Al Michaels Doesn't Care What You Or Social Media Think About Him

Al Michaels has been around the industry long enough to not pay attention to any of the haters out there.

The iconic announcer recently sat down with Sports Business Journal to discuss his matter-of-frank attitude while on the air - and how to navigate the cesspool that is social media. Michaels advice? Screw it!

"We live in a country with 330 million people. And if eight people rip you on social media, I’m going, ‘Huh?’ Now anybody sitting in a basement has a platform. You can’t let things like that distress you. I’ve been doing this for so long. And I wouldn’t be here at this point still doing a major package if I was doing it the wrong way," Michaels told SBJ.

Broadcast great Al Michaels. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)

Michaels had quite the NFL season last year after he made the move from Sunday Night Football to Amazon Prime and their weekly Thursday night games Unfortunately for Michaels (and the audience) last year's games were AWFUL and there wasn't much Michaels, nor any broadcaster could do about the lack of quality in gameplay.

However, that didn't stop the social media trolls from coming out. Whether it was out of frustration because the games weren't satisfactory or they just had a bad day, social media criticized Michaels broadcast style - or lack of energy at times during the dreadful games.

AL MICHAELS CLAPS BACK AT TROLLS

The 78-year-old Michaels doesn't appear to be cutting back his opinions anytime soon either. Just last week he went after the Baltimore Orioles ownership for allegedly suspending broadcaster Kevin Brown for (correctly) describing how bad the team was in recent years.

Everything's on the table with Michaels, even not holding back his thoughts on Taylor Swift either.

“Look, sometimes I’ll take some shit,” Michaels went on to tell SBJ. “People say, ‘He didn’t get excited enough.’ What do you want me to do? Scream, holler, yell the game?"

Michaels may come across to some as being "grumpy" and a "get off my lawn" type of broadcaster - but he's 100% right on dealing with trolls out there that will find anything to criticize someone for because they are so discontent with their own lives.

I for one am looking forward to Michaels continuing to be outspoken with his "IDGAF" attitude. I've written extensively in the past about how broadcast executives need to let their talent be real. The Internet and social media has changed the game - no longer can networks attempt to keep everything in-house. Fans want emotional announcers that can call BS when they see it - be it a horrible play call by a coach to a terrible call by a referee.

Fortunately for Michaels he doesn't need the money at this point in his life. So he really has nothing to lose, which is a win for fans this year.

Now hopefully the Amazon NFL Gods deliver good games this season.