Tirico, Theismann, Kornheiser to call ESPN's MNF games

[Billy Flynt]

Monday Night Football will have a new broadcast team when it debuts on ESPN, its new home, in 2006.

Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser will be part of a three-man booth calling the games on Monday nights next season and Suzy Kolber and Michelle Tafoya will be sideline reporters. Kolber and Tafoya both reported from the sidelines for ABC during Super Bowl XL.

Also, ESPN announced that Mike Breen will be its new lead NBA play-by-play announcer, teaming with analyst Hubie Brown for ABC telecasts beginning Feb. 12 and including the NBA Finals.

"This Monday Night Football team enthusiastically embraces our vision for sports television's signature series. We will propel MNF into a 21st century, all-day, exclusive, multi-media event that will engage fans in entirely new ways. This team will develop great chemistry," ESPN Executive Vice President John Skipper said.

"Mike Breen is widely respected for his depth of NBA knowledge and his consummate play-by-play skill. We are very excited to provide such a spectacular forum as the NBA Finals to showcase his talents."

In addition, Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will take Pardon The Interruption on the road on Mondays during the football season, as the shows will air from the site of ESPN's Monday Night Football games.

"We look to the future with great enthusiasm and a strong commitment to enhance the presentation of the NFL and the NBA, two of our most important sports properties," ESPN and ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer said.

Sweet. I love Kornheiser. His show on ESPN radio was so much better than the lunkhead, Cowherd who is on there now.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Ugh. Joe Theisman? Boo!

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Monday Night Football will have a new broadcast team when it debuts on ESPN, its new home, in 2006.

Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser will be part of a three-man booth calling the games on Monday nights next season and Suzy Kolber and Michelle Tafoya will be sideline reporters. Kolber and Tafoya both reported from the sidelines for ABC during Super Bowl XL.

Also, ESPN announced that Mike Breen will be its new lead NBA play-by-play announcer, teaming with analyst Hubie Brown for ABC telecasts beginning Feb. 12 and including the NBA Finals.

"This Monday Night Football team enthusiastically embraces our vision for sports television's signature series. We will propel MNF into a 21st century, all-day, exclusive, multi-media event that will engage fans in entirely new ways. This team will develop great chemistry," ESPN Executive Vice President John Skipper said.

"Mike Breen is widely respected for his depth of NBA knowledge and his consummate play-by-play skill. We are very excited to provide such a spectacular forum as the NBA Finals to showcase his talents."

In addition, Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will take Pardon The Interruption on the road on Mondays during the football season, as the shows will air from the site of ESPN's Monday Night Football games.

"We look to the future with great enthusiasm and a strong commitment to enhance the presentation of the NFL and the NBA, two of our most important sports properties," ESPN and ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer said.

Sweet. I love Kornheiser. His show on ESPN radio was so much better than the lunkhead, Cowherd who is on there now.

I thought ESPN originally announced that Al Michaels would be calling these games with Theismann. When did this change? Where is Al going to be now?

 

[Billy Flynt]

I thought ESPN originally announced that Al Michaels would be calling these games with Theismann. When did this change? Where is Al going to be now?

Michaels never made up his mind. There was speculation but apparently he prefers working with Madden and will probably do Sunday Nights

 

[blindseyed]

I have to say "Ugghhh Kornkeiser".not a big fan of his but..OH well...at least there's MNF still...

 

[clif]

Seriously.. I didn't know Kornheiser did color. just hope my mute button works in case it gets outta hand.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Tirico calls a pretty smooth game. I like Kornheiser alot. Theismann tends to get out of hand, but maybe Kornheiser will be good and push him a lot to back up his opinions.

Michaels is OK, but he defers to Madden way too much, and I've never been a gigantic Madden fan. I was kind of hoping the NBC broadcast would bring back Enberg. Maybe I'm the only person on Earth who likes a Dick Enberg called game??

