Earlier this week, USA Today's Rudy Martzke reported
that "MNF" Exec Producer Don Ohlmeyer may be leaving the
show after this season (see THE DAILY, 12/20), but John
Jackson of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES writes that Ohlmeyer
"hasn't given any indication he's going anywhere. Just
because he won't come out and say it now could be totally
meaningless." Jackson: "The pressure to break stories is so
intense, sometimes reporters end up creating stories instead
of breaking them" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/22). In Boston,
Howard Manly writes that he has "gotta give ... Ohlmeyer
credit" for the "ingenious" introduction to this weeks'
Rams-Bucs broadcast. Manly writes, "The 'Star Wars' ripoff
was funny, smart -- and as it turned out -- accurate." The
piece was written by Coordinating Producer David Israel and
produced by Bob Toms. The opening, in part, said, "A year
ago, the St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the
NFL's blistering meteors. The Rams were a lightning strike.
The Bucs were an intimidating thunderclap." Manly adds that
with the piece, ABC "grandly set the table for the night.
Now if they could do something about those cubist player
introductions" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/22).
HOLIDAY CHEERS & JEERS: In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley
writes under the header, "Bringing holiday cheers and
jeers." Wolfley sends a mirror to "MNF" analyst Dennis
Miller. Wolfley: "You came in as the unreconstructed and
unapologetic outsider, the kid willing to shoot spitwads at
anyone from the back of the classroom. Now you're giving us
this golly-gee, just thrilled to be hanging with all these
great NFL guys. Et tu Dennis?" A "salute" goes out from
Wolfley to ESPN's Solomon Wilcots, "the best of the regular
sideline reporters on network television NFL broadcasts, and
I don't care what the voters at Playboy.com are saying about
Melissa Stark" (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/22). The WALL STREET
JOURNAL's Max Boot writes that he "used to look forward to
Monday nights. ... I still watch ['MNF'], dedicated football
fan that I am, but every time I turn on the TV I wince in
anticipation of Dennis Miller's sneering, pretentious
prattle, which has not improved much as the season has
progressed. ... It is painfully apparent that he knows no
more about football than your average couch potato -- and
here I am being charitable" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/22).
