In Slate, Robert Weintraub claims that football quarterback-turned-commentator Boomer Esiason's stint on Monday Night Football in 1998-99 "was undercut by a frosty relationship with Al Michaels, major domo of MNF", who "froze out the cocky Esiason early in their tenure together". But, says, Weintraub, things are much better now that Esiason is working with Marv Albert, who has the "ability to elicit the best out of whomever he is partnered with" (although not with his teeth this time, presumably).

Imagine--someone teaming up with Marv Albert as a way to avoid backbiting....