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Posted by Mike Florio on November 4, 2009 5:54 PM ET
Next week, NFL Network launches its 2009 slate of regular-season games, with the Bears returning, 25 years later, to the site of the 1984 NFC title game for a somewhat less critical -- but still pretty important -- date with the 49ers. (The Bears are a woeful 1-6 at San Fran since the 26-point shutout that helped kick start the '85 Bears, with the only win coming that next season, in a game coach Mike Ditka candidly has admitted was fueled by a desire to exact revenge.)
In advance of the annual NFLN game launch, play-by-play man Bob Papa and analyst Matt Millen met with the media, via conference call.
One of the reporters asked the question that has been on many minds since Millen somehow parlayed a playoff cup of coffee with NBC into jobs not only with ESPN but also with the league's in-house broadcasting operation: "After the criticism you took in Detroit, did you find it difficulty to rebuild your credibility as an analyst?" (Frankly, we're not sure we agree with implication that Millen actually has rebuilt his credibility.)
"I just stick with the game and stick with what's going on the field and talk about that, that's all I can do," Millen said. "The rest of it is all somebody else's opinion. If there's credibility, there's credibility. But that can only be given from you, not from me. That's how I approach it."
Well, since Millen has opened the door by deferring the question of credibility to the media, here's one quasi-member of the media's opinion.
He still has a long way to go to rebuild his credibility.
Millen talks well. He doesn't use big words, gratuitously or otherwise. (Steve Young would be wise to emulate the example.) Millen also doesn't venture beyond his comfort zone, taking risks with conjugations or variations that might not actually be, you know, real words.
But whenever he is talking, I find myself ignoring the substance of what he's saying. Millen was the worst personnel executive in the NFL since the merger, and possibly of all time. Sure, he was so good as a broadcaster that he fooled one of the 32 teams into thinking that his ability to talk about football translated into an ability to run a football team. As he returns to the booth, however, the disaster in Detroit can't be overlooked -- especially since he prolonged it for years by refusing to quit.
Eventually, he was fired. And the only 0-16 record in league history remains at the top of his resume, no matter how hard and fast he rubs the back end of the pencil over it.
Though he's done a great job of putting the past behind him while on the air, we noticed a hint of awkwardness when he and Young were talking nine days about about the current state of the Commanders. And that's where Millen will have the toughest time. Some people might not think about Millen's own track record when the Steelers are facing the Broncos or the Pats visit the Superdome. But when Millen draws a bad team, the connection between Millen and failure is more evident -- and he seems to be more conscience of the irony.
That's actually good news for ESPN and NFLN. When the Browns host the Ravens on November 16 or when the Panthers host the Dolphins on November 19 or when the Titans go to Houston on November 23 or when the Browns host the Steelers on December 10 or when the Commanders host the Giants on December 21 or when the Chargers play the Titans on Christmas Day, more folks might tune in simply to watch how Millen handles the task of heaping criticism on bad teams that are still in much better shape than the franchise over which Millen presided for nearly eight years.
Next week, NFL Network launches its 2009 slate of regular-season games, with the Bears returning, 25 years later, to the site of the 1984 NFC title game for a somewhat less critical -- but still pretty important -- date with the 49ers. (The Bears are a woeful 1-6 at San Fran since the 26-point shutout that helped kick start the '85 Bears, with the only win coming that next season, in a game coach Mike Ditka candidly has admitted was fueled by a desire to exact revenge.)
In advance of the annual NFLN game launch, play-by-play man Bob Papa and analyst Matt Millen met with the media, via conference call.
One of the reporters asked the question that has been on many minds since Millen somehow parlayed a playoff cup of coffee with NBC into jobs not only with ESPN but also with the league's in-house broadcasting operation: "After the criticism you took in Detroit, did you find it difficulty to rebuild your credibility as an analyst?" (Frankly, we're not sure we agree with implication that Millen actually has rebuilt his credibility.)
"I just stick with the game and stick with what's going on the field and talk about that, that's all I can do," Millen said. "The rest of it is all somebody else's opinion. If there's credibility, there's credibility. But that can only be given from you, not from me. That's how I approach it."
Well, since Millen has opened the door by deferring the question of credibility to the media, here's one quasi-member of the media's opinion.
He still has a long way to go to rebuild his credibility.
Millen talks well. He doesn't use big words, gratuitously or otherwise. (Steve Young would be wise to emulate the example.) Millen also doesn't venture beyond his comfort zone, taking risks with conjugations or variations that might not actually be, you know, real words.
But whenever he is talking, I find myself ignoring the substance of what he's saying. Millen was the worst personnel executive in the NFL since the merger, and possibly of all time. Sure, he was so good as a broadcaster that he fooled one of the 32 teams into thinking that his ability to talk about football translated into an ability to run a football team. As he returns to the booth, however, the disaster in Detroit can't be overlooked -- especially since he prolonged it for years by refusing to quit.
Eventually, he was fired. And the only 0-16 record in league history remains at the top of his resume, no matter how hard and fast he rubs the back end of the pencil over it.
Though he's done a great job of putting the past behind him while on the air, we noticed a hint of awkwardness when he and Young were talking nine days about about the current state of the Commanders. And that's where Millen will have the toughest time. Some people might not think about Millen's own track record when the Steelers are facing the Broncos or the Pats visit the Superdome. But when Millen draws a bad team, the connection between Millen and failure is more evident -- and he seems to be more conscience of the irony.
That's actually good news for ESPN and NFLN. When the Browns host the Ravens on November 16 or when the Panthers host the Dolphins on November 19 or when the Titans go to Houston on November 23 or when the Browns host the Steelers on December 10 or when the Commanders host the Giants on December 21 or when the Chargers play the Titans on Christmas Day, more folks might tune in simply to watch how Millen handles the task of heaping criticism on bad teams that are still in much better shape than the franchise over which Millen presided for nearly eight years.
