Howard Cosell is rolling over in his grave, and I love it.  

Not because of the new PBS, Ken Burns, documentary about Muhammad Ali, which is fantastic, by the way. Cosell is twisting because of the new Monday Night Football dream broadcasting team of brothers Peyton and Eli Manning on ESPN 2. 

Simply put, it is must see TV.  

Cosell, in his book, "I Never Played the Game", described what was happening to the broadcast world as "Jockocracy". A term to describe how former athletes were given broadcasting jobs that they had not earned.   

Well, Peyton and Eli are 'Jockocracy' gone wild. Howard, you might have been right, but you are also wrong. They are great. Not to be missed. I watch just to hang with the Manning's and their friends.  

We are only a few weeks in, and it's safe to say I've watched more Monday Night Football games this year, than the last 15 years combined. Partly because I'm a Jets fan and they don't get to play on Monday Night's, and with all due respect to those who have been in the Monday Night booth in recent years, nobody in it has been as exciting as Howard Cosell.

Until Now.  

They've tried Dennis Miller,  Paul Maguire, OJ Simpson, a younger Keith Jackson, Dan Dierdorf, Jon Gruden, and of course Al Michaels, to name just a few. All were fine, but you tune in to watch the game, not listen to the announcers. 

Until Now.  

I don't care who is playing, or much about the game, but I've learned more about reading a defense than I ever have. It's so enjoyable to sit in my living room watching the game with two brothers who have a great respect for each other, the game, their fellow NFL'ers, and the referees. With malice towards none, with charity for all. Expect each other. 

Between the two, it seems nothing is off limits. They are constantly making fun of each other, their interceptions, hairlines, losses, teenage years, records, misdeeds, and accomplishments.  
How many times have you heard about "halftime adjustments"? Broadcasters drone on about the locker room adjustments that worked in the second half. Well, according to Peyton and Eli, the joke is on all of us.

In one of their first broadcasts, the Manning brothers detailed how everyone asks about what changes were made to the game plan in the locker room. Yet the truth is, there is barely time to suck on an orange before you are called out to start the second half. There are no halftime adjustments. 

Of course, watching it, they were much more interesting and funny and more importantly, credible. To me? It was riveting.   

This past week, Eil was telling a story about a young Philly fan who gave him the double bird, and in the process showed the double bird on TV. After the break he apologized, and added, if the 9 year old can do it to me, I thought it was okay for me to do it back to him, and added, "You should of heard what he said about Mom".

Any other announcer would officially be canceled forever. But for this broadcast, it's all part of the fun, hanging out with friends, and learning a lot about football. It just so happens your friends are NFL royalty, and it was well within the bounds of acceptable behavior, while still being fun and authentic.  

I cant wait until their father jumps in for a few quarters. Or their mom, brother Cooper, or their next door neighbor, who doesn't know anything about football.   

Hey Cosell, back in your day, when one could fake authenticity, one could do almost anything.  Today, when two brothers combine to win four Super Bowls, there's no need to fake anything.  You have all the authenticity you need to make Monday Night Football relevant again.