Former Saints coach Mike Ditka has joined CBS' "NFL
Today" pregame show for $450,000 annually for three years,
according to USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke, who writes that CBS
Sports President Sean McManus and Exec Producer Terry Ewert
"hope Ditka's star power will boost CBS' show." McManus:
"It's always more difficult to go against a show that has
the star power of Fox's. Mike's a star in his own right.
But we're hiring him because of his news content as well as
star power. When Mike Ditka opens his mouth about the NFL,
people listen" (USA TODAY, 2/25). In Boston, Jim Baker
writes that Ditka's arrival "won't displace Jerry Glanville"
from the "NFL Today." McManus, when asked if both Glanville
and Ditka will "appear every Sunday on the set," said: "We
haven't decided every role." McManus did say that Glanville
"will do more features and have a regular Coaches Corner
exchange with Ditka" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/25). In Chicago, Ed
Sherman writes that Ditka said that he heard "overtures
about other television jobs, although he's doubtful there
was anything substantial regarding him as the third man in
the booth for ABC's 'Monday Night Football'" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 2/25). Ditka: "Really, I wanted to work in the
studio. That's what I do best" (POST-GAZETTE, 2/25).
REAX: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes, "Just as you
didn't go out of your way to catch Glanville on Fox or CBS,
or Ditka on NBC, you won't go out of your way to catch Ditka
on CBS. But TV execs can't seem to come up with a better
idea" (N.Y. POST, 2/25).
FOX EYES PARCELLS: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir reports
that Fox is "in preliminary talks" with former Jets coach
Bill Parcells to be an NFL game analyst (N.Y. TIMES, 2/25).
