BRISTOL, CT—Noting that the former USC quarterback’s grasp of the game and its nuances was immediately obvious, ESPN executives were impressed Tuesday by Mark Sanchez’s ability to point out the football field. “The second we brought Mark in, we just knew he was the one. He could watch a play and locate the 50-yard line without hesitation,” said anchor Kevin Negandhi, who sat in with Sanchez as he went over game tape of Clemson and Notre Dame and deftly identified whether the plays were passes or runs. “He’s just a natural talent in the broadcast booth. We didn’t even have to ask, he just started naming things on the football field. He said grass, he said end zone. He even knew exactly what the football was. We’re confident Mark will be just as impressive in the studio as he was on the field.” At press time, Sanchez had finished his first dress rehearsal with 47% anecdote success and mediocre 34.5 broadcaster rating.

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