Apparently the NFL doesn't care about announcers

So you didn't get to see the Packers loss to the Cowboys last night. Sucks to be you. I did get to see the game, thus I'm much cooler than you.

However, you should count yourself lucky if you didn't get the NFL network broadcast for 1 reason. The NFL network announcers may very well be the worst in the league. Gumble and Collinsworth are teaming up for the 2nd year of NFL network broadcasts for reasons unfathomable to mortal men.

Lets start with the less offensive of the two, Collinsworth. I will give Chris some credit for being extremely knowledgeable about the game. Too bad he is such a smug prick that every word that comes out of his mouth has the same effect as finger nails on a chalkboard. Collinsworth is convinced that he is one of the best WR's to ever play and still better than 80% of the players on the field. The sad thing is he was the more appealing figure in the broadcast booth last night.

His teammate Bryant Gumble apparently is considered a good broadcaster by someone. Apparently the NFL just figured he needs a little more time to get into the flow of being a play-by-play man. Apparently he likes the word apparently. Apparently I have picked up on this.

The running back picks up 8 yards on 3rd and 3 and Gumble comes out with "Apparently Marion Jones has picked up the 1st down. The Green Bay running back takes the ball to the Dallas 20 yard line and Gumble come out with "Grant runs to the 25". Rogers throws 7 completions in a row and Gumble comes up with "Rogers only needs 14 more to match Farve's 20 from last week". While these are not exact quotes, both the last two are approximations of what was said by Gumble on consecutive plays.

Last season I was shocked at how badly Gumble and Collinsworth called the thanksgiving game. But I was willing to chalk it up to inexperience working together. But here we are in year two and there has been no improvement. Gumble constantly mangles down, distance, names, plays, whatever. He is more likely to get a call wrong than right. If you were to start a drinking game you would have to have it where you drink when he gets a call right, since you wouldn't make it through the 1st quarter drinking when he gets something wrong. This comes from someone who used to play power hour as a warm-up before going to a bar or party, and once played it on Christmas Eve. just for fun.

It is exceedingly apparent that the NFL doesn't give a shit about the announcing team or Gumble would have been replaced by now. And while I personally hate Collinsworth, he could work in a booth where there was someone strong next to him who could keep him in line. Instead we get Gumble. Fuck you very much NFL.

Other thoughts from the game:

- Arron Rogers, nice job kid. I was completely against the Raiders trading Moss to the Packers for a package that included Rogers. I may have to admit I was wrong. He may not have completed the comeback, but he did seem to have "IT". Impressive for a guy getting his first extended playing time.

- So that was the same officiating crew as the New England vs. Indy game earlier this year. Glad to see they haven't improved and New England fans no longer can claim any bias from that game. The officiating team just sucks, they aren't competent enough to bring bias into the picture.

- To the Packers fans who think they would have done better with Woodson playing. Have you ever watched Woodson man up on TO? TO owns Woodson, and you would have had at least two more PI calls at critical times during the game with Woodson in there.

One game to watch this week.

This feature usually takes me longer to write than any other, but not this week, I'm mailing it in.

Watch Oklahoma vs. Missouri (game of the week anyway with the national title on the line.

For Oklahoma watch:

Duke Robinson, JR, OG, 6-5, 335 - Mauler on the line
Nick Harris, JR, FS, 6-3, 225 - Hard hitting ball hawk
Malcolm Kelly, JR, WR, 6-4, 218 - Big speedy WR
Curtis Lofton, JR, MLB, 6-0, 238 - Solid MLB prospect
Reggie Smith, JR, CB, 6-1, 198 - Good cover corner
Allen Patrick, SR, RB, 6-1, 195 - 2nd or 3rd round RB prospect emerging from Peterson's shadow.

For Missouri Watch
Chase Daniel, JR, QB, 5-11, 225 - Reminds me of Drew Breese
Martin Rucker, SR, TE, 6-5, 248 - Pass catching TE, will vault to 1st round with solid combine
William Moore, JR, FS, 6-1, 205 - Best player on Tiger D.

Talent wise Oklahoma should run Missouri out of the building. But Missouri is having one of those magical runs, and we all have to root for them to keep THEO out of the title game.

Apparently my TiVo will be getting a workout this weekend as I'm headed out to the wilds of WV with a gun this weekend (why else would you go to WV), and apparently I won't be getting to a full breakdown of the Raiders game from last weekend. But Apparently you don't have to pay anything to read my brilient diatribes so apparently you have nothing to complain about.