The Out Route

It's not Halloween, but the news sure is frightful. Tony Kornheiser is coming back for another year of Monday Night Football.

I understand that networks make mistakes, especially when it comes to sports coverage, and putting a good crew for one of the premiere games of the week is a tough call. But what I can't comprehend is actually sticking with your guns after everyone one the planet is begging you to make a change. I know these guys are the "experts," but shouldn't the public be making the final decision? After all, the networks are essentially providing a service (it's too bad they don't see it that way), and if we're not happy with the service, something needs to be changed.

ESPN, look, I'm begging you. This is me offering my last bit of dignity (the rest dissipated when that "going to school nude" dream actually turned out to be a reality). Please change the broadcast team next year. Get rid of Tirico, get rid of Kornheiser, get rid of Theismann. It's not like you don't have a successful point of reference -- Brad Nessler, Dick Vermeil, and Ron Jaworski were excellent, and everybody seems to agree with that point. The fact that ESPN is willfully ignoring its public's sentiments is sort of insulting. Unless they're oblivious, which might be worse.

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised. We're a captive audience. The world of sport would be much better without all of the talking heads and pundits, all of the high-and-mighty writers, all the announce crews. We need to push for something to change. Let's all put our heads together and figure out a way to make things change for the better.

Or is that the hippy in me?