After former "MNF" analyst Boomer Esiason criticized
ABC Sports execs and former partner Al Michaels over his
dismissal from ABC, in S.F., C.W. Nevius wrote, "If Boomer
had shown this kind of spunk on the air, he'd still have a
job" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/11). In Boston, Jim Baker called
Esiason's "blast a huge bridge-burning" (BOSTON HERALD,
3/12). Fox MLB analyst Tim McCarver, on Esiason's comments:
"Sadly, it's a ruse we've all seen before. If you can't
keep up with the big dogs, you attack them. For somebody
who's been in the business for two or three years to say
what he did, I find that reprehensible" (NEWSDAY, 3/12).
But in NJ, Vinny DiTrani wrote that maybe "it was some of
those clunker matchups last year that drove down the
ratings" for "MNF" and caused Esiason to get fired. DiTrani
noted that Esiason "did offer some interesting observations"
during the games (RECORD, 3/12). ESPN's Mike Lupica: "I
didn't think they [would] dump out on Boomer, but this is as
old as [TV]. The guy who hired him was no longer running ABC
Sports and these people always panic if they think there is
a slight drop off in ratings" (ESPN, 3/12). On "Saturday
Night Live," Colin Quinn noted that Esiason's replacement
"has not yet been named. Network executives, however, do
expect Frank Gifford to beg for his old job back now that
Kathie Lee is going to be around the house" ("SNL," 3/11).
