Theismann to be replaced on 'MNF'

[Kiwon]

Theismann to be replaced on 'MNF'

By Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY

Joe Theismann will be replaced on ESPN's Monday Night Football, says an industry official with direct knowledge of the move.

The former Washington Redskins quarterback, who worked as an analyst on ESPN's primetime NFL games for 19 seasons, last year joined play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico and rookie game analyst Tony Kornheiser in the MNF booth last season.

Neither Theismann nor his agent, Sandy Montag, could be reached for comment.

Candidates to replace Theismann include ESPN studio analyst Ron Jaworski, as well as Bill Parcells and Emmitt Smith, who were recently hired as studio analysts.

Theismann could end up with other roles on ESPN/ABC's football coverage just as Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire were retained for ABC's college football coverage after they were removed from ESPN's primetime NFL game coverage before they were replaced by Tirico and Kornheiser last season.
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Hallelujah! He is one more irritating human being. I just have never liked him as an announcer. He's been jealous of Farve for years and his bias was obvious.

[MadtownPacker]

Hearing Parcells ripping on players would be interesting.

[MJZiggy]

*does a little dance*

They should hire William Henderson to do it if he retires. I used to say "anyone else" when Madden was doing MNF, but now I know better.

[BallHawk]

Can't say I'll miss him, even though his contradictory statements were hilarious.

[packinpatland]

A dull game became less boring, just waiting to hear what stupid thing was coming out of his mouth next.
Can't say he'll missed much, tho.

[Bub]

They need to ditch Cornholio too. He's alright in PTI, but sucks as an analyst.

[Zool]

I think Theismann drags everyone around him down. I couldn't be any happier about this.

[Guiness]

Yay for him being gone.

I'd like to see Parcells. I wonder if he has the precense to do it. He certainly has the knowledge.

[GBRulz]

Yay for him being gone.

I'd like to see Parcells. I wonder if he has the precense to do it. He certainly has the knowledge.

Exactly, which is why alot might be curious to see him in the booth !

[Green Bud Packer]

they should dump korney and put mcguire back in the booth

[Kiwon]

Parcells in the booth would be very interesting.

BTW, GBRulz, cool avatar!

[mraynrand]

Hasta la vista, verbal diarrhea.

[Zool]

Good god. From one jackass to another.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2812834

Jaworski replacing Theismann in MNF booth
ESPN.com

There will be a quarterback change in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth for the 2007 season.

Ron Jaworski will join Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser on the ESPN telecast. Jaworski replaces Joe Theismann, who has been offered a prominent football analyst job with the network.

Michele Tafoya and Suzy Kolber will continue as sideline reporters.

"This new lineup will enhance our presentation of Monday Night Football, our most important property," Norby Williamson, executive vice president, studio and remote production, said in a statement. "Ron has covered the NFL from many different perspectives, and he is totally tied into the issues and trends from around the league.

"We appreciate the work Joe has done for 19 years and continue to talk with him about another high-profile football role with ESPN."

Jaworski, who played 17 years in the NFL, most notably as quarterback of the Eagles, joined ESPN in 1990. He has been a prominent NFL analyst for the network and his studio duties will now be spread among ESPN's other NFL analysts, including newcomers Emmitt Smith and Bill Parcells.

Theismann, a storied quarterback in Redskins history, was the NFL's MVP in 1983 and led Washington to victory in Super Bowl XVII.

Last season, ESPN's coverage of Monday Night Football was the most-watched series in the history of cable television and the only NFL series nominated for a 2007 Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Live Sports Series category.

Nine of the top 10 on the list of cable television's biggest household audiences ever came from ESPN's coverage of Monday Night Football in 2006, including the Giants-Cowboys game on Oct. 23, 2006, which ranks No. 1 all-time with a 12.8 rating.

[Merlin]

Jaworski for Theisman? No upgrade there. Who makes these selections? That's who should be replaced...

[Zool]

Jaworski for Theisman? No upgrade there. Who makes these selections? That's who should be replaced...Agreed. Whats next? They take out Kornheiser and put in Shannon Sharpe?

[Merlin]

William Henderson could run it by himself...

[BallHawk]

William Henderson could run it by himself...

But then which ESPN Analyst would he have to be his whipping boy? :wink:

And Jaworski :roll: At least he understands the game better than Theisman, but he still annoys me. I'd still rather have Parcells on MNF. That'd be entertaining.

