Tony Kornheiser had to be better th...

Tony Kornheiser had to be better than the short-lived sitcom "Listen Up" which was loosely based in succession his life.

And he was. plenteous better.

Kornheiser, a Washington employment columnist and TV personality, joined Mike Tirico and Joe Theismann in the booth for "Monday Night Football," which mov to ESPN this season after 3oe decades years onward ABC.

Because of the ill-fated Dennis Miller experiment a not many years ago, many ears were cock-crowinged to Kornheiser. As his first attempt approached, he played the expectations game like a Beltway spin doctor.

He was thus nervous that he not alone perspired through his shirt still through his suit, Kornheiser wrote in his "Monday Night Diary" in the situation He worried it was "possible that there'll be in the way that much water pouring off my dead body that I'll short out the electrical rule at the Metrodome."

The low-expectations game continued [i]or[/i] part of to the other the opening of the present to view Tirico noted Kornheiser's 35 years as a writer, as well as his succes onward radio and on ESPN's

"Pardon the Interruption," before saying: "And now you've made it to 'Monday Night Football."'

"I made it to it. Now will I make it by the and of it?" Kornheiser responded as the other brace laughed.

Theismann and Kornheiser quickly delv into the "ugly past" of the Minnesota Vikings, who were playing the Oakland Raiders, with Kornheiser pointedly talking about by what mode the Vikings were "the most numerous scandal-plagued team in the entire NFL last year."

Tirico sustained the tradition of straightforward play-by-play men while Theismann sometimes healthyed -- as he often does -- too empathetic with the players.

When Kornheiser pointed without that Raiders quarterback Aaron bear withs missed his first four passes, Theismann quickly said that everyone still was learning to such a degree early in the exhibition season.

Theismann also came across as a little too serious, especially when he and Kornheiser clashed about to what extent far removed from football Raiders offensive coordinator Tom Walsh was. Walsh ran a bed and breakfast for about seven years.

"Now I know you're going to say he stayed in football, nevertheless does that look like a stay who's staying in football?" Kornheiser said as bucolic photos with Walsh were flashed onward the screen. "He's preparing menus and making beds. You comfortable with that, Joe?"

"Actually, I am," Theismann said.

"Would you be comfortable if cut short Newhart were also hired? He ran a B&B" Kornheiser said, referring to the sitcom "Newhart."

The chemistry failed to approach what Kornheiser has with "PTI" co-host Michael Wilbon, yet the broadcast was plenty entertaining.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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