Has ESPN been playing one too many games without a helmet?

That's the only reasonable explanation that I can come up with for the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) network's decision to dump Joe Theismann from its "Monday Night Football" broadcast. The New York Times says he will be offered another job at the network, but I wouldn't blame him if he walked.

Theismann's "problem" is that he doesn't have "chemistry" with co-host Tony Kornheiser, according to media reports. Replacement Ron Jaworkski, a former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, is going to have the same problem because Kornheiser usually has nothing of interest to say. During broadcasts Thiesmann often had to correct Kornheiser for saying stuff that wrong or just plain weird.

There's more at stake than just sports here.

ESPN is a cash cow for Disney and the company is counting on "Monday Night Football" to help bolster its bottom line. Ratings for the broadcast, which plunged when it was on ABC, did well last year on ESPN, according to the Times. That makes the move to replace Theismann baffling.

Why fix something that wasn't broken?

If ESPN wanted to reshuffle the MNF team, it should have gotten rid of Kornhesier, who is beater suited for shouting on "Pardon the Interruption." Theismann is a thoughtful analyst who deserved better treatment. I'm sure that other networks would be happy to have him.