People & Personalities: ESPN To Hire Millen As Football Analyst

Millen Will Cover NFL, College Football For ESPN This Season

USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand reports ESPN plans to hire former Lions President & CEO Matt Millen as a "lead NFL analyst and college game analyst this season." ESPN VP/Communications Mike Soltys said that a formal announcement is expected this week. Millen will call college games and make "various studio-show appearances" (USA TODAY, 4/20). DEADSPIN.com's A.J. Daulerio cited a source as saying that Millen will replace former ESPN analyst Emmitt Smith on the "MNF" pregame set, where he will be paired with Stuart Scott and Steve Young (DEADSPIN.com, 4/18).

SIGNING OFF: ESPN has decided not to renew Stephen A. Smith’s contract, and his last day with the network will be May 1. An ESPN spokesperson said, “We thank Stephen A. for his many contributions to ESPN and wish him well. We decided to move in different directions.” Smith will still appear on network programming until his departure date. Smith had been with ESPN since ‘03 and had been prominently featured on many outlets, primarily as an NBA analyst. Smith hosted the talk show “Quite Frankly” on ESPN2 for 17 months beginning in August ’05, and also had a column in ESPN the Magazine and a show on ESPN Radio’s N.Y. affiliate (THE DAILY). In N.Y., Bob Raissman reported Smith and ESPN "could not come to terms on a new deal," and sources said that the net "wanted Smith to take a paycut" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 4/17).

Charles Barkley Discussed DUI Arrest Friday  On "The Tonight Show"

I AM IRON MAN: TNT’s Charles Barkley appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” Friday and discussed how he works more during the NBA Playoffs than during the regular season. Barkley: “It sucks. … During the regular season, I work one day a week. Now some idiot came up with this slogan ‘40 Days and 40 Nights’ like somebody actually wants to work 40 days in a row. Who came up with that stupid slogan? Nobody in here wants to work 40 straight days. That's just crazy.” He added of going to jail as part of his December arrest for DUI, “It's humiliating because when you're sitting there, you're like, ‘I'm a damn loser.’ That's what I felt like when I was in there” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 4/17).

AFTER THE BEEP: The GLOBE & MAIL's Tim Wharnsby cited Rogers Sportsnet sources as saying that the net has taken hockey reporter Roger Millions "off air for a few days" after the net "unintentionally aired" Millions cursing. Millions, taping a pregame report prior to last Thursday's Flames-Blackhawks Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 1, "uttered an obscenity after he messed up." Rogers Sportsnet Dir of Communications Dave Rashford said, "It is unfortunate that the comment made it to air. We apologize and are confident this will not happen again." Millions has worked for the net since '01 (GLOBE & MAIL, 4/18).

CENTURY CLUB: In L.A., Diane Pucin noted ABC NBA announcers Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy during yesterday's Jazz-Lakers game were critical of Lakers fans cheering for the team to exceed 100 points, thus awarding fans with a free taco from Jack in the Box. Breen, Jackson and "especially Van Gundy made it sound as if having such promotions that caused such chanting was an affront to the very dignity of NBA basketball." Pucin wrote the three need to "let Lakers fans have a little fun" (LATIMES.com, 4/19).

HOMETOWN BIAS? In St. Petersburg, Tom Jones wrote new Rays TV analyst Kevin Kennedy "knows baseball and was a good hire," but if his "first two weeks with the Rays have had a flaw, it's how quickly he wants to paint everything ... as fine when things are clearly not" (TAMPABAY.com, 4/19).