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Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Marv Albert

Andy Masur
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“Yessss and it counts!”

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard that countless times during an NBA broadcast. That familiar phrase is one of the calling cards of the legendary Marv Albert. The veteran of NBC, TNT and Westwood One has covered the gamut in the world of sports. Basketball, Football, Hockey, boxing and even Wimbledon appear on his gaudy resume. His voice is unmistakable, his look is his own and the unbridled enthusiasm shoots through in every broadcast.

Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Marv Albert, the Brooklyn-Born Ballboy Who Became a Broadcast Behemoth

As a kid, Albert took to the asphalt courts of Brooklyn, alongside friends, developing a love for the game of basketball. Pickup games ruled the day. According to legend, during those games was the voice of someone calling the play-by-play of the games. New York kids were treated to some legendary voices to imitate, like Vin Scully and Marty Glickman. Albert was not the one calling the games, he was too shy to “perform” in front of the group. One of his friends was the mouth of the gaggle of friends. 

Albert wanted to do it, but instead of in public, he’d call games in his own living room. He’d turn down the sound on the family’s television set and do play-by-play into a small tape recorder, given to him as a gift by his father. 

He told the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, “I still tell kids interested in sportscasting who hope to do this for a living to take that path. I probably did hundreds of games in my living room.”

Albert also wrote an essay in third-grade telling his teacher he wanted to become a sports announcer or writer. The rest, as they say, is history. He’s been a fixture in New York and across the United States for five decades. 

To me Albert stands the test of time, because of his passion. There are no other announcers that call a game like him. His voice is unique. His phrases are unique. The pacing of his words almost echo and make you see the tempo of the game. Albert’s insight challenges those working with him. 

Marv Albert worked his way up the ladder and started, well, pretty much at the bottom. He got his first break in the sports business when he worked as a ball boy for the New York Knicks. That’s where he met and started a friendship with the legendary New York sportscaster Marty Glickman, who took a liking to Albert and his passion. Glickman brought the kid on as a statistician and advised the him to attend his own alma mater, Syracuse University.

Albert later worked alongside Glickman, when the latter needed a writer/producer at WCBS Radio. The move proved to be a smart one, offering Albert the chance to fill in for Glickman on occasion and actually had Albert on the mic calling several Knicks and Rangers games at just age 19.

“That was kind of ridiculous, especially when I go back and listen to the tapes.” Albert told the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. 

Media Confidential: Sportscaster Marv Albert Observes 50-Years

BEST KNOWN FOR

There have been some magical moments in the career of Marv Albert. Many of them surround the NBA. One of his fondest memories, was the night he uttered the “Yes!” for the first time.

It was in 1967, when he took over as the full-time radio voice of the Knicks. The word jumped out of his mouth for the first time during a playoff series.

Knicks guard Dick Barnett banked a shot off the glass at a key moment in the game and “Yes” became all his. Albert told the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, “It just seemed to feel right. I’d throw it in every once in a while, on big baskets. That was when I started hearing it said back to me. It made me realize that, Hey, people are actually listening.”

To me, it’s a natural “catch word.” We all say it, so it’s not about the word. It’s about the emphasis and meaning of the three letters and his timing in using them. That stuff may seem easy, but when you have a word or a phrase, you can’t over use it. Albert saves the big time “Yes!” for those big-time moments. 

Albert also called the infamous Willis Reed game at Madison Square Garden. It was Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Lakers. He rode the momentum of the crowd when Willis walked out of the tunnel before the game, moving gingerly on an injured thigh.

“I remember Wilt Chamberlain turning and looking in astonishment as Willis was coming out of the tunnel just before the opening tip,” said Albert. “That was the loudest I ever heard a crowd at a basketball game.”

Albert was off and rolling as Reed hit his first two shots. The game ended with the Knicks as the new champs of the NBA. In listening back to some of the early action, Albert could have easily gotten out of his element. He could have started screaming and yelling. He didn’t. Albert stayed within himself, his usual energetic, exuberant self. That’s hard to do. Sometimes broadcasters can get caught up in the moment, but Albert delivered his usual stellar broadcast. Even at a young age, he got it. 

Over the years Albert was a mainstay on NBC’s coverage of the NBA and later with TNT. There are far too many huge moments to recall during this run. A couple stand out in somewhat recent times. 

During the 1991 NBA Finals between the Bulls and Lakers, Michael Jordan well, did what Michael Jordan does. He hung in the air through traffic, appearing on the verge of unleashing a thunderous dunk. But when he approached the rim and Lakers defender Sam Perkins, he changed his mind. He switched the ball from his right hand to his left and scooped it to the opposite side of the basket for a layup. Almost in awe, Albert said, “Oh! A spectacular move by Michael Jordan!”. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was what we were all thinking. Right there, at that moment, it was spectacular. 

You Bit Me?!!" Journalist Reveals How his Michael Jordan Celebration Lead to a Colleague's Injury – EssentiallySports

Albert along with his longtime broadcast partner Mike Fratello, called every moment of the original “Dream Team” games in Barcelona during the 1992 Olympics. He couldn’t help but get caught up in the moment.

“The first time they ran onto the court, I got the chills because I knew then that we were seeing the greatest group of athletes assembled in the history of team sports – it was stunning,” he recalled.

Imagine how tough these games were to do. Team USA routinely rolled over opponents during that tournament. Lopsided scores leads to “Plan B, C, D and maybe even E” for a broadcaster. Not to mention all the foreign names he had to learn and memorize for the television broadcasts. It was another situation of allowing himself to be humbled by the moment, without affecting his broadcast. 

For those in Generation X, we may remember Albert as a fixture on David Letterman’s late night shows. He appeared on the show 126 times, presenting his “Albert Achievement Awards”, with “a look at the ‘wild and whacky’ from the world of sports, as compiled by our crack staff.” Then to the videos of some crazy, unbelievable bloopers from basketball, football, hockey, boxing, fans, you name it, they covered it.

