Breaking news from Mike and Mike in the Morning- MNF has released their new announcers for the 2006 season:
Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann, and Tony Kornheiser.
I like Tiricio, LOVE the Kornheiser selection, and am less than fond of Theismann.
Reader Interactions
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Mac Buckets
Sigh…. it could work, I suppose, but my early thoughts are that Tirico is a great pro, but he’s not a football guy to me; Theeeeesman is just plain wrong too much; and Kornheiser’s kvetchy schtick won’t work outside the Eastern time zone. If the games are good, no one will care.
ppGaz
Kornheiser is the funniest guy in sports media. I’ll tune in just to hear him. He’s quite popular out here in the real world of the Mountain time zone.
Jim Allen
What have you got against Theesman? Hey, he isn’t a genius, like Norman Einstein, but what’s not to like?
I just hope they don’t start running the film of him getting his leg broken. Eeesh.
Tequila
Theismann is one step above Maguire, who induces homicidal thoughts in me whenever I hear his voice.
I find Kornheiser excruciatingly unfunny. I want more X&O chalktalk, not wisecracks. Another reason to mute the TV and tune in the radio.
BarneyG2000
The old ESPN radio Tony Kornheiser show was the best thing on radio.
John Cole
Agreed. I like Mike and Mike in the AM, though.
Joel
Kornheiser still has a radio show BTW. It’s not on ESPN but you can listen to it via the web at the online site for Sports Talk 980. As for MNF, Kornheiser should have been chosen instead of Dennis Miller so I think this is a pretty good move on ESPN’s part. Tirico is fine but nothing special, and Kornheiser will hopefully deflate Theismann’s egotism somewhat.
John Cole
Tirico is more than a fine announcer. I think he is clearly in the top tier, and he is also extremely versatile.
Joey
Kornheiser on MNF? Sweet. Now I have a reason to watch when the Colts aren’t playing. How about Wilbon instead Joe?
BumperStickerist
John,
How quickly you forget.
‘God wants Joe Theismann to be happy.’
Joe’s happy. God’s happy.
No worries.
Rex
Was LT’s sack of Theisman that snapped his leg on a Monday Night game? For some reason, I recall that it was. Not that it matters…just curious.
Uberweiss
Great choice other than Theisman. I could do without him. Is it me or is that guy a complete moron? Well at least he will be better than Madden. Everytime the Steelers played on MNF I used to turn the sound off on my T.V. and turn on the radio. That’s how much I hate Madden. Unfortunalty Theisman is only slightly better. But still better. I am pretty excited for MNF now. Good job ESPN.
Paul Wartenberg
The problem with Theismann is that he tries to be nonpartisan but comes off as uninformed. Half the time he and the other two talking heads for ESPN are supposed to be covering the football game, but they’re focused on some other issue, or stuck on a play from two quarters previously, or completely confused about the play going on right there on the field.
The rule of thumb if your team ever got an ESPN Sunday night game was to watch it with the audio off and turn on your radio for the local station coverage. The radio guys actually do the job of describing the game and keeping up with the whos and whats and wheres and hows.
arb
I’m with you John – Tirico ok, love Kornheiser, hate Theismann, despite his being an ex-Redskin. The Sunday night team this year had me throwing beer at the TV. Talk about “shrill” — they are always “shocked, just shocked” at whatever normal thing is going on down on the field. Bunch of losers for sure, they actually make Theismann look sane.
Anybody else notice that the new line-up includes one ex-Redskin and one DC-based sportswriter?
Also “Pardon the Interruption” is a funny show, although I can’t seem to convince anyone of this.
VAMark
Has any Super Bowl winning quarterback been less loved in his team’s town than Thiesmann has been in DC? I bet even Dilfer is more affectionately remembered in Baltimore that he is here.
chefrad
I herewith make the wish that John be compelled to spend an evening near Kornheiser at “The Palm” in DC. TK is widely considered the biggest jerk in the nation’s capital— and I’m sure we can all agree there is first rate competition for that title from the White House and Congress.
In the Washingtonian magazine a few years ago Kornheiser had the highest negatives of any sports writer. There must be some serious politics behind this choice. Tony is at once a finger down the aural blackboard and a cinder on the publlc eye.
Otto Man
Yep, yep, and yep. Even with Theeesman on board, though, this is looking like a great line-up.
Any word on the sideline reporters? I bet they could get the incredibly talented Eric Dickerson to come back if they asked pretty please.
physics geek
Joe Theismann in 5 words or less: Joe really likes Joe.
skip
Just the mental image of TK’s orange face and slit eyes on TV is enough for me. I have watched my last Monday Night Football game.
But I’m sure George Solomon and Howie Kurtz of the Washington Post are gratified, having campaigning for their colleague for years.
Kornheiser is living proof that the kiss up/kick down modus operandi of John Bolton is not peculiar to geopolitics. He is famous for referring to his listeners as “the littles.”