Bryant Gumbel’s play-by-play on the NFL Network telecast
UPDATE: I Originally posted about Gumbel after last years debacle. However, while out of the country last week, my previous rip on Bryant Gumbel got a lot of hit and a ton of comments on his poor (too put it mildly) NFL commentary. I am surprised that the NFL is keeping him around or that he didn’t put some effort into improving his skills over the off season. There is a lively discussion below in the comments regarding the Dallas-Green Bay NFL broadcast. I urge you to read it and contribute! - JM
I watched the Denver vs KC game last night, which was the first telecast of the NFL Network. The first thought that came to mind is that I wish the NFL would leave the telecasts to the networks that know what they are doing because the production quality and play by play were terrible. They brought in Byrant Gumbel, the OJ apologist, as the play by play guy and he was so off it wasn’t even funny. He couldn’t figure out the basics like what down it was. He was constantly saying something like, “Mike Bell ran almost to the 5 yard line”, and the spot would be on the 4 because the runner clearly passed the 5. On one key play Rod Smith dived for a first down on a 3rd down play that wasn’t quite into the end zone and Bryant kept speculating if the Broncos would go for the TD on 4th even after the graphics on the TV showed 1st and goal. Wasn’t anyone in the control room updating him or telling him to shut up its 1st down? I kept thinking, “Dude, it wasn’t 3rd and goal! Cant you see the first down marker on the 1 or read your own graphics that say its 3rd and 5?” One of my favorites was when Gumbel commented a injured players return was “debatable”. Hmm, isn’t the football term questionable? Why would you debate the return?
Chris Collingsworth, the color guy, seemed a little slow to constantly correct him because he probably didn’t want to make him look like a fool. However, for someone that was only casually watching the game as I drifted in and out of a post turkey slumber the mistakes were glaring. According to an article in the Kansas City Star it was Gumbel’s first broadcast since 1982. That is a long time. I like Gumbel on his HBO show, but he needs to work off some rust before the next NFL telecast.
The Kansas City Star pointed out some of the more glaring problems in their article:
Mike Bell makes the catch, and it looks like he’s got the first down.”
| Gumbel, NFL Network
JF: Gumbel showed his rust early on. The Broncos actually got the first down on the previous play, and Gumbel remained completely unaware of it the rest of the series.
•••
……•••
“Larry Johnson goes up the middle, and he goes nowhere.”
| Gumbel
JF: Actually, it was second and short on the play, and LJ got the first down by about 2 yards. Gumbel was off all night trying to figure out down and distance.
•••
I guess the good news for Gumbel is that it seems not many people were getting the game outside of KC and Denver or the cable systems that carry the NFL network. They were constantly plugging this site, iwantnflnetwork.com, during the game so my guess is not everyone has this channel. Luckily I get it on DirecTV and they had it in HD on the HDTV Channel.
I did a search and found someone else talking about the horrible broadcast by the NFL.
December 14th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
BG reminds me of high school play-by-play…. at least for the three minutes I tuned in…
December 14th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
I just tuned into the NFL Seahawks/49ers game. It’s my first date with “Collumble.” Are they sleuths, or what!!!
December 16th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
NFL Network games are a joke of broadcasting a game.
I watched my 1st NFL Network game Thursday Dec 14th 2006.
Gumble is terrible. He called Frank Gore, Al Gore at least 2 times.
He called Seattle Cincinatti.
He did not even call the game, It felt like a pre-season game.
What a major dissapointment.
December 16th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
I wanted the Seahawks 49ers game. Not the Bryant Gumble Show.
December 16th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
The play by play has been the worst ever. I would rather watch the ESPN Monday night game (not a very good broadcast either) than the NFL network. Who is that idiot that thought of Bryant Gumbel as the play by play guy. My suggestion is that they both get a pink slip for next year.
