MN Gov. Jesse Ventura said yesterday on CNN's "Late
Edition with Wolf Blitzer" that he "would listen to ABC if
the network approached him" about becoming an analyst for
"MNF," according to an AP report. Ventura noted that he has
done football commentary for the Bucs and Vikings in the
past. Ventura: "I suppose I could do it. But, you know, I
have to govern Minnesota" (AP, 5/22). In Pittsburgh, Chuck
Finder suggests a three-man booth of Terry Bradshaw, Chris
Berman and Al Michaels. Finder: "Brad, Berman and Al: A
modern-day Dandy Don [Meredith], a conventional [Howard]
Cosell and a play-by-play man much smoother than [Frank
Gifford]" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/22).
FOX SHOW FALLS SHORT? In Miami, Barry Jackson wrote
that Fox Sports Net's "The National Sports Report" "hasn't
nearly lived up to expectations." Jackson: "Even though
Keith Olbermann and Chris Myers are premier talents,
["TNSR"] has been a huge disappointment because of its over-
reliance on viewer emails and its use of journeymen, second-
rate studio analysts. ... [FSN's] choice of commentators
also mystifies. How do Tom Tolbert and Jack Haley qualify
as 'expert' analysts? There's no reason why any viewer
should even remotely care what Haley thinks about the Heat-
Knicks series or anything else" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/19).
TBS: In Atlanta, Prentis Rogers reviews Braves P John
Smoltz' debut in the TBS booth during Sunday's Padres-Braves
game. While Skip Caray attended his son's graduation,
Rogers writes that Smoltz "appeared quite comfortable" in
three "effective innings" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/22).
