Which sportscasters, announcers, analysts, etc. do you really enjoy listening to, and which would like to see locked into portable toilets and set on fire? I love you George.

I bring this up, because just last week in ESPN the magazine, they had an article talking about how terrible the NFC North is and what a disgrace it is that someone from such a crappy division is going to make the playoffs just because they are the best of the worst. Today, I log onto ESPN.com, and what is the top story on the website? An article calling this year's Bears team "the sequel" to the '85 Bears. Also, in the same article, they talked about how the NFC East is easily the best division in football, and it would be a shame for one of the great teams from that division to miss the playoffs. Great teams? Since when does having 4 mediocre teams make you the best division in football? I can't wait to watch Countdown tomorrow and listen to Michael Irvin talk about how disappointing the NFC East is, after having listened to him talk about how great it was all season.

What exactly do people like this bring to the table. I don't need an expert to tell me a team is great when it wins and it sucks when it loses. That's all these people do. They just repeat things that any moron already knows and we call them experts. That's why I like Joe Morgan for baseball. He explains little details about players that help explain why they got a hit, not just tell you how great they are after they get a hit.

JB I read an article in ESPN the magazine which was VERY true. The sportscaster who use "It's not the west division it's the WORST division" "East would be Least Division" and everytime they say it as if its the first time it was ever said.

The thing to understand though JB is that for some of the player/coaches who become broadcasters it is very hard to explain a lot of things. They have to say enough to sound intelligent but they can't say too much because then your average joe at home who is just watching the game because nothing else is on will change the channel if they don't understand what he is saying.
The shows are about ratings and money not about actually telling people what's going on (sorry that's my opinion) and I think games and the shows before and after will lose more casual viewers by talking overly intelligent than they will lose hardcore fans by the way they are talking now. just my opinion.

Michael "It's Not My Pipe" Irvin?

On the topic of my beloved Bears, I would hold the comparisons to the 1985 team until you can convince me the 2005 offense can actually sustain a drive on their own and score points WITHOUT the help of the defense.

Kyle Orton is a step forward from the ineptitutde at quarterback over the last few years, but he hasn't shown any consistency. If it wasn't for the running game, the occasional big play by Muhsin Muhammad at receiver, and an exceptional defense creating points off turnovers, this team is middle-of-the-pack in the NFL. I think they're "one and done" IF they make the playoffs (which seems likely as division champs).

Look for a healthy Rex Grossman to challenge for the starting job at quarterback before the end of the year.

tony b.

Phil Mushnick, a columnist for the New York Post is always writing about how the ESPN commentators as well as the other broadcast teams on the various NFL pre-game shows are not so much interested in providing meaningful analysis as they are in giving the viewers the "edgy" kind of stuff, or commentary filled with stupid sexual innuendo designed to appeal to the young male demographic.

Over here we've got Mike Carlson. The guy is a genius and just knows everything. Even better he's got a great sense of humour. It's a shame the only articles he gets to write for NFL.com are about the Europe league. I think he played tight end at one of your colleges but I'm not sure.

On another show we also had Jeff Reinebold who could compete with Carlson but this season he took a coaching job with Hawaii. What's the logic behind that? Leaving England for Hawaii. He must be mad.

And we're lucky enough to get guest analysers such as Shaun Gayle, Cecil Martin (the coolest guy on TV), the Fridge and a few others.

I agree Turi!
What has Hawaii to offer that England has'nt?

Tony Siragusa - Yes we know you're a big guy. Yes we know you played for the Ravens. That doesn't mean you can interrupt the play-calling every third play.

Bill Simmons recently made a joke about it, but I never tuned in long enough to actually hear it for myself - that is, until this past Sunday's Bears game. Man, was it annoying.

The idea of a former player, not too far removed from his playing days, serving as an analyst but reporting from the field is a novel idea...but I just don't think Siragusa is the right guy for it. He's funny away from the field in a regular interview setting. On the field, during the game, it seems like he ends up telling us something we can already see for ourselves in the regular game coverage.

tony b.