Fox NFL announcer Pat Summerall "will step down" after
the 2001-2002 Super Bowl, his 16th "such assignment,"
according to multiple reports. Martzke notes that Summerall
will make the announcement today at a news conference in
L.A. Summerall joined CBS in '61 and "switched" to Fox in
'94 (USA TODAY, 7/24). The N.Y. TIMES reports that Fox MLB
announcer Joe Buck "is considered a prime candidate to
replace" Summerall on his NFL duties (N.Y. TIMES, 7/24).
SHOULD REYNOLDS RECUSE HIMSELF? In N.Y., Phil Mushnick
notes that ESPN MLB analyst Harold Reynolds is the brother
of Larry Reynolds, the agent for Red Sox OF Carl Everett.
Mushnick: "ESPN's Reynolds, in case ESPN hasn't or doesn't
tell him, should excuse himself from discussing any issues -
- and there seems to be no shortage -- pertaining to Everett
[and his ten game suspension for his confrontation with
umpire Ron Kulpa]" (N.Y. POST, 7/24). Mushnick also
criticized Boomer Esiason's appearance as a guest radio host
for WFAN last week. Mushnick: "Subbing for Mike Francesa
and Chris Russo in FAN's afternoon/early evening drive-time
slot, Esiason's mere presence, and little else, was good for
a few minutes of novelty-listening. Nothing more. ... Going
solo as a substitute drive-time host on WFAN ... was another
case of Esiason learning how to be a ski-jumper by starting
on the highest, deepest run. The falls can be the most
devastating. ... [Esiason] seems to have more confidence
than style or substance. And he seems far too eager to
prove it" (N.Y. POST, 7/23).
