Miller Had to Learn When to Rant, Pass and Kick

By Earl Gustkey

Aug. 3, 2001 12 AM PT

Dennis Miller, prepping for another season of Monday Night Football, talked about his first season and working with colleague Al Michaels in an interview with the New York Post’s Rob Owen:

“By the end of the year, I can honestly say I savored showing up for the games,” Miller said.

“I wasn’t nervous. It’s like anything, except you’re learning in front of I-don’t-know-how-many-millions of people. But it’s a tough gig. It’s like air-traffic control at O’Hare on Christmas Eve.”

He learned to read Michaels’ body language to avoid stepping on his lines, he said.

“He doesn’t mind if I do anything goofy when the game is [bad],” Miller said.

“His hands are down at his sides, and I know that’s when it’s safe to talk. But when the . . . hits the fan, he has this Arthur Conan Doyle mind. It works like a trap. And the hands come up, and that means: ‘Shut up with the mindless jive.’ ”

Add Miller: The comic/announcer revealed in the Post interview that until his first Monday night game, he’d attended one NFL game.

“I figured I better not drop that nugget on ABC,” he said.

“I think I was at a game at Pitt Stadium where Jim Bakken [of the St. Louis Cardinals] kicked seven field goals to beat the Steelers.”

Trivia time: Any trivia buff knows Cy Young won 511 games. How many did he lose?

Twinkle toes too: Charlie Powell, the onetime San Francisco 49er, was saddened Wednesday to learn his old foe, “Deacon” Dan Towler, had died at 73.

Powell, who lives in Altadena, recalled Towler as more than a pile-driving, 225-pound fullback.

“Dan wasn’t just a bull,” Powell said. “He had very nimble feet. He could do more than just run over you. He could put some moves on you. As a runner, Dan Towler was in a class by himself.”

Good guy award: Tom Keegan in the New York Post, writing about Bob Costas’ book, “Fair Ball”:

“The nice thing about [the book] is that it manages to tackle one of the most boring topics in all of sports, labor, without inducing sleep.

“The really nice thing about it: Costas donates all his proceeds to B.A.T. [Baseball Assistance Team], the group that helps needy ex-ballplayers.”

Broadway Junior? Keegan also reports Ken Griffey Jr. is telling friends he won’t be surprised if the Reds trade him.

“[He] rejected the Mets once, but confidants say he won’t do it again,” Keegan wrote.

“Griffey has a no-trade clause, but he’s so miserable in Cincinnati he wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up in a Met uniform.”

Incentive: News item: Santana Moss, the Jets’ No. 1 draft pick, reportedly received a $200,000 “reporting bonus” in the $7.119-million deal he recently signed.

A reporting bonus? So the Jets were afraid that after signing the contract, he wouldn’t report?

Trivia answer: 316.

And finally: The Miami Herald’s Dan LeBatard, on the Baltimore Raven defense last season:

“The only reason they had so few sacks [35] is because panicked offenses were so often off the field in three downs.”