Blog Hound: NBC Adds Olbermann To “Football Night”

With MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann joining NBC’s “Football Night in America” as a co-host this upcoming season, political and sports bloggers are debating the move and his potential influence on the show.

AOL’s NFL Fanhouse Posted By: Michael David Smith

“I hope Olbermann finds his place within that crowded cast by taking jabs at the NFL for the way it often takes itself too seriously. In all off his jobs, Olbermann has shown he has the guts to speak truth to power. The NFL could use more commentators like that.”

Liberal Talk Radio’s The Latest Buzz Posted By: ltr

“Wingnuts everywhere are likely wondering how fair it is that Olbermann gets to go where Rush Limbaugh once tread and fizzled. Well, Keith is an actual sports guy. Limbaugh doesn’t even look like he has ever exercised. And I highly doubt Olbermann will shove his foot in his mouth like Limbaugh infamously did.”

186K Per Second Posted By: 186

“I find the decision to include Keith Olbermann in this upcoming season of Sunday Night Football a perplexing and poor one. Olbermann’s obtuse, condescending, self righteous and cowardly character/persona is everything that Pro Football is not!”

Drinking Liberally in New Milford Posted By: Connecticut Man 1

“I hope he does well with this move back into TV sports. Definitely a notch above, and a little more politically centered, than the previous political pundit [Limbaugh] that rushed off of the telecast in an Imus moment.”

The Black Lodge Posted By: Joe

“I’m not sure Costas can effectively co-host anything without trying to try and get unnecessarily deep with his quotes, and furthermore whether he’ll ‘get’ Olbermann... but it’s a bold move nonetheless. Of course, the bigger question is why NBC didn’t get rid of Bettis after signing Tiki? That is the unsolved mystery.”

BUILDING THE BUZZ: Sports Media Challenge’s Sports Blog Index measured bloggers attitudes toward Olbermann’s new NBC job. Click on the chart for further analysis.

• The topic measures 3 out of 10 on Buzz Meter, which indicates a fairly low level of discussion.
• Olbermann's popularity among several top blogs (Deadspin, The Big Lead, Awful Announcing) provided more exposure than what might be expected.
• Negative response is not critical of Olbermann as a broadcaster, but a critique on his decision to return to sports after successfully repositioning himself outside of sports.

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