Second MNF crew (Jaws/Vermeil/Nessler)

[EaglesFan]

Does anyone else wish Vermeil/Jaworski/Nessler was the main MNF crew over Theisman/Kornheiser/Tirico? They're so much better and much less annoying than the main group.

[mordeci]

Agree completely. Much, much better than the so called #1 team.

[efin98]

My take on the "second team":

Nessler did great. He seemed like he was comfortable in front of the mic and interacted well with the crew. Tirico always seems like he is surprised at everything that goes on and doesn't interact with the commentators.

Vermeil surprised me. I thought he was going to have some trouble but he did excellant. He adds a great perspective that none of the other guys can have- the coach's instinct. His "less is more" approach to broadcasting heightens that perspective.

Jaws was trying too hard to be heard. He seemed to be commenting on things he should have left to Vermeil and overanalysing things that were clear to viewers. He may be best utilized before and after games alongside the other former players.

Replace Tirico and Kornheiser with Nessler and Vermeil and ESPN has a great team.

[racosun]

I can't stand Theisman or Jaworski. The only change I'd make to the #1 MNF team would be to replace Theisman with Vermeil. Tirico would keep the viewers up to date on key stats, while Kornheiser and Vermeil would have some interesting, unique perspectives. To me, Tony Kornheiser thinks like a fan would. He's very objective, and I respect his opinions because he explains them well (even if I don't happen to agree with them). Yep, Tirico, Kornheiser, and Vermeil would be the team for me, since there is a much better chance of that happening than the dream team of Michael Winslow (Spaceballs, Police Academy), The Dude (Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski), and Marv Albert.

[D.C.]

This isn't really about the "B" team but lets hope that ESPN doesn't insist on having celebs come in and do a little bit of guest commentary...For the first game Monday I'm sure you all caught Jamie Foxx in the booth. That was absolutely brutal! Did anyone else cringe when he alluded that no players did PED's when Theismann was playing?

Also, I'm not a big fan of the player introductions that they now have...I preferred having each player state their name and school, if you haven't seen they've now got one guy introduce only a few players (the marquee names if you will) and ignoring the rest.

Just felt the need vent that little bit seeing as on the whole I felt the commentary for both games wasn't that bad.

[racosun]

This isn't really about the "B" team but lets hope that ESPN doesn't insist on having celebs come in and do a little bit of guest commentary...For the first game Monday I'm sure you all caught Jamie Foxx in the booth. That was absolutely brutal! Did anyone else cringe when he alluded that no players did PED's when Theismann was playing?

Also, I'm not a big fan of the player introductions that they now have...I preferred having each player state their name and school, if you haven't seen they've now got one guy introduce only a few players (the marquee names if you will) and ignoring the rest.

Just felt the need vent that little bit seeing as on the whole I felt the commentary for both games wasn't that bad.

I know what you mean. I don't want a token celebrity every game. The Terminator at the second game was odd. I'm surprised he didn't try to spew out more political stuff than he did, and he didn't really try to dodge the steroids questions either. Most celebrities nowadays have some kind of "cause" they're working for, and if they make their way into a football booth they'll see it as an opportunity to further that "cause" instead of talking football.

As for the actual broadcast team, I need to add one more comment. I think a three-man booth is a bit crowded, and someone is usually pushed to the back-burner. For this team, I'd say that guy is Tony Kornheiser. He's got great things to say, IMO, but is out-talked by Theismann and Tirico. When it was Al Michaels, Dan Fouts, and Dennis Miller, Fouts was the odd-man out, but he seemed to try harder than Kornheiser is. Tony seems a bit overmatched so far. Unless they're paying him some crazy salary, I bet Kornheiser will walk away at some point, probably right after this season.

[football junkie]

Anybody think that if we started a write-in campaign to NBC that we could get Nessler, Vermeil & Jaws to replace the cast of morons presently calling the MNF games?

If I hear Theismann say one more breath-takingly stupid thing or see one more shot of Kornheiser's comb over I'm going to projectile vomit all over my TV set. Seriously it'll be like Linda Blair in the exorcist.

[#85]

That should be ESPN. NBC has Madden/Michaels on Sunday nights.

[football junkie]

Oh yeah, still not accustomed to that.