COMIC LAID THE GROUNDWORK TO JOIN MNF STAFF YEARS AGO.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth Staff Writer

Dennis Miller's connection to ``MNF'' didn't just start this season.

The late Chet Forte, the Emmy Award-winning director for the series during its magical run in the 1970s, became Miller's choice to direct a season of his ``Dennis Miller Live'' show at HBO in 1994.

That relationship began two years earlier when Miller started his short- lived syndicated talk show. When he moved to Southern California from New York, Miller dialed into the local radio sports-talk jumble, particularly the ``Loose Cannons'' of XTRA-AM (690), cohosted by Forte and Steve Hartman.

Miller thought enough of Forte and Hartman to invite them on as guests several times, though most of the nation didn't know who they were. Miller just wanted to talk sports on his own show, and in turn, he'd call in to the ``Cannons.'' That's where ``MNF'' producer Don Ohlmeyer first heard Miller's sports takes.

Sometime in May, Miller phoned the ``Cannons'' show, which Hartman cohosts with Bill Werndl. They somehow got into a discussion about him being a candidate for the open ``MNF'' job.

``I think we planted a seed,'' Hartman said.

About six weeks later, ABC alerted the media to an afternoon press conference where the new ``MNF'' team would be announced. Hartman, who arrived at the San Diego station just before the start of his 9 a.m. show, received word from a source that Miller was the man.

``I called Dennis at home, and he picks up the phone,'' said Hartman. ``He says, 'What's up Stevie?' I'm thinking, 'What's he doing home if he has to be at this big announcement?' But I said, 'I heard that in four hours, you're going to be named to the Monday Night Football team.'

``He says, 'Really? You think they'd tell me, wouldn't ya?' ''

Miller was sworn to secrecy. He called Hartman back the next day and apologized for having to lie.

``He didn't find out until the night before (Wednesday), and I think he was really still in the state of shock,'' Hartman said. ``He really never thought he had a chance.''

While Miller says he's avoided reading the paper or listening to sports talk reviews of his preseason performance, even turning down Hartman for an appearance, he'll probably go back to being a frequent ``Cannons'' contributor once the regular season begins.

``I think he's a little gun shy at this point with some of the criticism, although it's been pretty even,'' Hartman said.

``We all know that he knows sports. He'll have to be himself and everyone else is going to have to come up to speed. It's always about chemistry. A lot of it has to do with them getting used to Dennis.''