Before the internet, the only way to see these bloopers were at a stadium or ballpark or on Letterman’s show with Albert. The awards started in 1986 and came to end with the Letterman show in 2015. Albert played along, no matter what direction Letterman would go, he would be there to follow. The wry sense of humor and deadpan delivery really worked. The bloopers were good, but the banter was always better.

They went suit shopping in one appearance and Marv even showed up at David’s mother’s house in another. He made himself human, poked a little fun at himself and I really enjoyed those shows. 

Dave And Marv Albert Go Suit Shopping | Marv albert, Late night show, Johnny carson

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?

There is just something about Marv Albert’s voice. It’s not a traditional broadcasting voice by today’s standards. There is something real about it though. It cuts through action during a game. You know he’s there. I enjoy the enthusiasm he brings to every event he covers. There was a time that if it was a big game, he was doing it. 

His personality makes his broadcasts great. The way he’ll set up his analyst with some witty banter, served with a side of sarcasm is music to my ears. While the style isn’t for everyone, there’s a ‘down home’ quality about it. Simple catch phrases, a simple “Yes!” or “serves up a facial” or “and it counts,” just proving the old adage, less is sometimes more. 

Albert has proven himself to be a very versatile announcer. While he’s most known for his work in the NBA and to an extent the NFL as well, there have been numerous other games he’s worked. I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this column, he called hockey. In fact, he was the voice of the New York Rangers and served as lead announcer on NBC’s coverage of several NHL All-Star games. Boxing is another sport he’s excelled in. With his knowledge and wit, there really isn’t much he hasn’t done or can’t do. 

With the restart of the NBA season, many wondered if Albert at age 79, would be in Orlando to call games.

No. That’s the straight up answer.

Albert was looking forward to being a part of things, but the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida made him reconsider any thoughts of being on site. Turner Sports confirmed that Albert will not be part of the regular play-by-play crew in Orlando, but that he will contribute some “commentary” remotely. 

Marv Albert Joins CBS' NFL Team | Hollywood Reporter

Albert indeed has made an impact on sports and the way it’s announced. You could say “Yes!” and he really did make it count.  

Anatomy of A Broadcaster: Kevin Harlan

Andy Masur
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Whether he’s describing a cat scoring a touchdown, a drunken fan trying to do the same or a thunderous jam in the NBA eliciting a “with no regard for human life,” Kevin Harlan is always enjoying the moment. That you can count on. He can be seen on CBS and Turner Sports and can be heard on the Westwood One network. Being versatile and entertaining is the calling card for this much accomplished broadcaster. Harlan does a great job whether it’s on TV or radio.

Kevin Harlan

Harlan wasted no time in getting started in his broadcasting career. Right out of college in 1982, he became the TV and radio voice of the NBA’s Kansas City (now the Sacramento) Kings.  After spending a year as the basketball announcer for his alma mater Kansas, he stayed local and became the voice of Kansas City Chiefs. Harlan stayed there from 1985-93, while splitting time, calling University of Missouri football and basketball (’86-’89). Also, during that period, he was the play-by-play voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves for 9 seasons, starting in 1989 and going until 1998. 

Harlan is a mainstay on network television as well. He called the NFL football for NBC in 1991, college football for ESPN in 1992 and 93, NFL for Fox from 1994 until 97, and joined Turner Sports in 1996 to broadcast NBA playoff games, which he’s still doing. Harlan is also still active at CBS where he began working in 1998. He does NFL and NCAA Basketball for them. 

Like many of us that get into this business, we know at an early age for some reason that this is what we want to do. Harlan is no exception. In a conversation with The Athletic in December 2019 he recalled when the broadcasting bug bit him.

“I grew up listening to Jack Buck do radio and the Super Bowl. I listened to Jim Simpson’s call of Super Bowl I. I wanted to be a radio play-by-play network announcer. That’s what I wanted to be,” Harlan remembered. “I wanted to do national games on radio because I loved radio and still I love it more now than ever. So I’m living out my dream. This is what I dreamed of when I got in the business. I never thought about TV. I just thought about radio,” said Harlan. 

That mindset would change with just one phone call. After getting an offer to do an NBA team’s games on TV, he called Bob Costas for some advice.

“He said, ‘Take it. TV is where the business is going to be. You’ve got to do TV.’ I mean, he was adamant that I do it. There were four people I planned to call and when I heard him say that, he answered the question and I accepted the job,” Harlan told The Athletic. “TV has led to two years at ESPN, four years at FOX and now these 20 plus years at CBS. So that was good. But my heart is in doing radio and that’s why I got in the business. That was my first love. I’m living my dream every Monday night and every playoff game and every Super Bowl. My thirst for doing the biggest game is quenched with that.”

In 2010, he began serving as Westwood One’s lead announcer for Monday Night Football calling his first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XLV. He has broadcast 10 consecutive Super Bowls for Westwood, which is the most consecutively in radio, and television network history (Jack Buck broadcast 9 straight).

BEST KNOWN FOR

There certainly is a lot to choose from. Harlan has made some big calls in his career and has also gone viral for others. Why? Because he separates himself from other broadcasters with his personality and sense of humor. 

Harlan was on the mic for a Ravens and Bengals game last year. With the Ravens leading 28-13, quarterback Lamar Jackson used a couple of moves, leaving defenders in his wake. Harlan’s call: “Jackson takes it himself. Look at him dart back and forth- OHHHHHH! He Broke Ankles! Now he’s got an entourage! And he’s got a touchdown! HE IS HOUDINI! What a play! 47-yard touchdown run by the magical quarterback Lamar Jackson! WOW!” Wow indeed, a tremendous run and a tremendously entertaining call. The emotion isn’t forced, it flows within his style of delivery. 

