The "Fox NFL Sunday" crew for the net's Super Bowl LI pregame coverage "presided over a fast-paced, non-stop, nearly segue-less carousel of features, red carpet celebrity interviews and taped one on ones" with Patriots and Falcons players, according to Stefan Stevenson of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. Viewers were "rewarded with some outstanding features (and mini-features) about the host city Houston, Texas high school football and a clever history lesson" by Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips on football in the Lone Star State (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/6). In Tampa, Tom Jones listed his "standout moments" of Fox' pregame coverage. They included Erin Andrews' interview with Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, a "feature on the cancer-stricken 4-year-old daughter" of Texans DE Devon Still, Pam Oliver's "piece on what football means in Texas and, best of all, Fox analyst Howie Long's feature on his son," Patriots DE Chris Long. Jones writes his "best pregame feature" was the piece about "all that has happened in the wake of Colin Kaepernick's protest of the national anthem." Meanwhile, the "worst part of the pregame show was when the usual Fox crew was on." When host Curt Menefee and analysts Long, Terry Bradshaw, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson were talking, the show "felt stale and mailed in" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/6). On Long Island, Neil Best notes Fox' 4 1/2-hour pregame show was largely "formulaic, which is not a slight." The pregame shows that rotate among Fox, CBS and NBC for their Super Bowl coverage are "formulaic by design" (NEWSDAY, 2/6).
THROWING IT BACK: VARIETY's Cynthia Littleton noted Fox Sports "acknowledged the elephant in the stadium -- the depth of the nation’s political divide in the Trump era -- with the 'Ragged Old Flag' segment that led into the final half-hour before the Super Bowl kickoff." The nearly five-minute short "came together at the direction" of Fox Sports President & COO Eric Shanks, who was "moved after attending the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack in December." After returning from the event in Hawaii, Shanks heard the '74 Johnny Cash song on the radio as he "drove home from the airport." The assignment to "translate Shanks’ inspiration into a short film for the Super Bowl broadcast fell" to Fox Sports Coordinating Producer/Features Jennifer Pransky, who directed the short. She "took her cues from the Cash song but she wanted to adapt the story to make it more relatable to a wider variety of viewers." "Ragged Old Flag" pays tribute to the "sacrifices made by military personnel and others throughout American history." Also "featured in the film is Kirstie Ennis, a former Marine who lost a leg in a helicopter accident" (VARIETY.com, 2/5).USA TODAY's Dan Wolken writes the pregame show was "consumed by sappy themes that touched on patriotism and coming together amid political division and uncertainty without explicitly delving into the issues surrounding President Trump's first two weeks in office" (USA TODAY, 2/6).
COME TOGETHER: The TAMPA BAY TIMES' Jones writes Fox' Bill O'Reilly "did a respectable job" in his one-on-one interview with Trump. Jones: "Everyone knows the political leanings of Fox, and O'Reilly in particular. But the talk-show host conducted a strong interview, asking Trump tough questions about Russia, Iran and whether he can back up some of the things he says with proof" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/6).
BOOMER SAYS GOODBYE: ESPN's Chris Berman hosted his final edition of the net's "Sunday NFL Countdown" yesterday, and NEWSDAY's Best notes the show included "impersonations of Berman by players in the Super Bowl, and a video tribute that featured Joe Namath, Peyton Manning, Jim Kelly and others." ESPN analyst Randy Moss "closed the show by leading onlookers at ESPN’s Houston set in a 'Boomer, Boomer' chant for Berman's nickname" (NEWSDAY, 2/6). Former NFL coach Rex Ryan appeared on "Sunday NFL Countdown" from 11:00am-2:00pm ET yesterday, and SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote he was "certainly personable but he didn’t offer anything memorable as far as analysis." Ryan was "at his best" when he "offered some cogent points on defending" Falcons WR Julio Jones. If he continues on with broadcasting, his personal insights on players is the "way for him to go." Meanwhile, Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. also appeared on the show, and he "impressed" with his answer on the Giants' receivers' "trip to Miami as well as his analysis on defending Jones" (SI.com, 2/5).
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING: In Houston, David Barron writes there is "evidence of the outer limits of human endurance" for Super Bowl pregame shows. NFL Network's Rich Eisen was "reduced to understandable hysteria eight-plus hours deep" into the net's pregame show, "lunging toward the camera and screaming, 'I want this show to be over already!'" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/6).
