Mon Sep 9, 7:30 AM ET
Rudy Martzke USA TODAY
Fox and ESPN weren't expected to lay down in the face of the hype over CBS' NFL Today's new lineup.
Clearly, they didn't.
The Week 1 scorecard on the main NFL pregame shows:
CBS' NFL Today. Special credit to Boomer Esiason, never shy with words, for not trying to dominate fellow newcomers Deion Sanders and Dan Marino on the improved show.
Sanders displayed the most vitality, though it was Marino who chided Esiason with, ''What do you know about poor men?''
The show's best moments came when guest New York Giants defender Michael Strahan responded to criticism by Tampa Bay's Warren Sapp.
The show lacked the compassion of tough debates on NFL subjects, a shortcoming that will be addressed. This latest version of NFL Today figures to present the stiffest network competition yet to Fox's show. Grade: B+.
Fox NFL Sunday. The opening segment featuring a spoof on ex-Fox analyst John Madden and former ABC commentator Dennis Miller was a scream. And after married Jimmy Johnson made eyes at weatherwoman Jillian Barberie, host James Brown cracked, ''Jimmy has an awful lot of property in Florida. I know he'd like to keep it.''
The combination of colorful Terry Bradshaw and thinking man Howie Long is difficult to beat. Grade: A-.
ESPN's Sunday NFL
Countdown. Making a now likable Bill Parcells a full-time member might be the move of the year. Parcells, who said before the game that the losing Philadelphia Eagles are ''not going to be as good,'' brings credibility and a penchant for taking jabs at his mates. Discussions by this group are as entertaining as any. Grade: A-.
Weekend highs and lows
Best exchange: After the USA blew a late 10-point lead to Yugoslavia on Thursday in the World Basketball Championships, TNT analyst Mike Fratello stunningly said, ''I'm proud of the U.S. I thought they might lose this game by 15 to 20 points.'' Replied Marv Albert, ''It won't be accepted as a proud moment.''
Best tennis team: CBS' combo of Dick Enberg and co-analysts Mary Carillo and John McEnroe, who noted Sunday that a late semifinal match Saturday had sapped Andre Agassi's energy for the U.S. Open ( news - web sites) final. The men's semifinals jumped 44% in overnight ratings (4.1) from last year's, but the Williams sisters' women's final slipped 8% (7.2).
Top opinion: Enberg -- ''For those who feel people don't root for Serena and Venus Williams ( news - web sites) . . . you can't blame a fan for rooting for the underdog.''
Best moves: 1. CBS returning outspoken analyst Randy Cross to NFL games. 2. CBS' corner screen graphic of U.S. Open scores.
Best debut: Fox's new No. 1 NFL team of Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth, who second-guessed St. Louis coach Mike Martz for passing up a tying field goal in the second half against victorious Denver.
Top tip: ESPN's Chris Mortensen -- ''The Colts are trying to sign Peyton Manning to a long-term deal and are on a faster track to Los Angeles (for the 2003 season) than people believe.''
Shakiest sideline reporting: CBS' Jill Arrington did not include the name of the Florida athletics director when she said he ''wasn't losing any sleep'' over the choice of Ron Zook as coach. She also asked Phil Kaplan, who lettered at Miami (Fla.) and Florida and who was wearing a UM hat and green shirt, ''Which team are you rooting for?''
Top features: 1. ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit visited Miami (Fla.) quarterback Ken Dorsey, whose kitchen was stocked with Hamburger Helper. 2. Fox's baseball studio show on the Arizona Diamondbacks holding an NFL fantasy draft.
Colleagues: TNT NASCAR ( news - web sites) host Bill Weber reporting Saturday night that driver Tony Stewart, also a TNT Busch Series analyst, denied he assaulted a female fan.
Top observation: CBS' Phil Simms -- ''(Quarterbacks) will make so many more plays when you stand in the pocket.''
Strongest comment: Asked by Michael Irvin if he'll be rooting for his former Baltimore Ravens teammates, new Fox Sports Net's The NFL Show regular Tony Siragusa said, ''No.''
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