From a Ravens walk-through to the end zone: How Lamar Jackson ran ...

In 2008, one of Harlan’s patented phrases was on display. He was calling the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals featuring the Celtics and the Cavaliers, when the Cavaliers’ Lebron James drove to the basket and threw one down.  Harlan’s call of the play: “Garnett comes out on LeBron. Now they switch and here’s Pierce again…a Smith screen. Posey will defend…OHHHHHH! LEBRON JAMES WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE!”

I love that one. Truly, it was a creative, yet somewhat factual way to look at that play. If you listen back to it, again, there is nothing that seems contrived or forced. Such a skill to make these types of calls sound exciting, yet real. 

In December of last year, Harlan pulled off something that isn’t easy to do on radio or TV. He was on the CBS broadcast of the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs game. Ok, big deal. Here’s where it got interesting. He started to call the Miami Dolphins at the New England Patriots game in the Chargers vs Chiefs feed. Why? Well that other game had meaning for the Chiefs. A New England loss, meant the Chiefs would claim the #2 seed in the playoffs and a bye week. 

So, try to stay with me here, this was his call again, during a Chargers/Chiefs game:

“Meanwhile, Miami has first and goal down by four. And they’re at the New England four-yard line, first and goal. 29 seconds left. Here (in Kansas City) Butker kicks the extra point. And Fitzpatrick throws in the end zone, touchdown Miami! The Dolphins have just scored!”, he exclaimed. Only to continue, “Gesicki, the tight end, got a laser in the back of the end zone on a goal-to-go touchdown pass by Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to take a lead with 24 seconds to go! The extra point coming up for Miami, leading New England 26 to 24. And the crowd now knows it. … What a throw by Fitzpatrick, what a touchdown run by Williams, on the last weekend of the regular season in the NFL!”

You think you’re confused? His analyst in the booth Rich Gannon had to ask Harlan, “I’m getting confused, what game are you calling?”, to which Harlan responded with a very enthusiastic “I’m calling both games!”

It sounds comedic but so few play-by-play guys could pull it off. He knew what the game meant for KC and gave the fans a special treat, to be able to “watch” both games at the same time. Incredible. 

Harlan has a unique way of bringing humor into games, it’s not over the top, it seems to fit quite well. He also has a way of making something that is mundane, into a classic, even if it has NOTHING to do with the game he’s calling. 

For example, Harlan was on the radio call for Westwood One’s Monday Night Football coverage in 2016. He was doing a game between the 49’ers and the Rams when a fan ran onto the field. Normally, a broadcaster might say, ‘well we’ve got a fan on the field, that’s the reason you’re hearing the cheers, you aren’t missing anything…’. Not Harlan. The game itself wasn’t too exciting, so he decided to keep his audience entertained. 

The call went like this:

“Hey, somebody has run out on the field. Some goofball in a hat and a red shirt. Now he takes off the shirt! He’s running down the middle by the 50! He’s at the 30! He’s bare-chested and banging his chest. Now, he runs the opposite way. He runs to the 50! He runs to the 40! The guy is drunk! But there he goes! The 20 — they’re chasing him, but they’re not going to get him. Waving his arms, bare-chested; Somebody stop that man! Oh, they got him, they’re coming from the left — Oh and they tackle him at the 40-yard line! Whew, that was the most exciting thing to happen tonight.”

I listened back to this call several times while transcribing the words. Each time I think I laughed a little louder. This is brilliance. We are always taught when going into play-by-play, keep your audience entertained, even if the game isn’t doing it for you. Congrats on this, he gets an A. 

As the great Casey Kasem used to say, ‘The hits just keep on coming’ and with Harlan, yes, they do. Another beauty of a call came again on a Monday Night Football broadcast on Westwood One. The Cowboys were facing the Giants, when a black cat ran onto the field during the action in the 2nd quarter. Cue Harlan.

“Oh and there a cat, a cat black has taken the field. A black cat is running from the 20 to the nearside the 10, from the 39 of Dallas here is a short throw down the middle caught by Engram. Caught at the 35 to the 30, now the cat running the other way and so is Ingram at the 25 near the 24-yard line of the Dallas Cowboys. It’s a catch-run of 15. Now the cat is stopped at the 50 … he’s at the eight … now he is at the five … he’s walking to the three, he’s at the two… and the cat is in the CDW Red Zone… now a policeman, a state trooper is on the field- AND THE CAT RUNS IN THE END ZONE! THAT IS A TOUCHDOWN!”

Black cat on the Giants-Cowboys field makes purrfect NFL meme - CNET

Unbelievable. He even worked in a sponsorship read. This isn’t something that just anyone can do. Trust me on that. Brilliant. 

Harlan recalled the difference of the two calls to The Athletic, “I was in a completely different frame of mind with the drunk as opposed to the cat. The drunk in Santa Clara, the game was horrendous as you may recall. It was the third quarter and I think like 21-0. It was a boring game and my mind was more of a let’s have a conversation back and forth and we’ll just give a medium play by play as opposed to a real hard-driven play by play. We were kind of in that mood. My mind was a lot different then and that’s why it was more theatrics and kind of goofing around.” 

What about the cat?

“I was in a completely different frame of mind. Then the cat stayed there. And then they stopped playing. So now the cat became the story for that short little span and ran down the field and did what it did and then got into the end zone and they were chasing it. Then it finally left. And that was the conclusion that we’re back to the game.”

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?

There is something just inherently likeable about Harlan. He always seems to be having a great time behind the microphone. While he may be known as a guy that will crack a joke from time to time, his play-by-play is extremely good. Accurate and descriptive with that authoritative voice. That combination makes Harlan an easy listen. 

