ESPN MOBILIZING IN MEXICO CITY {SOURCE TOM HOFFARTH THE MEDIA.

Jay Rothman, ESPN's producer for its Sunday Night NFL game coverage, took four years of Spanish while in school. But he says the phrase he will count on most this weekend is coffee negro.

``There's a Starbucks right near Azteca Stadium, and I'll be off to a great start each day if I can just get my cup of joe in the morning,'' Rothman said.

TV viewers, who would otherwise also need a full Thermos of their favorite stimulant to endure a San Francisco-Arizona matchup, might be in for a jolt when they see those teams treated to all the pomp and circumstance of what will become a Hispanic Super Bowl. With 85,000 fans watching in Mexico City, ESPN will carry the first NFL regular-season game to be played outside the boundaries of the U.S. on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. It is presumed to be a cause for some pride among the millions of U.S. bilingual Hispanics - many in Southern California - who might not otherwise care about a matchup of struggling teams that otherwise would have been an incidental regional telecast on Fox's regular Sunday afternoon schedule.

To start the process, ESPN drove its four production trucks out of San Diego after last Sunday night's coverage of the N.Y. Giants-Chargers game and headed for Mexico City. Technical setup around Azteca Stadium began Thursday, while Rothman and his crew arrive today to finish preparation.

Considering all the possible logistical problems heading into this, ESPN is confident it will be able to use its full complement of cameras (23), including the overhead camera on the cable. Televisa, which owns the stadium and is the network that will carry the game throughout Mexico and 218 countries in total, has partnered with ESPN by installing extra cable and technical facilities.

The ESPN crew will consist of about 90 people, including local hires. Two satellite uplink trucks will send the signals back to the U.S.

In addition, this game is a big deal for Mexico City-based ESPN Deportes, which is using Alvaro Martin and Raul Allegre on its own Spanish-language call.

``We really have no concerns, except for security, which is always everyone's biggest fear and may be a little overblown, but we're not taking any chances,'' said Rothman, who next year will oversee ESPN's move to ``Monday Night Football.''

``I think the stadium will translate well to TV. Some of the larger stadiums, like the L.A. Coliseum, are set back from the field, but here the seats are so steep and the stadium goes up so high, it makes for a great, crazy and colorful scene.''

Recognizing the importance of this game for the NFL in its desire to appeal more to the American Hispanic population, Rothman says he is excited to show off more of Mexico's culture and the history of the stadium throughout the telecast.

``Two weeks ago, we did a (hurricane relief) telethon with a football game as a backdrop,'' Rothman said. ``Not to say this is anything similar, but this isn't as much about doing a regular-season game as it is our job to show the great people and the great moments from the region, many of which aren't football-related. The easiest part for us will be covering the game. Showing off the culture and passion of these great sports fans will be mission No. 1.''

Considering it's the Cardinals and 49ers, that's probably the best gameplan to have.

--Ready or not: Without any exhibition telecasts over the past few weeks to shake out the cobwebs, Bob Miller and Jim Fox will join the FSN West production crew for its first telecast since the end of the 2003-04 NHL season when the Kings open the season Wednesday at Dallas.

``I always feel it takes at least 10 games or so to get into a comfortable flow, and I'm sure this year will be no different,'' said Fox, who will join Hall of Fame play-by-play Miller for their 15th season together.

Another reason an exhibition telecast or two would have benefited everyone is because viewers need to get caught up on all the new rule changes. But since everyone anticipates fewer in-game stoppages - the new ``touch-up'' offsides rule, for example, will allow play to continue instead of the usual whistle - there will be fewer opportunities to offer analysis and explanation.

SOUND BYTES

WHAT SMOKES

--Publishers of a book to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Rick Monday saving the American flag from being burned at Dodger Stadium are soliciting first-person stories and photographs of the event. Anyone who saw or remembers the incident on April, 25, 1976, when Monday, the current Dodgers broadcaster who was then a centerfielder with the Chicago Cubs, grabbed the flag from two protesters trying to torch it are encouraged to share their thoughts in 500 words or less and send them by mail (MVP Sports, 505 Beachland Blvd., Suite 1-220, Vero Beach, FL 32963) or e-mail (mvpsportscorp(at)aol.com). The deadline for submissions is Nov. 15.

--Monday's launch of LTN (Local Television Network, Inc.), which will provide original programming on KVMD Ch. 23 (and DirecTV Ch. 31 and Dish Ch. 31) between 8 p.m. and midnight nightly focused on shows geared toward adults ages 18-34, includes two sports-related offerings. ``Ballin','' which looks at street basketball in urban L.A. neighborhoods, is an hour-long show on Wednesdays at 9 p.m., followed at 10 p.m. by ``Dialed In,'' an action-sports half-hour show. For more info: www.ltnla.com.

WHAT CHOKES

--ESPN's next step into invading your non-sports lifestyle is the introduction of its own wireless phone service called ``Mobile ESPN,'' which has a nationwide rollout in February but is being offered on a limited bases in time for the holidays on www.mobileespn.com. The Sanyo-produced cellphone will have the usual digital camera and video recording capabilities, as well as be able to let the user access sports video clips, ESPN analysis and commentaries and fantasy team updates through a Sprint Evolution Data Optimized service. It's one of the reasons ESPN was so pleased with its latest contract renewal with Major League Baseball because the deal included being able to stream video onto this new phone service. You just know the only ringtones available on this thing will be Stuart Scott screaming ``Boo-Ya!'' or Chris Berman cackling about something inane.

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SOUND BYTES

BY TOM HOFFARTH