New commentators for Madden 09
March 25, 2008 by pastapadre
We’ve known for a while now that the much hated radio announcer was going to be replaced in Madden 09. The general assumption was there would be a return to basic commentary although there are several directions they could go. In a recent interview EA’s audio director addressed the topic.
I know it’s kind of early in the year but can you give us an idea of what kind of sound changes we can expect from Madden, NHL, FIFA – all the different sports games?
AH: I have to be careful about this. Although I can… We are making a change in the Madden commentators. I can’t mention who they are. We are using some of the biggest names in the business. We listened to the fans and we are making a change. And that will be more than one. It will be a fantastic year for Madden fans, I think they’re gonna be thrilled with this new direction. I don’t think I can say much more than that.
So who do you think it could be or who are you hoping for? The Monday Night Football crew would make sense given the license although EA hasn’t shown much interest in utilizing it for this type of thing so far. You can’t rule out the Michaels-Madden combo although the secrecy suggests it’s a new group of personalities. I’d like to see one of the duos from Fox which I find consistently to be the the best. If it really is big names then outside of the MNF group and Madden it could be the combo of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. As long as Bryant Gumble isn’t involved in any way it’ll be an improvement.
It could be the NFL network commentators, even though they aren’t really good in my opinion, they all are pretty big names. But FOX commentators are the best, Or maybe even the people that do around the NfL, on HBO. I’m not really sure who they with….
How about Brent Musburger, he’s a great announcer…
I would really like Madden and Michaels to return. IMO, hearing Maddens voice while playing Madden is classic and I miss it. I’m really glad the annoying radio guy is gone tho.
Everyone knows it should be Pastapadre.
Ugh, the FOX guys are TERRIBLE! Aikman’s numerous concussions show in his inability to form coherent sentences and his propensity to drone on and on about nothing, Baldinger is just a complete moron and backs up the assertion that former pros aren’t suited for the box, same for Daryl Johnston, etc… I might go for some combination of Kenny Albert or Sam Rosen with either Tim Hasselbeck or Tony Boselli. Otherwise, MNF crew or I’ll be muting it.
funny that this is a topic…
Dare I suggest that Ea will have each networks announcers and use the appropriate crew for each game. I am led to this idea by the fact that EA is being secretive. If its is Madden and Michaels, we have seen it so why be secretive. If it is anyone else, presenting it as a great new thing will not make John Madden look good.
This is a great decision, hopefully the first of many.
i hope its not bryant gumble please
EA its a huge mistake bryant gumble and chris
collinsworth are horrible commentators, but
thumbs up for madden for adding sound. Now all
they need change the catching system
Hopefully it will be Joe Buck from Fox for play-by-play and someone else for color-commentary.
Hmmm…I have no idea.
It would be nice to hear Buck and Aikman but I would think that EA would need contracts with Fox to get those guys, right? Obviously, I could be wrong.
I enjoyed Madden and Michaels but at least we can assume that we won’t be hearing the same recycled commentary from year’s past. My gut is telling me that it’s probably the Monday Night Crew.
I would think it would be the Monday night crew…Since it’s on ESPN.
How about Shannon Sharpe hes pretty good
the irony of all of this is while that is the news lol the same wrong uniforms are used on the browns. not your fault pasta just lazy EA PEOPLE.
EA religiously gets the Bills unis wrong every year too O’rly. I would like to see the MNF crew and/or Madden and Michaels but am just sooooooooo happy that f@#%ing radio (I think Eagles?) guy is out!!!!! Thx Pas’
i’m almost positive it will be the nfl network guys…that being bryant gumbel and cris collinsworth…though the color commentary would be better if it was dick vermeil…
I like Phil Simms alot even tho I couldn’t stand him as a player! I’d like a return to a feature rich Madden more than anything like they did in the old days…..
1) classic teams (90′Bills, 85′Bears…)
2) different uniforms (thrwbck, alt, etc.)
3) classic stadiums
4) Madden and Michaels…..
“We listened to the fans and we are making a change… three years after they asked for it.”
Edited: for accuracy.
They have the whole stable of ESPN announcers held hostage. I can only assume the team’s from them. To pick a Fox team would mean they’d have to pay for another license. If they are finally using ESPN… it’s about time.
Purchasing that license to merely play “keep-away” pissed me off more than the NFL fiasco.
It’s obviously going to be Mike and Mike, and you would know this pasta if you saw the report 1 month ago on dabirthdayboy.com
[quote comment="16145"]It’s obviously going to be Mike and Mike, and you would know this pasta if you saw the report 1 month ago on dabirthdayboy.com[/quote]
That sounds like the direction they went with NFL Tour.
Yeah NFL Tour had Trey Wingo, but it was more of humor commentary where Madden will be serious play-by-play.