The one thing you can always count on with Harlan is something enjoyable and entertaining is bound to happen during his broadcast. As we’ve mentioned already, it’s not necessarily going to be about the game. On that point, Harlan has a keen sense of the moment. His humor and silliness never comes at the expense of a good or close ballgame. He has such a good balance of facts and humor during a game, that no matter what the score you want to hear him. He’s that good. 

Watch: CBS announcer Kevin Harlan gives perfect call of Chiefs ...

There are many other network broadcasters that get a lot of accolades, and I would say they are well deserved, but don’t sleep on Harlan. This well-versed, knowledgeable and terrific broadcaster is second to none. 

David Gow Is Taking SportsMap To The National Stage

Jason Barrett
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David Gow Is Taking SportsMap To The National Stage

There’s an old saying in radio, ‘always have a Plan B‘. That’s what this article is because Plan A was to release a great podcast conversation today with Gow Media Chairman and CEO David Gow. Thanks though to a corrupt audio file, that twenty five minute masterpiece (which was certain to be featured in the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame), will unfortunately never see the light of day.

But that’s OK. It’s the news that David passed along that matters most, and fortunately I take lots of notes when conducting conversations.

For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting or talking with David Gow, he’s a very likable guy. We’ve chatted numerous times during my time as a consultant, and one thing I appreciate is his positive energy. I’ve never heard him talk down about a competitor or the industry, yet consider the challenges he faces each day. Locally he competes against corporate giants iHeart, Entercom, and Cumulus. Nationally he’s up against large networks such as ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, and CBS Sports Radio, not to mention the countless audio options sports fans have available at their fingertips.

It’d be understandable if every now and then David felt frustrated or like he’s pushing a boulder up Mount Everest, but that’s not how he presents himself. You have to appreciate an independent owner and operator who loves the business, and is simply just trying to carve out his own slice of the pie.

Lance Zierlein, John Granato Reunite For Mornings At KFNC (ESPN ...

When you analyze the Houston sports radio scene, ESPN 97.5 has been a strong local option for quite some time. The station matches up well against local competitors Sports Radio 610 and SportsTalk 790, thanks to the team of Lance Zierlein and John Granato from 7a-11a, Charlie Pallilo, Joel Blank and Nick Sharara from 11a-2p, Josh Innes from 2p-4p, and The Blitz with AJ Hoffman and Fred Faour from 4p-7p.

“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made with 97.5” said Gow. “It’s as good of a lineup as you’ll find in Houston, and we’re fortunate to have great listenership and loyal advertisers.”

The company has also placed a priority on strengthening its digital footprint. Gow Media purchased the website CultureMap in 2017, and quickly began building other sites off of the Map identity such as SportsMap, AutomotiveMap, and InnovationMap.

But in national sports radio circles, the challenges are tougher. ESPN Radio has been a steady force for decades thanks to relationships with hundreds of affiliates, and synergy with the most identified sports television brand on the planet. FOX Sports Radio has enjoyed the support of iHeart and FOX Sports television, and features a high profile lineup that is second to none. CBS Sports Radio has emerged as a solid third option, relying on the strength of Entercom’s local sports brands to highlight the network’s talent and content.

SB Nation Radio (@SBNationRadio) | Twitter

For SB Nation Radio, they’ve had to scratch and claw for everything they have. It’s required striking partnerships with other media outlets to use their brand names and talent, joining forces with stations not under control of the big three media companies, spending wisely on personalities to avoid financial difficulty, and offering clearance flexibility to affiliates to earn content exposure on their radio stations.

Gow entered the national sports radio space a little over 10 years ago. During that time, his radio network has evolved from Sporting News Radio to Yahoo Sports Radio to SB Nation Radio. While those brand names may be familiar to most sports fans, they’ve all lost key personnel, and when key talent depart popular brands, it can affect the perception of how that brand is seen, along with those who partner with it. The question for a radio network associated with the brand then becomes ‘why are we attaching ourselves to someone else’s identity instead of creating our own?’

If you’ve followed the news over the past few months, SB Nation’s parent company Vox Media has made a number of staff reductions. The online site which once featured a number of smart, witty, and creative writers is now much different than what it was previously. Yahoo and Sporting News went thru similar situations years ago. Rather than continue to put their eggs in the basket of media outlets which may or may not look and operate differently in 3-5 years, Gow has decided it’s time to give the network a name that aligns with his company’s focus.

On July 27th, SB Nation Radio will officially become the SportsMap Radio Network. The name is an extension of Gow’s digital outlet Sports Map which has already gained traction in Houston. The company also features other platforms which play off of the Map name as well, including Culture Map, Automotive Map, and Innovation Map.

“We were fortunate to work with a number of great partners in SB Nation, Yahoo and Sporting News, but as we looked at the pros and cons of teaming up with another media outlet or doing our own thing, the time just felt right to make this move and focus on building our own identity,” explained Gow.

I asked if consideration was given to other familiar outlets such as Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, and The Ringer, and Gow admitted that conversations did occur with a few other sports digital brands, but he wouldn’t specify which ones were pursued heaviest. He did tell me that there will be additional news to share in the near future regarding a few partnerships his company is close to finalizing.

One of the challenges of aligning a network with a specific partner is it shuts down opportunity with others who offer similar content or services. For example, you rarely hear ESPN Radio and FOX Sports Radio talent appear on each other’s shows, and when you’re trying to expand a brand and put the most eyes and ears on a product, having a relationship with every potential media partner is important.

“We have spent a lot of time looking at media partnerships that can supply great content and distribution, and sometimes brands are strong at one thing, but less effective in another area,” explained Gow. “We see that as an opportunity. I’m happy to create a content partnership with a brand that does content well, and a separate deal with another who’s better at distribution. By having our own identity, and not being tied to one particular brand, it opens the door for us to work with both.”