January 18th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
I first pushed my cable provider to carry the NFL Network. After I watched the first game (thorugh a freinds sattelite) and had to painfully sit through BG commentating that game, I retracted my request for the network. We turned down the sound and watched the Denver game. Horrible. Bryant has a reputation for not knowing what he is doing. He knows nothing about sports. He can’t even fake it. Get rid of him and perhaps I will reconsider pushing for the NFL Network in Charlotte. You’d the with all the money the NFL generates, they could put together a game coverage that would rival that of the majors.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
At least get a person who likes the game;when Bryant left broadcasting the NFL he did an interview saying the game was mundane and beneath his intellectual abilities.I’m sure he hasn’t watched a game since 1982,or he would know that when you punt on 4th down you are NOT”turning it over on downs” ,you are PUNTING
November 27th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Bryan Gumbel would be fine for men’s pairs figure skating but he knows nothing about football and should be pulled off the Cowboy vs Packer game.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Where can I complain. I just turned off the sound of the Packers / Cowboys game. Gumble is unbearable. Can we log complaints?? I will not watch anymore games on NFL network.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Bryant absolutely RUINS the game of football. I’m currently watching the Dallas vs Green Bay and its so bad I wanna shoot myself or maybe him. Just let Cris talk for a little. This is the WORST announcing ever. No wonder no one wants to play for this horrible NFL Network.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I’m watching the Dallas/GB game right now, and it is atrocious. Collinsworth is awesome and he needs to talk more!!!!!!!! Gumbel is soooo bad I can hardly stand it. After hearing him do a game last year, I cannot believe the NFL didn’t jump on the opportunity to fire him after he made his upshaw tagliabue comment. are they watching the same game as the rest of us?!?! Worst broadcast voice ever. did I mention he knows nothing about football?!
November 29th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I’m watching the Green Bay/ Dallas Game and I can’t stand it either! I’m overseas and I can’t listen to it on the radio. Bryant Gumbel needs to fired! Please NFL network, get rid of Kermit…….. I mean Bryant Gumbel! I want to pull my hair out.
By the way it is not a “period” in football it is called a “quarter”.
November 29th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
This is hilarious, I just googled Bryant Gumbel NFL Network so i could see if anyone else was complaining about him. i actually thought my local dallas affiliate was doing this broadcast until i noticed the little NFL logo at the top. Funny how he mentioned that if TO hadn’t bobbled the TD pass that the game would have been over
November 29th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Seriously, I didn’t think somebody could be as bad at something as this guy is at doing play-by-play. My 82 grandmother could do a better job, and she can’t even name a team in the NFL.
November 29th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Seriously, I didn’t think somebody could be as bad at something as this guy is at doing play-by-play. My 82 year old grandmother could do a better job, and she can’t even name a team in the NFL.
November 29th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Casey I agree with you. I can’t count how many times when Dallas had the ball and he refered to them as the Packers. Is the the NFL Network blind and deaf?
November 29th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Bryant just called Tony Romo “Rick Romo”, he has to be the dumbest commentator EVER!!! Get him off the air. I will never watch the NFL Network again if I have to listen to this clown.
November 30th, 2007 at 12:01 am
He called Tony Romo “Rick” Romo…..among MANY other mistakes…..what a fucking moron……collinsworth isn’t even that great but he makes him look like Al Michaels or Howard Cosell
November 30th, 2007 at 12:11 am
Please NFL network get rid of BG. He’s still terrible. Tonights Dal-GB game was a good one, and he made it ordinary. Too many errors and he doesn’t even know how to state the obvious. John Madden has made a career of this, and the NFL Network deserves better. At the end of the coverage he tried to make it the Wendy’s Post Game show, I’ll bet Home Depot loved that one, plus he called Cowboy QB TONY Romo, Rick Romo. Awful, just awful. There must be better play by play choices out there. Collinsworth does a good job and knows what he’s talking about at least. Gumbel must go. He single handedly ruined this game tonight. He does fine on that HBO series and that is where he belongs. Not on live TV. Please NFL Network, if you want us to pay for this, get better talent. Also, the audio from the sideline with Deon Sanders was sloppy. He went on too long and the mike was not working properly. These are things a big network covering a game on Sunday afternoon would rarely have problems with, and they are FREE over the air. Please - get the kinks out and get better annoucers if you expect us to pay for this content.
November 30th, 2007 at 12:41 am
I just sent a negative comment to NFL Network asking them to get rid of Gumbel. He is horrible. I’d rather pull off a fingernail then listen to his sappy voice calling Football. Let’s start a mass email and see if we can get it out to people and get him off the air.
November 30th, 2007 at 1:33 am
Yea, I agree with everything Casey just said. Gumble is definitely NOT the man for the job. His voice is annoying and his interpretation of the game is pretty crappy. He’s off on every play.
