That Joe Buck Is So Hot Right Now

Joe Buck has somehow been given the PREGAME host duties AND the post-game host duties for NFL on Fox to go along with his lead play by-play duties in both football and baseball playoffs. Sports fans will get their share of Joe in September and October (his ego will be giant by November) and there will probably be dozens of -- he's doing everything but selling the popcorn jokes -- before the year's over. Howie Long, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, and the sarcastic Buck will now do the pre-game from the parking-lot of the lead game. I never have liked Fox's pre-game show too much and I don't think this is the answer I was looking for but I guess I was mainly looking for the axe for JJ and Terry. This might help though since James Brown just sat back and let Terry and Jimmie talk without seemingly putting any thought behind what they were saying. With Buck at the helm, the show may finally take a turn at becoming less silly and less frivolous but I wouldn't bet on it.

Which makes my wonder: Why do Pre-Game shows in the NFL feel like they need to have the tone of a "Morning Show." We're talking about football and yet I feel like a tickle fight is bound to break out at any moment. There is also a seemingly low quality from the some of the analysts. For many of them their main/only "performance" is a couple hours on Sunday and they don't exactly bowl me over with much fresh information and analasis to the point that I feel they spent even one full day of the week preparing to break down this week's games. And wasn't that supposed to be the purpose? Not to give T.O. 2 more hours of face time and not to drown the viewers in worn-out expressions and mindless star-chatter. Anyways. . . .

Unfortunaltly, Fox's rival at ESPN, Sunday Countdown, loses Steve Young this year. He will join the Monday night football crowd for '06. I think he's an underrated analyst who's being underutilzed on ESPN/ABC, but that may be by his own accord. Sunday Countdown will feature Berman, Ditka, Irvin, and Tom Jackson. Atlanta-native Mort, will also be on the show along with Jaws and others. Speaking of Jaws, he will join his former head coach Dick Vermeil in calling the Chargers-Raiders game on ESPN's MNF opening night. It will be the second game on Sept. 11, @ 10:15.

CBS will have Bryant Gumble (or "Malcolm X" if Wayne Brady is around), Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, and Shannon Sharpe on The NFL Today.