If the NFL Network had to do it all over again, they probably would have named Bob Papa as their play-by-play man from Day One. The radio voice of the New York Giants is a valid choice and will handle the job with dignity while bringing something to the table. Unfortunately, this comes a year too late and after football fans had to deal with Bryant Gumbel calling games, who’s style was reminiscent of the lead character in “Weekend at Bernie’s.”

While he may have been a decent studio host many years ago on NBC, Gumbel was an odd choice to be in the booth during the fledging network’s first season exclusively covering Thursday night games. His years as a ‘Today’ show host seemed to have taken a lot of his being considered a ‘sports’ person away. No matter what color analyst Cris Collinsworth did to attempt to salvage what was being said over the microphones, Gumbel’s inability to even have a deep knowledge of the game reared its ugly head on more than one occasion. If that wasn’t bad enough, his style was so laid back that even his calls of critical touchdowns had the same intensity as when he called for a commercial break.

Papa has been with the Giants since 1995 and has been called “one of the most talented and experiences announcers in the business” by NFL Network president Steve Bornstein. While being accused of being a ‘homer’ during Giant games, Papa won’t have to hear that on a national scale. His broadcasts sound as if he is having fun and not just doing a job, a claim that Gumbel cannot make.

The NFL Network’s first game this season will be on November 6 with the Denver Broncos at the Cleveland Browns.