November 30th, 2007 at 6:50 am
Last night’s Cowboy’s- Packers game was my first NFL Network experience. After hearing Bryant Gumble call the game I wish I had never subscribed. This guy’s a total joke, I don’t know how Chris Collinsworth didn’t laugh out loud at Gumble. His scratchy high pitched voice is not worthy to call figure skating, let alone the biggest NFC game of the year. One of my favorites…”Tony Romo is also the emotional leader of the Packers”
November 30th, 2007 at 8:42 am
If I see Gumbel in public I’m going to fight him - he was that bad.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Gumble: Ron Williams = Roy Williams, Rick Romo= Tony Romo, Packers = Cowboys, and finally where I come from 6 + 6 = 12 men on the field!
What an idiot, get someone else
November 30th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Gumbel is awful. Dools call me if you see him in person, I want to punch him in the face. TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE job of calling this game.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Bryant “Bumble”…. How bad was that last night? How about the post game announcer who twice called Brett Favre the Cowboys quarterback. This coverage just sucked. It was painful to see such a big game called by these idiots. How many times did we have to see the interference call over and over with Bumble saying it did not look like interference to him? Would he know it if he did see it? The only interference that affected the game for me was from Bumble.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Could anyone have screwed up worse than Gumbel for the Packer/Cowboy game. He misspoke countless times about the name of the teams and had about as much enthusiasm as Public Broadcasting. We turned on the local radio broadcast. So NFL, we missed all your commercials because of Gumbel.
November 30th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Bryant Bozo ruined the Cowboys-Packers game, but I already knew that when I heard he was actually COMING BACK TO THE NFLN THIS SEASON!!!
The very fact that he was brought back is what truly baffles me. I mean, after the monumental stupidity he displayed in the 2006 NFLN games… who the hell decided to have this clown back?
For starters, he knows the proverbial screw all about football and for this reason alone, he has absolutely no business posing as a football announcer. He thinks that punting is exactly the same as turning the ball over on downs, he gets players’ and teams’ names all mixed up, he is consistently off at calculating yardage gains, he usually doesn’t know which down they’re playing, he evidently doesn’t know diddly-poo about football strategy and formations, he makes inane observations and personal opinions, etc, etc, ETC… what gives, then? With so many knowledgeable critics, sportscasters, reporters, and even fans available, why do they keep this creep as an announcer? This is an insult to the fans and the NFL itself; I’m not exaggerating, it is truly irritating.
The worst display of his idiocy was last season, when a player crossed the red line of scrimage displayed on TV broadcasts and this clown spewed: “He’s got the first down!!!”.
Additionally, his voice is wimpy and doesn’t have an ounce of emotion, he just doesn’t seem to enjoy the game. Why oh why, again, is this guy announcing football games???
Finally, if we add to the mix that he’s a racist of the highest order, a controversial figure for all the wrong reasons (Winter Olympics comment, OJ apologies, etc), and even insulted the NFL before last season started, it’s anyone’s guess why they’ve kept him around. Isn’t this the same NFL that fines players for celebrating because they don’t them want to tarnish the league’s image? Can’t they just see that having Gumbel there with his zero football knowledge tarnishes the league’s credibility much more?
Why can’t they just fire him? What is the problem with America these days? Why does corporate America keep giving importance and an air of invulnerability to some people that just don’t deserve it? Why are some people allowed to occupy positions they haven’t earned and screw up time and again without consequences??? To put it bluntly…why do untalented bozos such as Bryant Gumbel, Tim McCarver and Jim Gray have kept their jobs when thousand of REAL EXPERTS would do it infinitely better? It’s like having Russ Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly as football announcers, for God’s sake!!!
I’m sending complaints about this to the NFL. If I launch a website to collect signatures in order to petition Gumbel’s dismissal to the NFL, who will sign?
Sorry about the long rant, I just can’t stand to hear the sounds of this beautiful game ruined by posers.
November 30th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Watched Packers/Cowboys last nite. What a horror that Bryant Gumbel is !His voice is too high for play-by-play, he doesn’t seem to know much football, & he insists on referring to “periods” instead of “quarters.” Also, when did he start looking like Richard Pryor after Pryor’s drug-involvement ? He looks awful !
November 30th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Gumble’s fumbles tumble, rumble, stumble-bumble and he sho’ aint humble.
His patter on air seems to be filled with ancient outdated expressions from a 1920’s college football radio broadcast.
Damn sure isn’t in his element to say the very least!
Throw da bum outta there!
