The Three Musketeers of Mirth weren’t so mirthful.
But give them credit, Steve Atkinson, Vic Lombardi and Gary Miller, KCNC-Channel 4’s boys on the Broncos frontline who were all smiles after the Broncos’ victory over New England the previous week, went to the interview wars like men after Sunday’s playoff debacle.
The game itself gave Channel 4 another ratings bonanza. Monday’s overnight numbers showed a whopping 43.6 rating (percentage of homes in the Denver area) and a 69 share (a percentage of television households watching). Remarkably, as the Broncos fell further behind the ratings actually rose (43 at 1 p.m., 46.2 at 3 p.m. and 49 at 4 p.m.).
But I’ve seen wakes that were more upbeat than the post-game interviews. The game was bad enough, then, in hushed tones usually reserved for the 18th green at The Masters golf tournament, Miller and Lombardi worked the Broncos’ dressing room as if somebody’s grandma had died.
The players, though disappointed, were remarkably civil to even the lamest questions. It was left to defensive back Nick Ferguson to jerk Lombardi back to reality: “Don’t sound so somber, man.”
Lombardi and Miller (Atkinson choreographed from the field) were forced to wait 30 minutes for their turn before the cameras because CBS hogged the post-game airwaves with interviews from the happy Pittsburgh locker room and the passing around of the championship trophy.
Because of Channel 4’s preferential locker room access, KMGH-Channel 7 had to be content with interviews with fans in the stands and KUSA-Channel 9 didn’t even bother, going straight to its evening news.
Despite all the pre-game hoopla about local advertising, Coors and Frontier made only brief appearances, Coors content to go with its familiar Super Bowl history commercial (twice) and Frontier leaning on its puzzling “Flip to Mexico” campaign. The best ad of the day? Sony HD’s spot combining a “re-play” of the legendary Cal-Stanford miracle finish and a wacky knockoff of electric football.
Again, play-by-play man Jim Nantz and analyst Phil Simms were top notch. Nantz got off the understatement of the day when he said of the 24-3 halftime score: “A bit stunning.”
Around the dial
Mozart turns 250 on Friday and KVOD 90.1-FM celebrates all day with the Salzburg Music Festival from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. … Don’t ask: John Elway guests on “Best Damn Sports Show Period” with Bon Jovi but they’re there to talk about the Arena Football League, not you-know-what (8:30 p.m. Wednesday, FSNRM) … Aaron Harber still looking for a few good contest entries to guest with humorist Dave Barry on Harber’s KBDI-Channel 12 talk show. Find out how at HarberTV.com … Quotable: “They played better.” Ian Gold
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
