By now it's all over the Internet that ESPN punted Joe Theisman from the Monday Night Football booth in favor of Ron Jaworski.  The question I have:  why now?

This is a move that would have been better off made when ESPN assumed ownership of television's top sports franchise.  After all, ESPN moved Theisman's broadcast partners Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire out when they essentially switched nights and TV contracts a couple of years back.

Hiring Mike Tirico for MNF was a no-brainer.  He's intelligent, well-versed in an endless number of sports and generally classy.  It was bold hiring Pardon the Interruption and the Washington Post's Tony Kornheiser.  They missed an opportunity to brand MNF as their own initially.

Was Theisman knowledgeable?  He certainly was.  And Lord knows he didn't lack for opinions.  But what was once attractive isn't any longer. Part of the dilemma with Theisman is that you know you're going to get those opinions and they were often in your face, completely lacking subtlety.  It didn't hurt that it often seemed that you risked his consternation in the booth if you disagreed with what he had to say.

Norby Williamson, a suit at ESPN, said that they want to find a prominent place in ESPN football coverage for Theisman.  He'd fit in perfectly on Sunday NFL Countdown, a show that welcomes bold, brash opinions.  Goodness knows Chris Berman put up with Michael Irvin long enough.

Will Jaworski work out?  Who knows for sure.  What I do know from watching him on NFL Matchup is that he has an uncanny ability to breakdown plays so that Joe or Jane Average football fan could understand them and he does so in a way that isn't condescending.