Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen and Rick Pizzo

swingman

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BTN broadcast crew for Illini...really like Kugler and Pizzo...
 


Millen has mellowed out a lot, and you have to feel sympathy for his health issues. He's still bad, but he's no longer trying to imitate Madden.
 

Forgot about the health issues. What was that again?

You know, he seems like a decent guy, and he was a hell of a player, but IMHO he distracts more often than he provides insight. I caught a bit of game he was doing earlier this year, and wasn't impressed.

To be fair, though, there are very few color commentators who really add a lot. Pete Bercich, for instance, sometimes provides real insight on Vikings radio.

JTG
 

I'm good with that crew.
I still think Millen is good.
 


I'll be honest that I haven't listened to too many Millen broadcasts on BTN but he was by far the worst NFL broadcaster back when he was doing that. And he did even worse as Lions GM (he assembled the 0-16 team).

May be a great human being and had great career as a player but he's been awful at his jobs since.

Hope he gets well from his health issues though.

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Millen did a Husker game two weeks ago and was terrible. Mixing up names and had players on the wrong team and so on.
 

I used to sigh whenever Millen was doing commentary for a game, both in the NFL and the B1G. Didn't like him. I also was amazed at how poorly he managed the Detroit Lions. But, literally all of that melted away when I saw the half hour Big Ten network show on his health problems. I now find myself cheering for him and want to see more of him. Very likable guy with the kind of personality that I enjoy and I am pulling for him. Good lesson for me. It is easy to discard people in sports and broadcasting because it isn't always as easy to remember that they might have admirable personalities and the things that "bug" me might not be so big after all.

I think the same thing when people reach for the pitchforks regarding Vikings QB Cousins. I'm frustrated with his play but I hear so many things that are inappropriate as people pile on when he plays poorly, as if that is his intention.
 




I used to sigh whenever Millen was doing commentary for a game, both in the NFL and the B1G. Didn't like him. I also was amazed at how poorly he managed the Detroit Lions. But, literally all of that melted away when I saw the half hour Big Ten network show on his health problems. I now find myself cheering for him and want to see more of him. Very likable guy with the kind of personality that I enjoy and I am pulling for him. Good lesson for me. It is easy to discard people in sports and broadcasting because it isn't always as easy to remember that they might have admirable personalities and the things that "bug" me might not be so big after all.

I think the same thing when people reach for the pitchforks regarding Vikings QB Cousins. I'm frustrated with his play but I hear so many things that are inappropriate as people pile on when he plays poorly, as if that is his intention.

I think most 99%+ fans are merely criticizing what they see on the field and not the player's character as a human being. But yes, important to remember that even though these people are famous, they are human too.
 

I used to sigh whenever Millen was doing commentary for a game, both in the NFL and the B1G. Didn't like him. I also was amazed at how poorly he managed the Detroit Lions. But, literally all of that melted away when I saw the half hour Big Ten network show on his health problems. I now find myself cheering for him and want to see more of him. Very likable guy with the kind of personality that I enjoy and I am pulling for him. Good lesson for me. It is easy to discard people in sports and broadcasting because it isn't always as easy to remember that they might have admirable personalities and the things that "bug" me might not be so big after all.

I think the same thing when people reach for the pitchforks regarding Vikings QB Cousins. I'm frustrated with his play but I hear so many things that are inappropriate as people pile on when he plays poorly, as if that is his intention.


If you have access I'd recommend reading the article in the Athletic about him. I never saw the t.v. special so it may all be rehashed but I learned a lot about him and find myself rooting for him as well.
 

I usually have the sound off. Makes the viewing more enjoyable for me.
 




That isn't a bad crew at all. I like Glen Mason - he does a good job when he does the games.

With that said -- with all that said, my favorite college color guy is Bobby Knight when he does basketball. I always learn something when he does the games and he is always very interesting.
 

That isn't a bad crew at all. I like Glen Mason - he does a good job when he does the games.

With that said -- with all that said, my favorite college color guy is Bobby Knight when he does basketball. I always learn something when he does the games and he is always very interesting.

Agree. And what about Bill Walton doing Pac12 hoops? That guy is bonkos. Love him.
 


I've never understood the Millen dislike.

Same with the Dakich hate for Basketball. Dakich is actually one of if not my favorite.
 

I've never understood the Millen dislike.

Same with the Dakich hate for Basketball. Dakich is actually one of if not my favorite.

Did you ever hear Millen call NFL games? Especially when it was the Vikings?
 


Did you ever hear Millen call NFL games? Especially when it was the Vikings?

Oh boy, yeah I remember.

Nobody gets locked in on a certain player, scheme, coach, team like Millen and hammer on it to ridiculous lengths broadcast-long. It’s also maybe partly why he wasn’t a successful GM. He also really seemed to dislike the Yikes for some reason.

That said, props for fighting through a really difficult personal issue. He is a warrior, for sure.



_
 
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I did not. At least I don’t remember.


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That's probably why you don't understand the Millen dislike. It's more to do with his days calling Vikings games than anything college-related.
 

Oh boy, yeah I remember.

Nobody gets locked in on a certain player, scheme, coach, team like Millen and hammer on it to ridiculous lengths broadcast-long. It’s also maybe partly why he wasn’t a successful GM. He also really seemed to dislike the Yikes for some reason.

That said, props for fighting through a really difficult personal issue. He is a warrior, for sure.



_
Madden used to do that too. He would talk about Bret Favre for most of the game even in games unrelated to the Packers.

He also loved former Vikes punter Mitch Berger, because he would eat Snickers bars during the game, and Madden was fascinated by it. Especially that he snuck the candy bars to the field using his shoes.

He would draw up plays on the screen about the possible ways how the Snickers bar would get into Mitch Berger's mouth.

Probably my most remembered NFL broadcast moment.



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Madden used to do that too. He would talk about Bret Favre for most of the game even in games unrelated to the Packers.

He also loved former Vikes punter Mitch Berger, because he would eat Snickers bars during the game, and Madden was fascinated by it. Especially that he snuck the candy bars to the field using his shoes.

He would draw up plays on the screen about the possible ways how the Snickers bar would get into Mitch Berger's mouth.

Probably my most remembered NFL broadcast moment.



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:clap:

The snicker kicker. Gawd I had blocked that from my think box. It’s too much.
 

Oh boy, yeah I remember.

Nobody gets locked in on a certain player, scheme, coach, team like Millen and hammer on it to ridiculous lengths broadcast-long. It’s also maybe partly why he wasn’t a successful GM. He also really seemed to dislike the Yikes for some reason.

That said, props for fighting through a really difficult personal issue. He is a warrior, for sure.



_

I felt he did this today with Lovie on their side and Carter Coughlin on our side. Just seemed like he was only prepared to talk about a few people.
 

This the first crew that didn't tell us how large the O-line was 20 times?
 

I felt he did this today with Lovie on their side and Carter Coughlin on our side. Just seemed like he was only prepared to talk about a few people.

He’s actually gotten ALOT better imo but yeah could feel him drifting into that rainman mode a few times but he pulled himself out of it.
 




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