Al Michaels and John Madden


What do you Monday Night Football fans think about the duo? Do you think that they are boring compared to when Dennis Miller was on there?
IMO, Im glad Miller doesnt commentate on MNF anymore. He didnt know a thing about football and often made bad, not-funny jokes about plays and players. (for example, I recall that he was explaining how the punter had the easiest job.)
Without him, is the Al Michaels-John Madden duo of commentators any better? (Are they boring?)

What is your Opinion?

They're called fingers, and yet they don't fing. - Franklin, The Critic

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[deleted]

Madden can be okay, and MJichaels is great as always, but the best group they had was Michaels, Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf.

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While Dennis Miller did add an interesting point of view, I think he was too much for Joe Footbball Fan. I think football humor needs to be imediate instead of having to think through the joke to understand the irony. I did like Dennis Miller as a color person, but I think Madden/Michaels is MUCH better. Although I find that Madden doesn't quite get the replay rules (i.e. when is it ok to challenge), I see him as a valuable resource for understanding the game better. I like him announcing the MNF game because I used to only get to see him when he called the Cowboys games (BTW in the mid 90's that was alot.) Now I can see him every week because I almost always watch the MNF games. I would have to say that I am a woman, and my opinion might not line up with all of the armchair quarterbacks out there. I, however, don't just watch the game because some player is "really hot", I actually enjoy the sport.

Also I have to say that Madden is far better than Boomer was on MNF as well.

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I miss Pat

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It's all good when you have Al and John in the booth. The games comes alive when these guys get together. John Madden IS football; he's one of the football gods. And Al Michaels is the definition of sports Commentary. MNF would never be the same without these two.

"Of all the clubs in all the places in the world you walk into mine."

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Are you Kidding. Somebody should shut John Madden up. He really like to hear himself talk. Plus he talks about the most obvious things that even a 5 year old could figure out without being told. He'll talk about things over and over again, ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHh!!! Enough, John Madden, We should tie you up to your cruiser and make you run behind it all the way to Outback steakhouse...maybe then you'd lose some weight.

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[deleted]

Madden is horribly dumb. If anyone ever doubted that an idiot could coach a team to a Superbowl win as long as he has good coaches and players surrounding him, Madden is the ultimate proof for you.

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Fire God and poprox hit the EXACT point I was coming in here to make. So Madden's a football God... does that give him the right to say outlandishly stupid stuff during live broadcasts? I guess so, but he makes me laugh my @ss off, so I suppose it's okay.

I've never played football, and only started watching it a few years back. Everytime I view a game with friends, I keep hearing, over and over, how they wish Madden would 'shut the hell up'. Now, I'm starting to understand.

In Monday's game, for one play the Titans had their center lob the ball over his shoulder, instead of hiking it straight back. It was a pretty slick move, and Michaels covered it second by second. Michaels must have iterated at least twice that the center had not snapped the ball traditionally, but instead thrown it back and to the right. Over and over again, he emphasizes what a tricky play it was, and points out what happened.

Then, after the play is OVER, and they're showing the REPLAY, what does Madden say?

*surprised* "OH! No! He DIDN'T hike it straight back. He actually THREW it over his shoulder to the receiver! Wow!"

(?) Are you kidding me? There was a great pause after that - in my head, I could only see Michaels sitting next to Madden in the booth, giving him the strangest look in the world, and wondering the same thing most of us wonder.

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I like Al and John a lot. Nothing will ever make me stop watching football, but having Dennis Miller in the booth had me turning the sound off.

Good riddance to that smug, arrogant blowhard.

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Al Michaels can call it with the best of 'em and John Madden is good as well. I think the reduction to two in a booth has helped. ABC finally found a good combination after suffering with Boomer, Fouts and...ugh...Miller.

