ABC apologizes for risqué MNF promotion

ABC’s “desperate” bid at cross-promotion backfired on “Monday Night Football.”

The network’s steamy intro to the Philadelphia-Dallas game, featuring a naked Nicollette Sheridan jumping into the arms of Eagles receiver Terrell Owens, drew complaints from viewers and the NFL.

ABC Sports apologized Tuesday for the segment, used a day earlier to promote the hit show “Desperate Housewives” and broadcast nine months after another football flap, the Janet Jackson Super Bowl fiasco.

“We have heard from many of our viewers about last night’s ‘MNF’ opening segment and we agree that the placement was inappropriate,” ABC Sports said in a statement.

The NFL called the intro “inappropriate and unsuitable for our ‘Monday Night Football’ audience.”

“While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

The spot showed Owens and Sheridan in an empty locker room, with Sheridan wearing only a towel and provocatively asking Owens to skip the game for her.

After she dropped her towel, he smiled, agreed to be late for the contest and she jumped into his arms. Sheridan was shown only from behind and above the waist after she dropped the towel.

Then the shot panned out to two more stars of “Desperate Housewives,” Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman, watching the scene unfold on a television and commenting on desperate women.

Martz staying put

Rams coach Mike Martz and team president John Shaw shot down a Miami Herald story about Martz’s potential candidacy for the Dolphins’ head-coaching job.

Citing sources close to three head coaches, the Herald reported Monday that Martz, Seattle’s Mike Holmgren and Denver’s Mike Shanahan would be interested in coaching the Dolphins next season if their current coaching situations did not work out.

On Tuesday, Martz denied that was the case. “I have no interest in coaching anyplace else,” he said. “This is our home.”

When asked if there was any chance Martz would be available at the end of this season, Shaw replied: “Zero.”

“I’m perplexed that there would be any speculation about his status,” Shaw said. “He’s averaged 10 wins a season as a head coach. How many victories did we average here (in St. Louis) before 1999? Five?”

Following this season, Martz has two years left on his contract, at $3.5 million a year in 2005 and `06.

Pregame brawl proves costly

Linebacker Joey Porter of Pittsburgh and running back William Green of Cleveland were fined $10,000 each by the NFL for their fight before Sunday’s game in Cleveland.

The Browns’ Terrelle Smith was fined the same amount for also getting involved in the altercation.

Porter and Green were both ejected after the fight, which occurred less than an hour before the game, won 24-10 by the Steelers. Smith, Cleveland’s fullback, was not ejected.

Browns waive Jackson

The Browns waived disgruntled running back James Jackson to make room for a rookie on their roster.

Jackson ran for 554 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games as a rookie in 2001, but carried the ball 12 times the following year after the arrival of William Green.

Jackson complained during this year’s training camp about his role behind Green and Lee Suggs and asked for a trade.

Browns coach Butch Davis said releasing Jackson was a difficult decision, but that it was time to give seventh-round draft pick Adimchinobe Echemandu a chance.