Kolber, Tafoya Put Out To Pasture?

Courtesy of the firestarting Florio at Pro Football Talk:

A media source tells us that ESPN are relieving Michelle Tafoya and Suzy Kolber of their duties on Monday Night Football.

Both served as sideline reporters. Tafoya worked in the same role with ABC when the ESPN sister company last aired MNF. Kolber likewise reported from the field with ESPN's former Sunday night package. When the Monday night broadcast moved to ESPN for a whopping $1.1 billion per year, Kolber and Tafoya were both assigned to the show.

Their performance has been the subject of some criticism, especially in this space. The reports at times were heavy on pre-planned content, and light on in-game information. Also, it's never been clear why two of them are needed.

It remains to be seen whether this is a first step in an effort to reduce costs by shrinking the cast of characters who cover the Monday night game for ESPN. Several analysts are stationed in Bristol, a trio of talking heads have a desk inside the venue where the game is played, and multiple reporters typically swarm the stadium in the three or four hours before kickoff. ..

I hope they bring Lesley Visser and her furry hats back. Or Eric Dickerson and his ebonicized reports.

Speaking of Visser, did anybody know she had her own self-aggrandizing website?

Tafoya, Kolber Out At MNF [PFT]