Columnist Tim Graham: Bernstein gets KO'd from ESPN

TIM GRAHAM is a Las Vegas Sun sportswriter. His media column appears Wednesdays. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected]

After teetering on the brink for the past few weeks, Al Bernstein apparently received the knockout blow from ESPN.

Bernstein, ESPN's top boxing analyst for 19 years, is being replaced by veteran boxing trainer Teddy Atlas. Both Bernstein and Atlas confirmed the switch, but an ESPN spokesman claimed Bernstein "still is our No. 1 boxing man."

Atlas, however, admitted he was only a signature away from supplanting Bernstein.

"They want to go in a new direction," Atlas said. "We agreed on all points. It's just a matter of getting it put to bed and making it official.

"I think I have a pretty large responsibility and gap to fill. Al's been a professional and so solid for so many years."

Bernstein, a longtime Las Vegan, has two years remaining on his contract. He intends to maintain his work in other areas for ESPN, but is uncertain of the future.

"ESPN is obviously in a transition period in its boxing," Bernstein said. "For my part, I'm concentrating on my work with 'SportsCenter' and my 'Big Fights Boxing Hour' series on ESPN Classic Sports, which I will continue to be doing."

ESPN's boxing coverage is undergoing a major upheaval. The network recently announced it will add a 46-week series of Friday night fights to ESPN2. The series begins Oct. 2.

"They're talking about going back to the old 'Friday Night Fights' format," Atlas said. "They want to include a replay from a classic fight along with one or two live fights."

The network hired boxing manager Bill Cayton as a consultant for the show in addition to reportedly paying him $80 million for his extensive collection of vintage fights. Cayton then hired promoter Russell Peltz as his matchmaker.

The additions of Cayton and Peltz have baffled the boxing community. Both are active boxing businessmen with no plans to divest themselves, creating a massive conflict of interest.

ESPN officials did not return calls for this story.

The series debut is a Peltz promotion, thereby allowing him to double dip. Negotiations might go something like this:

Russell the Matchmaker: "Hey, Russell the Promoter, how much money would you like to promote some of our cards?"

Russell the Promoter: "Well, Russell the Matchmaker, I'd say $100,000 per show would be enough."

Russell the Matchmaker: "Done deal! Sounds great!"

It would be tantamount to NBC hiring Jerry West to be its NBA consultant while letting him remain general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers.

In addition, ESPN2's shows also will include some of Cayton's fighters, including Vinny Pazienza and Omar Sheika. How can Peltz, whose responsibility is ensuring quality bouts, tell his boss "Your fighter isn't good enough" to fight for me?

And it is no secret Cayton refuses to do business with promoters Don King Productions, Top Rank and Main Events because he lost top heavyweight fighters -- Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison and Michael Grant, respectively -- to them. That stance could seriously hinder ESPN's ability to get a variety of top fighters.

Despite these glaring problems, Atlas claimed ESPN was adamant he no longer train fighters because of the ill perceptions it might cause. He currently is working with only one fighter, an Albanian heavyweight with a 2-0 record.

"They were concerned about feelings of conflicts, but they won't have any with me," Atlas said. "They wanted to make sure there wasn't a situation where I didn't have a fighter on ESPN, but that isn't something I'd want either."

Atlas was asked if he thought it was unfair for ESPN to expect he divest, while allowing Cayton and Peltz to carry on.

"I'm only responsible and accountable for myself," he replied. "I've never put myself in a position to compromise my principles. I value my integrity."

A woman's touch

Cammi Granato, who gained fame as captain of the 1998 Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. women's hockey team, makes her NHL broadcast debut Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden.

Granato, the new radio color commentator for the Los Angeles Kings, becomes the second female ever to call NHL hockey when the Kings play the Colorado Avalanche in a pair of exhibition games Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Sherry Ross worked New Jersey Devils games from 1992-95.

A brutal display

KTNV Channel 13's "Monday Night Quarterback" is great -- in theory. The show, which immediately follows "Monday Night Football," contains prep, college and pro highlights from the weekend in addition to local features.

But the execution is miserable. The latest edition of "MNQ" was rife with technical errors such as absent audio and shoddy camera work. Whose idea was it to have Mario Diaz deliver a report while standing in front of a live band?

And KTNV sports director Ron Futrell would be better off without carrying co-host Tonja Anguay (an impossible task). Anguay's apparent sports ignorance and powder-puff pieces are just the cure for an itchy remote-control trigger finger.

Here's one man's advice: Replace Anguay with the talented Robin Burke, and let Diaz report from outside a major sports book.

Couple o' Bucks

In last week's column, the play-by-play man who called Mark McGwire's record-breaking 61st home run for Fox Sports was listed as Jack Buck. The Hall-of-Fame sportscaster did not call the blast. It was his son, Joe Buck. It also was the son of a Buck who unprofessionally asked McGwire for a hug in the post-game interview.

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