Former Disney topper Michael Eisner might replace Tribune Chairman Sam Zell after the company emerges from bankruptcy.

So says our good friend–and absolutely first rate reporter/editor–Sallie Hofmeister and two of her colleagues, Dawn C. Chmielewski and Michael Oneal, at the Tribune-owned Los Angeles Times.

Furthermore, according to the report, "Under one scenario being discussed by the senior creditors, Eisner, 68, would be joined by Jeff Shell, a former News Corp. cable executive who is now in top management at Comcast Corp., according to four people with knowledge of the talks. Shell would become chief executive of Tribune, replacing Randy Michaels."

The story adds, "Shell, 44, a Los Angeles native who runs Comcast’s cable channels group from the company’s headquarters in Philadelphia, declined to comment. Earlier in his career, Shell worked on the strategic planning staff of Disney when Eisner ran the company."

What makes the Shell part of the scenario so fasciniating is that this Times’ report comes as Comcast is getting closer and closer to wrapping up its approvals to take over NBC Universal, which has a large stable of cable networks. Presumably that could mean an extension of Shell’s role at Comcast.

The article also says that , "According to people familiar with the matter, other executives who have been approached by one or more of the creditors about playing a role in Tribune, post-bankruptcy, include Fred Reynolds, retired chief financial officer of CBS Corp.; Mel Karmazin, CEO of Sirius XM Radio Inc.; Terry S. Semel, former chairman and co-CEO of Warner Bros.; and Robert Pittman, former chief operating officer of AOL Time Warner Inc."