PFT: Joey Sunshine sounds off on MNF

[WoodysGirl]

POSTED 8:10 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:46 a.m. EDT, June 23, 2007

JOEY SUNSHINE SOUNDS OFF, AGAIN

As part of Joe Thiesmann's side gig as a pitchman for prostate health, the former Redskins quarterback recently was in Boston. And it's obvious that he's got something other than a doctor's finger up his butt.

Joe is still upset about the manner in which he was unceremoniously dumped from ESPN's Monday Night Football.

"I'm not happy with what happened (http://www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2007/06/22/02/1659-66/index.xml)," Theismann said. "When you sit down in a meeting and they tell you that you've had your best year ever, and the ratings have gone up 50 percent and the executives don't even talk to my boss and tell me that they didn't like the fact that I talked about football, you have a little trouble trying to process how you could have done better.

"For Mike [Tirico] and Tony [Kornheiser] and Ron [Jaworski], it’ll be a learning process again, because Ron hasn't done television. Tony is extremely neurotic. And I think Mike really settled in. I felt like the last six games we really settled in as a real solid team, all of us. And now, they’ll have to re-create that chemistry again. I'm disappointed, certainly I never expected it. But the people at ESPN understand how to deliver a product. I will say this — I believe, 100 percent that you cannot insult the football fan. 'Monday Night Football' is about football, and I hope that they continue to deliver that product to the fan. 'Monday Night Football' cannot be an extension of 'Pardon The Interruption,' because the game is too important. That's just the way I feel."

That's fine, Joe. But if that's the way that you feel, why are you still working for ESPN? Why haven't you left?

You see, Joe wants to still pocket his MNF money, even if he's no longer on the MNF broadcast. So he's more than happy to continue to work for the company that disrespected him, because doing so pays much better than any other gig he can currently find.

And ESPN doesn't want to fire him, because they don't want to have to pay out the balance of his contract and get nothing in return. But what's worse? Paying him not to work, or paying him to write least-common-denominator Internet fluff while he's periodically calling into question the decisions of ESPN management? (Hell, we're doing that for free.)

For the company, the smart outcome is to work out a deal where he walks away for something less than the full value of his contract. But it could be that they're waiting for Joe to eventually say or do something in anger that would constitute a breach of his contract, thereby allowing them to cut him loose, and also stiff him.

[bobtheflob]

"When you sit down in a meeting and they tell you that you've had your best year ever, and the ratings have gone up 50 percent and the executives don't even talk to my boss and tell me that they didn't like the fact that I talked about football, you have a little trouble trying to process how you could have done better.

Wow, too many gems to make fun of here so I'll pick just one. Seems to me that the ratings increase may have a little more to do with the switch to Monday night than the fact that Joe likes to talk about football.

[Bob Sacamano]

"I will say this — I believe, 100 percent that you cannot insult the football fan. 'Monday Night Football' is about football, and I hope that they continue to deliver that product to the fan. 'Monday Night Football' cannot be an extension of 'Pardon The Interruption,' because the game is too important. That's just the way I feel."

trust me Joe, cutting you off is doing the football fan a favor

[theebs]

I am not a big fan of theisman, but I can tolerate him, most here hate him but I really dont.

I do agree with him that espn delivers the game as if everyone watching is a complete moron and they barely talk about the actual game. I found the whole espn pregame, in game and post game as garbage and mainly for that reason.

Having to listen to an interview with people from lost and desperate housewifes right in the middle of the game is insulting.

He is right though, they have decided its about entertainment for them and not about the football. I will always watch it because I love the nfl, but it really was horrendous last year. Obsessing over minute things or bs that happened during the week and not the game.

[Big Country]

"I'm not happy with what happened," Theismann said. "When you sit down in a meeting and they tell you that you've had your best year ever, and the ratings have gone up 50 percent and the executives don't even talk to my boss and tell me that they didn't like the fact that I talked about football, you have a little trouble trying to process how you could have done better.

If Joe Theesman thinks HE's the freakin' reason that the ratings are up by 50 percent... which is one helluva skew IMHO... then I'm:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

[theogt]

"I'm not happy with what happened (http://www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2007/06/22/02/1659-66/index.xml)," Theismann said. "When you sit down in a meeting and they tell you that you've had your best year ever, and the ratings have gone up 50 percent and the executives don't even talk to my boss and tell me that they didn't like the fact that I talked about football, you have a little trouble trying to process how you could have done better.Really? So they went and hired a guy who is known for his expertise in X's and O's? That makes sense. :rolleyes:

Or maybe they just didn't like the way you talked about football. You know, displaying ignorance and what not.

