LOS ANGELES – Gov. Jesse Ventura will retain his top analyst
slot for the XFL, at least this weekend, despite critical comments
from league founder Vince McMahon and poor ratings.
Ventura is on "thin ice," McMahon told the Los Angeles Times
in an interview published Thursday. The league's research has shown
people don't like Ventura as an announcer, and he is too "over the
top," McMahon added.
"Hyperbole turns people off. They know when you're not telling
the truth," McMahon said.
Ventura brushed aside questions Thursday.
"I'm not getting into that," he said.
NBC Sports Vice President Kevin Sullivan said Thursday that the
announcer lineup for this week's game would be the same as last
week – with Ventura in the top spot.
"He's doing the game," Sullivan said. "Jesse's done the game
every week. ... He's the one constant."
He added, "I couldn't really add anything to what Vince said in
the paper."
Ventura learned of the McMahon interview Thursday, said his
private attorney, David Bradley Olsen.
"We don't know if it's Mr. McMahon trying to make the governor
a scapegoat," Olsen said. "I will be talking with some people at
the XFL to find out what's really going on."
McMahon said organizers of the struggling league have made
mistakes, and that one of the biggest "was our selection of
announcers. We need football announcers, not WWF announcers."
Ventura, a former professional wrestler, gained fame as a
commentator for McMahon's World Wrestling Federation.
The XFL's ratings have slipped since the league's opening
weekend, and McMahon said the league now plans to put more emphasis
on football and less on what is viewed as the WWF aspect of the
XFL.
"We've got a wonderful league here, and we're in it for the
long haul," McMahon said.
After the first week, McMahon yanked play-by-play man Matt
Vasgersian off the main NBC team and put him on the backup team.
Vasgersian has since regained his spot on the main team.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories |
|
|