Being privy to a few of the items Gow is planning to announce in the near future, most industry folks will see the news as a positive for his business. The bigger question among affiliates and potential partner stations will be about the network’s talent and lineup. Though most radio traditionalists are going to examine the M-F 6a-7p lineup, and use it to judge whether a brand should earn clearance from affiliate stations, Gow raised a great point when talking about the path to earning clearance and revenue.

“I believe the most undervalued advertising in national radio is evening programming” shared Gow. “Advertisers have an opportunity to align themselves with a great talent like Tony Bruno during a time period that generates strong loyal listening but at a fraction of the cost. We gain a lot of clearance during the evenings because many stations like to feature local content during the day. This is not only a great opportunity for our network, but it’s an excellent one for our partners as well.”

If you think about that statement for a second, it makes a lot of sense. Is the SportsMap Radio Network in better shape for gaining clearance on a local station by featuring a personality like Bruno at night or in mornings or middays? Given the stacked lineups on other networks during the day, and the likelihood of local stations wanting to feature their own content to drive sales, you can make a case that they’re better served featuring a prime time player at night where he has a better chance to stand out. Wisely the network also cut a deal with SportsGrid to feature Scott Ferrall in PM drive, which gives them a chance to keep the door ajar with local stations looking for a quality network drive time show.

Freaky Friday 6/5: Kevin McAlpin, John McMullen & Philly Godfather ...

The road ahead for all media operators remains difficult. Many are trying to recover from a 2020 that has taken a mental toll on their teams, and an economic toll on their bottom line. One path that appears promising is the growing importance of sports betting, an area that Gow prepared in advance for by striking a partnership with VSiN to create The BetR Network. With heavier competition around the corner, and large dollars at stake, the more partnerships a brand has in place to attract larger audiences, the better their chances of attracting substantial investments.

But the biggest challenge looming ahead isn’t tied to clearance, talent or partnerships, it’s connected to the word that matters most to all involved in our format – sports. How will the national sports radio scene fare if there isn’t a fall sports calendar? Will local stations explore format flips or further staff reductions? Given the financial difficulties in 2020, it’s hard to imagine the format heading into 2021 in strong shape if sports is silent during football season. But that isn’t going to temper Gow’s optimism.

“2020 has been hard on us, just as it has on many broadcasters” said Gow. “One decision we made as a company was to have everyone share in the pain, so we wouldn’t have to eliminate a number of jobs. By taking that approach we were able to keep our team in tact, and though we’ve all gone thru challenging times this year, if we can get thru this, then I’m sure we’ll come out on the other side in even better shape.”

The BSM Staff Pays Tribute To Mike Golic

Jason Barrett
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Mike Golic is without question a first ballot hall of famer in sports radio. To operate successfully on a national level for over two decades at an outlet like ESPN Radio, which serves hundreds of stations across the country and is constantly under the microscope, speaks to his ability to connect with listeners, advertisers, affiliates and corporate bosses. There are far too many on-air examples to highlight as reasons for his effectiveness, but when I look back on his career, a few key things stand out.

When I programmed 101 ESPN in St. Louis, I kept Greeny & Golic updated on the progress of their show. Some national hosts don’t pay attention to their local markets but both guys would always respond with a ‘Thanks for the update’, ‘Congrats’ or ‘Appreciate the support’. I’d send local liners to them often to keep them sounding connected to the city and they always turned things around quickly. When I brought them to town for MLB All-Star week broadcasts, they talked up their experience on camera for my station, even though the network kept access limited. The extra effort and interest in taking care of partners made it easy to want to stay in business with them. 

It’ll be different for sure next month when Mike Golic’s voice is no longer heard across America in morning drive. His career speaks for itself, and he’s been a true professional who’s been easy to root for.

Mike and Mike used to embrace the slogan “What Makes Them Different, Makes Them Great,” but in reality, what made Mike Golic special was that he never changed who he was. That worked out pretty great for 22 years, and now it’s up to his son to keep the family name alive and well for the next two decades.

August 1 will be the first time in 22 years that Mike Golic is not part of ESPN Radio’s morning show. His is a career that deserves celebration and tribute. That is why I asked the BSM staff to share their thoughts.

Some chose to share personal stories of the influence Golic had on them. Some chose to revel in what made Golic special. All of them acknowledge that this format owes Mike Golic a debt of gratitude. The strength of sports radio is a result, in no small way, of his success.

Mike Golic Jr. must love a challenge. He shares his dad’s name, followed in his footsteps to play at Notre Dame, and then followed in his footsteps to ESPN Radio. That last stop will be the toughest place of all to live up to his namesake.

ADT Smart Home Security with DiFY Service - Episode 3 with Mike ...

Golic Sr’s history with the network goes back to 1998 in the days of The Bruno and Golic Morning Show. He had staying power through so many lineup changes because he embraced his role and played it perfectly no matter who was next to him. That level of comfort and self-awareness is a talent all it’s own. Junior will definitely have his eyes on making his dad proud in afternoon drive. Senior has already set the example with a career that anyone that helped him get from point A to where he is 22 years later should be proud of. – Demetri Ravanos

Golic combined the expertise of a former player with the personality of the average Joe so successfully that he became the model for all former athletes turned radio hosts. His authenticity and willingness to be the butt of the joke endeared him to audiences for two decades, and made program directors scour the country to find their own Mike Golic. – Rob “Stats” Guerrera

The one thing that’s stuck out to me, is the mass of people that have come out and either told a story, or commented on how great of a person Mike Golic is. That’s awesome. Is he an unbelievable talent? Absolutely and it’s not even a question. But what do your colleagues think of you? That’s just as important to your legacy as how good you are at the craft. He’s an A+ talent and it sounds like he’s an A+ guy, as well. He has every reason to have an ego, but he doesn’t. He won at this business. – Tyler McComas

