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Archive for Monday, December 31, 2001

Worst Mills Lane impersonation goes to ESPN’s Gary Miller for Lewis-Rahman rumble

By Steve Zipay - New York Newsday

December 31, 2001

After Sept. 11, our perception of and perspective on the games was significantly altered. Nevertheless, there were some achievements both comic and commendable in the past year that deserve to be chronicled.

Most Dubious Programming Decision: Hands down, the XFL. After an ultra-hyped Feb. 3 start for the NBC/WWF venture, ratings plummeted 83 percent to a historic Saturday prime-time low of 1.6 by Week 7, and NBC folded the tent after losing $50 million.

Wackiest Use of the TeleStrator: To NBC analyst Doug Collins. During the Mavericks' defeat of the Spurs in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series, Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki had a front tooth knocked out by guard Terry Porter's elbow. In a slo-mo replay, Collins circled the tooth as it flew away.

The "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" Award: To Robby Gordon, who was leading NBC's Winston Cup race at Watkins Glen after 56 laps Aug. 12. Suddenly, a SportVision in-car telemetry box caught fire and started billowing smoke, forcing an abrupt detour to the pits.

The "We Won't Get Woofed Again" Award: ESPN announced that it would shift the ESPY presentations from February to July next year. Maybe it tired of losing in head-to-head ratings to USA Network's telecast of the Westminster Kennel Club Show. The pooches outdrew the athletes for the fourth year in a row, scoring a 3.3 rating to ESPN's 2.0.

Worst Mills Lane Impersonation: ESPN's Gary Miller clumsily tried to separate Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman during a studio dust-up in August.

Casting of the Year: Tom Jane and Barry Pepper as Mantle and Maris in HBO's "61."

The Not-So-Crystal Pigskin: Sports Illustrated tabbed Oregon State as No. 1. The Beavers finished 5-6. Of course, those rascally BCS computers ranked them fifth.

The "Nostradamus of the Diamond" Award: In Game 7, Fox's Tim McCarver suggested that hits off Mariano Rivera often were soft flies that fell in just beyond the infield. Moments later, Luis Gonzalez lofted the World Series-winning single over a drawn-in Yankees infield.

Deal of the Year: ESPN outbid NBC for its rights to the NBA, giving the all-sports behemoth a TV foothold in all four major leagues. Honorable mention: The PGA Tour reaps $860 million from five networks to 2006, up 48 percent from the last deal.

Least Likely Candidate to Replace Regis on "Millionaire": ABC "Monday Night Football" sideline reporter Eric Dickerson. The next good question he asks a player or coach will be his first.

The "Endless Summer" Promotion: Are the behind-the-plate billboards and between-innings promos for Fox's "Ally McBeal," "24" and "The Tick" over yet? That was infuriating.

The "Captain Cliche" Award: Brent Musburger.

The "Jumping the Gun" Award: ESPN's Dan Patrick announced the Jason Giambi signing by the Yankees for $128 million. The timing, and the price, were wrong.

Top Debuts: Deion Sanders (CBS), Darrell Waltrip and Troy Aikman (Fox); Tony Kornheiser/Michael Wilbon's "Pardon the Interruption" on ESPN.