ESPN dumps Kornheiser for Gruden on Monday Night Football

ESPN has made the decision to replace Tony Kornheiser with former Eagles coordinator and Buc's head coach John Gruden in the Monday Night Football booth. Gruden will join another former Eagle and maybe the best "Xs & Os" anaylst out there, Ron Jaworski, along with PBP guy Mike Tirico as the Monday Night Football trio.

Kornheiser says he's decided to step down from the gig due to a fear of flying, which is frankly fairly hard to believe. I can sympathize with Tony's fear of flying, but to give up an incredibly high paying and high profile job because of it? Come on...Surely, that job would be worth trying pills or hypnosis or therapy or something right?

More likely, ESPN realized that the formula of a "funny guy" in the booth wasn't working anymore this time than it has in the past. I like Tony Kornheiser, but frankly I think he was in an impossible situation. Mike Tirico is completely devoid of any personality and Ron Jaworski is trying to more or less educate people about the game... not exactly an environment conducive to a guy trying to provide comic relief.

The choice to get rid of Tony was correct, but I'm not so sure they made the right choice for his replacement. As far as I know, Gruden hasn't done any color commentating before, so while his knowledge of the game is unquestioned... his ability to be an interesting guy in the booth still is. Plus, you would think ESPN would have hired someone that's likely to have more longevity in the booth. Gruden is likely to get himself a head coaching job in the next year and ESPN will have to go find someone else to take the MNF job. Why not just go try to find someone, like Jaworski, who can be in the booth for a few years?