When you think of ESPN Radio nationally, it’s hard not to think of Mike Golic. For so many years the Mike and Mike was THE show on the network. The popularity continued to grow and he became such a familiar voice, it’s hard to believe that his run has come to an end. Sometimes it isn’t easy for former athletes to forge a new career after their playing days are over. Golic was the exception to that though. He made it look simple and like he’d been doing radio his entire life. Who knows what this change will do to ESPN Radio’s listenership? One thing that is sure, the brand took a big hit with this news. – Andy Masur

Sports radio is a lot like music to me. It’s common to hear bands and artists talk about their musical influences. Great guitarists like Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix help you understand how different sounds can be created. It also helps other guitarists find their own sound. It’s the same concept with sports radio. Hearing Mike Golic in my early experiences with sports radio, it was like, “Oh wow, it’s okay to joke around. You can laugh and have fun.” Sports radio doesn’t have to sound serious the whole time like you’re wearing your jeans to bed. I appreciate Golic showing us that it’s acceptable to eat a bunch of beignets instead of only dissecting stats. His combination of humor, substance, and style made Golic truly one of a kind. – Brian Noe

Mike Golic? You mean the younger brother of that guy who was on Saved By The Bell: The College Years? It took a lot for me to change the channel from TBS and Tiffani Amber Thiessen during my adolescence, but when I did, it was for Mike and Mike. That’s a big compliment. Greeny was the relatable one, but even when Golic played the role of ‘cool, tough, NFLer,’ he did it with charm and humility. Eight years in the NFL is a great feat, even more impressive is making it a footnote after two remarkable decades on ESPN Radio. – Brandon Contes

Mike Golic's former and current colleagues pay tribute as his long ...

Mike Golic has been the one of most significant, influential voices in sports radio over the last two decades. Growing up in the Mike & Mike era, I learned the most valuable lessons from Mike Golic that I have carried with me throughout my career: radio should be fun, be willing to laugh at yourself, don’t take yourself too seriously, and treat guests/listeners/fans the way you’d want to be treated. All of the values that Golic exemplifies have been used as a compass within the sports radio world over the last two decades. He is a Hall of Famer in all areas of his life. I am incredibly grateful to have had the pleasure to wake up with and opportunity to learn from a trailblazer who undoubtedly will continue to dominate in whatever he does next. – Chrissy Paradis

Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Bob Costas

Andy Masur
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During his 40-year career at NBC, Bob Costas became the network’s face and voice of sports. His career at NBC began in 1979 and ran until last year. Costas was the prime time host of 11 Olympics, which is a record. He anchored other major sporting events like, Super Bowls, World Series’, Triple Crown horse races, US Open Golf, and the NBA Finals. Not only did he cover many of those events, he was the play-by-play announcer for the NBA Finals and a few World Series along the way.  Costas is one of the few “top broadcasters” to actually host his own non-sports network talk show.  In recent years, you’ve seen him on HBO, CNN and MLB Network, where he still calls games. 

Bob Costas Will No Longer Host NBC's Olympics Coverage

Costas got his first job in broadcasting working for the St. Louis Spirits of the old ABA in 1974, calling games on KMOX, the same station he’d listen to baseball games on as a kid growing up on Long Island. He even got the chance to learn from a childhood idol, Jack Buck while in his adopted home town of St. Louis. That would lead to regional work of NBA and NFL broadcasts for CBS. He worked one year in Chicago as the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls on WGN-TV and then he got the big break. 

At age 28, he was hired by NBC as one of the network’s top anchors. Don Ohlmeyer hired him and made it known to Costas that he looked like he was half that age.

“I didn’t, by appearance, fit the mold of national sportscasters people were used to seeing at that time,” Costas recalled to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. “I thought that I would have a credibility problem just because of my actual youth and my even younger appearance. I think, almost unconsciously, I tried to sound more serious, more authoritative, more buttoned-up and completely prepared and completely professional than was necessary. Of course you want to be professional. But part of what makes a good broadcaster is spontaneity and, if you have it, a sense of humor.”

Costas recalled how that sense of humor emerged in himself in a strange place. David Letterman’s NBC show would have him on doing comedy bits, making him announce elevator races in 30 Rockefeller Plaza in his serious, network style. He really feels like those appearances helped break him in.

“When [those] went over well and I was well-accepted, more and more of that began to make its way into the broadcasts themselves, which I think humanizes you,” said Costas to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

It’s so true. He realized as most broadcasters eventually do, people need to be able to relate with you. They did for Costas. 

It’s probably baseball that Costas is most identified with. After all he’s a Hall of Famer, having won the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was inducted during ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York on July 28, 2018. Costas in an avid baseball fan and has been fairly outspoken in opposition of both the “Wild Card” and the “DH” in the sport. 

BEST KNOWN FOR

One of his earliest “breakthrough” games happened in June of 1984. Costas calling the NBC Game of the Week with Tony Kubek, witnessed what’s now commonly referred to as “The Sandberg Game.” The Cubs’ now Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit a pair of late game-tying home runs off of Cardinals Hall of Famer reliever Bruce Sutter. A game the Cubs eventually won.  The call of that first home run was pretty simple but effective, “Into left center field, and deep. This is a tie ball game!”. He laid out for nearly 20 seconds as the cameras showed Sandberg running the bases and Sutter angrily snapping at the new ball thrown to him. Home run number 2 was a little more unbelievable, “And he hits it to deep left center! Look out! Do you believe it, it’s gone! We will go to the 11th, tied at 11,” said Costas. Another nearly 20 seconds of silence from the booth.

It was impressive to me, considering that Costas is a Cardinals fan, how neutral the calls were, how professional each call was, showing the correct amount of excitement, considering Wrigley Field was pretty much up for grabs after each long ball. 

Sticking with baseball, in October 1997, Costas called the improbable World Series Game 7 between the Marlins and Indians. With one swing of the bat Edgar Renteria hit a walk-off single to give the Marlins their first ever title.

