Chucky has no reason to frown about his work last weekend with NFL Network

To the best of Joe’s knowledge, this may be the first time in nearly 2,000 posts that Joe has linked to a Gary Shelton column. But there’s a method to Joe’s madness here.

Just from reading the various articles from the local MSM 19th Century news delivery service, it’s pretty clear very few local sports reporters have the NFL Network. That’s OK, Joe will continue to sccop them as a result.

But in Shelton’s column today in the St. Petersburg Times, it’s clear he’s one of the few (only?) local scribes who has the NFL Network. How can anyone cover an NFL team and not have NFL Network? This concept is unbelievable to Joe.

Shelton, like Joe, watched the NFL Network’s draft coverage over the past weekend. Like Joe, Shelton was impressed with Chucky’s work. So impressed is Shelton, that he thinks Chucky is the next NFL TV star provided he doesn’t coach again.

Odd how things work out, isn’t it? A guy spends most of his life trying to be the next Bill Walsh, and as it turns out, he might be the next John Madden. And why not? The pay is good, the work is steady and no scoreboard is involved. No matter what you think of Gruden, whether you think his firing was undeserved or overdue, whether you think the Bucs let him down or vice versa, it was a treat to watch him work the NFL draft. And, yeah, when it comes to spending time in front of a camera, the guy has a future like Natalie Portman’s.

Let’s not get too carried away. Though Joe (again) agrees with Shelton that Chucky could make a nice living on TV once his contract with the Glazer Boys expires, Joe won’t exactly compare Chucky to Natalie Portman.