By MJD The broadcasting pairing of Joe Theismann and Matt Millen -- otherwise known as the cruelest prank ever pulled on NFL fans -- is no more. The NFL Network has announced that they'll have a new Thursday night broadcast crew, with Brad Nessler doing the play-by-play and Mike Mayock handling the analysis. Bob Papa, who did the play-by-play with Millen and Theismann, is out of the Thursday night mix, too. He and Theismann will remain with the NFL Network, but in different roles. Mayock has become known as a draft expert; sort of the NFL Network's answer to Mel Kiper Jr. That's selling him way short, though. He played briefly in the league in the early '80s, and has done a boatload of broadcasting work since. He's called college games, CFL games and NFL games. I don't mean to kick Theismann and Millen when they're down, but I don't think I'm alone in saying that that little broadcast experience needed to end. One of them at a time might not have been so bad, but if we were going to have to endure another half-season of them together, I would have fully supported this lockout lasting until long after I had died. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...len-Theismann-replaced-on-Thur?urn=nfl-wp1872
Yea. Theismann wasn't too bad when he was at ESPN, and hell, it was Matt Millen's expert commentary (when he was at CBS/Fox) that allowed him to swindle an owner into an NFL GM job. So that alone says that either one by themselevs is a competent analyst... they just didn't mesh together. That being said, Nessler-Mayock doesn't inspire much confidence either. I'd take Gus Johnson-Steve Taskar over them...
Thank you God. Mike Mayock is my favorite NFL analyst who speaks the truth with intelligent analysis of football. I love to watch him during the draft and now he'll be an excellent addition to the Thursday night broadcast. Also, Mel Kiper is the biggest phony out there. He wishes he had half the brain and wit of Mayock.
Love Mayock but how do you choose Nessler over Gus Johnson. I mean, come on, people LOVE Gus Johnson. Nothing against Nessler because he is a good play by play guy but you had a chance at the VOICE.
This team was so bad it sort of became enjoyable listening to them if you went in, expecting a terrible job. Still, a good fire!
Well the article I read said that Nessler got chosen OVER Gus but reading the reports that he is going to Fox for more money might have been another reason why.