ShareThisBy DUSTY SAUNDERS
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Tony Kornheiser should travel out west more often.
Maybe then he'd learn the difference between Colorado and Wyoming.
In his ESPN introduction Monday night before the Broncos-Ravens game, Kornheiser attempted to illustrate just how important the Denver Broncos are in this part of the world.
After noting the team was here long before the Rockies, Avalanche and Nuggets, Kornheiser said: "Other than that, what is out here, beside sheep?"
Well, Tony, there's a lot out here, including a new, nationally praised addition to our art museum.
Toss away your sarcasm and tour the area the next time you visit.
Sheep?
Most of them are in Wyoming.
While noting Jake Plummer has had difficulties following in John Elway's footsteps, Kornheiser said: "Being the Broncos quarterback is the most important job in the whole state of Colorado."
Kornheiser probably was using comedic hyperbole about quarterbacks to stress the importance of the Broncos in this region.
But his "sheep" comment came across as smart aleck and insulting.
Pre-game essays aside, Kornheiser has not found his broadcasting stride in the three-man ESPN booth.
A clever writer, Kornheiser is at his best when he and Michael Wilbon play off each other's quips on "Pardon the Interruption,'' an ESPN sports-talk show.
They're in a two-man battle for one-upmanship. And both know how to use verbal weapons.
But on Monday Night Football, Kornheiser is simply the third man, jumping in with comments and telling stories that any analyst or play-by-play man could provide.
At least when Dennis Miller was in the booth, a viewer could get angry at his outrageous, out-of-bounds style of humor.
Also, there's no special, distinctive zing in Kornheiser's voice.
Such criticism is not based only on Monday night's game.
As Mike Tirico noted before the contest, regarding ESPN's three-man booth: "We're a work in progress."
A lot of work is still needed.
