Per ProFootballTalk.com

TUNA IN, IRVIN OUT IN BRISTOL

An industry source tells us that Bill Parcells has signed on with ESPN, and that Michael Irvin is out.

"It's done," said the source. "Rock solid."

Parcells, we're told, will be part of the 78-person Monday night crew, which is dispatched from Bristol on a weekly basis to bring grandeur to (and thus justify) the network's $1.1 billion per year investment in the MNF franchise.

As to Irvin, it's anyone's guess where he now lands. Maybe he'll retreat to FSN, which is where he rehabilitated his image after his playing career and before making the leap to Bristol.

Meanwhile, we assume that the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be televised once again by ESPN, which will make the day more than a little awkward, in our view.

Irvin is objectively likeable, but he is gratuitously controversial. His biases as an analyst are at times obvious to the point of laughable. Also, he was suspended in November 2005 for failing to disclose a recent arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia. In 2006, his musings regarding the possible presence of African-American DNA in Gomer Pyle-white Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo prompted a torrent of criticism that both the network and Irvin initially did their best to ignore.

Says a member of PFT Planet regarding the Parcells-for-Irvin swap: "Sweet Irony. Michael Irvin gets T.O. on the Cowboys. T.O. causes Bill Parcells to retire from Cowboys. Parcells takes Irvin's job at ESPN."


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It appears that ESPN is distancing itself from any controversial turds, even if their Hall of Famers.

fair trade.

What a joke! Parcells who couldn't tolerate the media is now going to put on that phony smile on Sunday and "break down" the games for us?

Spare me!

He's done it once before for the same network. He was ok.

Who will be able to get those all important TO interviews now?