Commentator evaluation: Booger McFarland

Rate Booger McFarland as an NFL color commentator:

  • 5 stars - the best (or jointly the best) in the business at what he does

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • 4.5 stars

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4 stars - very good at what he does, but a notch below the very best

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • 3.5 stars

    Votes: 6 9.1%
  • 3 stars - about average; competent, but not much more than that

    Votes: 4 6.1%
  • 2.5 stars

    Votes: 5 7.6%
  • 2 stars - substandard; lucky to still be making a living at this

    Votes: 16 24.2%
  • 1.5 stars

    Votes: 13 19.7%
  • 1 star - should be fired tomorrow for gross incompetence

    Votes: 18 27.3%
  • No opinion (don't know him or his work)

    Votes: 2 3.0%

  • Total voters
    66
From the 2019 NFL: News & Transactions thread:
I think Booger Macfarland is a far better comp for this phenomenon than Romo. Guy is a total fucking train wreck and everyone hates him but he's still, for some reason, the voice of Monday Night Football despite not being in the booth.
And he was actually very good in the booth, IMO.
Wait...you thought Booger was good in the booth this year?
Yes. Compared to Joey T he was Prime John Madden, but overall, yea, I enjoyed him and his insights a lot.
Agreed, Booger was much better this year.
I actually think Booger could become much better with a PBP guy who a) could set up his observations better; 2) knew how to manage a game; and 3) was a solid pro.

Someone from the Don Criqui mold; or, among today's broadcasters, Ian Eagle.

Tessitore is so bad that he either doesn't know or doesn't care to play to his analyst's strengths
Sounds like we have our next candidate in the firing line. What did *you* think of Booger this past season?
 

glennhoffmania

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Awful. I can't listen to him. I gave him 1.5 stars just because I guess there's a chance he improves.
 

Bergs

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Jul 22, 2005
21,613
He has his moments, but he is terrible. He has 4 base observations "I like what they're doing there," "they should up the tempo," "they should establish the run," and "Russell Wilson is an MVP candidate". He obviously knows the game, but he's tough to listen to.
 
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Van Everyman

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Apr 30, 2009
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He has his moments, but he is terrible. He has 4 base observations "I like what they're doing there," "they should up the tempo," "they should establish the run," and "Russell Wilson in an MVP candidate". He obviously knows the game, but he's tough to listen to.
LOL, this is kind of perfection.

Edit: I would add that Tessitore is just awful to listen to which I think can't help Booger, but maybe does? Tessitore is more talented at what he does by a long shot, but by overselling everything as if we're in the 15th round of a heavyweight bout from the opening kickoff on, he just makes the entire broadcast unbearable.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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Jun 6, 2012
8,715
He has the Michael Scott problem of starting a sentence and not knowing exactly where it's going which leads him to saying some comical things.

I will give him credit for rebuffing the party line from ESPN's ref in the booth. Most everyone else just takes Steratore and Dean Blandino's bullshit at face value without any push back. He's ok and might get a bit better with some seasoning.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
22,673
I gave him 2.5 stars because I don't find him that annoying and he understands line play in a way that few color commentators do. However, unless the Pats are on I almost never watch MNF because the game usually sucks.
 

Harry Hooper

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I gave him 2.5 stars because I don't find him that annoying and he understands line play in a way that few color commentators do. However, unless the Pats are on I almost never watch MNF because the game usually sucks.
Yes, he did a nice job of explaining to a general audience DL stunts and twists, and also what OL blocking schemes were trying to do. Moved up from a 1 to at least a 2.5, hope it continues.
 

tmracht

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Aug 19, 2009
3,070
He's much better in this role than he was as a bus driver. Do not mistake that sentiment as I think he's "good", he's not nearly good enough for what used to be the pinnacle of my week in MNF (RIP childhood mean pining for ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL to give young me chills). This season he's up to almost OK. I cannot overstate that he was a -1 for me last year and now he's up to a solid 2 now. He could be the line equivalent of when they have Jay Feely be the sideline kicker experts but I'm not sure he's diverse enough in his explanations to be THE color guy, but seeing how rough he was as a 3rd wheel no thank you.
 

Detts

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He states the obvious. I cannot STAND announcers that do that.

They need to get a touchdown here!

Blah.
 
The "Around the NFL" podcast guys noted a couple of months ago that Booger is one of the commentators who keeps saying "our league" about the NFL - e.g., "In our league, hard hitting has always been an important factor" - in a way that drips with condescension toward other analysts/journalists/bloggers who never played the game. That's been on my radar ever since, and Booger seems to use that phrase more than anyone. Definitely not a fan of that.
 

thebtskink

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
332
It is very important to me that there be at least one high profile buffoon in a commentator booth per year.

I would only accept his firing should someone more stupid come along.
 

glennhoffmania

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The "Around the NFL" podcast guys noted a couple of months ago that Booger is one of the commentators who keeps saying "our league" about the NFL - e.g., "In our league, hard hitting has always been an important factor" - in a way that drips with condescension toward other analysts/journalists/bloggers who never played the game. That's been on my radar ever since, and Booger seems to use that phrase more than anyone. Definitely not a fan of that.
Aikman always says "in this league" and it drives me crazy. What other league is he comparing the NFL to? The XFL? Berman and Jackson started that, I think, a long time ago. It's beyond stupid. For some reason Aikman thinks it still adds something to his analysis.