We all say dumb things

PASADENA, Calif. — As another Television Critics Association press tour gets going, let's take a quick look back at some of the things network executives said at the last one, six months ago.

• "Fox does an outstanding job from January through August. We're pretty much a dominant network. For us, the whole ball of wax is really about improving our fourth quarter," said Fox Entertainment president Peter Liguori.

Fox did worse in the fourth quarter of 2006 than it did in 2005. The only one of six new series that's still on the air ("'Til Death") is bombing in the ratings.

• "There's no other show like that on the air, and I think that show has a real chance to pop," NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said of the sitcom "Twenty Good Years."

That "pop" was a bomb. Four episodes of this dreadful show aired before Reilly yanked it off the air.

• "I think the green has done a lot for us. ... People who see the green everywhere have said that it really stands out. And marketing, and depending on the viewers who already love these shows, is going to play a big part in bringing in the viewers to the new network," said CW Entertainment president Dawn Ostroff.

Despite all the green and all the marketing, ratings for the network — a combination of UPN and The WB — have been disappointing at best.

• CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler gets points for being right when everyone (including most of us TV critics) thought she was wrong. But she certainly wishes she'd been less right about what would happen when ABC moved "Grey's Anatomy" opposite "CSI."

"Who would have thought that "CSI" would be the underdog? We expect to be dinged a bit by 'Grey's,"' Tassler said.

To the surprise of most, "Grey's" has indeed gotten the better of its competition, making ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson sound a little silly:

"In terms of 'CSI,' I heard Nina was playing the rope-a-dope. It's kind of funny. I mean, 'CSI' and CBS have dominated that night, so I think they are the champions without question," McPherson said.

Of course, television executives aren't the only people who get it wrong:

• "This could end up being the 'Friends' of the 21st century." DesMoNews television editor Scott D. Pierce wrote of the CBS sitcom "The Class."

Ratings haven't been good, and the network cut back its order from 22 episodes to 19.