Frankie Vinci, the composer of this theme did an excellent job. I agree that CBS made a big time mistake by dumping this theme from their NFL coverage. It was timeless, catchy, dramatic, and epic sounding (thus perfectly fitting the gladiator-like spectacle aspect of the game) all in one.
The NFC on CBS was much more magical compared to it being on FOX. The AFC on NBC was gold. Monday Night Football on ABC Sports was just beautiful. Now everything is all messed up.
+Michael Judd Yep although it's changed a little on CBS too. The AFC doesn't have the juice that the NFC does but you still feel like your going to get a Football game.
I couldn't have said it better especially when I grew up watching the NFL during the 80s. When FOX outbid CBS for the rights to carry the NFC games in 94, it all went downhill from there.
This was the best theme ever by CBS. I remember CBS radio sports coverage of Monday Night games using this theme years after the TV side of CBS changed.
This was also used for ABC radio (MNF) back in the mid-to-late 90's when CBS wasn't doing football games. This is the runner up for CBS's theme music to the 1981-1986 version for me.
This theme along witht he 1998 version was IMO the best of the sunday afternoon NFL themes. Makes you want to keep watching their games, NFL on FOX has been around for almost 20 years and its theme is something we all are used to and as popular as it is it will never live up to this theme that CBS used for the NFC.
By far the greatest sports theme song of all time. You have drama, anticipation, and adrenaline all in one piece. CBS made a mistake trying to re-do this classic ('98 was OK, but '99-'02 were disasters) Thank you for posting this... memories galore...
The 1998 version of this theme was okay, but it was really watered down (and too slow sounding) compared to the original version. The 1999-2000 version seemed rather overcooked w/ its heavy, brassy sound. The 2001-02 version is perhaps my favorite of the Frankie Vincini theme since CBS resumed their NFL coverage, but it's a bit too much on the whimisical side. What made the 1992-93 theme so great was its incredibly, catchy driving force.
You are looking live at the Silverdome in Pontiac Michigan, where Barry Sanders and his Lions are hosting thier first ever playoff game in the Superbowl era against the up and coming Dallas Cowboys! CBS was the best!
Music of my high school football days from early 90's and I wish they would bring this back on occasion as a surprise before a NFL game on CBS. The current theme doesn't have that magic. The Cowboys Vs 49'ers from candlestick park they would play the movie Hook theme followed by this. It would pump u up for battle
Wow, this is up there with NBC's theme from their last 3 years of covering the AFC. It made you turn the game on at the beginning just to hear it. Like other commenters said, it made you feel like something really big, even historical, was about to happen.
Damn what a awesome theme! Hello everyone I'm Pat Summeral along with John Madden for this NFC east showdown with Joe Gibbs Washington Redskins traveling here to Texas Stadium to take on the Cowboys with the division title in the line. Classic 80's and 90's football!
Takes me back to 1988 when my Bengals defeated the Washington Redskins to lock up home field advantage. Summerall & Maddon were in town doing the game. Redskins kicker Chip Lohmiller missed a FG off the right goal post at the end of regulation. Bengals won in OT strip on Doug Williams & Jim Breech made the game winner.
Man, this is awesome. NFL themes have to be catchy and something you can tap your foot to. This does that. "Doo doo doo...doo doo doo...doo doo doo doo doo...doo doo doo doo doo doo doo DOO DOO!" Now, I love the current NFL on CBS theme, but this is pure genius.
thank you so much, i've been looking for this song for a long time. I wish CBS still used this as their NFL theme song, so much better than what they have now.
The sound of a big game for my Niners, I can feel my heart pumping louder n louder as I get more more nervous. How could u not become a football fan when u hear this?
@TMC1982Part2 ... good comments. There seems to be a sense of freshness and simplicity to the original, while yet featuring even more of epic sensibility.
I remember this theme from my childhood before my dad and I would watch NFL on Sundays. This is a great theme. I do like the NFL on CBS theme that they have now but this one is way better. Really the only good one's today are NFL on Fox Theme and Sunday Night Football on NBC.
I remember this intro and they'd show a montage of film clips from seasons past and there was one of Raiders QB Darryl Lamonica chucking the ball as he always did.
The best theme of all time. I've watched football for over 40 years.The original Monday Night theme is a strong second. Faith Hill and Hank Williams Junior themes were ridiculous and lacked continuity.
I agree...I remember listening to this theme when NFC games were on CBS more often. It still didn't take away the sting of seeing the Saints lose to the Falcons or 49ers :-/
Something felt so different and mystical about this theme compared to the 1998 one that I couldn't put my finger on. I finally realized it... it's in a completely different key!
It is interesting to see CBS give up on such a good theme -- when you consider that they have been using the same college theme since the 80's -- and their NCAA basketball theme is so ingrained in the culture that every pep band in the country seems to have it in its selection.
I agree, this is the best version of this theme. :-) But I still think the raw intensity of the current CBS NFL theme Posthumus Zone is hard to beat! :-D
i use to listen to this for redskins games. Something about CBS repesented rugged NFC east games in December. Now we have terrible Bradshaw laughing at nothing before the game starts.
The MTV people that ran CBS are guilty of this. The problem is if they returned to the 1992 theme, they'd be called guilty of going 1990's by using that theme, since it was used seven seasons (1992-93; 1998-2002).
The key problem I have at least, w/ the current CBS NFL theme is that it lacks the infectious catchiness of the 1992-93 theme to balance out the raw intensity.
Rusty Horse It was good at first because FOX had almost everybody from CBS come over to the network. After all the old CBS personalities left the quality of the NFL on FOX has gotten worse.
i like this one....but hte new one is good too. football is the only sport that hasnt changed stations thats why i like it the best...NBA needs to go back to NBC!
Imagine if NBC (if they were still doing the NBA) decided to one day, get up and change "Roundball Rock"? I mean, CBC also messed up big time, by letting go of "The Hockey Theme". To me, this is the quintessential "NFL on CBS" theme. I mean, FOX has never changed their NFL theme, so why does CBS have to go for a total revamp (which finally occured in 2003)? Hopefully, they will at least, leave the college football theme untouched.
The Audio Is Kinda Bad, If You can Hear it With Headphones It Looks A Bit Fine, If You Watch a 1992 intro The Theme is Super Fine, Can Some One Tell me How to Make the Audio Even Better?
its sucks when everything is better back then. Its not just fond memories. The old NFC on CBS was classic and rugged. These days TV stations are too concerned about finding erin andrew clones to tell us dumb shit on the sidelines.
@res340 Do a search on Yahoo or Google, there are a lot of sites that will convert videos to MP3s. Then you should be able to get it on your phone after that.
Do you think you could use the 1993 game open video from eyeontv the improve the quality of part of this song? It's from a Washington/Minnesota game intro (appears as a "Related Video) but the part of the song before the announcers start talking is crystal clear.
@TMC1982Part2, knowing NBC, which is even worse than CBS (dead last in the ratings), they probably would, unfortunately. I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with something entriely different if they regain NBA rights. The fact that they use Roundball Rock during the Olympics is encouraging, but means nothing: ESPN used their old NBA theme (2003-2006) during the FIBA World Championships this summer and they retained their theme music for their regular season coverage
