Ok, we have a lot of quotage from NBC’s Football Night in America. I may put in a couple of videos to cut down on the scrolling because this is a long press release. It also includes Bob Costas’ maddening halftime commentary which gets increasingly so every week. Maybe I’m getting tired of Bob after giving him the praise for so long. But right now, I can’t stand watching his halftime pieces.
Here’s the NBC press release.
“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES – WEEK 15“If everyone would give a little, everyone would get a lot.” – Commissioner Roger Goodell to “Football Night’s” Bob Costas on labor negotiations“They outplayed the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.” – “Football Night’s” Tony Dungy on the Jets“I think it means his future is definitely done in Washington.” – “Football Night’s” Peter King on Donovan McNabbNEW YORK – December 19, 2010 – Following are highlights from NBC Sports’ “Football Night in America.” Bob Costas, who has been called the ‘best interviewer in sports’ by Sports Illustrated, hosted the show live from Gillette Stadium and interviewed Commissioner Roger Goodell on site live. Costas was also joined on site for commentary by Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and reporter Peter King covered the news of the NFL’s 15th week live from NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios. Alex Flanagan reported from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the Jets-Steelers game.The following is Bob Costas’ interview with Commissioner Roger Goodell:
ON GIANTSPatrick: “One of the greatest finishes in NFL history.”Patrick on DeSean Jackson’s game-winning punt return TD: “He kicked it to Jackson and then a video game takes place.”Dungy: “The play that really got Philadelphia back in it was the onside kick … Should have had their hands team in but they still made mistakes after this: they were trying to run the clock out; they had a false-start penalty; they throw the ball on third down and stop the clock. They gave Philadelphia a lot of chances and Vick took advantage of it.”Harrison: “This is a devastating loss for these guys.”Dungy on what Coughlin needs to do: “You could see he was down after the game and he’s got to be the leader. He’s got to step up and say, ‘You know what, we did blow a game but we can still make the playoffs.’”ON JETSDungy: “They really needed it and it was a total team effort … But I thought Mark Sanchez played under control, no turnovers and that was a big thing going into Pittsburgh…They outplayed the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.”Jason Taylor to Alex Flanagan: “We made it interesting again. We let them drive down to the what, nine-yard line? And playing against a team like this with Roethlisberger he’s going to do that. He’s going to extend plays, run around a little bit, by some time, and that’s just how he is. And we knew that coming in we had to stay after him and be relentless. It was a good team effort, a lot to correct though, and we understand that.”ON STEELERSHarrison: “Pittsburgh’s defense definitely missed Troy Polamalu, didn’t get a chance to create any turnovers. They definitely missed that guy.”ON REDSKINS
ON PATRIOTS
Harrison on Tom Brady’s play without the pressure of having to throw to Randy Moss: “That’s why he’s more comfortable in his offense because now he can spread the ball out and allow these guys, who don’t really care how many catches they have, to just make plays.”Collinsworth on if Brady is back at his 2007 level: “If not better. When you think of that season, what made it so remarkable was that you had two of the greatest players of all time putting up historic numbers, Tom Brady and Randy Moss, fifty touchdown passes, eight interceptions. Now I’m certainly not going to compare a 29-touchdown pass season, which is what he’s done this year, but the ratio of touchdown to interception, is actually better this season. Little more ball control, not as many big plays, but the way he is manipulating the defense … has been fantastic.”Costas: “The surging Pats are now the consensus Super Bowl favorite.”ON PACKERSCollinsworth on Matt Flynn: “Within the Packers organization they like him, they really do. There are some guys that really have that charismatic style to them, and they say that Matt Flynn is one of those guys that’s constantly joking, he’s breaking the team up in the huddle, he’s always playing around. They compared him to Brett Favre personality wise. So it’s a guy that they’re going to want to have success with. You’re going to get the full effort plus the fact that the Packers a week ago were humiliated, and very seldom in this league do you see a good football team like the Packers lay two eggs back to back.”ON FALCONSPatrick: “They’re great in the Dome. They’re pretty good on the road, too.”ON BUCCANEERSDungy: “That was a death blow to their playoff hunt. Unfortunately, Tampa did not stop the run today. It’s been a problem all year. Maurice Morris got over a hundred yards, Calvin Johnson made some great catches, but Tampa is still a team to watch. Josh Freeman played great today.”ON CHIEFSHarrison: “This is a different team with Matt Cassel. Matt didn’t play particularly well today, but they were able to run the ball, play some good defense, and they put themselves in a position where, if they win these next couple of games, they’re in the playoffs.”ON JAGUARSDungy on controversial fourth-and-one call: “Jack Del Rio’s done it in the past. Bill Belichick did it last year. You’ve got to play smart football. Jack, you didn’t need a yard then. Punt the ball. Play defense. Play smart football … Everyone thinks, ‘I’ve got to outscore Manning.’ Play smart. Play fundamental football.”Harrison: “Bad call by Jack Del Rio.”ON BENGALSKing on Terrell Owens: “He’s going to be 37 years old, turning 38 next year. He says he’s got two more years to go and I believe he’s going to try definitely to play. It won’t be in Cincinnati though.”ON PANTHERSKing: “John Fox will not be back in 2011 and he and his $6 million salary will go because the Panthers do not believe now anymore in paying a coach that much money. I believe they’ll go with a young, aggressive defensive coordinator and about a third to half of that price … They’re leaning very hard toward Andrew Luck, the quarterback of Stanford, if he does comes out. One other thing about their coach, it will not be Bill Cower because Bill Cower is just going to be too expensive for their taste.”BOB COSTAS HALFTIME ESSAY ON PHILADELPHIA & NEW YORKBy now, you all know what happened between the Giants and the Eagles today in New Jersey. With New York up 21 points with seven-and-a-half minutes left, the Eagles scored four touchdowns and won in regulation.For the Giants, the usual adjectives – brutal, frustrating, devastating — are somehow insufficient in this case. To lose this way is beyond unthinkable. It borders on the impossible. Now it’s one thing to have Michael Vick and the high-powered Eagle offense come to life for a couple of scores. It’s another not to anticipate an onside kick. And then, with 14 seconds on the clock, fail to punt out of bounds. And then fail to tackle DeSean Jackson once he gets his hands on the ball.Professionals excel at putting today’s game, outcome good or bad, behind them. But this one is both so painful and preposterous it may — for all the wrong reasons — be unforgettable. One word of advice for Big Blue on a blue Monday: don’t turn on the radio. In the best of times, sports talk is hardly a bastion of reasoned and nuanced discussion. This week in New York, fahgettaboutit. Invective will fly.Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, where the locals once infamously booed Santa Claus. All is well this holiday season. The Eagles virtually clinched their division, and deal the Giants a defeat so galling and self-esteem-shaking that it makes the Joe Picarcik fumble — the original miracle at the meadowlands — seem almost trivial. And it comes just a few days after the Phillies snatched cliff lee out from under the Yankees’ noses, simultaneously wounding both New York teams — the Yanks and the already underachieving Mets, who reside in the same division as the frighteningly formidable Phils. And oh yeah. Yesterday, the Flyers beat the Rangers. What’s next. Mr. Met forced to serve as the Phillie fanatic’s errand boy?
Well for this week at least, in Philadelphia, sports talk radio should be easy listening.
That’s it.