[quote comment="16144"]“We listened to the fans and we are making a change… three years after they asked for it.”
Edited: for accuracy.
[/quote]
fans were begging to get rid of Madden a few years ago. the radio announcer ended up being a failure but they were listening to fans when they changed to it by trying something new. maybe it wouldve worked if there were two radio announcers instead of just the one by himself. hopefully they learned from it and found a good team to do commentary.
i would love to have mike and mike. its something new. plus i love listening to them every morning.
[quote comment="16137"]the irony of all of this is while that is the news lol the same wrong uniforms are used on the browns. not your fault pasta just lazy EA PEOPLE.[/quote]
There is a disconnect between the NFL and EA that shouldn’t be there considering the license. It’s a subject Peter Moore specifically stated he’d get on in the interview I had with him. So I think that uniforms will be much more accurate this year.
The best part of this article is that is says new commentators, not commentator. The worst part of the radio guy was that he was by himself. So I am happy to hear that there are more than one.
Pasta I believe you have skipped over my post.
Actually.. i like John Madden. I just wasn’t crazy about how he was directed and utilized in the game. I’m pretty sure if I got him in my studio, I could get a great audio performance out of the guy.
I wonder who that radio announcer guy was…….
I like Pasta’s idea (Buck and Aikman). Being from St. Louis it would be great to hear these guys
[quote comment="16145"]It’s obviously going to be Mike and Mike, and you would know this pasta if you saw the report 1 month ago on dabirthdayboy.com[/quote]
It should be Gus Johnson. Maybe they could convince him to do the commentary for March Madness as well… that would be the only way to get me to buy that game.
Pasta will we ever get the chance to switch camera views in Madden 09, as is the case with EVERY other sports game ever made. I would like the classic view w/next gen models for example. I still think NFL2K5 had the best playing “perspective” for a football game to date…give us some variety EA…some choices…some ESPN flare for Krist sake!
[quote comment="16151"]Yeah NFL Tour had Trey Wingo, but it was more of humor commentary where Madden will be serious play-by-play.[/quote]
I hope you’re right.
If they said big names, and it’s not the MNF crew, I could see Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, or if they went the CBS route they could use Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.
One of my favorite announcers is Dick Stockton, although I don’t think it’d be him.
If we could only get Gus Johnson in this or March Madness that would be great. “Rise and Fire!!!!!!!!!!!”
i’d love to see mike and mike do it
[quote comment="16145"]It’s obviously going to be Mike and Mike, and you would know this pasta if you saw the report 1 month ago on dabirthdayboy.com[/quote]
I’ll buy the game twice if they have Mike and Mike doing the commentary in Madden…Those guys are hilarious and are the best one-two punch in sports radio…
Eff the new commentators! How about bringing back the accelarated playclock? Most of us crank our music while playing the game anyway!
GUS JOHSON, HANDS DOWN THE BEST ANNOUCER OF SPORTS EVER
[quote comment="16155"][quote comment="16137"]the irony of all of this is while that is the news lol the same wrong uniforms are used on the browns. not your fault pasta just lazy EA PEOPLE.[/quote]
There is a disconnect between the NFL and EA that shouldn’t be there considering the license. It’s a subject Peter Moore specifically stated he’d get on in the interview I had with him. So I think that uniforms will be much more accurate this year.[/quote]
oh i hear ya i called them from sept-oct-nov. and they told me they would send out patches and such never did. they also told me they were planning to head into a new direction and such. this was back in sept, oct of last year….so disconnect is a nice way of putting it pasta but your a abetter man than me for saying it that way. i just want the customers to be smart consumers this year.
EA religiously gets the Bills unis wrong every year too O’rly. I would like to see the MNF crew and/or Madden and Michaels but am just sooooooooo happy that f@#%ing radio (I think Eagles?) guy is out!!!!! Thx Pas’
NO ITS NOT THE EAGLES GUY…..NOT EVEN CLOSE LOL!!
If I got to choose 1 guy to roll with this season, I would EASILY go with Paul Allen (play by play guy for the Vikings).
He would add the emotion to it and keep games from becoming boring (as long as they give him a chance to adlib his lines a bit).
Here’s a sample of his work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39zY80fsZJE
Too bad he ain’t national…
[quote comment="16179"]EA religiously gets the Bills unis wrong every year too O’rly. I would like to see the MNF crew and/or Madden and Michaels but am just sooooooooo happy that f@#%ing radio (I think Eagles?) guy is out!!!!! Thx Pas’
NO ITS NOT THE EAGLES GUY…..NOT EVEN CLOSE LOL!![/quote]
The Eagles’ radio guy is Merrill Reese. The existing radio announcer in Madden is not Merrill Reese.
