Last Monday Nighter is the end of an era

[jjakq27]

This week's Monday Night Football game will mark the end of ABC's run with the show it founded in 1970. There is something about that theme music that i'm going to miss. Hearing Howard Cosell banter back and forth with Frank Gifford and Don Merideth are memories that I'll always remember. The Dennis Miller/Boomer era were the low points for me.

Next year the network game will be on Sunday nights on NBC. ESPN will do the Monday night games.

[Stripes]

The Dennis Miller/Boomer era were the low points for me.

Next year the network game will be on Sunday nights on NBC. ESPN will do the Monday night games.

Now we can be certain a new low point is in the near future... Joe Theismann! If Paul McGwire is also involved, I might cry.

[bengalboomer7]

Sunday night football is gonna take over. NBC finagled a much better deal than ESPN, and NBC is free, no cable needed. I may be wrong on this, but I think NBC gets the rights to change the games at the end of the year for better matchups, and Monday night football being switched to cable is really gonna hurt.

[jjakq27]

I also heard that there will be alot more Thursday nighters also.

[bengalindian]

The first 8 games are set, and then I believe that NBC gets to choose the last 9. I think this ends the era of really looking forward to MNF, because it's on ESPN. Plus, I remember hating watching football on NBC, so I'm not too happy about that. Even more, the Bengals are gonna have atleast 3 games on there, so ESPN and NBC better not screw it up.

[jjakq27]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/m...arthy-mnf_x.htm

I didn't know that Michaels is staying on for Monday night while Madden moves to the Sunday night game. Theisman will be on with Michaels.

[NJ29]

NBC broadcasting is worse than the current Sunday Night crew, which blows royal ass. This is truly horrible news.

[Dan2330]

ABC should of ran a special showing for MNF instead of showing that horrible 'Wife Swap' show. All great shows that finished up had final 'tribute' episodes- MNF should of not been any different.

[BengalszoneBilly]

What's really sad is that ABC's MNF had to end with three of the shi**iest games in a row that you could possibly imagine. The final Patriots/Jets matchup was never a game, and that one was way better than the two that preceded it!

On a side note...if Thiesman is aboard the new crew diong these games, I'll puke!

[jjakq27]

ABC should of ran a special showing for MNF instead of showing that horrible 'Wife Swap' show. All great shows that finished up had final 'tribute' episodes- MNF should of not been any different.

I agree. There were a lot of great games in the 70's and early 80's as well. It would have been nice to see some of that archival footage and educate some of the younger fans that weren't around or aren't old enough to remember.

A couple of my personal Bengal favorites were the game in 1975 between the Bills and Bengals. OJ Simpson runs for like 175 yards and Ken Anderson passes for over 400 yards as the Bengals win 33-24 at Riverfront Stadium. I think both of those numbers stood for a long time as team records.

Last years game against the 6-0 Denver Broncos and watching Chad toast Champ Bailey for the opening TD.

A couple of bad memories are losing the shootout with San Diego 50-34 late in 1982, the year after the Freezer Bowl.

And who could forget the Ken Anderson-Exorcist game against the Steeler in 1983, where KA had his face mask/head twisted by Keith Gary as they lost 24-14. If I remember right, they didn't even throw a penalty flag on the play.

Unfortunately the Bengals had one of the worst record on MNF which never helped the team's reputation nationally.

1970 v Steelers L 21-10

1974 v Miami L 24-3

1975 v Buffalo W 33-24

1976 v LA Rams W 20-12

1976 v Raiders L 35-20

1977 v Steelers L 20-14

1978 v Miami L 21-0

1982 v San Diego L 50-34

1983 v Steelers L 24-14

1983 v Miami L 38-14

1984 v Steelers L 38-17

1985 v Steelers L 37-24

1986 v Steelers W 24-22

1989 v Browns W 21-14

1989 v Oilers L 26-24

1989 v Vikings L 29-21

1990 v Seahawks L 31-16 (Victoria C game)

1990 v Browns W 34-13 (first game after Sam's "You don't live in Cleveland," rant.

1991 v Buffalo L 35-16 (Gary Reason's tugs on the bill of Dave Shula's cap on National TV)

1991 v Miami L 37-13

1992 v Steelers L 20-0

2004 v Broncos W 23-10

[jjakq27]

Last night was also the end of the line for the ESPN show NFL Prime Time with Chris Berman and Tom Jackson after nineteen seasons (1987).

They made it sound as if there would be some type of Monday night show since ESPN will now have that game.

I will miss the recaps and highlights of games that aren't on TV or I missed due to other responsibilities. I will always remember how much these guys hyped and loved Boomer Esiason and the '88 Bengals.