Bob Raissman: Will Eli Manning give an uncensored take on his Giants on Monday’s ManningCast? Stay tuned

Those looking for a detailed critique of the Giants, a breakdown of the organization’s problems, will be better served tuning into ESPN’s “traditional” Monday Night Football telecast of Giants-Chiefs.

If you are looking for some laughs, insults and analysis of quarterback play, ESPN2′s ManningCast is the better landing spot.

Peyton and Eli Manning have turned their version of “MNF” into an event. One that produces buzz, like it did last week with guests like the F-bombing Marshawn Lynch and the unusually relaxed Tom Brady.

It has only taken four telecasts for The Brothers to establish they are entertainers in the truest sense, presiding over a football version of “The Tonight Show” minus the guest couch.

Nonetheless, Monday’s Giants-Chiefs matchup presents a couple of interesting scenarios for the Mannings. Eli, who recently had his number retired, still works for the Giants in a “business operations” role. Last Monday, with Geno Smith starting at QB for Seattle replacing the injured Russell Wilson, Eli didn’t examine the fact it was Smith who replaced him in Week 13 of the 2017 season, ending Manning’s streak of 210 consecutive starts.

So, if he wasn’t willing to mention that obvious connection, it’s unlikely Eli is going to thoroughly dissect the negatives, perceived or otherwise, of the current organization, featuring Joe Judge and Dave Gettleman. Yet on this telecast the bigger national story will be the problems of the 3-4 Chiefs and their superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Mannings are not only positioned to clearly analyze any problems Mahomes might encounter during the game but offer their solutions too.

One of the most compelling elements of the ManningCast is when they talk QB play. Their analysis is easy to understand.

Despite Eli’s current connection to the Giants, don’t expect Daniel Jones to escape totally unscathed. Any criticism of Jones by Eli will make local headlines. Still, it’s likely if he does critique Jones, Eli will find a way to cushion the blow. Peyton is not dealing with similar constraints.

While how Eli deals with his Giants connection is a legit concern, it serves as a subplot. The ManningCast’s spontaneity, and The Brothers verbal back-and-forth insults, is what makes this version of “MNF” special. The content of the show is more unpredictable than the game itself. Viewers don’t know what is lurking around every corner or what will spill out of someone’s mouth.

That’s why a boring Saints-Seahawks Slog Fest still held (1.6 million viewers) eyeballs watching this rainy fiasco in Seattle last Monday night. The reason they hung in was to hear what the Mannings, or their guests, had to say.

It won’t be a surprise if a former Giant (Michael Strahan, perhaps?) appears on the ManningCast Monday night. What that guest, and the Mannings, wind up saying, will.

DON’T JUDGE ME

Aaron Judge is the face of the Bombers but that does not give him the right to influence how the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network covers the team.

Judge didn’t care for YES cameras occasionally tracking his movements in the dugout. Judge expressed his annoyance to the powers that be.

That’s what veteran baseball columnist Bob Klapisch recently reported in the Newark Star-Ledger.

Judge’s griping won’t remove him from the YES spotlight. At least that’s what we believe. Stars attract attention. A network needs marquee players to juice ratings. A team needs them to sell tickets.

The more face-time a star like Judge gets on camera the better it is for business.

Also, over its 20 years of existence, YES suits have not let players influence the way the network covers the team. They are not about to start now — even for Aaron Judge.

THE ALMIGHTY BUCK

All that was missing was some military marching music.

For it sure sounded that Fox play-by-play voice Adam Amin was sending his colleague, Joe Buck, into combat. Amin waited until the 4th quarter of Panthers-Giants to deliver his marching orders, saying:

“[Joe Buck] is about to embark on one of the two toughest weeks in broadcasting — [working] the World Series and the NFL.”

Did Amin want someone to throw a Pity Party for Buck?

It’s not like Buck is walking, with 60 pounds of equipment on his back, between Houston and Atlanta. Then, more walking to NFL game sites. The Foxies provide him with a private plane, right? Tough? And he’s not sleeping in a tent outside the broadcast booth, either.

Get it? This ain’t heavy lifting. Bet Buck would be the first one to tell you.

SALEH’S HONEYMOON OVER

The media walls are closing in on Robert Saleh.

And if the Bengals leave Jersey winning AND covering the 10.5 spread, those walls will come tumbling down on the Saleh’s shaved head.

Inside the Valley of the Stupid, and other media precincts, the honeymoon will be officially over.

Already, columnists are expressing disappointment and wondering if the Jets coach has any answers. And in the home of Saleh’s official weekly paid interview, ESPN-98.7′s, “The Michael Kay Show,” the Gasbags are losing patience too.

The crew (Kay, DLG, Rosenberg), who now spend more time engaging in intramural feuds, actually took a few minutes to hammer the Jets organization for the way the quarterback situation has been handled since Zach Wilson went down. And how GM Joe Douglas waited until Wilson was injured to give up a draft pick for veteran QB Joe Flacco.

Kay ripped into Saleh for the way he is spinning the QB situation.

“You can’t put lipstick on a pig,” Kay squealed. ”There’s got to be a better way than [just saying] ‘We’re all in on [backup QB] Mike White. Stop it!’”

Should the Jets lose Sunday, Kay & Company’s next session with Saleh will be must listen stuff, especially if they strike a confrontational tone.

AROUND THE DIAL

SNY’s Andy Martino and Marc Malusis not only had fun with friction but woke up those tuned into Thursday’s edition of “Baseball Night in New York.” They got into it over whether the Mets current front office infrastructure, with Sandy Alderson overseeing things, could be effective in the short-term. Or serve as a longer bridge to the next suit who eventually will run the organization. Martino supported the idea. Malusis, who had already ripped the concept on his FAN show with Maggie Gray, basically said hell no, before accusing Martino of “selling” the idea. Martino, who said his analysis is fact-based, responded saying: “I’m not selling anything.” Host Chris Williamson moved things on. Yet before the show ended, Martino managed to stick another verbal needle in Malusis who just laughed. Encore, please! ... Even World Series games won’t be as long as Steve Cohen’s search for someone to run his baseball operation. ... Seriously, the last thing Rob Manfred wanted was a World Series where length of games became the storyline. Once again, it’s taking the focus off pure baseball. ... Latest episode of Tom Brady’s SXM podcast, with Jim Gray, is a media panel of more than a dozen broadcasters and journalists from national outlets. Brady took questions for ninety minutes. Christopher (Mad Dog) Russo was not on the panel. The official line is that he was doing his World Series programs. But is there any chance he was banned from the session for his decision to dump on the Brady/Gray/Larry Fitzgerald Podcast?

* * *

DUDE OF THE WEEK: KLAY THOMPSON

The Warriors shooting star went viral last week with his unhappiness at not making the NBA’s celebrated 75th anniversary team. “Winning isn’t everything to some people like it is to me, I guess” he said. Thompson was sharing real-life emotion. Good for him.

DWEEB OF THE WEEK: THE NFL 32

While they effectively use Roger Goodell as their shield, the men who own and run the 32 NFL clubs are responsible for the unresolved issues with the WFT and the emerging litigation disaster in St. Louis. Time to look in the mirror.

DOUBLE TALK

What Mike White said: “We’re going out there Sunday, and I’m going to try and help this football team win and do my job.”

What Mike White meant to say: “No one is giving us a chance to win but at least I’m getting to play.”