With companies valuing IP over substance, it makes sense that Fox would demote Greg Olsen for Tom Brady, despite the former treating NFL fans to one of the best booths in the league, if not the best, for the past couple seasons. The combo of Kevin Burkhardt and Olsen are incisive, sharp and funny while not having a schtick.
Even the NFL on Fox promos this season with Lil’ Baby Kay-Kay and sack-a-roni and cheese didn’t grate on me, which is extremely rare because an aversion to repetitive ads runs in my family. There’s also something about Olsen that’s endearing; it could be that he’s good at his job, but it’s more likely that I — along with a lot of other football fans — didn’t have a predisposed disposition to the former tight end and only recently got to know him.
He was a good pro, not a Hall of Famer, and was never an integral part of a polarizing franchise. NFC North fans outside of Chicago might not like him, but it’s not with the same passion reserved for Brian Urlacher and other Bears’ legends. In fact, Olsen spent more time in Carolina blue than navy and orange, and I can’t understate how helpful that was. We never had him in our lives like Rob Gronkowksi or Travis Kelce, so there’s no over exposure.
Regardless of how good Brady is on the call, there’s a large section of football fans who hate him and will always despise him. Being the undisputed GOAT comes with consequences, and while I’m sure Michael Jordan could get a job disparaging today’s players on any channel he wants, that doesn’t remove all the disappointment he foisted on countless NBA fans.
Do you think New York Knicks’ supporters would ever embrace MJ on a call? Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are likely the bar when it comes to keeping my dad from screaming about the analysis, yet watch a Monday Night Football game with a Giants fan and listen to them dry heave.
It took years for viewers to accept Buck and Aikman in their lives while Burkhardt and Olsen did it in a couple of seasons. Do you know how rare that is? Tony Romo gave CBS’ booth some star power and it quickly wore off with every “Here we go Jim!” At least Romo has a gimmick.
Brady’s best asset, outside of his ability to read coverages, is that botoxed mug of his, so unless Fox is going to give him the Taylor Swift cutaway treatment, there’s going to be a lot of disappointed divorcees.
I’ve only heard the Jim Gray, Larry Fitzgerald and Brady podcast promos on Westwood One, and it’s still enough to know that No. 12 is only entertaining if you worship him. (Similar to the LeBron James The Shop phenomenon, but I digress.)
I mean, how much game tape is Brady — firmly in the throes of a midlife crisis — going to watch, really? Irina Shayk didn’t sign on just to sit at home while Tom does vocal exercises and memorizes jersey numbers.
I know this is how the world works, but the world is f*cking stupid, and it’s my job to say something whenever stupidity bubbles up. So next year when the only serviceable primetime booth is Buck and Aikman, you’re going to be begging for a reunion of Lil’ Baby Kay-Kay and the Greganator.