December 1st, 2007 at 8:09 am
I will sign it Fernando! Love ALL the comments.
December 1st, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Fernando, I will sign gladly.
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:53 am
I can’t wait to watch another game with Bryant Gumbel’s play-by-play. This could be a great drinking game. “Gumbel Stumbles” Every time Gumbel screws up take a drink. Damn, we will be smashed by the end of the first half.
Cowboys vs Packers
Gumbel: Marion Barber is the heartbeat of the Packers.TAKE A DRINK.
Gumbel calls Tony Romo Rick Romo. TAKE A DRINK
Gumbel calls Roy Williams Ron Williams. TAKE A DRINK
Gumble says the first period instead of the first half. TAKE A DRINK
Maybe we should stop the game after the first quater.
Maybe I will be the designated driver to prevent myselft from getting alcohol poisining.
Maybe we should get some of that 3.2 beer from Oklahoma.
Nevertheless it could be fun.
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:06 am
Hey Brant Gumble here’s one for you. The next time a kicker lines up to kick a field goal refer to him as a (soccer style kicker) apposed to the 1970’s straight on style. It will give us something else to laugh at.
Whatever you do, please do not prep
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Darin- Add this to your drinking game. Any time Gumble says “it would appear” when describing game action. “it would appear” he has the first down. “it would appear” to be holding. “it would appear” to be short. “it would appear” he’s going to pass.
He used that phrase 200 times in the first half. It would appear somebody said something to him about it at halftime because it would appear he didn’t use the same phrase as frequently in the second half.
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Gumbel/English Translator
“Packers” = Cowboys
“Cowboys” = Packers
“Rick Romo” = An overrated QB who is not as good as Donovan McNabb
“Brent Favre” = Another overrated QB who is not as good as Daunte Culpepper
“He would appear to have a first down” = First down
“Period” = Quarter (or half)
December 6th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Sign the petition to get this fool fired…. and forward it to all football fans!!
http://www.petitiononline.com/gumbelno/petition.html
December 7th, 2007 at 9:19 am
BG is a complete and utter joke. Not only should he be fired, but the moron(s) who picked him for the job need to be fired too. He knows NOTHING about football (unless it regards a “racially divisive” issue. He’s a racist who hates white people, who needs to quit ironing his hair.
December 15th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Please Please Please put Bryant Gumbel and Dennis Miller in a white room with white jackets with the door locked to talk to each other. BG has the most irritating voice for NFL commentary. Y doesn’t the NFL get it?
December 16th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
He’s play by play is like watching an action movie. Imagine watching your favorite action movie with the original musical score replaced with a sad depressing drama score. Give the job to Tom Hammond.
December 16th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Byrant Gumbel has gotta go. His play by play sounds like a news desk anchor reading the prompter with the days sports news because the regular sports anchor unexpectedly took a day off.
December 17th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Referring to Saturday night game.
Get rid of Bryant Gumbel, this fool could not call play by play for a divison 4 high school game. He along with marshall faulk and Deion Sanders were terrible. Thier story telling was interupted by, “Oh look, there is a football game on the field”.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Here’s more for the drinking game…take a chug every time BG says:
“…this side…” which refers to any time the play comes to the near side of the field. On one play, he said it THREE times, then said it again on the next play.
“…figures to be…” which he usually says toward the end of a quarter. “That play figures to be the last play of the third period.”
Listen for it, I guarantee it will drive you crazy!
December 20th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
After a Pittsburgh td, BG says ” St. Louis’ offense is in high gear they have 300 yards already here in the first half”
His commentary is mundane, boring, no sense of urgency or excitement, and inaccurate alot of the time. And he doesn’t correct himself when he goofs up names or teams.
“It would appear” that I don’t like him. “It seems” he sucks. “This one” is a bad commentator.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I am currently watching the Pitt vs Rams game hosted by the inept B.G. He commented on Parker’s injury and said that Parker’s season is over, before anything was revealed. He is an IDIOT. And whats with calling the quarters, periods ? This is not Hockey, but again he is an IDIOT.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
“Frankly” I wish he would be replaced. Tom Hammond was good last week.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
WHO WAS THE MORON WHO HIRED BRYANT GUMBEL??????!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS BRIGHT COOKIE NEEDS TO BE FIRED, AND PLEASE REPLACE BG BEFORE THE COWBOYS GAME ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!
