Monday, September 26, 2005

Shut up Theisman

Whenever I watch a football game, especially if it's on ESPN, I always find myself telling the commentators (common tators?) to shut up. The things they say aggrivate me. The play by play man is usually cool. Down and Distance. Easy stuff. The color man though..aargh. I realize it's his job to fill dead air. But at least fill it with something that isn't stupid. Here are some examples:

During the Patsies - Stillers game Brady had about 6 seconds to find the receiver and throw the ball. 4 stillers rushing. Color man gives tons of praise to the Patriots offensive line for picking up the blitz. But there wasn't a blitz. 4 rushers vs. 5 blockers. Pittsburgh is known as a "blitz" defense, but it really doesn't blitz that much. The way they work is that you don't know which 4 will rush and that's how they generate pressure. It could be 3 linebackers and a lineman rushing but if everyone else is dropping back, it's not a blitz. Don't get me wrong, they do blitz and when they do it's effective. But when it's just 4 people rushing, don't call it a blitz.

Second most irritating thing (and I promise I won't go any further after this one) is when they falsly call reverse. Typically you'll see the QB fake a hand off to a RB (although this part is completely optional) and then hand the ball off to a WR running behind the line. 95% of the time the commentators will say Team X runs the reverse. This is incorrect. It's actually an end around. A reverse would be if they actually handed the ball off one direction and then handed it off running the reverse direction. By definition you need 2 handoffs to have a reverse. I'll let you figure out double reverse and triple reverse.

You don't see the reverse run a lot in the NFL because defenses are so fast and the time to get the second hand off takes so long that it would fail.

That's all the gripes I'm going to share, but next time your watching football (especially if it's ESPN) join me...Shut Up Theisman.

4 comments:

  1. See what I deal with during football season? Good thing the common tators can't hear my husband, he'd ruin his oh-so-sweet and nice rep. Love ya, babe!

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  2. I'm with you, Carl. I tend to mute the TV at some point during the game because honestly they're not telling me anything I can't see. And as you stated it's not like what they're telling me is accurate. :)

    P.S. COX Cable DVR plugged in, set up, ready to go. Already love it. :)

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  3. The funny this is that it's contagious. If you tell Theisman to shut up with others in the room..they will soon follow suit.

    And Leann the best thing about DVR? Your own personal instant replay on any given play. Who missed the block? How did that guy get open? You will now be able to see..

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  4. So you're saying I can watch Peyton's touchdown passes (once he can get over this 1 or 2 a game slump) over and over as many times as I want to?

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