Melissa Stark

[frummie]

Does she add anything to Monday Night Football? She said something about Kirk on the Vikings not going to the Pro Bowl because he couldn't delay his wedding. "That's a man with his priorities straight." I was so hoping Dennis Miller would pop her one verbally! This is a man's game, lady! I'm not watching this game so that someone can teach me a moral lesson. Football is my escape.

[jets fan]

I think she adds a LOT more than Dennis Miller does. Melissa Stark adds info that she gets from coaches and players during the game, Dennis just tells bad jokes. Not to mention, she's 20 times better looking than he is!

[frummie]

I admit I'm mesmerized whenever I see her, but I guess afterwards I don't remember what she is saying because I'm just staring. I think what she said there was scripted from before the game, though. I can't imagine this Kirk guy telling her in the heat of battle, "I'm not going to the pro bowl because my wedding is on that day." Save it for the pregame show. I'm a Dennis Miller fan, so I like him better, though he's not as sharp on MNF as when he's doing stand up.

[Cannonball]

Melissa Stark is ravishingly beautiful. Even if she were a football dolt, her smile would be enough to keep me turning back. However, for the most part she adds to the game without pretending to be Ms. Football.

Dennis Miller is an obnoxious fool. I hope they fire his sorry butt. Just about anyone would be better....

[urysohn]

Melissa Stark is, without a doubt, the best thing about Monday Night Football.

Now the female sideline announcer they have on the ESPN announcing team I could do without. But then again, I could do without the entire ESPN announcing team altogether.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

"Priorities straight" might mean that he'd rather get married (or do anything) than get injured and not play/work the rest of his life for a meaningless "game" (rule changes make it not football) that no one cares about. If it were the Super Bowl, well, he probably would have nixed that one in the first place. 9/11 pushed the Pro Bowl back one week, so that's why there's a conflict.

I don't watch MNF. I like Miller, but I want more substance from him, and he doesn't deliver. He should stick to slinging crap at politicians (who deserve it).

[frummie]

In the words of Victor Kiam, "She is a lovely lady and my apologies to her."

[3rookie]

Stark and all sideline reporters add nothing to the broadcast that couldn't be relayed to the booth. And, there are thousands of other broads they could put on TV for eye candy! Instead of this waste of time, why not show the cheerleaders for the 30 seconds these clowns get.

[Oh Yeah]

I'm glad someone brought up Melissa Stark because it seems to me lately she's looking a little rough. The first year she was on I had to pick my jaw up off the ground every time I saw her. Lately, I can't see it. Maybe it's the cold weather attire.

Don't get me wrong, she's still hot. And I'd take her, her fat sister, and her sweaty mama over Dennis Miller any day.

Eric Dickerson should be fired. He adds nothing and he dresses like a fool

[RedSoxFan]

The sideline reporters make you feel like you are right there in the middle of the action and that you are getting top secret information directly from the coaches. It could be relayed to the booth, but it would interrupt the flow.

I like Dennis Miller. I think he's real funny, and provides a sort of common man's interpretation of things.

Eric Dickerson isn't very good. Just because you're a former player doesn't mean you'll broadcast well.

Melissa Stark, compared to most female sideline reporters, is very good. Suzy Kolber, the ESPN sunday night one, is the best. I always thought Hannah Storm was bad, and somehow she gets an anchor position with NBC sports. Some are just pathetic. Those who have watched a Houston Rockets broadcast on Fox Sports know what I mean.

[frummie]

I can think of at least one time when the sideline reporter added something to the game. UCLA was in the Fiesta Bowl many years ago and the reporter was asking Coach Terry Donahue a question when the refs called a penalty and Donahue said, "Oh s#!t!" The reporter quickly pulled away the microphone, but it was too late. For years after that, mild mannered, perpetual smile Donahue was known as the guy who cursed on national TV.

My brother and I were ROTFLOAO on that one.

[Mick Fan]

I think the sideline reporter has his/her place, but it's getting a little overdone. Pat O'Brien was the first great sideline reporter for the NBA. College football followed suit, and the NFL came later. The sideline reporter shouldn't be giving information that someone in the booth could be doing.

As for Ms. Stark, she's a good one. She gives information and pretties up the screen a little. Eric Dickerson is improved this year, but he still babbles on. A lot of the stuff that he says could easily be said by an analyst in the booth.

Dennis Miller is OK. He doesn't bother me as much as others. He gets annoying at times, but who doesn't. I'll take him over quite a few NFL "analysts" any day. At least Dennis is actually funny sometimes (compared with Terry Bradshaw, Jerry Glanville, etc.)