Giants' Renteria Once Again Provides Decisive of World Series ...

“The 0-1 pitch. A liner, off of Nagy’s glove, into center field. The Florida Marlins have won the World Series,” Costas said with the energy of the moment.

Again, the talented Costas laid out. This time 1 minute and 19 seconds. The pictures show during the NBC broadcast were poignant. They were emotional and very telling, more so than any words could have explained. If you haven’t called a big moment like that, you can’t imagine how much restraint and understanding it takes to not say a word. 

One of the strangest and wildest day/nights in sports took place on June 17, 1994. These include Arnold Palmer playing his last round at a U.S. Open and the start of the FIFA World Cup in Chicago. In Manhattan there was a parade in honor of the Rangers’ Stanley Cup victory, Ken Griffey Jr.’s pursuit of a single season home run record, and Game 5 of the NBA finals between the Knicks against the Rockets took place at Madison Square Garden. That’s where Costas was, when all of the sudden the eyes of America were focused on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles and the O.J. Simpson slow chase of his Bronco. 

NBC had a decision to make, stick with the NBA Finals or cover the O.J. chase. Cut to Costas on camera, “This is Bob Costas. It is our professional obligation to cover the ballgame tonight in what we hope is an appropriate fashion. We are, of course, mindful of the O.J. Simpson situation and we will apprise you of any developments.”

Costas was hosting NBC’s coverage of the Finals and recalled, “Fans and media both were crowding around me and looking over my shoulder at the monitor which sometimes had the game in its entirety, sometimes was following the Bronco chase and other times, strangely, had a split screen of the two,” Costas said.

Pretty impressive to be able to pivot like that, from a championship series in basketball to some hardcore news, it’s not easy to do. Costas and Tom Brokaw traded coverage back and forth trying to keep those interested in the game informed and those that wanted to see the “chase” informed as well. Difficult to please everyone. The amazing part is Costas did not seem out of his element. Maybe it was like that because he knew Simpson, but he couldn’t possibly have prepared for what took place. 

Elizabeth De Hart Bleecker Diary, March 31, 1800 | The New York ...

WHY IS HE SO GOOD

Costas never shies away from speaking his mind and delivers eloquently written essays on various subjects. His writing is right up there with his broadcasting ability. The language that he uses seems high-brow, but there’s something in the way he delivers the words that make them understandable and relatable. 

I appreciate Costas and his sense of sarcasm. There is something in his delivery when it comes to certain things that screams “you see what I’m actually saying here?”. How about after Michael Jordan made the final shot of his Bulls career, many feeling like MJ pushed off on Bryon Russell, Costas some many years later simply states, “That hand on his backside was the equivalent of a maître d’ showing someone to their table.” Point made. 

He also has a sense of the moment. They never seen too big for him or his calls. Going back to Jordan’s game and series clinching shot against the Utah Jazz in 1998, which put that the exclamation point on the Bulls’ repeat threepeat run. With all that was circulating back in those days, Costas described the final few seconds leading up to the MJ shot, “Jordan with 43. Malone is doubled. They swat at him and steal it! Here comes Chicago. 17 seconds. 17 seconds, from Game 7, or from championship #6. Jordan, open, CHICAGO WITH THE LEAD! Timeout Utah, 5.2 seconds left. Michael Jordan, running on fumes, with 45 points.”

He covered everything in a few poignant words. Even while the replays were being shown, he put the proper spin on the shot, “That may have been, who knows what will unfold over the next several months, but that may have been the last shot Michael Jordan will ever take in the NBA.”

ESPN to air film on Game 6 of 1998 NBA Finals - Chicago Tribune

No moment is ever too big for Costas. 

Simply stated, intelligent and relatable. Bob Costas is truly one of the best ever. 

Anatomy Of a Broadcaster: Jim Nantz

Andy Masur
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“Hello friends.”

It’s a signature greeting from one of the top flight broadcasters in America, Jim Nantz. You’ve heard it coming from many different sports venues over the years, highlighting his versatility in sports broadcasting. Nantz’s opening phrase is more than just a throwaway line, it has deep meaning to him, which we’ll get into a little later in the column.  Nantz is one of the busiest, “number ones” in the industry. Leading CBS’ coverage basically every sport they have, with the exception of college football. Oh and he’s hosted the Olympics as well. 

Jim Nantz anticipating 'most demanding' stretch of his career

Nantz’s CBS career started on September 14, 1985 when the legendary Brent Musburger who was live (or looking live) at Michigan Stadium threw it back to the studio and introduced the baby faced 26-year-old Nantz who was live in the studio alongside Pat Haden. Nantz remembered: “My pulse was racing in high gear; I had never encountered such a flash of tongue-tying anxiety before — not even during Mr. Applegate’s public-speaking class back in high school.”, he told CBS publicists. 35 years later he’s still going strong. 

This is already shaping up to be an unusual year for Nantz. By now, he’d have already called the NCAA Championship Game and the Masters but the former was cancelled and the latter postponed. Will the Masters take precedent over the NFL? As Nantz told the Athletic, he knows already where he’ll be come November, “I don’t think there’s any doubt that I will be anywhere other than Augusta National,” Nantz said. “One of the great honors of my life is that I get reminded of The Masters virtually every day. That’s not an embellishment. So, do I think about the Masters from November 12-15? Oh, my goodness, yes.”

BEST KNOWN FOR:

This is going to be a very difficult “field” to narrow down. Nantz leads CBS’ coverage of PGA Tour Golf, the NCAA’s Final Four and the NFL, including Super Bowls. It’s tough to narrow things down, but I’ll give it a shot here. 

AGUSTA NATIONAL

Let’s start in the shadows of Butler Cabin at the famed Augusta National Golf Course. I can think of three separate moments that made Nantz a national sensation. Golf is a tough enough sport to call, because of the pacing, the energy, the silence and the exuberance. 

