New ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden may be a candidate to join Phil Simms in the homoerotic announcing Hall of Fame. I already have heard him enthuse about a player’s physical traits and talk about “sticking it in there.” My friend Matthew sent along this gem from the Vikings-Packers Monday nighter:
Situation: Packers need the first of two touchdowns plus 2-point conversions. They score the touchdown and then line up for the conversion.
Mike Tirico: “You go for two point plays, going in from the one. Does that change where you go on your playsheet?”
Gruden: “Yeah you go to your goal line offense. But it all depends on what you feel about the Viking defense. I’d stay out of the goal line offense, we saw what [the Viking's defense] did to that earlier. They’re gonna spread ‘em and take their chances.”
Hmmm, you can hear that every night at the Faultline or Rawhide.
This kind of stuff is old hat for Gruden. There was this gem from 2002 when he was coaching Tampa Bay:
The meeting was brief, the request bizarre. Tampa Bay Coach Jon Gruden didn’t ask [quarterback] Rob Johnson to throw a pass or even set foot on the football field. A stack of videotapes told Gruden everything he needed to know. Well, almost everything.
“He asked me to lift my shirt to see my abs,” said Johnson, 29. “He’s just crazy like that. He wanted to see how hard I’ve worked.”
“I’ll be the first to say I like this guy,” said Gruden. “I see something in this guy.”
Plus, Gruden did coach Jeff Garcia.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 6:30 am
How can you not like Coach Gruden…..he’s the man!
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Never mind Gruden — what’s up with Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson over on FOX? They exchange these meaningful glances whenever Howie or Terry are talking, and Johnson then pats Strahan on the back or rubs his shoulder. WTF? This seems to happen every week. Am I the only one who’s noticed?
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I would love for Gruden to come in and coach my Chargers next season; the guy is quirky but tough as hell and we need that right now!
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Gruden is the worst commentator ever.
The fact that this site comments on innocuous statements and entitle them gay is ridiculous. You are not journalists, or remotely close to such.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Actually I really like Gruden. I think he adds a lot to the MNF crew and has been a welcome addition to the booth.
on Oct 6th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Slow sports talk day….
on Oct 7th, 2009 at 7:09 am
I see the makings of a good serial comedy show for late prime time. A Gruden-like coach dealing with a closeted gay player on his college football team could be the first serious gay character on television. And no I do not consider Will or his flaming buddy on “Will and Grace” to have been serious gay characters. The average closeted gay guy in college football would probably be a person of color from a lower “middle class” background who had a childhood more like the gospel singer Tonex who recently “came out”; or that of the former American Idol finalist Clay Aiken who came out after losing and reaching a career peak.
on Oct 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Hardly homoerotic. This has nothing on Joe Theismann’s comment that a player was a “real fudge-packer”, or the college announcer I heard say about a player, “can I get some fries with that shake”.
on Oct 7th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
homoerotic? how about this Espn article from their newest magazine edition, which is all about athlete’s (naked) bodies…
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4534478
Took me back to being a kid, when we stole my friend’s dad’s porn and actually read the stories..