[moj]

On 2002-01-08 14:55, urysohn wrote:
Melissa Stark is, without a doubt, the best thing about Monday Night Football.


Agreed 100%

[Dr T Non-Fan]

That doesn't bode well for MNF, then. As a sports program, that is.

The problem with Miller is that he's there ONLY for comedy. And Fouts is there ONLY for analysis. And Michaels is there to play-by-play, and to elbow Miller in the ribs when he goes too far. A combination of Miller and Fouts would be a better person. That way you wouldn't know what's coming next.

[3rookie]

One should appreciate, though, how Al Michaels and Dennis Miller seem to indirectly discuss the point spread and total every single week.

[Old Timer]

I always like the way when you see Eric, you that within 2 minutes, Melissa will be on and vice versa (sic).

As far as the point spread issue, they're just getting ready for MJ to join the broadcast crew.

An finally, as far as MNF being not much of a sporting event if Melissa is the best thing to see, MNF was designed originally as entertainment to compete with primetime programming, not just as a sport show.

[ne11er]

I would rather listen to Dennis Miller than to listen to John Madden discuss with Pat Summerall which one is bigger: a millimeter or a centimeter. (Anybody remember last seasons when they discussed this on TV...Pat's answer finally was "I think the centimeter is bigger.") Heck, anything that comes out of John Madden's mouth needs to be muted. I'm so ashamed he's from my hometown.

[jets fan]

I think Madden throws things in there for kids sometimes, but overall I think he's a good color-commentator.

[frummie]

And I think its good to throw in things for kids. My son loves watching football and things like Madden's millimeter vs centimeter make you discuss it with your kid. The only problem with him watching is some of the commercials are gory for him and my wife gets upset. The worst are the Fox promos (especially 24), second worst are movie promos.

[Cosmo]

I'll just start on the tangent here.

Madden used to stand up for him 2-3 years ago when people started coming down on him, but enough is enough. Summerall (sp?) is way over the hill. I can't tell you how many times I'm been yelling at the screen that you are an idiot PAT, and that is not what the ref is calling. I can't stand listening to those two anymore.

As for Fouts being the color guy, and Miller the comic. Fouts said the funniest line on MNF that I heard all year. They showed Kurt Warner's wife in the stands laughing at something. And Fouts comes back with "Looks like she caught one of your jokes there Dennis". I was literally ROTFLMAO. Mrs. Kramer thought it was hilarious also. Miller was nearly speechless.

As for my overall opinion on Miller, he is good for the show. I wish that he knew more about football so that Michaels or Fouts wouldn't have to explain things to him. But I relize that it is probably best for the overall audience to have some simple explanations of things.

And as for Mellisa, yummy.

[treyso]

Wasn't a fan of Fouts first off, but after he has put Miller in his place a few times, I appreciate him more. If only we can get Al to stop worshipping Dennis.

[CJL]

I think Fouts is much better for having Miller there. Fouts has always been way too stuffy and all business, and Dennis has loosened him up a bit.

However, Al is worse off with Dennis. Al's still one of the best play-by-play guys, but he is too easily drawn into Dennis's tangents while the game is still relevant.

The sideline reporter is worthless. Just relay the information to the booth, if there is any. Most of the time, esp. on MNF, the "sideline report" is really pre-game filler delayed until during the game (such as the wedding planning mentioned earlier).

All in all, I think the MNF guys are the second best group, behind Gumbel and Simms.

The game I try to avoid is ESPN's game. Mike Patrick doesn't deserve to cover the Carolina/Detroit matchup, much less a nationally televised game.

[treyso]

What is Eric Dickerson still doing on the sidelines? He's always talking about a team's offense when they are playing defense or trying to wear the equipment a certain player is wearing.

"Well Al, this is the type of cup that Randy Moss is wearing tonight. And this is how he wears it. Al?"

[DoctorNo]

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2003-05-12-inside-stark.jpg

[Doctor Infinity]

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2003-05-12-inside-stark.jpg


sweeeeet bump dude!!! :toast:

[DW Simpson]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Stark

Despite majoring, and being fluent, in Spanish, Melissa could not hold a conversation with a security guard in Mexico City when Monday Night Football had a preseason game there in 2001. She could not communicate with the guard--who thought she was not authorized to go into the stadium--that her group was from ABC television and she was actually detained by Mexican officials for some time before the matter was resolved. Melissa admitted that she was quite embarrassed over the whole situation.

[DoctorNo]

Maybe the security guard couldn't speak Spanish?

[jets fan]

I forget, why did she leave MNF? Was she pregnant and then she just never came back? And what is she doing now? And of course, feel free to post more pictures! ;)