I WOULD LOVE TO BE WATCHING THE STEELERS-RAMS GAME RIGHT NOW BUT CAN’T STAND LISTENING TO GUMBLE’S PLAY-BY-PLAY. NFL FACE IT…HE SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS….GET RID OF HIM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 20th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Seriously,
I can’t take much more of him. Just terrible.
Hey Lee: I hope tonite “figures to be” his last game. But I’m afraid it won’t be.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Bryant Gumbel broadcasting football. Worst I ever seen in 50 years.
December 22nd, 2007 at 6:57 pm
I wish I could have commented on Bryant Gubel’s broadcasting since the Packers - Cowboys game, but I have steered clear of the NFL Network and watching any games after witnessing the debacle of announcing that fateful Thursday night.
Now I just watch NBA Basketball on TNT instead Thursday nights… Marv Albert, now there’s an announcer!
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:31 pm
please get rid of Bryant Gumbell
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:46 pm
This just in: “Romo throws THIS SIDE to T.O., touchdown!”
7-0 Dallas.
Russ, BG is “what was” the worst possible commentator the NFL could find in this “period” or any other period in history.
Next year, I’m getting Sirius radio and using it in conjunction with NFLN games so I don’t have to listen to “what figures to be” the annoying musings of one BG.
December 22nd, 2007 at 9:10 pm
“He throws THIS SIDE to 81…FIGURES TO HAVE another first down”
9:20 to go, second quarter.
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:03 pm
grt rid of the jerk that doesn’t know a thing about football he is so dum B G has to go
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:17 am
I dismissed Bryan Gumbel the firs time as an idiot. This game, I grew utterly sick of listening to him. I encourage everyone to post feedback to the NFL at http://www.nfl.com/contact-us
December 27th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I am very excited about Saturdays game!! The entire nation will now get to hear the torture that is Gumbel. Chris Collinsworth should be given the Nobel Peace Prize for being able to sit next to him each week without stabbing himself in the neck with a pencil. We have a thread dedicated to Gumbelisms at fanball.com in the fantasy football forum. I invite all to attend as we go through this torture together.
December 29th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
A few weeks ago during a game that Dallas was playing I heard Bryant Gumble call Wade Phillips “Homer Phillips”. This guy is terrible. Get rid of him.
December 29th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Bryant Gumble more like Bryant “Gump”le
December 29th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
I cannot stand Gumbel. I love Collinsworth. I will not watch the NFL network again if Gumbel broadcasts anymore. The only reason I must listen to his f’in snobby and no nothing voice is because he is being televised on all channels tonight. Please NFL network - for your own good - get rid of Bryant Gumbel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 30th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Thank you, thank you, thank you — I thought I was alone going out of my mind because of BG. I just went on line to search if anyone else felt the same. Great comments with no to little personal attacks on the guy.
All the comments are right on!!! The only thing I see missing is the constant use of the term “ball game” “ball game” “ball game”. You are all right, he makes great games bad and average games unbearable and unwatchable. I have turned the game off several times because I couldn’t take BG – I mean I turned the “ball game” off. Cris is a saint. I don’t know how he does it without laughing, punching, leaving or even correcting. You can tell Cris losses patients around the 3rd “period” but even then he maintains control.
December 30th, 2007 at 8:06 am
I agree this guy just plain sucks at announcing. He can’t call anything correctly. I’m 15 and could easily do a better job than this fool. He says way to many things that aren’t correct. He doesn’t pay attention. He just plain and simple cant cover a football game even if it was high school. In all the games he says things that everybody knows are wrong. Like in the Patriots-Giants game he said that the ball was just badly thrown when it was tipped by the defender. Just plain and simple this guy needs to be booted off the network for his lack of understanding the game. Even Tereell Davis would be better.
December 30th, 2007 at 9:17 am
I just saw my first NFL Network game (Patriots v. Giants) courtesy of NBC–I found Bryant Gumbel’s performance inspiring. You see, I’ve always wanted to do the play-by-play for an NFL game, but I just assumed I lacked the talent and know-how to do so. Watching BG for the first time last night, I realize that the NFL network doesn’t require an extensive knowledge of plays, players or the rules of the game, so look out! I’m sending a tape and a resume.
Seriously, It was good to see others feel the same way. It was unbearable and Collinsworth is a saint.
December 30th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Honestly he is the worst of all time.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
OMG, they finally got rid of him.
Bryant Gumble is leaving the NFL network!
So who’s his replacement???