Even when they are struggling, the Bears are the TV “Darlings of the Midway.” Apparently, though, there are limits.
When the NFL schedule came out, CBS salivated over Sunday’s New England-Bears game. The network doesn’t get many chances to do the Bears, and a 3:15 p.m. date with the defending Super Bowl champions had big ratings written all over it.
As late as last week, CBS held out hope that the Bears could become respectable by beating Philadelphia. Its top crew of Greg Gumbel and Phil Simms still were scheduled to do what was supposed to be the prime doubleheader game.
But plans changed when the Bears slipped to 2-6. Gumbel and Simms now are being dispatched to the Kansas City-San Francisco game. That game will be seen in 55 percent of the country, up from the original 27 percent.
The Bears and Patriots, meanwhile, will be called by Kevin Harlan and Randy Cross.
The game will be seen in 44 percent of the country, down from 72 percent.
The Bears’ fall is a big disappointment to the networks, especially ABC and ESPN. ABC still has two Monday night games featuring the Bears, Nov. 18 in St. Louis and Dec. 9 at Miami. Both games look like two more arguments for ABC to plead for a flexible schedule on Monday nights.
ESPN can’t be looking forward to the Bears-Tampa Bay game to close the season on Dec. 29. But nobody should feel sorry for the network. ESPN and the NFL deserve a clunker for having a Sunday night game in Champaign in late December.
Bears TV: The Bears intend to get more involved in the broadcasting business. They have hired former WFLD-Ch. 32 sports producer Greg Miller to be their director of broadcasting and production.
The plan for the new department is to bring production in house for their two television shows, “Bears Weekly” and “Bears Extra.” Noting that the Philadelphia Eagles do five weekly television shows, Miller talked about the possibility of the Bears expanding to do specials and perhaps even documentaries.
“We want to do more,” Miller said. “The future in broadcasting lies with the people who own the product. Look at the NBA. They are developing their own network.”
Miller also will oversee game-day video board presentation at the new Soldier Field. The production facilities will be state of the art, he said.
He’s staying: There is strong speculation out of St. Louis that John Rooney is the No. 1 choice to replace Jack Buck as the Cardinals’ radio voice on KMOX-AM. It would seem to be a good fit since Rooney, a Missouri native, did his first big-league game with the Cardinals in 1984, teaming with Buck as a fill-in.
Rooney, though, has three years left on his contract with the White Sox. He plans on being back for his 16th season, calling the games on WMVP-AM 1000.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Rooney said. “I’ve been here 15 years, and I’ve had a great relationship with [Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf]. You get 15 years in one market, well, that’s pretty special.”
The Sox are hoping for many more years.
“We want him to finish his career here,” said Bob Grim, Sox director of broadcasting.
No-show: Former Bears coach Mike Ditka still has a presence on CBS’ “NFL Today” show. The weekly press release continues to list him as a “contributor.” Ditka, though, has yet to make an appearance on the program. It’s not his decision, because he certainly has plenty to contribute.
Ditka was a regular panelist last year. He was eased out when the show went in a different direction, but CBS still is paying him for the final year of his contract.
Correction department: The Bears aren’t the only team that has a regular coach’s show on radio. Blackhawks coach Brian Sutter does a weekly gig at 6 p.m. Wednesdays on WSCR-AM 670, provided there’s no game.
Cliches: CBS’ Simms wrote an amusing piece on football cliches for NFL.com. They include, “He’s a player’s coach.”
“I’m happy to report this cliche has pretty much died off,” Simms writes. “It’s gotten to the point where it’s derogatory to call a head coach a `player’s coach.’ To me, it describes a coach who doesn’t have complete control of a football team.”
And here’s one for John Shoop fans. On the saying “The offense has become too predictable,” Simms says:
“Who are we to question play-calling? The coaches sat in film sessions all week and spent about 95 hours getting ready for the game, and you’re going to second-guess every call you didn’t like? If it’s not working, it’s not because it’s too predictable.”
