Watching the Bucs game today, the Bucs intercepted a pass by Brett Favre on the 2 yard line and ran it back for a touchdown. Mind you, this is a 98 yard touchdown.
Pat Somerall makes the following comment:
“That is a record for the Bucs for interceptions run for a touchdown. The record was held before by so and so and that was 82 yards. That means the record has been broken by 10 yards. Or maybe more.”
Now, I am no math major here, but the last time I checked if a record of 82 yards was broken by a 98 yard run, that would be an increase of 16 yards.
Later, more words of wisdom from John Madden:
(Situation: a challenge by Tony Dungy [Bucs head coach] on a first down call, claiming that the ball came a few inches short of the 30 yard line)
“I don’t know if they will reverse this call, but it looks like the ball came a few inches short of the first down line. Not even inches, cubic inches, which are smaller.”
Truly wow.
I didn’t stick around long enough to hear any more, but I don’t know if they could have topped that one.
Well, you see, your cubic inches are smaller because they’re metric inches and are based on a Base-10, rather than Base-12, which dictates that there are 10 liters to a cubic and 10 cubics to an inch and on up the line until you get to 10 grids to a football field, and we known that all American measurements of distance and measured in football fields, e.g. “If laid end to end, you could fit 452,192 football fields from here to the moon.”
How’s this: “Ain’t no sense worryin’ about things you got control over, ‘cause if you got control over them, ain’t no sense worryin’.” Mickey Rivers, ex-New York Yankee centerfielder.
Madden and Summerall were obviously just having fun. No need to think that they’re really that stupid. The self-deprecating dumb act, which for those two includes stating the obvious quite regularly, is just part of the show, folks. (Yes, it is an act.)
That being said, I don’t like them as announcers. I see that they try to have some type of entertainment value in their broadcasts, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
C’mon, foxy the Bucs WON! [sub]sorry, was that in your ear?[/sub] Lighten up a bit. Besides, it was more than 10 yards longer than 82, so he got it with his lifeline.
PS I watched the game but without volume so I didn’t get to hear these gems in person. Madden’s act is wearing thin, and he was once one of my favorite coaches. I think this was before you were born.
Look, what do you expect from an industry which, when commentating on Olympic gymnastics, distills an entire routine to how well the athlete “sticks it”? And those are the smart ones.
Does anybody remember the way Muhammed Ali would try to take Howard Cosell’s toupee off? I thought that was one of the finest moments in American sports, myself.
“they want to get the running game going to set up the pass/open up the passing game” This is the strategy for every team in the NFL every week, if you watch pre-game shows.
I still disagree, and as for the un-warranted sarcasm in your post, I offer you the opportunity to f*ck off.
It wasn’t a deadpan joke, and if you’d heard it, you would have a half assed idea about what you’re talking about. Didn’t see it? Oh, well there you go.
I still disagree, and as for the un-warranted sarcasm in your post, I offer you the opportunity to f*ck off.
Fair enough. Apologies for the sarcasm. Definitely not called for.
A few points:
1-They’ve been doing it this way for many years.
Witness this actual exchange, long ago:
(Summerall) “Here’s a picture of the moon over Cleveland” (or wherever)
long pause--------------------
(Madden)“I wonder if they’re playing any football up there,”
long pause-------------------
(Summerall) “Probably not”
2 You don’t have to actually SEE the above exchange take place, to realize that it is not serious.
3- Madden’s degree is in philosophy, and he’s far from the buffoon he plays on TV
4- Given an a priori knowledge of their deliberate goofiness, it seems far more likely that they were joking, rather than stupid.
I heard it too. Millions of people did. It’s really just a “dumb guy” act. Dunne U. Wurrie’s example was a good one. They do that ALL the time. (I do still agree with you, ladyfoxfire, in saying that it’s a bit annoying when they do it constantly.)
For the humor-imparied. I heard it, and the first comment was intended as comedy. They are not stupid. Granted they ad lib 95% of the entire 3-4 hour broadcast so I’m willing to grant them some leeway on word bobbles and periods where they talk inanely. The latter exchange they were clearly having a good time, and Madden accidentally said cubic inch instead of centimeter, which he corrected later. I don’t think this one was intentional, but it had me laughing pretty hard, and they laughed about it together later as well. Not sure what exactly you tune into football for, but a laugh and a smile certainly is high on my list.
An aside, I’d say these guys, doing 3-4 hours of completely unscripted live talk are orders of magnitude better than those dumb ass mouth pieces on the hour-long news shows when they have to deviate from the teleprompter for 15 minutes. Do you remember Rather, Brokaw, etc. during the Election?
Besides, it was more than 10 yards longer than 82, so he got it with his lifeline.
but I guess it’s almost on-topic here