The Lucky Punter

While the self proclaimed worldwide leader (ESPN) is having tons of luck with its college football scheduling - who would have thunk “the ville” at Rutgers would be a huge game?? - Its NFL move to Monday nights is sucking gas. And that’s being nice.

Don’t think NBC wasn’t smiling as they showed Manning vs. Brady on Sunday night - ESPN’s former home - while the boys from Bristol had to make the best out of Andrew Walter vs. Seneca Wallace. Not exactly must-see TV.

Then again, ESPN has become quite clever - or just idiotic - in thinking up ways to spice up their MNF telecasts. Seriously, I am now hooked on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” solely because of those not-so-subtle in-game interviews/plugs.

Ok, I wasn’t being serious.

But I might have to reevaluate my whole stance on those silly booth interviews after last night. Actor Christian Slater made a prolonged visit to the booth to promote some movie he did called “Bobby” and - call me crazy - was clearly drunk, had just smoked some chronic or my favorite - the ole’ combo platter.

Either way, it made for great comedy. Among several laughers, Slater seemed truly in awe of a standard 40-yard punt that sailed harmlessly into the endzone, answered Mike Tirico’s question about whether he was a football fan by looking confused and then saying “I have lots of friends who are football fans” and finally gave an old-fashioned shout-out to some ho he must be banging.

It didn’t rival Broadway Joe’s kiss of Suzy Kolber but it was still much better than listening to Joe Theismann talk.

Slater is no stranger to excess when it comes to alcohol or drugs so this really all makes perfect sense. The only thing I can’t figure out is how his appearance helped Disney’s bottom line - the only thing that matters when it comes to ESPN’s crappy telecasts. The logical explanation is that they must have some financial stake in “Bobby”.

I’m no film critic but any flick with Lindsay Lohan surely needs whatever help it can get.