So why wasn't WTXF sports director Don Tollefson on the "Ten O'clock News' for the biggest sports story of the year - the Eagles' loss to Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship Game two Sundays ago?

Because the station couldn't find him!

A station source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Tollefson worked the entire day on WTXF's Eagles coverage and then went AWOL after game coverage ended around 7:30 p.m.

"The station began calling Don on his cell phone every five minutes at 9:30 p.m., and he never called back," the station employee said. "When he finally showed up, he was told not to go on the air."

Tollefson, 50, said the incident was a misunderstanding.

"When I left the game around 8 p.m., the producer told me that I would be returning to Veterans Stadium to go live for the news," Tollefson said. "So I went out to dinner and unfortunately didn't hear my cell phone ring. When I returned to my car after dinner, I realized I had been paged and immediately called the station.

"They told me that the plans had changed, and they wanted me back in the studio (at Fourth and Market streets in Philadelphia), even though I was 10 minutes away from the stadium. I was dressed for 15-degree weather, not for inside the studio. When I got there around 10:05, they decided not to put me on the air.

"I had a drink with dinner, but I was in fine condition to go on the air. I apologize for not being better organized. I should have made sure I could hear my cell phone."

Dawn Stensland and Dave Huddleston anchored the post-playoff show from outside Veterans Stadium. Bill Vargus handled "Sports Sunday" - usually co-anchored by him and Tollefson - solo.

Tollefson, who was off the air since that night due to a previously scheduled vacation, returned to the air last night for the first night of February sweeps.

Asked about reports that he frequently gets to the station at the last minute, Tollefson said: "Because of my charitable commitments and covering games, sometimes I get to the station late. However, management has never told me that they had a problem with it."

WTXF news director Scott Matthews and new general manager Bob Simone could not be reached for comment.

"We do not comment on personnel matters," station spokesperson Chris Wolf said.

Funny move

When every sports show seemingly is clamoring for a designated comedian, it's puzzling that WIP 610-AM didn't want to pay for Joe Conklin, the "man of a thousand voices." (Maybe they had to pay him by the voice.)

The funnyman's last day on the air was last Friday. Let's hope WIP didn't make the same mistake as "The Howard Stern Show," which hasn't been the same since Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling left.

According to a station source, many of the WIP personalities such as Al Morganti, Mike Missanelli, Steve Fredericks and Glen Macnow are working without contracts in a move by management to keep salaries down.

Sixers reunion

TNT star announcer Charles Barkley probably used his influence to invite a couple of his old Sixers buddies - Manute Bol and Moses Malone - to the 'NBA All-Star Celebrity Game' next Friday at 8 p.m. Bol and Malone will be joining other former players and celebrities including Tim McGraw (Tug's son), Nelly, Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx, Mark McGrath and Ice Cube.

Interesting choice

Yanni will be composing the theme music for golf coverage on CBS this season. Was John Tesh busy?

Laura Nachman covers television and radio sports for Calkins Media. She can be reached at [email protected].