Weak branding

The BBC's decision, supposedly as part of Sport Relief, to invite Russell Brand on as a guest analyst on Match of the Day I found to be stretching the bounds of charity too far.  Admittedly, Brand was confined to the West Ham United vs Manchester United match, which wasn't immediately apparent as I came back from a dinner in London (Wahaca near to Waterloo East) to turn on the TV to catch the end of MOTD (and watch the start early on Sunday) and find the self-promoter pontificating.  He was hazily one-sided, only taking lumps out of his own beloved Hammers because he didn't like 'Big Sam' Allardyce's tactics. Alan Shearer may have a habit of stating the obvious and his impartiality is overcooked but at least he gives any side a fair crack if they deserve it.  What I found disgraceful was Brand disrespecting both the audience and his fellow pundits by messing around on his own phone when he didn't have anything to contribute.  Such action would be rude down the pub - to do it on national live television is both amateurish and arrogant.  I was incredulous that Gary Lineker should ask Brand if he wanted to replace the retiring Alan Hansen after such a display.  I might have left the matter there but I find Alan Tyers in The Daily Telegraph sport section championing Brand's cause, in the name of fan-based interactivity, breaking the oligopoly of former players offering their views.  Contrary to what Tyers said, articulate, thoughtful sports people can be found - they just usually aren't box office in the way that Shearer is to the BBC.  And we can do without showboating loudmouths; if not, that's one more reason to only focus on the games and not the analysis and, further, hope that ITV capture the highlights package to give the Beeb 'a time of reflection' before it inevitably wings its way back to BBC1.