"For Mike [Tirico] and Tony [Kornheiser] and Ron [Jaworski], it’ll be a learning process again, because Ron hasn't done television. Tony is extremely neurotic. And I think Mike really settled in.So who the hell has that been on my television on ESPN every day for the past decade?

[CowboyMike]

This is weird, and I'm going to get it from everyone, and I hate myself for it, but...

I agree with Joe Theisman.:eekmouse:

[BouncingCheese]

Haha

"When you sit down in a meeting and they tell you that you've had your best year ever, and the ratings have gone up 50 percent and the executives don't even talk to my boss and tell me that they didn't like the fact that I talked about football, you have a little trouble trying to process how you could have done better.

Hey Joe, guess what? You can still have a career year in the booth and still be terrible! The guy just doesn't get it.

[5Stars]

Haha



Hey Joe, guess what? You can still have a career year in the booth and still be terrible! The guy just doesn't get it.

Yeah, the Toll Booth somewhere in D.C...! Of course he would screw that up too! He's the worst announcer I have ever heard.

And, I bet Norman Einstein would agree....

:cool:

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He was condescending to Kornheiser the entire time and it was evident that Kornheiser was willing to work with Theisman but Theisman's ego would not allow him to work with Kornheiser. Thats the impression that I got.

PTI is entertaining because of the way that kornheiser and Wilbon play off each other. You tell that the two are friends and Theissman was about as far from that as is possible. Jaworski looks like a toad that has been run over but hes not an egomaniac and hes one of the best Xs and Os analysts in the business.

Mike Tirico on the other hand is the worst play by play announcer that I have ever seen. He sounds uninformed and like a wuss when he talks.

[5Stars]

He sounds uninformed and like a wuss when he talks.

Kinda like you, huh? :confused:


:D j/k

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Kinda like you, huh? :confused:


:D j/k

youre still not getting a hug.

[cowboyz]

joe theisman kinda sounds like TO

[BouncingCheese]

Yeah, the Toll Booth somewhere in D.C...! Of course he would screw that up too! He's the worst announcer I have ever heard.

And, I bet Norman Einstein would agree....

:cool:

Did you see how he got in that zinger about Kornhole being neurotic. :lmao: ...

Heismann was always picking on him and his analysis... like his own was so great.

The tool booth thing took me a few seconds to get; I forgot what I wrote in my own post. That was worthy of a chuckle:laugh2:

[jackrussell]

"I'm not happy with what happened (http://www.metrobostonnews.com/us/article/2007/06/22/02/1659-66/index.xml)," Theismann said. "When you sit down in a meeting and they tell you that you've had your best year ever, and the ratings have gone up 50 percent and the executives don't even talk to my boss and tell me that they didn't like the fact that I talked about football, you have a little trouble trying to process how you could have done better

Certainly he means ESPN's ratings went up 50%, and not MNF.

Well duh...of course they did...they added MNF to their lineup. Any network's ratings would skyrocket by adding MNF.

[CrazyCowboy]

Does Joe need some cheese?

[ZeroClub]

And it's obvious that he's got something other than a doctor's finger up his butt.

This is where I stopped reading.

[Chocolate Lab]

I am not a big fan of theisman, but I can tolerate him, most here hate him but I really dont.

I do agree with him that espn delivers the game as if everyone watching is a complete moron and they barely talk about the actual game. I found the whole espn pregame, in game and post game as garbage and mainly for that reason.

Having to listen to an interview with people from lost and desperate housewifes right in the middle of the game is insulting.

He is right though, they have decided its about entertainment for them and not about the football. I will always watch it because I love the nfl, but it really was horrendous last year. Obsessing over minute things or bs that happened during the week and not the game.
Exactly. I knew things were bad last year when I heard Kornheiser talking on 103.3 last year about how they had to do other things to keep people entertained because the game wasn't enough. He actually claimed that only the fans of the two teams playing cared enough about the game, and the rest needed the celebrity interviews and other fluff. What an idiotic concept. How did the MNF franchise get to this point if the game itself is just a prop?

Theisman is a poor announcer and an easy target, but he's right on this one. They basically let Kornheiser call the shot here because he's the star of their best show, PTI. But making the game itself just part of the show is sheer stupidity.

Looks like I'll be finding the game audio on radio again this year until ESPN can get it right.

