Michaels makes it look easy
Longtime play-by-play announcer for `MNF' has his role perfected

SAM FARMER

Los Angeles Times

It's a fall Monday, and millions of Americans are tuning in to "Monday Night Football," the longest-running live prime-time show in television history. - NFL Football -

Filling the air is the familiar baritone of Al Michaels, TV's best play-by-play announcer. Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers, is filled to capacity and rocking. Twenty cameras are rolling, capturing the action from every conceivable angle. A crescendo is building.

Last Monday in Charlotte, for the first time in its 35-year history, "Monday Night Football" allowed a reporter to observe a broadcast from the booth.

It's 9 p.m., and Michaels, John Madden and the crew have been in and out of production meetings for the last 12 hours. Michaels typically snacks during the first half, washing down Snackwell cookies, Junior Mints and green grapes with cup after cup of coffee, then has a light dinner in the second half, stealing bites during commercials. He's a discreet eater and a picky one; he never lets a vegetable touch his plate, let alone his lips.

The millions of football fans watching the game have no idea that Michaels is eating dinner along with them. After more than 40 years in the business, the last 19 with "Monday Night Football," his delivery is so close to flawless, it's hard to believe he's concentrating on anything but what's happening on the field. - NFL Football -

But he is. He's talking through his headset to the production truck and to statistician Steve Hirdt in another truck, interpreting hand signals from the spotter just off camera to his left, and being handed a steady stream of in-game promos on index cards from the stage manager.

In front of Michaels are 14 monitors -- seven for him, seven for Madden -- each showing a different aspect of the game.

The job of processing all that information, producer Fred Gaudelli said, is like "being an air-traffic controller trying to land his own plane at the same time."

In his first national TV appearance, in 1972, Michaels was the 27-year-old announcer for the Cincinnati Reds, who made it to the World Series. Back then, NBC covered the games by teaming the home team's announcers with Curt Gowdy. - NFL Football -

"The camera widens and he's going to bring me in as the young announcer for the Cincinnati Reds," Michaels recalled. "And all I can think about is, `Please, God, when I open my mouth, let air come out.' "

It did. And, 33 years later, America is still listening.

Short stuff

• Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe and receiver Keyshawn Johnson had a heated exchange after Johnson fumbled in the third quarter of Dallas' 33-10 victory against Philadelphia.Said Bledsoe: "I felt like we were absolutely manhandling them. When we turned the ball over I wasn't happy." - NFL Football -

Said Johnson: "I'm not the type of person to point fingers at anybody, and I don't want anybody saying anything to me. There are situations where balls are bounced to your feet you don't say anything."

• Miami's Ricky Williams returns today after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

• Denver is 4-1 or better for the seventh time in Mike Shanahan's 11 seasons with the team.

• Tight end Randy McMichael has scored in four straight games, becoming the first Miami player to do so in a single season since Mark Clayton in 1988. - NFL Football -

• Sunday's win was Titans coach Jeff Fisher's 100th.

• The Browns have forced a turnover in a league-high 17 straight games.

• The Patriots' last losing streak: a 24-7 loss at Tennessee on Dec. 16, 2002, and a 30-17 loss at home to the Jets the next week. - NFL Football -

• Seattle totaled 433 yards in handing the Rams a rare home loss. St. Louis is 40-10 at home since 1999, the best in the NFL.

• Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber inadvertently punched umpire Butch Hannah in the eye when he swung at Jets center Kevin Mawae during a second-quarter altercation.

Hannah fell holding his face, but got up quickly. Barber was flagged for unnecessary roughness but not ejected. - NFL Football -

• The Dolphins are 1-9 in their past 10 road games.

• Rams receiver Torry Holt caught eight passes for 126 yards and a 26-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, giving him a score in four straight games. - NFL Football -

Injuries

• Detroit Pro Bowl return specialist Eddie Drummond, hurt on the opening kickoff, said he will miss next week's game against Carolina with a knee injury.

• Atlanta linebacker Edgerton Hartwell was carted off in the fourth quarter after injuring his right Achilles' tendon. He'll likely miss the rest of the season.

• Tampa Bay rookie running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (foot, hamstring) was inactive.

• The Saints were without receiver Joe Horn (hamstring) and cornerback Fakhir Brown (knee). - NFL Football -

• Green Bay running back Najeh Davenport broke an ankle, and is likely out for the season.

• Dallas linebacker Dat Nguyen (neck) was inactive. He had played in 43 straight games.

• Detroit receiver Roy Williams injured his left leg in the second quarter against Baltimore and didn't return. - NFL Football -

Quotable

• "It took me longer to get there than some guys." -- Cleveland's Trent Dilfer, who threw his 100th TD pass in his 100th start. - NFL Football -

• "Really the game came down to this: We had 13 penalties, five turnovers, two missed field goals, dropped balls, missed tackles and bad coverage." -- Saints coach Jim Haslett on Sunday's 52-3 loss against Green Bay. - NFL Football -

• "He made a couple of good throws for a guy who has been home eating potato chips," Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber on Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde.

The Charlotte Observer