"MNF" analyst Dennis Miller appeared on NBC's "Tonight
Show" and discussed his new role as an "MNF" analyst.
Miller said the job will "be an interesting lark for a year,
and if I'm good at it, they'll keep me, and if I'm bad,
they'll wack me." Miller, on his approach: "I'm not going
to go in and try to be completely straight ... because then
if I get wacked for being ... a drag, then the people who
watch my HBO show are going to say, 'He was a stiff.' So,
if I'm going to get wacked, I'm going out on my shield."
Miller said if he uses the "f word" on air on "MNF," he
"won't get paid." Miller: "I like to get paid." Miller:
"If you're ever watching ["MNF"], here's a little code
breaker for you: If I say golly, I mean f---" (NBC, 7/27).
In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes that the Michaels-Miller-
Fouts crew will debut Monday night with the Patriots-49ers
game and "will not have the luxury of buying a terrible
first broadcast." Sandomir: "Scrutiny of the inspired and
risky decision to hire Miller will begin Monday. Wait until
October to judge the new announcing team, as ABC hopes? You
might as well resist thinking of the next person to be
tossed off 'Survivor'" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/28).
NFL LIVING LA VIDA LOCAL: In Baltimore, Milton Kent
give the NFL credit for altering its broadcast policy in a
one-year experiment so more games can be seen in markets
where a home team has sold out its game: "Here are the eight
most unlikely words you may ever read in this space: Someone
at the NFL finally got it right. ... It's a clear victory
for football viewers." Kent: "One suspects if the new [XFL]
does moderately well next winter, this change will become a
permanent thing" (Baltimore SUN, 7/28). But in Boston, Jim
Baker writes despite the change, there will be no alternate
game directly opposite a home team's game broadcast in the
home market. NFL Dir of Broadcasting Dennis Lewin: "We still
want to focus on the home team and another telecast can't
come in against it" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/28).
BIG TICKET: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke notes that DirecTV
has added about 900,000 outlets to give it 8.7 million
subscribers for its NFL Season Ticket (USA TODAY, 7/28).