lot more fun. 
I never really listened to the commentary on Thursday night.  Usually just followed the progress of those games online.  I’ve heard a lot of negativity on them, though.  And I can’t agree more on Gruden, so I trust y’alls analysis of the NFL Network crew.
Anyway…I think Collinsworth is too damned opinionated in most of his commentary.  He tends to dismiss anybody that he doesn’t care for, regardless of skill.  He craps on guys like Cassel and makes sarcastic remarks about anybody that makes a mistake.  Plus….his voice….argh! 
Anyway…just wanted to laugh about the uncomfortable silence as the Jets made their comeback.  Thought it was priceless.

Collinsworth is very opinionated, but that’s one of the things I like about him. As Allie pointed out above, there are a lot of announcers like Gruden who praise everybody. And, like James mentioned, there’s some announcers that seem to have it in for certain players/teams no matter how well those players/teams perform. Collinsworth is willing to eat crow when he’s wrong, I’ve heard him do it before, and that’s a big reason I like him.