Madden, Michaels out to revive 'Monday'

By Rudy Martzke
USA Today

At a meeting of the new Monday Night Football team, ABC producer Fred Gaudelli asked if a rehearsal game was needed before tonight's Houston Texans-New York Giants Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.

John Madden, right, signed a four-year, $20 million deal to join Al Michaels on Monday Night Football. Gannett News Service

"I'm very comfortable walking into the booth on Aug. 5 and letting it go," Michaels said. "We've been doing this a thousand times. What's to rehearse?"

Madden nodded his assent.

Michaels added the punctuation point. "Let it fly!"

The two have been soaring ever since Madden agreed to jump to ABC for a four-year, $20 million deal.

After a 38 percent drop in ratings over seven years — 20 percent in the two seasons of Michaels, Dennis Miller and Dan Fouts — ABC needed a big score. And Madden seems to be the choice of not only ABC and Michaels but also fans and fellow announcers.

While the viewer and the remote control will have the ultimate say on this new team, there is no one — at least no one on record — who believes the Michaels-Madden team won't be one of the best in broadcast history.

"John is the best observer we've had since Mark Twain, and Al is the best mind in sports television," said Lesley Visser, a former Monday Night Football sideline reporter, now with CBS. "I foresee no problems with this team. I think they will restore the wonder years to Monday Night Football."

Madden, 66, twice had flirted with joining Monday Night Football. This time, with his partner of 21 years Pat Summerall departing the No. 1 booth, Fox let Madden go to ABC.

ABC already had an all-star play-by-play man in the 56-year-old Michaels, who is in his 17th year at MNF.

"Al and John are the best at what they do," ABC Sports President Howard Katz said. "Putting them together creates the ultimate dream team."

Both men seem reinvigorated.

"I just can't wait for the season to start. I feel it in my gut," Madden said. "This is the most excited I've been since I got to Fox. It's got my juices flowing."

Michaels said: "You just know when you and somebody else are in sync. This is going to work. It's a can't-miss situation. We have two guys who will be thoroughly prepared, who love to be where they are on Monday nights, who have tremendous passion for the game, who have had much experience."

'A cool dude'

Michaels hasn't been this upbeat in, oh ... two years.

When then-coordinating producer Don Ohlmeyer picked comedian Miller and former NFL quarterback Dan Fouts to replace the fired Boomer Esiason in 2000, Michaels had said: "The upside is enormous. This has a chance to be fabulous. I'm juiced."

Michaels stands by Miller and the decision to select him. He says Ohlmeyer felt football on TV had become homogenized "and he wanted to come out of the box with something different (in Miller). I'm happy we tried something."

But with Miller joining Fouts and Michaels in the booth, the ratings slump continued.

In an industry that craves younger viewers, ABC now is entrusting its valuable prime-time show to two middle-aged white men.

Michaels is the voice of Monday Night Football.

Madden, surprisingly, is a cool dude to the younger generation, less so for his television work, more to do with his video profile.

"Madden's cross-generational power is reflected by the fact that his video game, Madden NFL 2003, is a clear No. 1 in sports," said Charles Besser, president of Intersport Television. "Young kids are into the Madden NFL video," he said of the game that has sold 25 million copies.

Sandy Montag, who represents Madden for IMG, notes the former Oakland Raiders coach ranks No. 10 in the sports' "Q," ratings combining recognition and popularity of 400 current and former players and coaches. "John scores higher with the 12- to 24-year-olds than most players," he said.

Madden, owner of 13 Sports Emmys, arrives as the most popular and honored analyst in TV sports history.

"I think they've finally got someone who's actually willing to talk to you about football and not things the normal guy just doesn't get," said Cecil Crowley, 49, of Hilton Head, S.C.