The Greek philosopher Heraclitus probably wasn’t referring to sports media when he said that change is the only constant in life. As interpreted by Plato, Heraclitus was more profound.
“All things pass and nothing stays,” said Plato, “and comparing existing things to the flow of a river, he says you could not step twice into the same river.”
No, there’s nothing about sports media in that quote. But Heraclitus could’ve been referring to it. For many of us (especially those of you reading this, shaking your head at a writer trying to sound smart by quoting Greek philosophy), sports media is life. And the industry is constantly changing.
Viewers of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football saw that on Monday morning with Jamie Erdahl and Jason McCourty joining incumbent co-hosts Kyle Brandt and Peter Schrager in the show’s new lineup.
It’s a huge change for the program, which had a rock-solid quartet for five years. That stability and familiarity, not to mention fantastic chemistry, willingness to mix football with pop culture, and a great sense of fun made GMFB the best sports morning show on TV.
Then last September, Nate Burleson left to co-host CBS Mornings. (There may be no greater example of change being a constant in media than the CBS morning show.) In May, Kay Adams also exited the program, ensuring that GMFB would have a very different look for the 2022 season.
Change is the only constant in life. Or sports media.
Producers hadn’t named a permanent replacement for Burleson during the past 11 months, rotating a variety of panelists including Michael Robinson, Cris Carter, Shaun O’Hara, and DeAngelo Hall. But naming the right person to fill Burleson’s chair was more than finding a former NFL player who provided good analysis, meshed well with the other three co-hosts, and kept the chemistry flowing.
“It’s a very difficult spot to fill, not only because of the obvious chemistry deal and the obvious work we’ve had behind us with Nate,” Brandt told Jimmy Traina on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast last October.
“It’s just like, we’re looking for an ex-player — he’s gotta be an ex-player, this is the NFL Network — and he has to be an ex-player who not only wants to get up at 4:30 in the morning every single day to go to a table to talk to three people who did not play in the NFL and are going to tell him his opinion is wrong. You also have to have that ex-player live in the New York-New Jersey area.”
As it turns out, the right man for the job wasn’t available until Jason McCourty officially retired from the NFL earlier this month. After impressing producers and executives at the league’s broadcasting boot camp, along with appearances on NFL Network in recent months, McCourty (who lives in New Jersey and didn’t have to relocate) checked all of the boxes.
With no disrespect to Adams, replacing her role on the show was going to be easier. Whether it’s acting as host, moderator, or point guard, being a former NFL player wasn’t necessary. Fitting in with the rest of the cast, keeping the offense moving, and getting the fun, upbeat tone of the show was most important. Oh, and maybe already living in New York or a willingness to relocate to the metro area was a plus. (If not for that, would Rachel Bonnetta have gotten the job?)
Erdahl had already been “one of the boys” in a hectic, fast-paced environment as a sideline reporter for CBS Sports, bantering with game broadcasters Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson, while also having a good rapport with coaches and players in college football and basketball.
The broadcast crew for a studio show shouldn’t be judged after only one broadcast. But after Monday’s debut, it appears that the GMFB machine will keep rolling just fine. This is not an easy show but the team makes it look that way, which is what makes it so special.
Erdahl and McCourty know the assignment, and NFL Network producers surely wouldn’t have put anyone in place who would have to adjust on the go. Both showed a good rapport with Brandt and Schrager right away, deftly handling references to movies like Bridesmaids, football topics like which team will benefit most from a new season, and offbeat subjects such as travel pet peeves.
Viewers and fans like the familiar. They like to be comfortable with what they’re watching on a regular basis. So there was a valid reason for concern that Good Morning Football would no longer be the show with which so many of us fell in love. But Brandt and Schrager make up the engine that drives the show and they’re still in their seats. The style and format of the program and the sensibility that sets it apart from the competition haven’t changed. And that’s a relief.
But TV and radio programs need to change periodically to stay fresh. The same is true for staffs at newspapers, magazines, and websites. Different voices and faces might be necessary for a venture to avoid becoming stale and accumulating cobwebs. Nothing has blown off the dust and aired out the room like the turnover we’ve seen during this NFL offseason with broadcast crews moving around and new outlets showcasing the sport.
Even when a team like Joe Buck and Troy Aikman stay together, they seized an opportunity to shake things up by moving from Fox to ESPN. Both seem excited by leading a brand like Monday Night Football.
Change is the only constant in life. Or sports media. It doesn’t always work. We’ve watched many ill-advised experiments and failures through the decades. Knowing what works and not tinkering too drastically with a successful formula certainly helps. Good Morning Football is showing how important that is.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
