Only hours after learning Fox Television Network had outbid CBS for the NFL's glamour conference, "NFL Today" co-hosts Terry Bradshaw and Greg Gumbel sat through an emotional dinner.
"I started to cry," Bradshaw said.Two days later, Gumbel says he thinks "our reactions might have been premature. Now, we wait."
Friday night, the NFL confirmed Fox had taken the NFC package from CBS. Immediately, CBS made a bid for the AFC, which NBC has televised since 1970.
The CBS and NBC bids for the AFC are before the NFL's broadcast committee, which could make a decision as early as Monday. The loser is out of the pro football business.
"I think it's all over for CBS, and NBC will keep the AFC," CBS' lead football analyst John Madden said. "CBS is the odd man out."
"There are those of us who do a variety of things," Gumbel said, "but there will be a lot of people, here or at NBC, whoever doesn't get the AFC, looking to go elsewhere."
That would include employees of all levels, from producers and directors to analysts to guys who get coffee.
Madden, for example, does nothing but football. If CBS doesn't have footall, where does he go? Bradshaw is in the same situation. And what about former coaches Mike Ditka and Joe Gibbs, who are analysts for NBC? They could be looking for work, too.
"Obviously, there's no reason for them to stay at a network where there is no football," Gumbel said.
Asked if he would hire Madden, Murdoch said, "Yes, absolutely."