John Lennon was killed while returning to his New York City
apartment on December 8, 1980. That evening, as Patriots kicker
John Smith jogged onto the field to attempt a fourth-quarter
game-winning field goal on ABC's MNF, Howard Cosell announced
the news.  Cosell was friendly with Lennon. He had interviewed
him for a brief MNF segment in 1974, asking in his
characteristic loud, staccato style, "what's your general
impression of the game, as compared with A. rugby, and B.
soccer-football?" Lennon, of course, was a gracious subject. He
told Cosell that American football "makes rock concerts look
like tea parties," and then the odd pair sent it off to Frank
Gifford together:  Six years later, Cosell and Gifford received
news of Lennon's death in the booth. The Patriots and the
Dolphins were tied up, 13-13, with three seconds remaining in
regulation. The commentators briefly debated whether or not it
was appropriate to announce the news on-air. ESPN "Outside the
Lines" has that clip here.  "I just can't see this