 

[stewdog1]

Michaels/Madden show is worn out. I really wished that NBC could have found someone else, but I understand wanting to make a splash in a market they haven't had in a while.

 

[phillycard]

Tirico calls a pretty smooth game. I like Kornheiser alot. Theismann tends to get out of hand, but maybe Kornheiser will be good and push him a lot to back up his opinions.

Michaels is OK, but he defers to Madden way too much, and I've never been a gigantic Madden fan. I was kind of hoping the NBC broadcast would bring back Enberg. Maybe I'm the only person on Earth who likes a Dick Enberg called game??

I like Enberg a lot! Knows exactly when to talk, and when to pipe down.

 

[Dr. Jones]

If there is football on NBC.... Bob Costas must be involved somehow!!!

 

[Cardsmasochist]

Ugh. Joe Theisman? Boo!

Theisman is a boob.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

If there is football on NBC.... Bob Costas must be involved somehow!!!

Is he going to be in the studio??

 

[JeffGollin]

I have to say "Ugghhh Kornkeiser
Well, at least we didn't get Wilpon too.

What happens to Paul Maguire - one of my favorites?

 

[abomb]

I like Cowherd's radio show 1000x more than I liked Kornheiser.

I wish they would have kept Mike Patrick (ESPN Sunday Nights) in the booth somehow.

A-Bomb

 

[Stout]

Sweet. I love Kornheiser. His show on ESPN radio was so much better than the lunkhead, Cowherd who is on there now.

Wow, do I have to disagree there. I dislike your taste as much as possible, sir

 

[Billy Flynt]

Wow, do I have to disagree there. I dislike your taste as much as possible, sir

At least we share the same taste in beverages.

I couldn't stand Kornheiser at first but as I listened more, the show really grew on me. Cowherd on the other hand says the same sentence 10 different ways and wastes 30 minutes on a topic. Even he admits that after about 6 minutes with him, most people find him disagreeable.

Gak!

Give me Mike and Mike, Dan Patrick (welcome back KO at least for an hour) and bring back Tony's "This Show Stinks!"

JMHO

 

[dreamcastrocks]

If there is football on NBC.... Bob Costas must be involved somehow!!!

What he said!

I think that Costas is one of the best around, for all sports.

 

[duckfallas]

Way to go ESPN.

 

[SuperSpck]

Well since we are dreaming how about the greatest duo ever...

Micheals and Costas!!!


"YOU'RE EXCITED?! FEEL THESE NIPPLES!!"


"And just think, only a few years ago, those girls were still in grades school. Hmmm hmmmmmmmmm thhhhm"


I love it when people can laugh at themselves.


... also what's the point of having sideline reporters? I've never seen them garner any remotely usefull information that couldn't be discreetly relayed to the booth via normal chains of inquiry. Now MNF has two? Greeeeeat.

I like PTI so I'm intrested to see how Tony K will play out on the national stage. I thought the Sunday Night team from ESPN was awful so I'm crushed to see anyone from that on MNF.

 

[Evil Ash]

Is he going to be in the studio??

He's doing the pregame and halftime shows

 

[OC Card]

I was kind of hoping the NBC broadcast would bring back Enberg. Maybe I'm the only person on Earth who likes a Dick Enberg called game??

I am right there with you NEZ. I love listening to an Enberg game.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I like Cowherd's radio show 1000x more than I liked Kornheiser.

I wish they would have kept Mike Patrick (ESPN Sunday Nights) in the booth somehow.

A-Bomb

Mike Patrick calls an excellent game. What's he going to be doing now???? College????

 

[Savage58]

Mike Patrick calls an excellent game. What's he going to be doing now???? College????

I agree, I'd hope he'd be paired with Maguire, those 2 might be better off w/o Theissman. Not sure how jumping Networks would work though.

 

[Shane]

I wonder what Al Michaels is goimg to be doing

 

[spanky1]

Theisman is a boob.

Does that mean that Jessica Simpson has nice Theisman's?