NFL Network punts Gumbel
Or is it the other way around?
Whatever side you care to believe, Bryant Gumbel's days of stumbling around as a play-by-play man on NFL Network Thursday and Saturday night games is done, both parties announced this afternoon.
The Net is going with the story that "Gumbel has decided to give up his duties" after two seasons.
Good decision.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to call NFL Network games the past two years, which was a new experience for me,” said Gumbel in a statement. “But we've agreed that we'd all be better served going in different directions. There are a lot of talented people at NFL Network. I thank them, I wish them well, and I have no doubt that they will be very successful going forward.”
We are correct, on so many levels.
Cris Collinsworth, however, stays.
“We appreciate everything Bryant did in helping us launch our NFL Network game telecasts,” said NFL Network pres and CEO Steve Bornstein. “Bryant helped create interest in our first foray into televising NFL regular-season games. He is one of the great broadcasters of our time and we are honored to have worked with him.”
He may have created interest, but he hardly created any memories.
In other words, stick to your HBO desk job, my friend.
Again, you can see Gumbel going on-one-one -- literally -- with Barack Obama on the Tuesday episode of HBO's "Real Sports." Gumbel decides to play the Democratic presidental candidate in a basketball game. Too bad it wasn't bowling.
Leave a comment