Kornheiser is Gone!!!!

Yes! Folks we can celebrate today. Tony Kornheiser has stepped away from the Monday Night Football booth. Former Tampa Bay and Oakland coach Jon Gruden will take his place. Via ESPN.....

Gruden will join play-by-play man Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski in September, replacing Tony Kornheiser, who has decided to step down after three years.
"
This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football," Gruden said in a statement released by ESPN. "I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether I've coached on Monday night or watched, I've hardly missed a game all these years.

"To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill."

It has been stated that Kornheiser's fear of flying was behind his decision to leave. And unlike John Madden, Kornheiser has that other job called "PTI".

While I was never the biggest Gruden fan, he has to be an improvement over Tony. Kornheiser just didn't fit in the MNF booth. His long essay's at the beginning of the telecast were pointless and his fawning over Brett Favre was ridiculous.

I wonder if he will go back to his radio job? Certainly that will make Dan Levy of On the DL happy.

Update, Kornheiser has released this statement, on his decision to leave the MNF booth.

“I am totally grateful for the MNF opportunity that I truly enjoyed the last three seasons. I feel we got better each year. My fear of planes is legendary and sadly true. When I looked at the upcoming schedule it was the perfect storm that would’ve frequently moved me from the bus to the air. I kept looking at the schedule the past month and wanted to find a way to quietly extricate myself. If I could handpick a replacement of a football guy, I would cast a net and drag in Jon Gruden. He is the two things you most want — smart and funny — and has the two things I don’t — good hair and a tan. I love PTI and am looking forward to continuing to yammer and yodel with Wilbon until the end of time.”

Here's to the thought of Kornhiser never stepping foot in the MNF booth again.