Pat

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I like Dan Fouts, and thought he would have been good with Al if Dennis hadn't been there. He was kind of overshadowed because he came in with Dennis and left with Dennis, but I have always enjoyed his work calling college games. And regarding Dennis: although a lot of people didn't like him, I do remember at the time that one of the names being thrown around for that job was Rush Limbaugh, so it could have been worse than it was!

I like Madden, but I sure wish somebody would wreck that stupid horse trailer.

But I do agree with the previous post that said they miss Al, Frank, and Dan. And I was too young to remember Howard very well.

Judy Judy Judy.

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I'm very glad stp43 said that, he saved me from starting a new topic, "Dan Dierdorf". I did like the Michaels-Madden duo very much, and was very glad when Madden joined MNF in 2002 and they were together on it (four great seasons), and I'm glad they'll be together on NBC for the Sunday night games now (which will be the real MNF beginning next season-see my other posting here). I also explained my feelings about Dennis Miller on MNF on another posting here, and I did not like Dan Fouts all that much either, but did think Boomer Esiason was good. I do remember Howard Cosell well, from late elementary school through early high school and my first few years of watching MNF (this was also the case with Fran Tarkenton and "Dandy" Don Merredith). And I did like all three of them and thought they were good. I have no memory of Alex Karras or Fred Williams on MNF (since they were on in the mid 1970s, and I didn't begin watching until late 1978), but I do remember O.J. Simpson (1983-85) and Joe Namath (1985) very well, and I did like them both allright, but didn't think either one was really all that good as a MNF commentator. But I watched countless Sunday afternoon games with John Madden on CBS and then FOX from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s, then a few in sports bars up to Feb. 3, 2002. He was with Pat Summerall, and I thought they were a great duo, and I remember Al Michaels so well on ABC's baseball games through the 1980s, and was glad when he joined MNF as well in 1986. And I always liked Frank Gifford as MNF's play by play man (since I began watching it), and thought he handled the transition to analyst well that season, and thereafter. But I was not familiar with Dan Dierdorf when he joined them as MNF's third booth member for the 1987 season, but immidiently liked him during that season, and from then on through the 1998 one, and thought he was the best pro football commentator (play by play or analyst) I'd ever seen (even better than John Madden or Merlin Oleson, who were both right there), and became my definite favorite MNF commentator of all time. And that trio that began that season (1987) and continued together for 11 years, and got three Super Bowls (1988, 1991, 1995) was the best in any sport I always felt, and was easily my favorite announcing team. I was sorry when Frank Gifford left it after the 1997 season, and was very sorry when Dan Dierdorf left after the 1998 season, I briefly felt like not watching MNF in 1999 for a time because of this (though did, and it was a good season in a sports bar for me). These three really added to the MNF games for me, and gave me an extra reason to watch them. But as stated I also have been very happy with the Michael-Madden duo, and am glad they will continue together on NBC, and I did like his horse trailer, which honered each week's MNF player of the game that he so chose, I thought it was a nice touch at the end of the telecast.

"I happen to be a vegetarian". Lex, from Jurrasic Park

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[deleted]

I appreciate both of them for what they've contributed to the game, but John Madden and Al Michaels are past their primes.

Al Michaels used to be so dependable when it came to professionalism and giving us interesting facts about the game. But now, he seems very desirous to push his ultra-conservative political agenda on people who are just tuning in to watch a football game. And he is very resentful of any outspoken black athlete.

John Madden used to be so energetic and exciting. He knew his stuff and he got his thoughts across better than any ex-NFL head coach turned announcer. Unfortunately, now he acts like a tired caricature of himself. He was much better off working with Summerall at CBS.

I also think that Michaels and Madden don't really get along personally. They grouched their way through the games.

Peace.

"The mind is like a parachute. It works best when it is open." - Rickson Gracie

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I want to poison John Madden's turducken so he gets knocked out. Then I want to put him in a small airplane. As soon as he becomes conscious I will tell the pilot to start doing stunts. That would rule.

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Hahahahaha.

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Madden is sorely missed.

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