MICHAELS DECIDES TO STAYS WITH ABC-ESPN `CREATURE OF MONDAY NIGHT' TURNS DOWN NBC.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth Staff Writer

Al Michaels had two incredible choices. He could stay with the ABC-ESPN family, which was offering him a healthy contract reported to be worth about $12 million a year to continue as the voice of ``Monday Night Football.'' Or he could jump to NBC with John Madden and co-star on the network's new Sunday night NFL package starting in 2006, which included two more Super Bowls over the next six years.

In the end, comfort won out over change, but Michaels made it clear Tuesday when the decision finally was announced that the financial deal that has been greatly exaggerated didn't sway him as much as some may think.

``At this point in my life, the only issue was not money,'' said Michaels, 60, who has been with ABC since 1986. ``If I have to make a choice based on that, I've been a terrible investor, and I haven't been.

``There were pros and cons on both sides, and one of the hardest things for me was breaking up a four-year relationship with John Madden. But the ESPN deal was a better deal.

``I'm very grateful NBC came to me, and it wasn't an easy decision. There were two very attractive options and (one) could make a case for either one. Ultimately, I look at 'Monday Night' each week as a mini-Super Bowl, with all the same electricity and buzz and adrenalin. The `Monday Night' lure is magnetizing for me, and all things considered, and where my life is, this was the call to make here.

``I'm a creature of Monday night, and I'm staying home.''

NBC Sports chief Dick Ebersol, who announced earlier Tuesday that Bob Costas had signed to a contract extension through 2012 and would host the NFL Sunday night studio show, implied that money had to be why Michaels turned down NBC.

``Our talks ended last night, and we weren't able to reach a deal, so we decided to move on,'' Ebersol said. ``I can guess the only issue was money, because he clearly understood our flex schedule, postseason and two Super Bowls. We have certain (contract) numbers that we won't go beyond for certain roles. So reluctantly we said goodbye.''

Ebersol said he hasn't talked to anyone other than Michaels about a play-by-play partner for Madden on the NBC package. Ebersol repeated that Tom Hammond is ``at the top of my list'' for the spot now that Michaels has turned it down, and that Costas wasn't going to do play-by-play in any scenario.

In announcing the new ``MNF'' crew will pair Michaels with analyst Joe Theismann and Suzy Kolber and Michelle Tafoya as sideline reporters, ESPN executive vice president of programming Mark Shapiro said he appreciated the work by current ESPN Sunday Night Football play-by-play man Mike Patrick and analyst Paul Maguire. Ultimately, he said the decision was to go with a two-man booth with Theismann, the strongest personality of the bunch. Patrick and Maguire are expected to stay with ESPN on other assignments.

Shapiro said he also talked to Madden and Troy Aikman about the ESPN game-analyst job. Fox announced Monday it has signed Aikman, the former UCLA and NFL star, to a contract extension through 2011 to continue as its lead game analyst.

Tom Hoffarth, [phone]

thomas.hoffarth(at)dailynews.com

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