Todd Craft has weathered Buffalo blizzards, Miami monsoons and Cleveland's Dog Pound in search of the perfect shot.
He's had his right knee torn in three places trying to keep his video camera focused as Michael Vick scrambled into him on the Philadelphia Eagles' sidelines. Somewhere in M&T Bank Stadium midfield grass, one of Craft's bicuspids rests after he took an inadvertant helmet-to-face shot from Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
For 16 seasons, Craft has given himself -- literally -- to bringing the world some of the best camera angles ESPN's "Monday Night Football" has had to offer. When he learned the news Wednesday that Fox Sports had obtained the rights to the franchise that has been part of the ABC/ESPN family for more than 40 years, Craft felt he was losing a part of himself in the process.
"Change happens. That's part of life in the television business, I understand that," said Craft, who has roamed the sidelines in all 32 NFL stadiums and covered all 92 "MNF" regular-season games ESPN has aired.
"But something's not going to feel right next season when, after following all the games Sunday, I look forward to covering a game Monday night -- but I won't be doing so. Even as a spectator, I think it's going to feel odd not to hear the distinctive "duh, duh, duh, duh" Monday Night Football theme just before kickoff. ESPN and ABC, we built that product. Good luck to Fox, but they can't do it better."
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