[quote comment="16181"]If I got to choose 1 guy to roll with this season, I would EASILY go with Paul Allen (play by play guy for the Vikings).
He would add the emotion to it and keep games from becoming boring (as long as they give him a chance to adlib his lines a bit).
Here’s a sample of his work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39zY80fsZJE
Too bad he ain’t national… :([/quote]
HILARIOUS WOULD LOVE HIM AS RADIO MAN FOR MADDEN!
Here’s my top 3, in possiblity order:
1) Madden & Al
2) NFL Network
3) ESPN Monday Night Football
would be cool if Mon night games were covered by the Mon nigth announcers and so on and so fourth.
“How about Shannon Sharpe hes pretty good”
We would need closed captioning in this case.
[quote comment="16188"]Here’s my top 3, in possiblity order:
1) Madden & Al
2) NFL Network
3) ESPN Monday Night Football[/quote]
For on we know its not gonna be madden and Al…Second i would put the nfl network guys last if not on the list at all…Have u heard Gumble do games!! Its as emotionless and exciting as terry Schivo!
[quote comment="16189"]would be cool if Mon night games were covered by the Mon nigth announcers and so on and so fourth.[/quote]
You my friend are on to something! It would be great if Sims and Nance did Afc games and Buck and Aikman do Nfc games so and and so forth..Is that likely to happen prob not though cus that would cost Ea coin..I think its likely That it’ll be the monday night crew cus they have the contract with espn which makes the mnf crew Ea’s Bitches if you think about and it prob wont cost them anything to pay them
I would love Kenny Alberts or Joe Buck as the play-by-play. I could care less about the analyst. Troy isn’t bad, though.
They need to get Keith Jackson for NCAA…
I would like to see classic commentators….I am thinking Dick Enberg and Merlin Olson, two of the best ever.
I hope that they stay away from the Monday Night crew. I like Mike Terico but Tony Kornheiser??? No way.
Here are my top five:
1) Enberg and Olson
2) Bob Costas
3) Madden and Michaels (as long as they have new dialogue)
4) Erin Andrews (well, at least photos….)
5) The old Sunday Night crew with Thiesmann and Mike Patrick…Those guys were awesome.
I would like to see Joe Buck and Troy Aikman because they are the best commentating team in football hands down. If not them Mike and Mike are funny and would make the game interesting.
[quote comment="16192"][quote comment="16189"]would be cool if Mon night games were covered by the Mon nigth announcers and so on and so fourth.[/quote]
You my friend are on to something! It would be great if Sims and Nance did Afc games and Buck and Aikman do Nfc games so and and so forth..Is that likely to happen prob not though cus that would cost Ea coin..I think its likely That it’ll be the monday night crew cus they have the contract with espn which makes the mnf crew Ea’s Bitches if you think about and it prob wont cost them anything to pay them[/quote]
That would be really cool, wouldn’t it be great though if EA got every announcer from FOX, CBS, NFL Network, NBC, and ESPN and depending if it was a nationally televised game or a regional game would depend what announcers you have, oh but wait EA won’t do that that, thats too much content for them for 1 yr. maybe 10 yrs from now, haha, I know the technology is there, we are in next-gen fellas but I guess I’ll keep dreaming
Joe Buck is absolutely the worst. Troy Aikman is the second worst.
We already know who the main commentator will be… Marshall Faulk. Can you imagine him doing the broadcasting?
“This game was won by the team with the most points. At the beginning of this game, I predicted that the visiting team would win in this game. This game came down to a nail-biting close game.”
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They should have Kornheiser in his bright red suit doing the penguin dance!!
What about Stuat Scott and or Chris Berman??? That would be awesome!
ESPN & FOX have the worst announcers.
Bring on Jim Nantz & Phil Simms so we can listen to Phil’s “Philosophy” before every pregame…or go back to Madden & Michaels
[...] “big names” are going to be. House money would favor Al Michaels and John Madden but conventional wisdom concludes that the Monday Night Football crew of Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser (please no!) are going to be in the [...]
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if nantz and simms are in it that’s okay.
only problem is that i really dont like simms much.
Simms was in NFL gameday series,never liked him their
the problem with the ESPN group is that it would cost EA to much to have 3 Announcers.the NFL network crew really wouldnt work since their games are only on thursdays,same with MONDAY night football, theres is on monday DUH!!
LOL caliendo could do anyone
1.madden
2.michaels
3.jaworski
4. buck
5.simms
6.kornheiser
they should have someone for their halftime shows like jim rome.[caliendo can impersonate him too!!
bad thing is i won’t get a laugh from madden unless i play
madden on the non next gen consoles
i think that the radio thing was awesome they had for next gen consoles
my opinion is nantz and simms
yeah stuart scott would be good to