NFL to discuss Gumbel remarks Future with network up in air after harsh criticism

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/specials/preview/2006/08/21/bc.fbn.gumbel.nflnetwor.ap/index.html ^

[mainepatsfan]

NFL to discuss Gumbel remarks

Future with network up in air after harsh criticism

Posted: Monday August 21, 2006 1:59PM; Updated: Monday August 21, 2006 2:30PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- The job status of Bryant Gumbel, scheduled to be the play-by-play broadcaster on the eight late-season games on the NFL's in-house network, could be the subject of a discussion by NFL officials after Gumbel's suggestion that Paul Tagliabue show his successor "where he keeps Gene Upshaw's leash."

Tagliabue said Monday that incoming commissioner Roger Goodell and Steve Bornstein, who runs the NFL Network, will discuss the remarks after Goodell takes office Sept. 1.

Gumbel addressed his closing remarks on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel last Tuesday to Goodell.

"Before he cleans out his office," Gumbel said. "Have Paul Tagliabue show you where he keeps Gene Upshaw's leash. By making the docile head of the players union his personal pet, your predecessor has kept the peace without giving players the kind of guarantees other pros take for granted. Try to make sure no one competent ever replaces Upshaw on your watch."

Tagliabue's response: "What Gumbel said about Gene Upshaw and our owners is about as irresponsible as anything I've heard in a long time."

Upshaw did not immediately return a call placed by The Associated Press.

However, a number of owners have said that they thought they had given away too much to the union in a last-minute six-year contract extension that added almost a billion dollars in the league's contribution to the players.

And Upshaw told the AP several weeks ago that he was able to get more from the owners than he had agreed to just a few days before the owners finally agreed on the new deal.

[RayChuang88]

I think the NFL has finally found out why both NBC and CBS dumped him--he's what ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd calls a high maintenance person, a person with too much of a diva attitude that turns everyone else off in no time flat.

[onyx]

I didn't either and I agree with your comments.

[Northern Yankee]

We do that with the Packer games as well.

Have you noticed though that the radio calling, and the televised games are about a second off in timing?

We'll see Favre throw a completed pass before it's announced over the radio.

[wmileo]

How about his former wife who was abandoned without any means of support until a court forced him to pony up. This racist asshole left his Catholic African American wife and Mother of his kids for a white women and he has the gall(I was going to say nerve but that word is sometimes used to mean courage which he is sorely lacking) to cry racism when ever someone disagrees with his asinine remarks on the tube.

[mainepatsfan]

It depends on which provider you have. My cable and the radio line up fine but when I go over to someone with satellite it doesn't. It's like it takes an extra second for the feed to get up to satellite and down to the receiver.