2008-12-19T16:50:29Z Breaking down the NFL announcers tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2008:/theleague/playback/44 Copyright (c) 2008, WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive 2008-12-19T16:50:29Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-12-19:/theleague/playback2008/12/behind_the_scenes_at_mnf_part_iv_actual_scenes.html

I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend the day with ESPN as the Monday Night Football train came rolling into Philadelphia this week. Throughout the day, we'll take a look at one of the largest traveling shows in sports for the biggest program in cable television history (well, the cast of High School Musical was unavailable, so we're stuck with football). It's quite a production. In part one, we looked at the personalities...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy 2008-12-18T21:55:43Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-12-18:/theleague/playback2008/12/behind_the_scenes_at_mnf_part_iii_the_game.html

I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend the day with ESPN as the Monday Night Football train came rolling into Philadelphia this week. Throughout the day, we'll take a look at one of the largest traveling shows in sports for the biggest program in cable television history (well, the cast of High School Musical was unavailable, so we're stuck with football). It's quite a production. In part one, we looked at the personalities...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy 2008-12-18T17:39:37Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-12-18:/theleague/playback2008/12/behind_the_scenes_at_mnf_part_ii_the_puppeteers.html

I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend the day with ESPN as the Monday Night Football train came rolling into Philadelphia this week. Throughout the day, we'll take a look at one of the largest traveling shows in sports for the biggest program in cable television history (well, the cast of High School Musical was unavailable, so we're stuck with football). It's quite a production. In part one, we looked at the personalities...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy 2008-12-18T15:56:29Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-12-18:/theleague/playback2008/12/bts_at_mnf_the_personalities_are_quite_personable.html

I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend the day with ESPN as the Monday Night Football train came rolling into Philadelphia this week. Throughout the day, we'll take a look at one of the largest traveling shows in sports for the biggest program in cable television history (well, the cast of High School Musical was unavailable, so we're stuck with football). It's quite a production. In part one, we look at the personalities...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy 2008-12-05T23:16:55Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-12-05:/theleague/playback2008/12/week_13_rosen_ryan_and_myers.html

In a game key to both Carolina's and Green Bay's playoff chances, you might have expected a good game (if you ignored the Packers' sub-.500 record). But if you were Fox play-by-play man Sam Rosen, you just couldn't wait for the snow to start falling. Maybe he's itching to get back to hockey, but I really don't think that some late flurries are going to impact the game so much that they need to be...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Max Smith 2008-11-25T23:41:47Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-11-25:/theleague/playback2008/11/fox_nfl_sunday_some_say_its_fine.html

This week Playback decided to review a pregame show instead of a game broadcast. And since the pregame shows use so many on-air personalities, we followed suit and assigned three people to review Fox NFL Sunday. First, each will share his or her overall impressions. Then, in a tribute to our pals at the Sunday Line, we present the transcript of their live chat, held as Curt, Terry, Jimmy, Howie and Michael held court on...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Jon DeNunzio 2008-11-19T05:02:19Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-11-19:/theleague/playback2008/11/oh_my_enberg_and_cross_still_get_it_done.html

Be honest: If somebody had asked you back in August if you thought you'd be watching the Tennessee Titans' game at the Jacksonville Jaguars in three months, you would said "only if I need to nap that afternoon." Outside of Nashville and a very confined stretch of Interstate 95 in northeast Florida, who really gave this matchup any thought? Well, the Titans, while lacking the constant adoration of national television, are undefeated. Really. And so...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rob Daniels 2008-11-12T19:05:56Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-11-12:/theleague/playback2008/11/al_john_solid_for_fans_valuable_for_nbc.html

For the last few years, NBC's primetime lineup has been steadily dropping in the ratings. While some shows have received critical acclaim, many haven't been on long enough for most viewers to notice they were canceled. Gone are the glory days of "Must See TV" with George Clooney and Jerry Seinfeld. Now, based on numbers, the biggest stars on NBC are men in helmets. NBC knows that their audience for Sunday Night Football is nearly...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy 2008-11-05T18:43:28Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-11-05:/theleague/playback2008/11/week_9_buck_and_aikman.html

It was evident early on in the telecast of the New York Giants' 35-14 victory over the hapless Dallas Cowboys on Sunday that Fox color commentator Troy Aikman was out to prove something. After Boomer Esiason accused Aikman of having "a legitimate bias" toward Dallas, the former Cowboys quarterback took the high road: "Well, I'm glad Boomer is watching the NFL on Fox," Aikman told the Dallas Morning News. "I take great pride in not...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Lindsay Applebaum 2008-10-22T02:21:29Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-10-21:/theleague/playback2008/10/week_7_eagle_wilcots_and_week_6.html

Maybe you heard, but less than a week before they played the Redskins, the Cleveland Browns engineered a shocking, season-changing upset win over the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Oh, what's that, you hadn't heard? Well CBS announcers Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots will be happy to tell you about it. Again. And again. And again. At separate points over the course of Sunday's telecast, we learned, at least twice, how many times...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Steinberg 2008-10-16T16:47:29Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-10-16:/theleague/playback2008/10/week_6_harlan_and_gannon.html

Late in the telecast of the Saints' 34-3 home victory over the Raiders on Sunday, CBS color commentator Rich Gannon drew a comparison between New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees - who was having yet another great game - and now-retired NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Both quarterbacks suffered serious injuries in 2005 and went to noted sports surgeon James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., for surgery before the 2006 season. Brees rehabbed in Birmingham for weeks, Gannon...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Jon DeNunzio 2008-10-01T13:19:52Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-09-30:/theleague/playback2008/09/week_4_myers_joins_pearson_for_vikings-titans.html

Fox's broadcast of the Vikings-Titans game Sunday in Nashville gave Playback the rare opportunity to review sports television veteran Chris Myers, who filled in for Matt Vasgersian as the play-by-play man alongside JC Pearson. The matchup wasn't bad, and neither were the broadcasters. Let's break it down ... Who Are These Guys? Myers -- working his first NFL game of the season -- has done play-by-play before. But his voice is so closely identified with...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Rob Daniels 2008-09-24T17:36:27Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-09-24:/theleague/playback2008/09/week_3_gumbel_dierdorf_and_commercials.html

The New York Giants had their hands full on Sunday, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 26-23 in overtime. I'd love to tell you how the final drive looked on TV, but CBS thought it was more important for me to see commercials than actual football. More on that later. Perhaps since CBS's contract to televise pro football has them doing mostly AFC matchups, broadcasters Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf seemed to go out of their way...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy 2008-09-17T03:54:30Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-09-16:/theleague/playback2008/09/week_2_dick_stockton_and_the_killer_bs.html

The New Orleans Saints faced first and goal at the Washington Redskins 1-yard line on Sunday. On their first stab at the end zone, the Redskins stopped Pierre Thomas for no gain. "This is the thing they don't have, necessarily, without Deuce McAllister," opined Brian Billick, in his second regular season game providing color commentary for Fox. "They've got some good backs, obviously Pierre Thomas, but he just doesn't carry the load that a Deuce...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Matthew Bonesteel 2008-09-15T15:20:50Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2008-09-15:/theleague/playback2008/09/chargers-broncos_blowing_the_tv_call.html

With all the excitement surrounding the end of Sunday's Chargers-Broncos game, Playback could not resist a bonus mini-review. Here's panelist Dan Levy on the way CBS team Dick Enberg and Randy Cross handled the final minutes of Sunday's best game: I have watched a lot of football in my life. I'm not sure I've seen a more exciting ending than the Denver-San Diego game on Sunday. Sure, as a fan of the Broncos my interest...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

Dan Levy