NFL

ESPN Says Suzy Kolber, Michele Tafoya's 'Roles Are Being Determined' for MNF in 2008

Posted Feb 10, 2008 5:51PM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

Filed Under: NFL Media Watch, The Word, ESPN

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Following today's report that Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya are out at Monday Night Football in 2008, I received the following statement from an ESPN spokesman:

"Michele and Suzy will still be assigned to our multiplatform Monday Night Football presentation, including the game, pre-game and post-game. Their precise roles are currently being determined."

I have also been told that both Tafoya and Kolber will still travel to the Monday Night game all 16 weeks of the 2008 NFL season. But clearly, if their "roles are currently being determined," that means that, as Pro Football Talk reported, there are some changes afoot, and that Tafoya and Kolber will presumably no longer fill the traditional roles of sideline reporters.

Most likely, they will instead have an increased presence on things like the pregame show, and interviewing players for SportsCenter and/or ESPNews after the games. If it means more time for Xs and Os analysis from Ron Jaworski, I'm in favor of it.

Tags: Michele+Tafoya, MicheleTafoya, Michelle+Tafoya, MichelleTafoya, Ron+Jaworski, RonJaworski, Suzy+Kolber, SuzyKolber

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

2-10-2008 @ 6:14PM

Ralph DeMattia said...

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! It's about time someone figured out that those two clowns don't belong on the sidelines. Michelle Tafoya and Suzy Kolber were bviously picked because of their sex (Michelle, anyway)and not for their football experience or knowledge, and I guess you can blame our idiotic politically correct times for keeping them on when they were so obviuosly inept and inexperience, and now (hopefully) THEY'RE GONE!!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

2-10-2008 @ 6:36PM

Nancy Keir said...

In my opinion the ladies are fine. ESPN should get rid of the announcers. I like the ones that were on a few years ago. Now I watch the game with the volume turned down.

2-10-2008 @ 7:07PM

Bob Gee said...

Women should never been allowed on the sidelines-----get them out of the locker rooms too.

2-10-2008 @ 7:08PM

RubJewel said...

Michelle and Suzy know more about sports than any woman on amy network. I'd be sad to see them go. THey know more about football than a lot of men.

2-10-2008 @ 7:16PM

David James said...

Both of these women are well informed and quality commentators for the sport. This is great news for everyone, because the role of a sideline reporter is outdated anyway. Give Ms. Kolber some credit, she has excelled in the studio in the past.

2-10-2008 @ 7:28PM

Persh Rohrer said...

I don't see the need for sideline reporters, male or female. They distract from viewing the game, especially the females. The announcers in the booth are capable of handling everything that comes their way. Sometimes there are too many analysts and I feel the coaches don't appreciate an overflow of media. And I'm a media person myself.

2-10-2008 @ 7:31PM

Jennifer Lay said...

Bob Gee. Get out of the stone ages

2-10-2008 @ 7:37PM

Tony V said...

They should gt rid of Tony and keep the females

2-10-2008 @ 8:09PM

chopperfan64 said...

I went to school with Michele T. in high school and she knows sports...she had plenty of experience having gone to Berkley and USC so I think she needs to be kept on.

2-10-2008 @ 8:03PM

Peter Fitswell said...

Suzy...I wanna kiss you...

2-10-2008 @ 8:06PM

thunder67 said...

I happen to think Michelle Tafoya and Suzy Kolber do a fine job as sideline announcers. Maybe with a three-man booth upstairs, there isn't enough air time for two sideline announcers. I like the presence of the extra person, and I do think they add to the broadcast. If they reduce down to one, I would be fine with either Michelle or Suzy.

2-10-2008 @ 8:10PM

Garfield said...

Now now people enough of the female bashing. I think the females are professional enough to handle sideline reporting, because the guys in the booth are not on the field to get first hand knowledge of what is acutally taking place on the field.
They should however figure out when to show the ladies because there are a few times they were shown and it became very distracting.

2-10-2008 @ 8:11PM

Jeanie Beaty said...

they should keep the ladies and get rid of some of the guys. I used to enjoy the games now they are so busy talking about anything except the game at least the girls are on the ball.

2-10-2008 @ 8:31PM

Don said...

Normally, I'd say, fine,sideline reporters are, in the main, useless. Not so here, Kolber and Tafoya are really good. Both are knowledgeable and informed, and actually add to the telecast. Better ESPN gets rid of the third character in the booth, and keeps them!

2-10-2008 @ 10:15PM

GARY LUKERT said...

I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND...I WANT TO PUKE...AT ANY SIDELINE REPORTERS. THEY ALWAYS ACT LIKE THEY KNOW EVERYTHING...AND THE COACHES KNOW NOTHING. SIDELINE REPORTERS CHEAPEN THE GAME. ALSO, THEY MAY OCCASIONALLY GIVE SOMETHING AWAY COMPETITIVELY...TO THE OTHER TEAM.
NOTE: WHILE I LIKE SAUSAGE, I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY SITTING AT THE TABLE TELLING ME HOW IT IS MADE...WHILE I AM EATING!

2-11-2008 @ 6:05PM

Random Mitchell said...

Both women know football, but in truth sideline reporter is a pretty worthless role. This is especially true at the end of the half when they ask each head coach about the first half and what changes they intend to make. (We played well, we need to stick with what we're doing. We need to keep our focus. Blah blah blah.) Could just play a recording of the same coach.

Give Suzy a bigger role in the pre-game and half-time analysis. More football, less fluff.

2-11-2008 @ 5:47AM

Chris said...

Michelle has been quite good on ESPN Radio with Mike Tirico. She knows her sports! Suzy's not a bad reporter either, but I wondered why I hadn't seen her on "NFL Live" for awhile.

2-11-2008 @ 3:28AM

Carole said...

Suzy Kolber has FORGOTTEN more about football than Tony Kornheiser even knew! They can drop Tofoya, but Suzy is ok in my book.

2-11-2008 @ 7:54AM

David said...

The women are not the problem with MNF. Tony should go. I don't know anyone who tunes into watch football BECAUSE of the announcers, but I know plenty who tune out BECAUSE of Tony and the others ABC/ESPN picked to "entertain" the viewers. Let the game and expert commentrary be the focus. If I want comedy or political satire, there are other outlets. For the third person in the booth, why not use a sportscaster from the local media outlet?