The demise of MNF. A couple of weeks late, I know, but I didn't have a soapbox yet

I had to say something about the not so lamented demise of Monday Night Football on ABC, even if the obits were posted a couple of weeks ago.

I got a tad misty when I learned MNF was moving to ESPN from ABC. It was bad enough that we had to wade through all the media reminiscing before the last broadcast. Then again, I know it was more from the feeling of what a powerful force MNF once was, as compared to what MNF has become today. You're of a certain age and mention MNF, you instinctively think of Howard Cosell, Dandy Don, the Giffer, and that when your team made Cosell's halftime highlights, it was a HUGE HUGE HUGE deal. It was an event, even someone as young as I was at the time realized. But it wasn't to last. In 1984 Cosell said, "Look at that little monkey go!" and it's been a slow downward spiral to irrelevancy since. It's just now another game on the schedule that gets a little more attention than most when it rolls into town.

I must (Must?) be getting old, as I rarely would stay awake till the end of the game anymore. It would take a compelling game for me to do so, and how often did that happen? I think most fans that live east of the Mississippi were in the same boat. What else would the network suits expect with 9 pm start times? Thanks a lot, you God damn left coasters. With NFL games runnning closer to 3 1/2 hours anymore, I know I'm not staying up till 12:45 am to watch any game, unless it's the Lions on MNF. What am I saying? That's a moot point. The Lions on MNF hasn't happened in years and years and years...

Another thing that drives me to total distraction is John Madden. I'm sorry, but Madden is a shell of his former self as a color analyist. He's become nothing but catch phrases (Boom! Bang! Whatever...) and a master of stating the blatantly obvious. But he sure can sell those video games to the kids... What NBC is thinking by putting him on their new Sunday night franchise is baffling to me, as he no longer brings anything to the table but name recoginition. Oh, yeah, that's why... Let alone NBC plans on inflicting the pain that is Chris Collinsworth back on the public. But who am I to talk, I enjoyed the Dennis Miller experiment, even if Al Michaels and most of America didn't.

With MNF going to ESPN, you know the coverage will be over the top. Waaaaay over the top. If there is one thing that The Worldwide Leader can do well, it's hype. (StephenScreamin' A. Smith, anyone?) We will get MNF'ed to death. If they can endlessly pimp something as lame ass as their made for TV movies, (Ever see "3" or "Hustle?" Neither did I, but with ESPN saturating their network with promos, I feel as if I did. Several times...) Just think how breathless and overwhelming the shit slinging will be on Mondays. BOO-YAH! HE GOT...JACKED UP!

I can't fucking wait.