On Monday, ESPN took a break (for about fice seconds) from breathlessly reporting on the retirement/un-retirement of Brett Favre to let everyone know they were making a change. A change in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth. Gone is Tony Kornheiser, who had been in the booth for three years. In his place - former Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden.
ESPN says that Tony K. decided to leave on his own, and I believe that 100%. Kornheiser is tremendously talented, but as is the case with tremendously talented people a lot of times, he is very insecure. I've seen it for myself.
When I worked with The Fabulous Sports Babe at ABC in New York, Kornheiser came to the network to do his show. He was in town for some awards dinner (he normally did his show from Washington. The guy came into our studio without anyone noticing, hoping to get a couple of minutes with The Babe. When he talked to us (her production staff), it was almost like a kid looking for approval from an authority figure.
I know Kornheiser was bothered by the criticism he took over the last three years. Some of it was deserved (the almost schoolgirl-like crush on Favre). Most of it wasn't. But Kornheiser tired of the armchair quarterbacks (and the travel). He thought about not coming back after his first season (ultimately Joe Theismann was forced from the booth after a tension filled 2006 season). He thought about not coming back after the 2007 season. He finally said enough is enough.
I enjoyed Kornheiser on MNF. I know not everyone will agree with me. My old radio partner used to say "I don't want no funny in my football." But, I'll be very sad to see him go. He was refreshing. He wasn't a former coach or former player. He was all of us non-jocks who somehow found his way into the booth. He was Joe Fan. Sure, he sometimes went a little too far in his attempts to make us laugh (we all do at times in this business), but it was part of his charm. There was something funny about a middle aged bald guy with no NFL playing experience doing Monday Night Football.
He reached a broader audience than Ron Jaworski ever could. It's not a knock on Jawz. He's a great analyst. But he's a pure football guy. He isn't the type to appeal to the casual fan that Tony K. did. He's a hardcore football fan's dream.
ESPN should have hired someone along the lines of a Kornheiser to take his place. They should have taken a risk. Instead, they went with the safe choice in Gruden.
Don't take that as a rip at Jon. He's a damn good coach, and if you ever get to meet him, he's a hell of a nice guy. But, he's a safe choice.
The first problem I have with this new MNF trio is that you have two hardcore analysts paired with Mike Tirico. It's going to sound like your average football game. Monday Night Football is supposed to be special. Now, it's just going to sound like your average broadcast.
ESPN would have been better off - if they weren't going to go with a Kornheiser type - to put Paul Maguire back in the booth. Maguire made those Sunday Night Football broadcasts because he didn't take himself so seriously, and he was able to get Theismann to lighten up (not an easy thing to do). Gruden won't be able to do that. It's just not his nature.
I have two other questions about Gruden's addition to the booth. What will he add that Jaworski doesn't already bring to the table? There is likely going to be a lot of times when Gruden and Jaworski will wind up repeating their points. That doesn't do anyone at home any good.
And, finally, how long is Gruden going to stick around? He said not so long ago that he plans on returning to coaching (either the NFL or college). His name is going to be attached to every job that comes open. Will he stick with ESPN or jump back in to a coaching job. And, if he wants to be a coach again, is he going to be honest with his analysis, or is he going to try and sugarcoat things as to not offend anyone who might want to hire him.
The bottom line is that I just don't think this new MNF booth is going to work. It won't be the train wreck that Dennis Miller was earlier this decade, but it has all the potential of being as bad as the Al Michaels/Boomer Esiason/Dan Dierdorf days.
Monday Night Football is supposed to be special. ESPN is turning it into just your average broadcast.
The late Roone Arledge and Howard Cosell are probably turning in their graves right now.
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