Last year, when FOX announced that Joe Buck (right) would add pre-game hosting to his play-by-play duties on the network's NFL broadcasts, the words "one-year experiment" kept popping into my head. I mean, think about how impractical having Buck pull double duty was going to be: every week, FOX NFL Sunday would have to go on the road, broadcasting from the stadium of whatever game Buck and booth partner Troy Aikman were working that week. By the last few weeks of the season, which found the show originating from its Los Angeles home base, you knew that the network was wearying of the constant road trips.So it comes as no big surprise that, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the network gave Buck the choice to do one or the other next year, but not both. Wisely, Buck chose to stay in the booth. Curt Menefee, who ably took the anchor chair during halftimes, post-game shows, and when Buck was working the baseball playoffs, will be installed as the permanent host.
According to the Post-Dispatch story, the network incurred "higher-than-expected costs" after having the pre-game show at a different location every week. But it seemed to me that the arrangement was pretty unwieldy to begin with. And I'd imagine the stress of travel didn't exactly have Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson at their sharpest. So, maybe with those stresses removed, we'll get to hear some sharp analysis out of Bradshaw this year. Well, probably not. But one can always hope, right?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-30-2007 @ 2:15PM
bgdc said...
Bummer. Keeping Buck in the pre-game stuff would help me avoid ever hearing that sanctimonious ass-slurping spoiled brat pontificate. With Buck calling NFC games alongside dullard McGee/Aikman, audiences will continue to be subjected to some of the worst play-by-play coverage since the last time Theismann got near a mic.
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3-30-2007 @ 2:24PM
John Howard said...
Other than Madden and Michaels, I think Aikman and Buck are about the best out there.
And bgdc, you do know that Theismann is on the mic every week for Monday Night Football, right?
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3-30-2007 @ 2:57PM
Broken Clipboard said...
"That's just TERRIBLE! I cannot believe that just happened!"
Buck is not a good announcer and I'd prefer him doing pre-game as well...mostly because I have better things to do with my life then pre-game shows which drive me crazy because I just want the games to start.
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3-30-2007 @ 3:12PM
bgdc said...
Theismann is off - for good and I want to kiss everybody responsible.
You said Madden and Michaels are good? WTF are you taking? seriously, put down the Lithium, learn a bit about football and then maybe you'll realize Madden says nothing about the games and Michaels is on auto-pilot and has been for about 10 years.
Loosing the color of Moose, Aikman, Buck, Simms, Deirdorf , both of the Gumbel boys would improve the NFL's coverage instantly.
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3-30-2007 @ 3:12PM
bgdc said...
oops...my fingers were too fast. I meant "Losing the color of..."
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3-30-2007 @ 3:15PM
const said...
it's too easy to pass up but, Buck Sucks.
He is so over rated. Bad in baseball, annoying on football. So over exposed.
BTW, ESPN booted Theismann from MNF.
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3-30-2007 @ 4:09PM
Edward said...
Al Michaels is good, Madden needs to retire...pair up Collinsworth with Michaels
Bring back Paul Maguire to ESPN's coverage
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3-30-2007 @ 4:31PM
Ted said...
I don't think Bradshaw or Johnson live in LA, so they'll be travelling anyway.
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3-30-2007 @ 4:42PM
Dorv said...
I like Joe Buck quite a bit, and he's a hell of a play by play guy, but he was really subpar at hosting the Pre-Game. Menefee did a much better job.
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3-30-2007 @ 11:32PM
nick said...
Joe Buck can be an ass at times. When he's simply doing play-by-play, he's tolerable. But when it comes to social skills, he delights in making fun of others to the point of where he can become annoying.
Now he did tone himself down when he was anchoring the show, at least initially, however his true personality came out a few times towards the end of the season, and he managed a few wiseass remarks at the expense of others.
So does it matter he's no longer an anchor? No, it really wasn't a good fit for him. And that the show was traveling every week, was a little funky too. They're far more at ease in the studio. Plus, bring back Julian!
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