Rookies don’t get a honeymoon period in the NFL, and that extends to the broadcast booth, too. How’s newbie Tom Brady doing in the booth? Let’s check in with his Week 2 effort calling the Saints’ blowout of the Dallas Cowboys. Short version: Getting better!
INSIGHT
Let’s start with the good news: In the midst of an otherwise routine game-commentary effort, Brady gave us the tiniest look at what he really can bring. Cowboys receiver Jalen Brooks lost his footing on the AT&T Stadium turf when a pass was headed his way, resulting in a Dak Prescott interception. Play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt asked Brady whether he, as a quarterback, would go back to a receiver who’d made such a mistake. The usual cliche would be something like, “Sure, keep throwing at him, keep him in the game,” or whatever. Brady replied without hesitation, “Not today. It’s pretty tough to go back there. … Can’t count on him to stay on his feet.” Now that’s what we want to hear — truth, not airy “we’re all just trying our best” platitudes.
Granted, Brady did start a little slow. He raved over new Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, but he did so with lightweight analysis like “He wants to use all the weapons that he’s got, and he’s got a lot of them out there.” When you’re speaking thousands of words in a broadcast, they won’t all be gems, but the closer you get to true, honest analysis, the easier they flow.
Grade: A-
ENTHUSIASM
Color commentators tend to overshadow their play-by-play counterparts. It’s right there in the job title, after all — emotion versus reason, vibes versus facts. It’s been that way since the days of Dandy Don Meredith and Howard Cosell, or John Madden and Pat Summerall. Tony Romo pushes the enthusiasm meter into the red on every series. Pat McAfee — not a color guy but the most notable behind-the-mic guy working today — is the voice of the fan id, a bro unleashed. So when Brady approaches big moments sounding…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/grading-brady-toms-improving-week-2-effort-included-one-brilliant-observation-132143456.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-09-16 13:21:43
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