Some in League Would Be Surprised if Gumbel is Fired
Several executives with NFL teams said in recent days they would be surprised if the league dismisses veteran broadcaster Bryant Gumbel.
Gumbel is scheduled to handle the play-by-play duties in the eight games to be carried by the league-owned NFL Network this season. But outgoing commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Monday that Gumbel's status would be reviewed because of highly critical comments about the league, the owners and NFL Players Association chief Gene Upshaw that Gumbel made last week on his HBO show.
Three executives, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be viewed as publicly contradicting Tagliabue, said they strongly disagreed with what Gumbel said and objected to the tone of Gumbel's comments. But they also said they expected him to be allowed to work the games, the first of which comes on Thanksgiving.
"There's a cooling-off period before the first game," one executive said. "What he said was way off base. But if you want the public to believe that the NFL Network has any independence and credibility, you can't fire the guy."
By Mark Maske |
August 25, 2006; 9:53 AM ET
| Category:
Television
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Posted by: jimnolan | August 25, 2006 12:20 PM
Opinion's are like a$%holes...everyone has one and they all stink.
That said, to fire Gumble would be a mistake. It would encourage sports writers and tv anchors to stick to vanilla stories.
It's not like he made a Jimmy The Greek or Rush Limbaugh racially charged statement.
You can bet more than one player has complained to Gumble about Upshaw for him to make a comment like that.
No-one is forced to listen to Gumble. Let the listeners and viewers decide with the remote control.
Posted by: Football Fan | August 25, 2006 3:19 PM
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Regardless of the recent flap, I just don't see Gumbel as a play by play announcer. He takes himself much too seriously and i'll be pleasantly surprised if he can get into the flow of a (to him) mere athletic event.