To bring back the sparkle of a once celebrated franchise, ABC snatched up John Madden, who was recently released by FOX, to take on Monday Night Football. Madden's deal will reportedly pay him in the upwards of five million a year over four years.
The general consensus on the signing is that it is a last ditch attempt for ABC to regain ratings lost by becoming obsessed with youth demographics (Dennis Miller) and always looking for the quick fix (changing the MNF lineup on a yearly basis).
Madden, now 65 years old, is not seen as the commentator he once was. Maybe his wit is beginning to falter, or simply the public has grown tired of his act. Either way, the addition of Madden to Monday Night Football has not been met with great applause.
But what Madden brings to the table is character, and lots of it. His take on football may not be as fresh as it was years ago, but "Maddenisms" are still very entertaining.
ABC has missed the boat numerous times, believing your average NFL fan wants a hip, cool commentating crew over the familiarity and comfort of voices they've heard for years. There is no need to make Monday Night Football an experiment, throwing a comedian's nonsense and the like into the mix. Give us good football, give us clear commentary, and the people will come.
ABC could take lessons on improving their product by viewing Hockey Night in Canada on the CBC. Their broadcast is filled with tradition, but is by no means lost in the past. Each week the CBC gives you the hottest ticket on ice and does it right, no fluff pieces, just strong analysis, quality play-by-play, and outspoken commentaries.
Saturday night's match-up featured the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Center. The game opened with a montage of clips from 50 years of Hockey Night in Canada. The night was a special evening for Maple Leaf fans, a tribute to the 25 greatest in the franchise's long history.
A tremendous night for Toronto fans fell to tragedy before the game even started. Art Jackson, the 78-year-old nephew of honoree Harvey Jackson, collapsed as he was being introduced, and later died.
Commentators Bob Cole and Harry Neale handled a difficult situation for the audience with respect and professionalism. When it was announced that Jackson had passed, the two veterans of Hockey Night continued their crisp play-by-play.
During the first intermission viewers are treated - as always - to Coaches Corner with Don Cherry, five minutes of controversial commentary on everything that is NHL.
A week ago, Cherry took some shots at the Russian Olympic team for threatening to boycott the games, the Russian newspapers jumped on him and referred to him as a clown. One paper's headline read, "Clowns Apology Rejected."
Cherry, however, was not backing down.
" I don't know why they are rejecting my apology, I never apologized, they didn't get an apology out of me," the out-spoken former coach said during his segment.
Cherry on Leafs' goalie Curtis Joseph's injury to his finger, "Joseph being out won't hurt his market value come off season, the Maple Leafs already miss him and it shows them how much they love him and why he's worth the $10 million."
Cherry talks to the camera like he's had a few, and is on the warpath - must see TV.
There is a very Canadian feel to the broadcast, whether it's Labatt as the game's major sponsor or the Canadian commentators, there is something going on that ESPN or ABC can't touch.
The commentating is stellar; two veterans dishing out quality play-by-play, the emphasis on the game play over the fact that a man had just passed, but not downplaying the Jackson family's importance to the Maple Leaf organization.
Overall, Hockey Night in Canada is a showcase for the CBC network and more importantly, the NHL. This is the kind of flagship show Monday Night Football should be, not just another night of football.
Hockey Night in Canada will take place again next Saturday at 7 p.m. with the most storied rivalry in the NHL taking center stage: Montreal vs. Toronto.
