Could Keith Olbermann fill a Howard Cosell-like role on a network's NFL coverage? AP

As I sifted through hundreds of reader e-mails in response to my column on how I'd staff the on-air talent for NBC's Sunday Night Football and ESPN's Monday Night Football come 2006, a pair of things became immediately evident: 1) I am an idiot, and 2) You hate Paul Maguire.

The former doesn't shock me but the rage about the latter did. Some of the highlights from your suggestions and comments:

ESPN Booth

My picks: Al Michaels (play-by-play), Maguire (analyst), Brett Favre (analyst) and Suzy Kolber

Writes Bryan Lee of Houston: "Are you kidding me? The three-headed monster of [Mike] Patrick, [Joe] Theismann and Maguire is universally reviled for its stupidity, repetitiveness and lack of insight. No football fan likes watching ESPN's Sunday Night Football -- it's awful. None of those three should be let near a microphone ever again. Maguire and Theismann are incapable of starting a sentence without some stupid filler like 'The most important thing to remember is ... ' followed by a comment devoid of any rational thought."

Wrote Bret Yeilding of San Francisco: "Maguire an 'underrated gem'? Has the definition of 'gem' been changed to 'mean mediocre on a good day'? This is the man who begins EVERY sentence, including his breakfast order, with 'I tell you what ...' My aunt Edna could do a better job, and she passed away two years ago." I'm sorry to hear about Aunt Edna, Bret. And I'll tell you what: I like Special K for breakfast.

Reader Joe Tauriello of Elma, N.Y., had a new spin on the famous John B. L. Soule quote: "I liked your announcer choices, especially Mary Carillo, with one exception," Tauriello wrote. "There is no way I want to put up with Maguire. He has spent the last few years doing nothing but telling you exactly what the replay has shown and guessing if it is a first down in measurement situations. He adds NOTHING to a broadcast and is unknown as a player to anyone under 50. Go new, young and opinionated."

Leading the Nova Scotians for Cris Collinsworth campaign is Andrew Bartlett of Halifax: Wrote Andrew: "I really like your comments on Collinsworth. He's been a terrific voice for football over the last five or six years, and I feel he's been mistreated, or at least mishandled, by FOX. What I can't understand is your choice of Paul Maguire over Joe Theismann as analyst for ESPN. Maguire is almost as bad as Bill Walton ... but that's another story."

Call me crazy, Andrew, but I'm amused by Bill Walton. Again, I can live with Patrick but I can't live with Theismann. Never has a sports broadcaster enjoyed the sound of his own larynx more.

Seems I'm also considered an idiot overseas. At least in the eyes of Jason Ash of Durham, England. (I love Steven Gerrard, by the way. He should be England captain and not David Beckham.) Wrote Jason: "Paul Maguire is the worst analyst in football. Have you never read your colleague Dr. Z's pieces on Maguire? The idea of Maguire making anyone's dream list just made me shudder. Please, please tell me it was only cause you figure Michaels and Favre would cut him to pieces during games that lose their excitement." Yes, I know what the Good Doctor thinks about the ESPN booth, Jason. Z is a legend and I defer to him on all things football. But I stand by Maguire, who allows his partners to talk, makes the occasional salient point and adds levity to a broadcast.

Reader Tim Lieberg of Champlin, Minn., questioned whether the sky is blue in my world. (It's azure, Tim.) "Have you actually watched any Sunday Night Football the past few years? Maguire is vacuous and banal. Analysts should actually offer valuable content, maybe even insight." Ben Prell of Kansas City, Mo., questioned my sanity: "Are you NUTS? ... Maguire is the single most annoying commentator on TV. If he tells me to 'Watch this!' one more time, I will refuse to ever watch an ESPN NFL broadcast (with the sound on) again. If I were ever put in charge of ESPN, Maguire is the first guy I would fire. BAM!" If I were in charge of ESPN, the first thing I would do would be to give Brian Kenny and Bob Ley raises. Then -- BAM! -- I'd eliminate any show that involves someone scoring an argument or an athlete bowling. But that's just me.