Sportscasters are a dime a dozen. Don't get me wrong, the professionals are always good at their job, but for the most part they blend into one another, and only a certain few are able to transcend their sport. For me, these are usually the ones who bring you into the game; rather than just describe what's currently happening or (as happens more and more often, especially in baseball) subjecting us to their inane ramblings.
In football, there are none better than Al Michaels & Cris Collinsworth, NBC's announcing duo (along with sideline reporter Michele Tafoya) on Sunday Night Football. They are far and away at the top of their profession. There are some who come close; Joe Buck and Troy Aikman have a good connection and work well off each other, but while I've never had a problem with Aikman as an announcer, Buck always projects this vibe that he's above it all.
Another announcer I appreciate is Tony Romo, who broadcasts on CBS with Jim Nantz as his straightman, so to speak. Romo is incredibly knowledgeable, and brings his gametime experience to really open the game up to viewers. His Fozzy Bear rasp is also quite unique.
But for my money, you can't beat Cris & Al. Speaking on pure football terms, the highlight of my week (notwithstanding watching my Bills play) is watching their broadcasts on Sunday evenings. Simply put, it's a nice, relaxing way to end a weekend.
Let me first get into the superficial reasons of why I think they're so great. First of all, they play well off each other. Al has been a broadcaster for almost 45 years; I remember him being a baseball announcer with ABC, broadcasting World Series games in the 1980s with Tim McCarver (I could also reminisce about NBC's baseball announcing duo of Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola, but that's another story for another day). He's never completely outgrown his Brooklyn accent, which adds a sort of a common-man touch to his delivery. He may, like Joe Buck, know everything there is to know about sports, but unlike Fox's star announcer, he doesn't broadcast it to everyone. Cris was a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1981-88, and of course is also extremely knowledgeable.
The main selling point, at least for me, is Collinsworth's folksy style. While Cincinnati (where he still lives) is just on the Eastern edge of the American Midwest, his style is quintessentially such, laid back yet garrulous. He gets excited about many things, but not overly so, and he's always willing to chip in with a comment. I've said this to a few people over the years, but for me, it's like sitting down and listening to one of your uncles (one who has extraordinary, insider knowledge of the game and the players and teams) just riff on what's going on. Although I'm sure he does a ton of research, none of it seems rehearsed or practiced; it all seems natural and off the cuff.
There are other variables that play into it. Sunday Night Football often has divisional rivalries for its games; think Eagles-Giants, Steelers-Ravens, Packers-Bears, or 49ers-Seahawks. Those that aren't divisional rivalries tend to be matchups of higher caliber anyways. And while Thursday Night Football and Monday Night Football have their fair share of decent matchups, they just don't measure up. Part of that could be due to the fact that they are both in the middle of the workweek so my focus can sometimes be distracted, while SNF is one last deep breath of relaxation before the workweek begins in earnest. Either way, it's just not the same.
I've always been a bit of a romantic, and for me, when I think of autumn, not only do I think of the falling of the leaves and the chilly air, I think of -- no, I absolutely look forward to -- sitting down on Sunday evenings after a long week, pouring myself a cup of cocoa, and letting Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels into my home for three hours as they talk about the game on hand. It's in those moments that I truly feel a sense of calm drift over me. Burly men may be aggressively beating the shit out of each other onscreen, but thanks in good part to the dulcet discourse of Cris and Al, I am at peace.
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