TV MONITOR: Last night's 11:00pm ET edition of FSN's
"Primetime" (Fox Sports Net South) led with Astros-Braves,
followed by Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson's critical comments
toward QB Dan Marino. The 11:00pm ET edition of CNN/SI's
"Sports Tonight" led with Astros-Braves, followed by an
update on the Rangers-Yankees game. The first non-MLB story
on "Sports Tonight," at 5:12, was an update on Broncos RB
Terrell Davis. ESPN's "SportsCenter," which aired after
Mets-D'Backs, led with Mets-D'Backs, followed by Rangers-
Yankees. The first non-MLB story on "SportsCenter," at
10:50, was Johnson's comments on Marino (THE DAILY).
ELECTRONIC MEDIA reports that sources confirm that ABC
is asking $3M "for the four spots that remain unsold" for
its Super Bowl XXXIV broadcast (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 10/5).
DID SOMEONE EGG ON JOHNNY MILLER? Phil Mickelson, on
NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller's comment that Ryder Cup
member Justin Leonard should have been watching the event at
home on TV rather than playing: "I certainly do think he
crossed the line. I thought that was an unfair comment, and
I thought that there were a few of those, actually a number
of those that he made throughout the week. ... I just felt
like somebody's getting into his ear saying 'You have to be
much more critical. You have to rip on people for whatever
reason.' I think. I don't think that's coming from him
directly" ("The Last Word," FSN, 10/5). In Long Beach, Loel
Schrader writes that Miller "has no peer among sports
analysts. He is God's gift to televised golf, making
listening both fun and informative" (PRESS-TELEGRAM, 10/6).
HIS A PEACOCK PLAYER: NBC's Bob Costas, reading a promo
for the Gravity Games during last night's Rangers-Yankees
game: "Things got controversial in the standup skate
boarding in last week's show, with most competitors crashing
into the haybales. I hate when that happens." Costas, to
fellow announcer Joe Morgan: "Ever done any color commentary
on street luge, Joe?" Joe: "No, Bob" (NBC, 10/5).
NOTES: ESPN's Raiders-Seahawks game earned a 9.42
Nielsen rating on Sunday. For the year, "ESPN Sunday Night
Football" viewership is up 33% from last year, from 5.4
million HHs to 7.2 million HHs. Ratings are up 30%, from
7.24 to 9.41 (ESPN)....In N.Y., Richard Sandomir wrote that
the Jimmy Kimmel segment on "Fox NFL Sunday" "damages the
program's credibility," but Fox Producer Scott Ackerson
said, "Our ratings with young males are up for the first
half-hour of our show. Is it Jimmy? I don't know. But I
know he's not hurting us" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/6)....In L.A.,
Larry Stewart reviewed the new book, "ESPN SportsCentury,"
and wrote that "the photos alone make it the sports fan's
coffee table gift of the century" (L.A. TIMES, 10/5).
