Charles Barkley says NO to Monday Night Football.

[wilheim]

CHICAGO (AP) Charles Barkley is flattered, but ''Monday Night Football'' is not for him.

There had been informal talks about the former NBA star joining Al Michaels, John Madden and new sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya on the telecast next season.

''I told them I didn't think that this was a direction I wanted to go in right now,'' Barkley told Sporting News Radio.

Barkley has two years left on his TNT contract as an NBA commentator. He said he listened to the ''Monday Night Football'' overtures because of Mike Pearl, the executive producer for ABC Sports who used to work at TNT.

''I have a great amount of respect for him,'' Barkley said. ''I considered it and took my time, probably two to three weeks, and then just said, I'm going to pass.''



Thats a relief as far as I'm concerned wil.

 

[Journeyman]

Barkley in the same booth with John Madden doing football? Thank goodness this didn`t happen...

I assume ABC isn`t that thrilled then with the Madden/Michaels combo ?

Frankly I preferred Dan Fouts and Dennis Miller,with Al Michaels... by far the best combination since the Cosell days!

 

[ClayHenry]

I agree with Journeyman, I thought Michaels, Fouts, and Miller were a good combo so long as Miller wasn't too over the top with his references.

 

[RobFunk]

you know who is really good? phil simms. i dont think much of him at first but he really has turned into one heck of a commentator

 

[justdoit+]

I think Madden/Michaels combo is very good,alot on knowledge with just a little humor mixed in. I definetly didn't like D.Miller,he knew nothing about the game and really wasn't funny.I agree with Rob Funk about Simms,He is one of the best right now.

 

[RobFunk]

its true about miller JDI. his refrences were really arkane. i have to know what youre talking about to find the humor in it.

 

[wilheim]

Some Dennis Miller on air quips;

The set-up: Twin brothers N.Y. Giants running back Tiki Barber and Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber …

The quip: "Sometimes Tiki and Ronde do that Patty Duke thing where they shift teams and don't tell the coaches."

The set-up: As the game, and the MNF season, wound down, Al gave Miller some investing advice, pointing out how low most of the stocks have fallen for dot-com companies that bought naming rights for sports stadiums and arenas.

The quip: "Well, I have all my money with my money manager MC Hammer and we just bought a moped factory in South Yemen, so I think I'm covered."

The set-up: Miller explained that the city of Minneapolis was in need of some good news in light of MLB commissioner Bud Selig's efforts to eliminate the Minnesota Twins.

The quip: "By the way, Bud Selig looks like Harry Potter in the 83rd volume in the series, 'Harry Potter and the Magic Prostate.'"

The set-up: Once again, with only minutes remaining, Al Michaels hinted around the fact that the Ravens' final touchdown beat the 12.5-point spread.

The quip: "All right, Amarillo Slim."

The set-up: The Dolphins' logo was onscreen during a stats rundown.

The quip: "I'm surprised the animal rights groups aren't protesting the dolphins thing, putting the helmet on the little dolphin, clogging the blowhole. Everybody knows that in nature dolphins wear a fez."

The set-up: Al Michaels conducted a half-time interview with former Cowboys and Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson.

The quip: "He looked windswept, he looked like Ann-Margret in 'Kitten with a Whip.'"


wil.

 

[RobFunk]

lol . .some of that stuff is actually funny

but "He looked windswept, he looked like Ann-Margret in 'Kitten with a Whip.'" is the apitimy of arkane

 

[Journeyman]

Come on ...Dennis Miller was a riot, he added just enough off the cuff humor to the broadcast...Fouts was very solid and allowed Dennis just enough rope....And if you listened carefully you would notice Miller was more than just a casual fan, he knew sports history...

I agree about Phil Simms too...those two (him and Gumball) are very good...a little too serious, they do try to needle each other but overall they are more straightshooters than some other teams...

But back to Dennis Miller, one night I was half asleep and he was on one of his HBO Special`s.... I was half asleep following what he was saying when he said the funniest thing I ever heard in my life, I fell off the bed roaring over the line, it was typical Miller where he draws a parralel as his reference to his joke....The next morning I couldn`t remember what it was he said...Miller`s a riot! ABC has to get it through its head they will never get the viewership they once had, it wasn`t the announcer`s who didn`t deliver....they need to stop worrying about who`s calling the game and just get back to showing the game without so much bullsh1t...who gives a ratsass who is the female sideline reporter? I have to admit that the Guerrero Gal was horrible but I certainly didn`t care one way or the other

 

[sherman]

i agree, it's not that important who calls the game...not why i tune in.....

also people have this misconception that the ratings are way down for MNF when they are really not...people have so many options these days for entertaiment, so while less people are watching MNF today, out of the number of TV sets in use at that time, there are actually MORE than 20 years ago!