Deion and Marshall and Bryant

For what it's worth... I'd heard so much about the telecast of Bengals-Niners I decided to hear some of it myself. There's a TV monitor in every press box, Monster Park included, but the sound is down. We'd TiVo'ed the second half. I watched/listened to the 3rd quarter. What I heard set back TV football about half a century.

Did Deion Sanders really say the Bengals defense "sucked"? Why yes, I believe he did. On national TV. He and Faulk seemed to be competing for who could be the bigger critic. Are they auditioning for a job in the booth? Prime's implication that C. Johnson doesnt get many yards-after-catch because he doesnt enjoy contact was laughable. Great corner, maybe best ever. Did he ever hit anyone?

Faulk and Gumbel going off on Marvin for saying the D wasnt his responsibility was irresponsible. Obviously, as head coach you're the CEO, not the coordinator. No one is saying Lewis is blameless, but c'mon, a little common sense would tell you what the coach said was reasonable. Otherwise, why have coordinators? Regardless, any cred Gumbel had leaked all over the microphone when twice he referred to Frank Gore as "Al'' and credited "Shayne Graham'' with kicking the FG that put the Niners up 17-10. He never corrected himself, meaning either he has no one credible talking in his ear, or those doing the talking believed it amusing that Bryant would goof up yet again.

Gumbel is very good on HBO's Real Sports. He is, quite possibly, the worst football play-by-play guy ever. And his two sidekicks in the booth Saturday were abject embarrassments.

A final thought: Any time I think I ask an athlete a stupid question, I think about the ex-jocks doing radio and TV, most of whom seem to take their "journalist'' lessons from people like me. Same dumb questions.