I really like Bryant Gumbel's work on HBO's Real Sports - it's top-notch. The show has great reporters doing great sports journalism work. Bryant Gumbel's play-by-play work on the NFL Network... not so much.
Apparently the NFL Network and Gumbel agree. It was announced last week that Gumbel will no longer do play-by-play for NFL Network games.
His continued fumbling of sports names (Tony Romo vs. Rex Romo) and poor ability to remember who the head coaches are in a football game made him a bad match for play-by-play duties.
I was in Dallas after the Cowboys/Packers game last year and the local sports radio had a field day listing the Gumbel gaffes throughout the afternoon. It was an embarrassment for the NFL Network and Gumbel.
Now who will replace him? Does Rich Eisen move to the play-by-play duties?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
No More Rex Romo? Gumbel Leaves Play-by-Play Duties
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3 comments:
I think this is a good move for the NFL Network, and even for the career of Gumbel.
He has a pretty strong reputation for his solid work on HBO that was being damaged by his play by play duties.
It will be interesting to see who replaces him...
One down, now Billy Packer, Brent Musberger, Dan Dierdorf and Tim McCarver need to retire. Then all be balanced in the world of Sports broadcasting.I seem to remember someone I know who used to do sports casting in college.
Geeze... if McCarver and Gumbel are setting the play-by-play bar, then I'm coming out of retirement!
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