By Marc Thaler
Sports Editor

Call it the result of witnessing a wretched championship football game. Coined Super Bowl “Extra Large” ad nauseum, this year’s Super Sunday was pathetically petite.

There was plenty that nearly had me at a loss for words. The laundry list included poor play, horrendous officiating, catastrophic coaching decisions and countless sub-par commercials.

The entire package is best described with one word.

Weak.

Even the halftime show was horrible. Mick Jagger and the boys might be a legendary rock band, but the Rolling Stones have gathered their share of moss.

Now, I don’t know about you, but already, I’m ready for some football – and three voices that’ll become part of my viewing experience in the near future.

More articles • This is it • Nitwit nation • Closing argument • Patriots 102 • Show me the funny! • Tito has veto power • Impact was (mid) major • Patriots 101 • First-ever 'Noddies' • Pigs are flying • Coming to my senses • Farewell to this King • Preseason pressure • New blood • Beautiful day • Game may spark a Super discussion • Boy, his actions make me wonder • First night • Spill on a slippery slope • Groundhog Day on Yawkey Way • Saving the best for last • This Boss born to coach USA • Pa, it appears, still knows best • Giving thanks, gridiron style • Still not convinced they're Super • A costly lesson in time management • Unchallenged and unimpressive • Final thoughts on the '05 season • Story could have horrific ending • Man behind the Mike • Less than Wild about this finish • That's all, Foulke • Several holes in these Sox • Making a generous Pey-ment

Enter Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser, the latest sports personalities to occupy the “Monday Night Football” broadcast booth.

Next season, the trio will take over for Al Michaels and John Madden, who teamed to provide the play-by-play and color analysis for four years of MNF. While they’ll call Sunday night contests for NBC, I’m hardly sorry to see them leave what’s been the gridiron’s greatest weekly stage for three decades.

Michaels has called his fair share of historic sporting events, and Madden is perhaps tops at dissecting plays. Together, however, these men were mediocre at best. This new team has the chance to be special.

Mike Tirico, a fellow Syracuse University alum, is a solid play-by-play man in a profession with too many talking heads.

There’s an art to providing quality play-by-play; it’s more than telling viewers what they can see with their own eyes.

ESPN’s Dan Schulman and Sean McDonough, a member of SU’s Class of ’84, are among the best in the business.

While former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann has his critics, I appreciate the insight he provides.

Theismann is clear and concise; unlike Madden, who owns an extraordinary football mind, but often creates confusion when attempting to translate.

He suffers from a syndrome known as What Did He Just Say? Thankfully, Theismann is good at telling me why a play worked or broke down and where to focus my attention in upcoming game situations.

This intangible – what I like to call The Jerry Remy Factor – has become increasingly rare in color commentators. Across all sports, Remy is likely the best at telling an audience what will happen on the field instead of simply stating what already took place.

Lastly, there’s sports reporter Tony Kornheiser, the one-man media empire. A Washington Post columnist and radio-show host, Kornheiser also splits hosting duties for the popular daily television program, “Pardon The Interruption.”

Kornheiser could truly be the MVP – Most Valuable Personality – of the group. If you’ve ever watched PTI, it’s not difficult to imagine.

Funny and informative, Kornheiser isn’t afraid to be critical when it’s warranted. For the millions of football fans subjected to Super Bowl XL, that’s one area where Michaels and Madden failed miserably.

If Kornheiser were in the booth for the Seahawks-Steelers game on Feb. 5, coaches, players and zebras would’ve been called out for making critical errors affecting the final score.

I also believe he would’ve brought attention to the evening’s most glaring gaffe.

When Mick and Co. were encouraging fans to “Start Me Up,” behind-the-scenes technicians should’ve been shutting them down.