In leading ABC's four-hour pregame show yesterday,
Chris Berman said the network planned to make viewers "laugh
a little and cry a little," and offer other news in between.
In N.Y., Richard Sandomir writes that the pregame show
"delivered," but "not always, and not as emotionally as its
top producer promised." Sandomir adds that Berman and
analyst Steve Young "made a comfortable team." Sandomir:
"Young showed an active intelligence and a sense of humor
that elevated him above most active athletes turned into
instant analysts" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/31). CBS SportsLine's Bob
Keisser: "Young was totally relaxed and candid in front of
the camera" (CBS SportsLine, 1/31). In DC, Leonard Shapiro
writes "the pregame star had to be" Young, a "natural in the
host's chair" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31). USA TODAY's Rudy
Martzke calls Young "the best-ever Super Bowl pregame
analyst" (USA TODAY, 1/31). In Miami, Barry Jackson: "ABC
delivered a diverse and lively pregame show" (MIAMI HERALD,
1/31). In Baltimore, Milton Kent writes that "most" of the
pregame show "was worthwhile," but adds that there were
"gaping holes in the show, which took on a far too self-
congratulatory tone for the league" (Baltimore SUN, 1/31).
In Philadelphia, Bill Fleischman: "Berman again proved what
a smooth, entertaining, informed host he is" (PHILADELPHIA
DAILY NEWS, 1/31). But in N.Y., Bob Raissman: "No surprise
that Chris Berman tried making [the] four hour pregame show
about Chris Berman." Raissman adds that Young is "lucky he
isn't as stiff on the football field as he is behind a
microphone" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/31). In Chicago, Ed
Sherman: "Four hours for a pregame show simply is too long
to package anything worth remembering" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
1/31). In Houston, David Barron: "ABC's original features
generally failed to include anything of note that hadn't
[been] done better elsewhere." ABC cut one segment from its
schedule -- Jimmy Roberts' feature about L.A. and Houston,
the "cities left behind" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/31). In St.
Louis, Jeff Gordon: "Why does ABC insist that Chris Berman
wear a hairpiece when the whole world knows what he looks
like without one on ESPN?" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/31).
GET RID OF THIS 'VIEW': Writers were overwhelmingly
critical of the pregame show's Barbara Walters-led segment
which featured cast members of ABC's "The View," along with
ABC's Lesley Visser and Robin Roberts, discussing football
from the female perspective. In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes
the segment turned into a "silly little girl's giggle-fest
about players' butts and tight-fitting uniforms" (N.Y. POST,
1/31). In Houston, David Barron called the segment "most
inane": "If ABC had aired a similar segment about women
athletes during the Women's World Cup featuring the hosts of
Comedy Central's 'The Man Show,' Mickey Mouse would have
been roasted on a spit" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/31). In
Akron, Michael Weinreb writes the segment set the "women's
rights movement back 20 years" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 1/31).
USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke writes the segment was "demeaning
to the sport and ABC" (USA TODAY, 1/31). In N.Y., Bob
Raissman: "If this had featured a bunch of guys drooling
over some sweet-looking lady, like 'The View' biddies were
ga-ga-ing over Jason Sehorn, there definitely would have
been cries of sexism coming out of certain quarters" (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 1/31). NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay: "Imagine the
outcry if the gender roles were reversed during halftime of
the WNBA All-Star Game?" (NEWSDAY, 1/31). In Chicago, Ed
Sherman: "Bet Robin Roberts and Lesley Visser wish they
hadn't been roped into this embarrassing segment" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 1/31). In Baltimore, Milton Kent: "Every woman
should be embarrassed for ... 'The View'" (SUN, 1/31). In
Miami, Barry Jackson: "The segment was an insult to female
football fans" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/31). In DC, Leonard
Shapiro: "It was most offensive" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31).
But in N.Y., Richard Sandomir lists the "loopy" segment as
one of the "high points" of the pregame (N.Y. TIMES, 1/31).
TOUGH CROWD: In Detroit, Steve Crowe reviews the game's
sideline reporters and writes that ABC's Lesley Visser
"remains among the worst in any playoffs" and adds that
Visser's "ability to add nearly nothing to her telecasts
continued Sunday" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/31).