I'd also like to see John Clayton and Sean Salisbury on MNF. That'd be a reason to tune it by itself.

[oregonpackfan]

I like the move because Jaworski is a student of the game. He spends a considerable amount of time of explaining the x's and o's. Just as important, he does a good job of explaining the plays to the average fan.

[mraynrand]

Didn't Jaws do that playbook show with Kolber and Hodge? I though that was okay. I agree with the prep work - Jaws knows his stuff. I don't care for TV Dinner, though. He's a pretty mean-spirited guy - and he talks more than Theisman, if that can be believed.

[Freak Out]

Has MNF gone to shit or what? Break a leg was brutal so Jaws is a welcome upgrade but what the hell happened on the way to the forum? I can't stand Tirico and Kornsheister is ok in print but stinks in the booth. These schmucks make me pine for the days of Howie, Frank and Don. If Tuna passes the studio test they need to get him on MNF ASAP!

[BallHawk]

Mike Torico is the only guy completely decent on there. He doesn't annoy me, partially because he is required not to have an opinion.

[cpk1994]

Before you start ripping a guy before you know how he sounds in the booth, I'd suggest you tune in to an Arena Football game on ESPN2. He is the play by play guy and he is really good, IMO.

[GoPackGo]

Has MNF gone to shit or what? Break a leg was brutal so Jaws is a welcome upgrade but what the hell happened on the way to the forum? I can't stand Tirico and Kornsheister is ok in print but stinks in the booth. These schmucks make me pine for the days of Howie, Frank and Don. If Tuna passes the studio test they need to get him on MNF ASAP!

Exactly, Theismann was the only one of the trio that was worth listening to

[Little Whiskey]

my vote is for Shannon Sharpe, sterling sharpe and micheal irving. and have mel kiper jr. be the sideline reporter.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

THEISMANN "SHOCKED" BY MOVE

Neil Best of Newsday reports that ESPN's Joe Theismann was caught flat-footed by the decision to bump him off of the Monday Night Football broadcast and replace him with Ron Jaworski.

"I was shocked," Theismann told Newsday on Monday.

"It was completely unexpected, especially when the meeting is started with, 'Boy, you had a great year. You did everything we asked you to do and more, and we appreciate it.'"

Previously, Theismann had said that he would not be commenting on the situation until he fully understood what had occurred. It now sounds like he fully understood it from the outset.

A guy who understood what had happened even before Theismann is Ron Jaworski, who reportedly was offered the job on Thursday night.

But the reason for the decision is still unclear. Per Newsday, ESPN exec Norby Williamson said that the network was not "unhappy" with Theismann and that "he is a phenomenal game analyst." Williamson claims that ESPN was merely hoping to improve the production. Presumably from "phenomenal" to "super-terrific."

Theismann's version? He says he was told that "in reviewing the tapes they noticed when the conversation from Mike [Tirico] and Tony [Kornhesier] got back to me, I talked about football." (As opposed to . . . wrestling?)

Kornheiser told Newsday that, in his view, there was

"talking in parallel lines without enough intersection," and Kornheiser accepted blame for that. But he welcomes the arrival of Jaworski.

"I think Jaws laughs a lot," Kornheiser said.

"God, I love the sound of laughter in a booth."

Which always sounds much better than laughter at a booth.

Theismann, per Newsday, is still under contract for four more years. ESPN will offer him another role, possibly (per Newsday) on ESPN/ABC Saturday night college football.

As we see it, why not reunite Theismann with Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire?

Though the trio drove many a viewer batty while working Sunday night NFL games, there seems to be a greater tolerance for huff, puff, and fluff in the coverage of the collegiate version of the sport, possibly because the sheer volume of NCAA contests aired on television has caused the collective audience to become numb to the crappy commentating to which we are regularly subjected.

The question, however, is whether Theismann will be willing to accept this demotion in order to continue to cash in.

"I've swallowed my pride on many occasions before," Theismann told Newsday.

"I imagine people think they know me and that I have an ego that can't do that. But I love football. Yes, this hurts. It's a shock. It's disappointing. But it doesn't change my appreciation and admiration for the people I work with at ESPN."

[Kiwon]

Does anybody think that they won't be seeing Theisman on TV this season? He's got enough cred after 19 years and will be hired by any number of outlets.

He's smart enough to even compliment ESPN while he licks his wounds. Smart guys in broadcasting don't burn their bridges. He'll be on TV until he croaks.