Does anyone else miss ESPN's "NFL Primetime?"

[Auggie]

Chris Berman and Tom Jackson gave each team/game about same amount of attention regardless of market size or winning record, with good in-depth analysis sans the inane chatter. It was so well-produced. The NBC version is a tired formula and waste of time.

[mduffy31]

1. Can't stand Football Night what the fuck ever

Bring back PRIMETIME

[Awsi Dooger]

2. Immensely

That was the best highlight show ever. Well, along with the Cosell halftime highlights. I looked forward to watching Primetime even though I'd already seen every game side-by-side in the sportbooks.

No chance I'm watching the NBC show. Last thing I need is more Bob Costas. Sorry, but I'll never forgive him from staining the '88 Olympics late night coverage by obsessing over baseball results every night, and slighting the Olympic events they were showing in the latenight slot. He thought he was too good for the late coverage after being passed over for the primetime hosting duties.

[Auggie]

3. Sometimes I think NBC stands for NOBODY BUT COSTAS

They need to retire him already

[Yavin4]

4. Primetime Was Better than Watching The Games Themselves

Primetime to me was superior to the games because the condensed format would not only show the highlights but key plays in the game.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Yep! I Sure Do

That new "NFL BLITZ" thing they do, within Sportscenter is a pale immitation of their old show.
The Professor

[northzax]

6. it's a copyright problem

with NBC having the sunday night game, ESPN can't do the indepth analysis until after that game is completed. They can only use the same two minutes of footage that any news organization gets. Primetime had a special deal, and that went away after last season. shame.

[Stevendsmith]

7. Yes, and I am so pissed about how they screwed with MNF!

What the hell were they thinking?

Network MNF was a sacred institution. Now it's been totally downgraded.

And don't even get me started on Joe Theisman.

But, yes, I really miss Primetime.

[SethInUpstateNY]

8. I miss Primetime even though

it's not as in depth with the highlights as they were when it started in 1987.

I've tried watching NBC's version for the first couple of weeks and quite frankly it's not very good at all.

[Arkana]

9. I also miss the days where they didn't spend weeks commenting

on one guy--usually Roethlisberger or Twinkletoes Peyton.

[trotsky]

10. Yup.

Boomer and TJ were fantastic. I also miss "Fastest 3 Minutes in Football" when it SHOULD be on - halftime of the Sunday Night game. Now Berman does it from the field on MNF and there's way too much stadium noise.

[Dulcinea]

11. Absolutely.

I loved that show. Chris Berman & Tom Jackson play so well off of each other. I even miss Berman's nicknames!

My all-time favorite was for former running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala.

Berman: "He's a bad ma'afala!"

Jackson: "Shut your mouth!"

[Auggie]

12. Berman was a joy. Besides the nicknames, there were the sound effects and

play descriptions:

"He - could - go - all - the - way."

"Rumbin', bumblin', stumblin',"

"Tick, tick... tick, tick..."

Any more?

[Lefty48197]

13. I hate Berman and Jackson

Berman because he's a pompous ass, and Jackson for being such a marshmallow and knodding in agreement when Limbaugh was saying that McNabb wasn't a great quarterback. He's now forever "Uncle Tom Jackson".

[LSdemocrat]

14. Actually Jackson threatened to quit if Limbaugh wasn't fired

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20031006-9999_1s6replay.html

"It now has become fairly obvious that Tom Jackson is the main reason Rush Limbaugh suddenly is free on Sundays.

Jackson delivered a seething speech on "Sunday NFL Countdown." He didn't hold back on how he felt about the Limbaugh issue. Apparently, he expressed the same views privately to ESPN executives Wednesday, the day Limbaugh quit.

Jackson, who is black, made it clear he wasn't going to stand for Limbaugh returning to the show. ESPN did the right thing or it would have lost Jackson, a 17-year veteran of "Countdown." "

[ProfessorGAC]

15. You've Got Your Facts Wrong Lefty

Jackson gave ESPN the "him or me" speech. They picked him. The Court Jester was then asked to resign to avoid the embarassment of being fired.

Get hold of the clip. Jackson is apoplectic with rage. He admitted later he didn't say anything on the spot because he was in shock.

The Professor

[Lefty48197]

16. I saw it

I remember Jackson knodding his head in sheeple agreement. If he later voiced indignation, it may be another symptom of the fact that he's a weathervane.