TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET editions of FSN's
"Primetime" (Fox Sports Net South) and CNN/SI's "Sports
Tonight" both led with Game Five of the Braves-Mets NLCS.
"Primetime" followed with Rams-Falcons and Vikings-Lions.
"Sports Tonight" followed with a Yankees-Red Sox update and
followed with Dolphins-Patriots. Game Four of the Yankees-
Red Sox ALCS was in the top of the ninth at 11:00pm ET and
ended at about 11:30pm. "Primetime" had the game's final
score and highlights at around 11:33, while "Sports Tonight"
had the score at around 11:31 and highlights at around
11:38. ESPN's "SportsCenter," which aired at about 11:29,
led with Braves-Mets, followed by the Yankees-Red Sox final
score with no highlights. Dolphins-Patriots followed MLB
playoff coverage on "SportsCenter." "SportsCenter" had
Yankees-Red Sox highlights at about 11:48pm (THE DAILY).
NAME CHANGE? In Buffalo, Jim Kelley noted rumors that
Empire Sports Network is "considering changing its name to
the Adelphia Sports network." Kelley: "It's a corporate
thing designed to capitalize on the recognition of the
Adelphia name. One can't help but wonder if the Adelphia
name isn't already a tad overexposed" (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/17).
KIMMEL & BITS: In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich calls
comedian Jimmy Kimmel's act on "Fox NFL Sunday" "stupid" and
writes, "Why does Fox think anyone wants to watch him?"
(TORONTO STAR, 10/18). In Atlanta, Prentis Rogers calls
Kimmel "the unfunny comedian who continues inexplicably to
get a segment on 'Fox NFL Sunday'" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
10/18). In Chicago, Ed Sherman, on Kimmel's segment, "[I]
still don't get it. Then again, maybe I don't fit into
Fox's demographic" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/18).
LOWERING THE BOOM ON BOOMER: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke,
on "MNF" analyst Boomer Esiason: "Boomer has bungled. He
lacks insight and humor, and his soft-spoken manner inhibits
his ability to sell his point, a la [former 'MNF' announcer
Dan] Dierdorf." ABC Senior VP/Production John Filippelli,
when asked if ABC "was considering a three-man booth" for
the Super Bowl: "Not at this time" (USA TODAY, 10/18).
