Al talked about his tout sheets, Pete Rose's energy, and his relationship with OJ Simpson (including a prison visit with the Menendez brothers adjacent to them). Then he set sights on Howard Cosell. Picture Howard, sporting that toupée, a cigar, AND his yellow ABC MNF blazer...in a hotel lobby. (All along Joe Benigno like stating that folks wouldn't leave him alone.)
Al didn't stop with the Howard outing:
In the fall of 1981, a white stretch limo carrying sportscasters Al Michaels and Howard Cosell was driving through a “gritty, inner-city” neighborhood in Kansas City when, from their window, they saw two teenage boys slugging it out, with a cheering crowded “egging them on.”
Cosell, braced by vodka, could not abide the violence. He left the limo and walked toward the boys, resisting Michaels’ attempt to hold him back.
At the sight of the broadcasting legend, who was chomping on his trademark cigar and wearing his bright yellow ABC blazer, the fight stopped and everyone stared in disbelief.
Howard asked Michaels to clear up some sports controversies: Bob Costas and the Redskins, concussions in the NFL, unionization of NCAA players and why the non-NHL NY based sports teams are so crappy.
And then Stern brought the interview to...Esiason. "Does Boomer Esiason still hate you? He thinks you're responsible for his (MNF) firing." Al's reply? "I know he does. He (Boomer) got fired by Don Ohlmeyer. I was not behind it at that point."
"What am I supposed to do here?"
How about return the phone calls of Al Dukes?
**Update -- Boomer is pissed Stern and Michael Kay use his name to enter the Al Michaels conversation. Carton says Al is a liar.
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