[Va_BoysFan4 Life]

jackrussell............I had that comic book years ago about the Cowboys and Coach Landry and someone stole. I bet it would be hard to get now days and the price will be high.

[Biggems]

Why cant they just put Chris Berman in the booth....I bet he would be entertaining to listen too...He can be the color analyst while Jaws does the play by play.....then they can add someone else in there to add flavor.....maybe Paul Maguire

For sideline reporting......Rachel Nichols and Darren Woodson

[jterrell]

I am not a big fan of theisman, but I can tolerate him, most here hate him but I really dont.

I do agree with him that espn delivers the game as if everyone watching is a complete moron and they barely talk about the actual game. I found the whole espn pregame, in game and post game as garbage and mainly for that reason.

Having to listen to an interview with people from lost and desperate housewifes right in the middle of the game is insulting.

He is right though, they have decided its about entertainment for them and not about the football. I will always watch it because I love the nfl, but it really was horrendous last year. Obsessing over minute things or bs that happened during the week and not the game.

just for the record i am in the hate him camp:)

:starspin


whats worse is i would hate him even if he hadn't been a redskin; he truly is that obnoxious and bad at his job.

[Rocky]

He is right though, they have decided its about entertainment for them and not about the football. I will always watch it because I love the nfl, but it really was horrendous last year. Obsessing over minute things or bs that happened during the week and not the game.

Words to your mommy, or sum such.

[Iago33]

Why cant they just put Chris Berman in the booth....I bet he would be entertaining to listen too...He can be the color analyst while Jaws does the play by play.....then they can add someone else in there to add flavor.....maybe Paul Maguire

For sideline reporting......Rachel Nichols and Darren Woodson

I think everyone would tune out after Berman's 10th stupid nickname and "he could go all the waaay...

Honestly, they need people there to talk football. I don't mind Kornheiser, but they need to call the game and forget the celebrities--if they don't MNF will go by the wayside (I didn't think I'd ever say that...).

[tunahelper]

Joey got his announcer legs cut out from under him.....

[BouncingCheese]

Dick Vermiel NEEDS to be in the booth.. he sees everything that is broken down is just one play; what the defense/offense was trying to do on the particular play, what went wrong/right, ext. It's not that he does his broadcast so much different than the other guys, it's just that it is sooo much better.

I watch football constantly yet his knowledge of the game is so vast that I still am amazed at how he catches certain things on every play.

Bryant Gumbel, on the other hand, is terrible.

Bring on Ron Jaworski and Dick Vermiel; they are much better than the current staff.

[MichaelWinicki]

I do think ESPN using MNF to pimp their (ABC's) other stupid shows takes away from the game.

[THUMPER]

And it's obvious that he's got something other than a doctor's finger up his butt.

That has been painfuly obvious from day-1. Whatever it is must effect his speech.

[THUMPER]

Exactly. I knew things were bad last year when I heard Kornheiser talking on 103.3 last year about how they had to do other things to keep people entertained because the game wasn't enough. He actually claimed that only the fans of the two teams playing cared enough about the game, and the rest needed the celebrity interviews and other fluff. What an idiotic concept. How did the MNF franchise get to this point if the game itself is just a prop?

MNF has had that attitude for several years now and it isn't working. They wrongfully associate Howard Cosell's fanbase, those who watched mostly to hear what he would say, as entertainment. Cosell was a very good sports analyst and a highly intelligent man. he was also an egomaniac but that is beside the point.

Since Cosell left MNF they have tried to find a replacement "entertainer". They tried Dennis Miller and now are going with Kornholer. They just don't get that most people who watch football are football fans and they are never going to draw in the non-football fan no matter what they do.

It is typical of Disney and the 'Anti- ', Michael Eisner to always go for the money no matter how much they have to sell out.

[Doomsday101]

ESPN needs to get rid of this idiot as well Tony Kornheiser. Who says there has to be 3 in the booth just have Jaws and a play by play man.

[Yeagermeister]

just for the record i am in the hate him camp:)

:starspin


whats worse is i would hate him even if he hadn't been a redskin; he truly is that obnoxious and bad at his job.

He lives in Memphis somewhere and I joked a while back about finding his house and sitting outside breaking sticks all night. :D

[Seven]

Why stop at Joe...............Kornheiser is horrid. The whole ESPN gig is borderline NFLE, IMO.

[dogunwo]

He was condescending to Kornheiser the entire time and it was evident that Kornheiser was willing to work with Theisman but Theisman's ego would not allow him to work with Kornheiser. Thats the impression that I got.

