ESPN Shows Its Mature Side by Hiring Michaels

Considering that we are talking about a network that just gave Stephen A. Smith his own show and doles out anchor jobs to game-show winners, you had the sinking feeling ESPN could have gone just about anywhere with its 2006 “Monday Night Football” broadcast assignments.

Rush Limbaugh and Jay Mariotti?

Stuart Scott and Barry Melrose?

Sean Salisbury and who really needs a color analyst anyway? Why don’t we just have fans e-mail in witty repartee and read it over the air during huddles? It’ll save a lot on the overhead.

All things considered, ESPN could have done much worse than pairing game commentator Al Michaels with color analyst Joe Theismann for its “Monday Night” debut in 2006, with Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya serving as sideline reporters.

There is not a glaring glitch in the lineup. No Dennis Miller. No Lisa Guerrero. No Eric Dickerson.

Michaels is the key component to the “Monday Night” franchise, and it is surprising and impressive that ESPN executives recognized it. Sidekicks and sideline reporters have come and gone, but Michaels has been the one constant, credible and defining voice to a sometimes meandering American institution since 1986.

After John Madden’s departure to NBC’s new Sunday night NFL package, Michaels seemed a must-get for ESPN. He is the Lance Armstrong of network sportscasters, without peer at the moment, but you never know with ESPN. Michaels isn’t 32 anymore. He might be able to point out Eminem sitting in the stands at a Detroit Piston game, but he doesn’t shout much, doesn’t say things that make you want to kill your television and hasn’t had a catchphrase in 25 years.

“Do you believe in miracles?” is now older than the median age of ESPN’s target demographic.

But ESPN came through in the clutch, paying whatever it took to keep Michaels in the booth and the “Monday Night” brand at a respectable level. Do you believe in miracles?

In fact, ESPN’s news release removed all doubt when it comes to Michaels’ standing in the industry. Here is how Tuesday’s news release introduced Michaels: “Michaels, the best play-by-play commentator in sports, will kick off his third decade with MNF on ESPN ... “

It was not presented as an opinion or an argument, but as plain fact: Al Michaels, “the best play-by-play commentator in sports,” and there you have it.

The pairing of Michaels and Theismann has the sound and feel of a corporate merger of convenience rather than design. ESPN is taking something from ABC’s proven “Monday Night” package and something from its own Sunday night football coverage, acknowledging that it needed to go outside to bring in some star power, but refusing to concede it did not have the in-house staff capable of stepping up to the NFL big time.

ESPN realized it couldn’t stick with its current Sunday night team of Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire and Theismann. That crew’s unabashed love for all things NFL is appreciated by the league office, no doubt, but real football fans gnash their teeth every time Patrick, Maguire or Theismann praise a Matt Hasselbeck incompletion because it spiraled nicely before it two-hopped the intended receiver.

Pulling Theismann out of the sugar-coating factory and sitting him next to the urbane Michaels could be a salvage project worth following. Then again, Michaels’ presence didn’t do much to save Miller from himself. Michaels-Theismann could go either way, but one thing is for certain: There won’t be a lot of dead air on “Monday Night” telecasts come 2006.

You will note that ESPN’s initial “Monday Night” team will feature a two-man, not a three-man, booth. Why waste a microphone and a salary when Michaels and Theismann can do enough talking for three men, and then some?

ESPN’s purchase of the “Monday Night” package has effectively dismantled the two best NFL broadcasting teams, a move that helped break up ABC’s “dream team” of Michaels and Madden while creating an opening for Cris Collinsworth to bolt to NBC, thus weakening Fox’s first-line NFL tandem.

Collinsworth’s unconventional perspective and strong opinions were the best stuff emanating from a Fox booth that also featured Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Without Collinsworth, Fox will operate with a two-man booth, Buck and Aikman, continuing a downsizing trend around NFL press boxes.

NBC is assembling an impressive lineup for its Sunday night NFL telecasts -- Madden as analyst with Collinsworth joining Bob Costas in the studio. The final piece is a play-by-play commentator, a role likely to go to either Tom Hammond or Marv Albert.

Tuesday, NBC held its own conference call to announce a contract extension for Costas through 2012, a call highlighted by NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol describing Costas as “the preeminent studio host of his generation.” Yes, Tuesday was a big day for self-promoting superlatives.

During the call, Costas talked about the role humor has in his studio work and within the realm of sportscasting in general.

“There are lots of ways ... to project that you’re having a good time,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that there has to be a constant frat house atmosphere, or forced attempts at humor. When the humor is there, when there’s a remark that might provoke a laugh, and it occurs to you spontaneously, then go for it.

“But this isn’t ‘Sunday Night at the Chuckle Hut’ in Dayton or something, the way some people treat sports broadcasting these days. It isn’t an audition to go on next at Caroline’s in New York City.”

That truth hasn’t hit home yet at ESPN. But that network is still shy of its 26th birthday, still grappling for some badly needed maturity.

However, on Tuesday, it hired Al Michaels.

Could it be that ESPN is, gasp, starting to grow up?

Better late than never.