A southern CA radio station reported yesterday that
talk radio show host Rush Limbaugh, who has been
"campaigning" for an analyst role in the "MNF" booth,
"actually auditioned" with ABC's Al Michaels last weekend in
L.A., according to the N.Y. POST's John Mainelli. Limbaugh:
"I appreciate the speculation, but have no comment at this
time." ABC also declined to comment. Mainelli writes that
the "big question is whether ABC, under its Disney
ownership, would take a chance on the politically outspoken
and conservative Limbaugh" (N.Y. POST, 5/19).
VERMEIL TAKES A PASS: In L.A., Larry Stewart writes
that Dick Vermeil "has decided to pass" on working as a TV
analyst after not getting the offer he wanted. Vermeil, who
this week turned down an offer from ABC to serve as a
college football commentator, said, "I just decided I wasn't
interested in going back to college football. What I was
interested in was 'Monday Night Football.' They weren't
interested in me for that job, and that's fine. I'm sure
they know what they're doing" (L.A. TIMES, 5/19).
NO BARGAIN FOR CBS? PRO FOOTBALL INSIDER's Fred
Edelstein cited sources as saying that Jets Dir of Football
Operations Bill Parcells and former NFL coach Jimmy Johnson
offered a deal to CBS that would have seen the two join the
network's "NFL Today" pregame show if they were paid $1.5M
each. Edelstein writes that CBS "backed off" and sources
close to Parcells and Johnson "clearly believe it was
because of the money" (PRO FOOTBALL INSIDER, 5/18).
