Finally, the ex player Purge

[kelbail2.2]

The ESPN purge of ex players turned broadcasters has been long overdue. Young men and women work their butts off in college training to be professional broadcasters and competing vigorously for jobs after graduation and completing working internships. The players, on the other hand, move right into these spots and they are absolutely horrible. They provide poor, often reckless, insight into the game and the minds of the players and prove time and time again through their suggestions and predictions that they know no more than the average fan about the game. They can just play it better. Please continue the purge and weed out the "rappers" of NFL broadcasting and go back to hiring real analysts and trained broadcasters to provide worthwhile insight and information brought to us with some class and a proper command of the English language. I mean, that segment on NFL Network with Burleson and the other idiot is a complete joke and how long will it be til the snorting Heath Evans just goes completely bulldog and starts farting and drueling on set? For every d bag, ex player, they hire, they're missing out on the next Al Michaels, Bob Costas, Mike Tirico, Joe Buck, James Brown, etc. And they wanted more money? Ex players, when you retire, please go away. Show up for the occasional half time honoring.

[DolphinsFreak]

I agree. These ex-players have a completely biased view on all things football. They are loyal to their ex-team or teams, players they know and in some cases are complely racists when it comes to their opinions on 'players of color' not getting the start over a white player. Many black analysts attacked Gruden and others benching Robert Griffen and claimed it was because of the color of his skin. Funny how the next coach did the same thing, proving it was NOT racism, it was because Griffen's game isn't what it used to be the beginning of his rookie year. The same with Chip Kelly. He ships out a few players, who happen to be black, and replaces them with BLACK PLAYERS, and somehow even he is a racist according to the ex-player/announcers.

Since the league is made up of about 90% African Americans I don't buy the racism card. It's bad enough Wll Smith whips out the race card just because his horrible acting didn't get him a Oscar nomination but do we need it in professional sports, in a sport clearly dominated by African Americans?

Yes, it's time to hire EDUCATED, unbiased announcers who have degrees that they actually went to class to earn.

Fire all ex-players and start hiring a diverse group of people who actually know what their talking about. They can keep the ex-coaches for the X's and O's portion of their segments.

[cuchulainn]

Was happy to see that E-SPIN fired Ray Lewis and Chris Carter. Now, they need to fire Michael Irvin and Dion Sanders. At least Skip Bayless is gone now as well.

[61finfan]

Honestly, there isn't a capable broadcaster outside of Al Michaels. Show the games and just announce down and distance. I never have the sound on..all the blithering idiots are a distraction. Purge everyone.

[cuchulainn]

Honestly, there isn't a capable broadcaster outside of Al Michaels. Show the games and just announce down and distance. I never have the sound on..all the blithering idiots are a distraction. Purge everyone.

[61finfan]

Love it......

[ONole1]

I agree with the overload of former players brought into broadcasting, but I think there needs to be a good mix. The players can give you views, insights, an opinions the journalist can't. There are many good players turned annalist out there, I just feel the networks should weed through them faster than they have been. Guys like Marshal Faulk, Kurt Warner, Tom Jackson, Phil Sims, Jamie Dukes, Solomon Wilcox, and even Willie McGinest are top notch IMO and I value listening to them.

[Driven_Phinsane!]

The long list of 'Not ready for primetime players' is way too long to list, but IMO some of the worst ever off the top of my head were Emmitt 'Dumb as a stump' Smith, Shannon 'Let me scream at the top of my lungs & spit my point out' Sharpe (Brother Sterling is a yeller too, but a bit easier to take) & Joe 'I just wanna kiss you Suzy' Namath..Joe Theez-man was possibly the worst ever...Troy Aikmen can be insightful but he's boring as hell...One guy who i hated as a player and initially as an announcer (pompous & egotistical!!!) was Chris Collinsworth, but IMO working with Al Micheals has turned him into a top-notch announcer; very insightful with great football knowledge...

I do have to say, personally i'd live with the pain & suffering of listening to every one of these dumbasses if they'd just kick that ASS-CLOWN Chris 'Boner' Berman off the air, permanently!!! Man, that guy has seriously been getting on my freakin' nerves for decades!!!!!