PTI is entertaining because of the way that kornheiser and Wilbon play off each other. You tell that the two are friends and Theissman was about as far from that as is possible. Jaworski looks like a toad that has been run over but hes not an egomaniac and hes one of the best Xs and Os analysts in the business.

Mike Tirico on the other hand is the worst play by play announcer that I have ever seen. He sounds uninformed and like a wuss when he talks.
There is no one who works harder at ESPN/ABC than Mike Tirico

[GimmeTheBall!]

I will say this — I believe, 100 percent that you cannot insult the football fan. 'Monday Night Football' is about football, and I hope that they continue to deliver that product to the fan.

Joe, pendejo, you are correct to write that you cannot insult the football fan. Though you have been doing it (insulting the viewer) longer than most in broadcasting. And I recall you delivering very little football and a lot of you to the fan, so don't take the high ground about how you were treated.

It's ratings, Joe. You were judged to not have been the catalyst for higher ratings and, probably, those ratings increased despite you.

So get lost, Joe. It's all about you and the fans know it and tuned you out.

[InmanRoshi]

'Monday Night Football' cannot be an extension of 'Pardon The Interruption,' because the game is too important. That's just the way I feel."

Totally agree with that sentiment. Applying cheap PTI theatrics to the NFL broadcasted game is like smothering a perfectly cooked Steak Florentine in Heinz ketchup.

[Tra_Col99]

I grew up watching (er, listening) to Micheals, Gifford, and Deardorff. Am I the only person who liked them? Everyone else sence has been horrid.

(I dont remember Howard C.)

[Jarv]

I grew up watching (er, listening) to Micheals, Gifford, and Deardorff. Am I the only person who liked them? Everyone else sence has been horrid.

(I dont remember Howard C.)

Too bad you missed Dandy Don...

[Seven]

There is no one who works harder at ESPN/ABC than Mike Tirico

Mike? Uh, MR. Tirico.............:D

[BouncingCheese]

Why stop at Joe...............Kornheiser is horrid. The whole ESPN gig is borderline NFLE, IMO.

Espn has it's dirty little fingers in too many pies...

I don't like the broadcast of MNF on ESPN period. It's like a fashion show catered to fair-weather fans to me.

[ZeroClub]

Espn has it's dirty little fingers in too many pies...

I don't like the broadcast of MNF on ESPN period. It's like a fashion show catered to fair-weather fans to me.
That's a great observation.

IMO, your observation is true of most of today's coverage of professional football.

Some games are routinely worse (esp, the evening games), but the coverage of almost all of the pro games are aimed at casual fans.

There isn't much "nuts and bolts" reporting or commentary.

The crews don't even bother to announce player substitutions or package changes any more.

A starter can get hurt and not return to the field - and the announcers don't mention it. Unless you see the player get hurt, the viewer often can't tell that a player has been replaced.

But why bother mentioning that a new player is in when you can instead joke about your golf game with your co-announcer(s)?

The networks give us a steady diet of pro-football lite.

[adamknite]

Espn has it's dirty little fingers in too many pies...

I don't like the broadcast of MNF on ESPN period. It's like a fashion show catered to fair-weather fans to me.

nail... meet... hammer

Side note, I'm sick of all the freaking quest stars in the booth that have nothing to do with football. If you want to bring in a former player for the team sure that's fine, but bringing in somebody who has nothing to do with football is crazy. I seriously changed channels a few times just because I was sick of hearing them talk to their "Guest" of the week.

[DC Cowboy]

'Monday Night Football' cannot be an extension of 'Pardon The Interruption,' because the game is too important. That's just the way I feel."

interesting jab at Tony K

[tyke1doe]

POSTED 8:10 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:46 a.m. EDT, June 23, 2007

JOEY SUNSHINE SOUNDS OFF, AGAIN

As part of Joe Thiesmann's side gig as a pitchman for prostate health, the former Redskins quarterback recently was in Boston. And it's obvious that he's got something other than a doctor's finger up his butt.



:lmao2:

[Verdict]

I thought Theisman sucked eggs. For a guy that played football, he seemed to be grasping at straws for something to say at times, and made very little sense at other times.

I think Jaws will be excellent in that position.

[zeromaster]

joe theisman kinda sounds like TO
Quit trying to hijack the thread. :D

[zeromaster]

jackrussell............I had that comic book years ago about the Cowboys and Coach Landry and someone stole. I bet it would be hard to get now days and the price will be high.
I don't know, could these be the same ones on eBay (http://search.ebay.com/dallas-cowboys-comic_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40)?