DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
INSIDE THE NFL
September 2, 2014  | By David Bianculli

Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET

 

SEASON PREMIERE: This series has proven to be one of cable’s most durable original series, surviving even a move from HBO to Showtime over the years. And the years go back to 1977, with tonight’s show launching the start of Season 25. And beginning tonight with “2014 Week 1,” it has to survive some even more drastic shifts: the move from Wednesdays to Tuesdays, and the loss of Cris Collinsworth, the most dynamic, outspoken and entertaining part of the show for many, many seasons. Both of these moves have to do with Showtime’s corporate sibling, CBS, launching its new sports franchise, Thursday Night Football. So NBC’s Sunday Night Football analyst Collinsworth and others are out, and CBS’s Greg Gumbel and others are in. But it’s also a move to employ younger players and ex-players, such as Brandon Marshall, to attract younger viewers, which has its merits – it’s just that someone as glib and perceptive as Collinsworth should always have a showcase like Inside the NFL.

 
 
 
 
 
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