Muttley

March 12th, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^

Actually, I think Brent took way too much flak for that.

Hyperbole is what Brent does.  With Bama up 14 on ND and clearly heading for a blowout, what would you expect him to do?  THe ABC cameras panned to Katherine Webb, giving Kirk & Brent a chance to talk about something other than the game.  Brent was expected to comment, and, whadayano, he went with the superlatives.

That's my take.

Dan Man

March 12th, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^

I personally can't stand Musberger. He was decent 20 or 30 years ago, but has been living off his name ever since. The SEC is welcome to him.

Oscar

March 13th, 2014 at 1:54 AM ^

I beg to differ your beg to differ.  I remember how Brent would get everyone jacked up about how Martin Gramatica would celebrate after making a FG.  Seriously, broadcasting does not get any better than bringing that morsel of fantastic analysis of a FG kicker's celebration than that...

/s (just in case it wasn't obvious)

bronxblue

March 12th, 2014 at 10:18 PM ^

Palmer isn't a surprise; Musberger is a get for them.  I just hope Brent is ready to completely ignore the 50% turnover at Alabama every year.

JHendo

March 12th, 2014 at 10:20 PM ^

So, BTN gets some of the biggest morons in the industry to be announcers, even after being established for a while now, and the SEC Network gets one of the biggest names right out of the gate...Step your game up, BTN.

I Like Burgers

March 12th, 2014 at 10:26 PM ^

There's a big difference between the SECN and BTN. BTN is owner by Fox who up until recently barely did any college football. The SEC Network is owned by ESPN who has announcers, reporters, and analysts galore to spare. Plus, they've been doing CFB for decades. So the SECN should be very polished right out of the gate.

bluebyyou

March 12th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^

What I don't understand is that most games worth watching are already covered by the major networks, ESPN, BTN, etc.  When LSU and Bama play, it's already covered.  You could put it on the SECN; with significantly fewer viewers compared to ABC or ESPN, but that makes no sense.  When there are many games on at the same time, it's all about the size of the fan base, and Mississippi State vs Vandy won't draw many viewers. Unless you have a connection to those two schools, you are watching something else.

Someone please explain to me why the SECN is a big deal.

I Like Burgers

March 12th, 2014 at 11:54 PM ^

It's the exact same reason BTN is a big deal. You may piss on an Ole Miss Vandy matchup, but it's really no different than a Wisconsin Northwestern matchup. Plenty of people will still watch it.



For all it's glory, the SEC has a lot of conference games that don't air anywhere major. They get a CBS slot and maybe an ESPN slot but that's it. There's plenty of decent games they can air on a weekly basis.

Section 1

March 13th, 2014 at 4:46 PM ^

Some of us go with what the national consensus has been, for many years; that Brent Musberger has, over a long career, been one of the best all-around sportscasters in his business.  And particularly good with Big Ten football and basketball, being a product of Northwestern University and Chicago sportswriting.

Nobody mentioned his one great failure, which was golf.  Musberger was handed a big role in golf when he was at ABC in the days after Jim McKay (who was great at everything including golf), and Brent was a train-wreck in trying to call golf.  It is really his only significant professional failing.

LSAClassOf2000

March 12th, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^

For someone who will be 75 in May and has Musburger's career, it doesn't sound all that bad - (LINK). His revised duties:

"The current contract of Musburger, who turns 75 in May, was up as of early this year. His new deal is for multiple years and includes calling a college bowl game on ESPN, as well as Big 12 basketball."

The article also mentions that, so far, they've got the SEC Network coming to 20 million homes. 

Bando Calrissian

March 12th, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^

Can't wait to see what happens when he goes full Danielson and becomes a total SEC homer. I swear, Danielson is an entirely different human being in the booth for the SEC on CBS, and it sucks.

Section 1

March 12th, 2014 at 10:53 PM ^

When Brent Musberger did a game, you knew instinctively it was a big game, and his performance was routinely good.

The only underrated guy I can think of for them to promote is Mike Patrick, who is probably the most underrated play-by-play pro among the second-line announcers in the ESPN stable.  Brad Nessler is of course the Number 2 play by play guy to Musberger; and Nessler is very good of course.

Musberger had developed chemistry with Kirk Herbstreit (also very good) and that will be lost now, apparently.

Big win for the SEC, getting Musberger and Jesse Palmer.

Well we've still got Pam Ward Beth Mowins, right?

JT4104

March 12th, 2014 at 10:59 PM ^

McDonough and Herbie sounds like a solid team to me.

Griese probably gets a promotion as well. Spielman would probably need a new partner if McDonough goes with Herbie.

Blue in Yarmouth

March 13th, 2014 at 8:08 AM ^

"Also said some pretty horrible/racist things about Tommie Smith and John Carlos in '68."

Wow....I thought my wife could hold a grudge. I wasn't even born in '68 so I have no idea what comments you're referring to, but for someone to hold comments a guy made about someone else almost 50 years ago is a little wierd to me. I mean, maybe if they were directed at you but someone else....

In my lifetime I have never heard him say anything remotely racist so though I fit in the "good riddance" crowd I don't share your reasons for being there.