The campaign failed.
Phil Simms was in his regular CBS analyst position during the Broncos-Seattle Seahawks game, despite more than 42,000 Facebook online pleas to remove him from covering Denver games.
According to protesters: Simms has an anti-Broncos attitude possibly based on a past off-the-field negative relationship with Peyton Manning.
How many of these fans really believed Simms, the network’s No. 1 analyst, would not objectively cover the Broncos?
CBS Sports offered “no comment” on the petition drive. Simms was unavailable for comment.
The anti-Simms movement didn’t produce a major ripple on the busy national sports scene.
However, Keith Olbermann, who never met a controversy he didn’t like, called the Broncos protesters “morons” during his Tuesday ESPN show, noting unhappy fans could tune in to Dave Logan and Brian Griese on radio.
Brian Griese?
He left Broncos radio coverage before the 2012 season and was replaced by Ed McCaffrey.
Griese is now part of ESPN’s college football team.
ESPN has a huge roster. Olbermann should have checked it before going on his rant. By the way, Keith, Dan Patrick is no longer at ESPN.
Perhaps this anti-Simms movement would have gained more national attention if protesters had used a bricks-at-a-bar campaign.
In October 1972, Broncos fans were upset because the orange and blue warriors had yet to make an appearance on ABC’s “Monday Night Football,” which premiered in September 1970 and had become a huge prime-time TV ratings hit.
Broncos fans suffered further indignities during “MNF” halftime when Howard Cosell narrated highlights of Sunday games. Again, the Broncos were ignored.
So the owners of the Sweetwater bar at East Hampden Avenue and South Monaco set up old black-and-white TV sets on the bar and invited patrons to throw bricks at the screens when Cosell appeared at halftime.
The gimmick got national attention — network sports shows, TV Guide, Sports Illustrated and People.
And Cosell, who didn’t pick the highlights, reveled in such attention, knowing the publicity hoisted his already controversial career.
Did the brick-throwing work?
Not really. Still, some avid fans contended the incident might have been responsible for the Broncos making their first “MNF” appearance Oct. 22, 1973, at Mile High Stadium when Denver tied the Oakland Raiders 23-23 on a field goal by Jim Turner in the final seconds.
Simms and play-by-play partner Jim Nantz have been broadcasting Broncos games often since the high-profile Manning era began in 2012.
And that coverage will continue through the current season if Denver remains competitive.
You can dislike Simms’ occasional confusing style, but the anti-Broncos charge doesn’t ring true. He’s not my favorite NFL analyst. Part of his problem: occasionally a Southern drawl and syntax problems.
Simms often provides too much verbiage in key game situations.
Last January, CBS covered the AFC championship game when Denver beat the New England Patriots 26-16 to move to the Super Bowl. A large group of frantic Patriots fans complained to CBS that Simms was partial to the Broncos.
Broncos fans seem to be on edge this season. Online criticism has occasionally focused on NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, the best in the business.
Two alternate suggestions for complaining Broncos fans:
• Find a bar where you can toss bricks at old TV sets.
• Listen to Logan and McCaffrey on KOA or KRFX radio. I’ll bet some fans will insist that duo is also anti-Broncos.
Longtime Denver journalist Dusty Saunders writes about the sports media each Monday in The Denver Post. Contact him at tvtime@comcast.net.
Derek Jeter’s N.Y. moment
The MLB Network will cover the New York Yankees-Baltimore Orioles game at 5 p.m. on Thursday — Derek Jeter’s final home game at Yankee Stadium.
A trio of talented announcers — Bob Costas, Jim Kaat and Tom Verducci — will be in the booth. Several noted sports figures, including Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods, will comment on Jeter’s career during the game.
