12th in a series of overrated/underrated commentaries

Question: Which play-by-play announcer is overrated? Underrated?

Overrated: Dick Enberg, CBS

It feels criminal, bashing a legend. After all, Enberg’s career is about as storied as it gets. But he has lost his fastball as a football announcer, often slow to call out tacklers’ names or recognize trends within games. Even his famed “oh my!” seems to lack a little pizzazz, sometimes feeling unnatural and kitschy and done more now for effect and out of habit.

Enberg still has a terrific eye for history, can understand modern football and has maintained his signature voice. But his calls no longer have a big-game feel anymore, and it’s partly why he has been demoted to some of CBS’ afterthought or second-rated games the past few seasons.

Underrated: Mike Tirico, ESPN

You could make the case that Tirico is ESPN’s most indispensable talent — heck, with his radio show, he might be their best commodity — right now. His NBA work is strong, and his golf calls are becoming legendary. But we sometimes forget how good a football announcer he is, as well. Almost no one can call down and distance, identify players and pick up on the subtleties of the game like Tirico, whose work this past season, I believe, was his finest hour.

While many “Monday Night Football” critics chose to bash Tony Kornheiser and his sometimes shoehorn fit into the former three-man booth, I chose to tune in more closely to Tirico, who as much as perhaps any play-by-play guy today makes the game more watchable from an educational standpoint. His calls flow effortlessly, even when his network makes him wedge in some silly graphics or a “SportsCenter” timeout. And he keeps things light with the occasional pop-culture or cross-sports reference, which, ironically, was part of the reason Kornheiser was added in the first place.

Sure, Joe Buck adds more opinion and color to his broadcasts, and Al Michaels remains the voice of his era with his precise and anecdotal broadcasts. But there must be a spot at or near the top for Tirico, who calls the game the way a great point guard runs an offense. And with Jon Gruden replacing Kornheiser alongside Ron Jaworski, Tirico will get his share of tasty assists this season.

In addition to what you can read on our Web site, PFW editors sounded off on 10 more "overrated/underrated" topics in the Preview '09 magazine by PFW and Yahoo! Sports, now on sale at bookstores and newsstands across the country and online at PFWstore.com.