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Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels wanted to break his contract with Walt Disney Co.'s ABC and ESPN to go to NBC. He didn't know he would be traded for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Disney executives had released Mr. Michaels from his contract, but they also extracted a series of business concessions from their rival, General Electric Co. One was the return of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a cartoon character created by Walt Disney in 1927 that was a precursor to Mickey Mouse. The rights to Oswald belonged to Universal Studios and Disney had always coveted this piece of its history. NBC...

Michaels jumps to NBC Broadcaster to join Madden on Sunday nights Posted: Thursday February 9, 2006 12:15PM; Updated: Thursday February 9, 2006 12:33PM NEW YORK (AP) -- Al Michaels is moving to NBC and will broadcast Sunday night NFL games with John Madden, his partner on ABC during the past four seasons. In exchange for letting Michaels out of his contract with ABC and ESPN, which are owned by The Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal sold ESPN cable rights to Friday coverage of the next four Ryder Cups, granted ESPN increased usage of Olympic highlights and sold to The Walt...

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer February 9, 2006 AP - Feb 9, 2:33 pm EST More Photos NEW YORK (AP) -- Al Michaels was traded from ABC to NBC for a cartoon bunny, four rounds of golf and Olympic highlights. The rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a bunny created by Walt Disney in the 1920s before he invented Mickey Mouse, were transferred from NBC Universal to The Walt Disney Co. as part of the agreement to release the broadcaster from his contract with ABC and ESPN. "As the forerunner to Mickey Mouse and an important part of Walt...

Michaels not on new MNF team BY NEIL BEST STAFF WRITER February 8, 2006, 10:29 AM EST ESPN announced Wednesday that its Monday Night Football announcing team would be Mike Tirico on play-by-play with Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser as analysts. The news release made no mention of the man who was under contract to do play-by-play, Al Michaels, who had done that job on ABC's version of Monday Night Football. ESPN has an eight-year deal with the NFL to show Monday Night Football beginning this fall. Michaels was absent from the new release because he will not work for...

After Al Michaels' crack last night, who knew Brent Mussberger would get into the act? Mussberger's calling the Florida State-Miami game--which has been kinda dull up to now. Anyway, he noted that FSU is rated #6 in the BCS poll while Miami is #5. However, their rankings in the coaches' poll are exactly the opposite. "Flip-flopped," said Mussberger. "Where have we heard that before?" It's contagious!

Did you hear? The game's in Massachusetts, right? John Madden said that the Colts fumble at the goal line, after the Pats threw an interception, was a "flip-flop." Michaels replied, "We're in the right state for that."

Looks like John Kerry's critics have a fan at ABC - the sports division, anyway. Late in Thursday's nationally televised Patriots-Colts game in Foxboro, hosts Al Michaels and John Madden went political. After an odd series of plays, including a retracted pass interference call and a Colts fumble, Michaels said, ``What a wacky series.'' Madden replied: ``This is what you'd call a flip-flop.'' To which Michaels said, ``You're in the right state for that.'' Kerry's campaign wasn't pleased. ``Hey, didn't they know the Pats game was in FoxBORO, not FoxNEWS?'' asked Michael Meehan, a Kerry senior adviser.

WEEK 1 Thu, Sep 4 TIME (ET) TV LOCATION NY Jets at Washington 9:00 PM ABC ----------------------------------- Sun, Sep 7 TIME (ET) TV LOCATION New England at Buffalo 1:00 PM CBS Denver at Cincinnati 1:00 PM CBS Indianapolis at Cleveland 1:00 PM CBS San Diego at Kansas City 1:00 PM CBS Houston at Miami 1:00 PM CBS St. Louis at NY Giants 1:00 PM FOX Baltimore at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM CBS Arizona at Detroit 1:00 PM FOX Minnesota at Green Bay 1:00 PM FOX Jacksonville at Carolina 1:00 PM CBS Chicago at San Francisco 4:15 PM FOX New Orleans at...