New MNF crew announced

[utvolpj]

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- Former quarterback Joe Theismann, Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser and Mike Tirico will be the broadcast crew for "Monday Night Football" next season as the long-running show shifts to ESPN from ABC.

The moves leave Al Michaels free to switch to NBC, which takes over Sunday night games next season from ESPN. John Madden, Michaels' broadcast partner for the last four seasons, agreed in June to a six-year contract with NBC.

At a news conference in July, Michaels said he would remain with "Monday Night Football" when it switched to ESPN. He was to be paired with Theismann, who had broadcast Sunday night games on ESPN with Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire.

Mike Breen will replace Michaels as the lead NBA play-by-play announcer on ABC/ESPN. He will be joined by former NBA coach Hubie Brown, hired in December 2004 as the analyst.

Theismann was an NFL quarterback for 12 seasons and had worked on ESPN's Sunday night games since 1988. In addition to working for the Post, Kornheiser has co-hosted "Pardon the Interruption" on ESPN since September 2001 with Michael Wilbon, another Post writer.

Tirico has been a "SportsCenter" host for ESPN and handled play-by-play of the last Orange Bowl. He has worked for ESPN and ABC since 1991.

Michele Tafoya returns for her third season as a "Monday Night Football" sideline reporter, and Suzy Kolber was added as a second sideline reporter.

[nickdauk!!!]

what will pti be without tony?

[utvolpj]

Originally Posted by (nickdauk!!! @ Feb 8, 2006 1:21 PM)

what will pti be without tony?

ummm...finally entertaining?

[volfan5719]

pti is one of my favorite shows.

[utfantilidie]

I'm sure anti-Peyton, Brady loving big head Madden will do all he can to get all of the Patriots coverage.I'll bet he was solely responsible for his son, Tom, tossing the coin for the superbowl! :banghead:

[tidwell]

Kornheiser rules.

Hopefully he still does PTI, I probably won't watch it if he (or Wilbon) aren't there. That article didn't say he was gonna quit PTI, but I'd imagine he'll have to give up either that or his radio show.

[orange+white=heaven]

I just can't imagine Kornheiser, who has never done live games as far as I know, being effective in one of the premiere announce seats in the industry.

[milohimself]

We'll see how he does. I don't want him leaving PTI either. He is hilarious.

[checkerboard_charly]

anyone who rips on kornheiser is jealous. he is an excellent personality for t.v.

[milohimself]

I think Kornheiser is the only New Yorker we can agree on. The guy shows blatant bias for professional sports in the northeast.

[utvolpj]

Originally Posted by (checkerboard_charly @ Feb 8, 2006 6:43 PM)

anyone who rips on kornheiser is jealous. he is an excellent personality for t.v.

Jealous? I just think he's annoying. He yells louder so he must be right? Just covering up. Entertaining? Sometimes but seems to be out of place on MNF.

[checkerboard_charly]

Originally Posted by (utvolpj @ Feb 8, 2006 5:48 PM)

Jealous? I just think he's annoying. He yells louder so he must be right? Just covering up. Entertaining? Sometimes but seems to be out of place on MNF.

i think he will fit in good on mnf.


he helped make pti the best sports show on t.v. u gotta admit that.

[GAVol]

If they can let zero peronality jocks like Dan Dierdorf, Boomer Esiason, Dan Fouts etc. sit in the booth and sound boring, they sure as heck can let Kornheiser sit in the booth and be funny. I think Dennis Miller could have worked if not for Al Michaels talking so much.

Kornheiser and Theisman could become the modern version of Cosell/Meredith.

[tidwell]

I wasn't alive to see the man, but from what I've seen on old videos and stuff, Kornheiser reminds me a lot of Cosell.

Accent isn't as good, but whose is?