In 1986, Nantz was working his very first Masters at the age of 26. He was assigned the 16th hole at the famed course. Little did he know that 46-year old Jack Nicklaus would be on track to win the tournament for the 6th and final time. Nantz was a part of watching the “Golden Bear” shoot a 6-under par back nine which included a birdie in the young broadcaster’s view. This wasn’t the final hole, but the call showed the wit and ability for Nantz to capture a moment. When Nicklaus birdied, Nantz waited a second or two so the crowd could swell and then uttered, “The Bear…has come out of hibernation.”. He then laid out for a few seconds before the telecast cut to the next hole. While it wasn’t his greatest Master’s call ever, it showed viewers that were paying attention, that this guy gets what he’s doing. 

Eleven years later, Nantz would once again be witness to history. This time it wasn’t a 46-year old mainstay winning the tournament, but a 21-year old by the name of Tiger Woods. The first major championship in the career of Woods was a thing of beauty. He won it by 12 strokes and set a record for the lowest score. It was capped off by a putt to end it, with Nantz uttering the now famous, “There it is, a win for the ages.”, then 40 seconds of silence. Pictures telling the story. A young golfer in a red shirt, pumping both fists in the air, hugging his caddie and seeking out his parents. The beauty of television and the beauty of a broadcaster that understands that there are no words you can say that will match what people are seeing at home. 

Tiger Woods Wins 15th Major, Wins First Masters Since 2005

Nothing put that philosophy on display more than Nantz’s work covering yet another Tiger Woods win. This was more improbable than the first one he witnessed 22 years prior. Woods had battled injuries and off the course issues and was starting to put things together, culminating in a 2019 Masters Championship. Nantz was right on in his commentary leading up to the final clinching putt, comparing the two events as basically night and day. Leading up to last putt, “this is the minute that millions around the world have waited for, waited for years, many doubted we’d ever see it, but here it is,” said Nantz, then Woods completed the tap-in to win it all, with Nantz exclaiming , “The return to glory!”, then nothing for 2 minutes and 42 seconds. That is a lifetime of silence for any broadcaster. The temptation to jump in, resisted by the professional Nantz let the moment speak for itself. 

NFL

Nantz called his first Super Bowl in 2007, Super Bowl XLI with the Bears and Colts playing in the rain in Miami. This one was special not only because it was his first call of the big game in the booth, it started out in a historic way. Devin Hester became the first player in Super Bowl history to return the opening kick for a touchdown. “Gets past the first wave and here he goes, it’s Hester inside the 30, Hester’s going to take it all the way for a touchdown. No flags, 92 yards!” he described.

Not a bad way to start both of their Super Bowl careers huh?

The irony of it all, he was ready for it after talking to a broadcasting legend before the game. Nantz recalled, “Two things raced through my mind as Hester wove his way down the field. One of my broadcasting heroes, Jack Whitaker, had counseled me earlier in the week: ‘Just be prepared for the opening kickoff, Jimmy.’”, he remembered. Then another bit of irony, Nantz continued, “Then, I flashed back to the first NFL play I ever witnessed – my dad and I were standing in a smoky aisle in old Tulane Stadium in 1967, when John Gilliam ran back the opening kickoff of the first game in New Orleans Saints’ franchise history.  So, there was a sense of ‘perfect symmetry’ to my first Super Bowl play-by-play call.” Nantz recalled the story to CBS. 

With that broadcast Nantz joined Curt Gowdy, Kevin Harlan and Dick Enberg as the only play-by-play announcers to ever call both a Super Bowl and an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game. 

NCAA Tournament

He’s called so many memorable games in this tournament, but a few recent calls stuck out to me as I was compiling my list. 

The 2016 NCAA Championship game won by Villanova on a buzzer beater. Building the drama was Nantz, “Villanova trying to go the length of the court, with Arcidiacono. Three seconds at midcourt! Gives it to Jenkins! [Jenkins shoots, time expires] For the championship… YES!” Nantz continued, “OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Villanova! Phenomenal! The national champions, with Jenkins hitting the winner at the buzzer!” It can be so tough with a three-man booth, but Nantz commanded the situation and made the call, nailing it just like Jenkins’ buzzer beater. 

Villanova Wins N.C.A.A. Championship on Last-Second Shot - The New ...

Just last year, in the 2019 NCAA Championship game, Virginia avenged a first round loss the year before to UMBC, the first 16 seed to beat a number one in history. The Cavaliers were dribbling out the clock and Nantz exclaimed, “And Virginia, with the all-time turnaround title!” Pretty simple and pretty darn to the point. 

There were so many more moments to choose from, I know I left a bunch out. 

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?

The answer is variety. Nantz is like a chameleon with his ability to adapt to the many different sports he calls. His pacing, timing and energy are all based upon the moment and based upon what he’s calling. You can’t be energetic all the time in golf. You have to be energetic all the time in football and college hoops. Nantz knows when and how to use that energy, effectively and in the right spots. 

I enjoy most everything he calls, but to me the golf is where Nantz really shines. His voice is soothing and relaxed. It’s measured in its pacing, matching the pictures and emotions on screen. Some of his crowning moments as a broadcaster have come on the PGA Tour, having been around for the beginning of “Tiger Mania”, watching the tail end of the “Golden Bear” era. 

He’s got that perfect tone for the tower on 18. Nantz has the ability to paint a picture with his words, even though you can see those pictures on your television. That’s not easy to do. He sets scenes at the beginning of each day’s golf coverage and it almost sounds like a song. It’s on the melodious side and ear pleasing as well. 

It doesn’t matter who he’s working with, Grant Hill, Bill Rafferty, Tony Romo or Nick Faldo, it’s a seamless broadcast. Nantz has a way of bringing out the best in all of these guys, especially his newest partner Romo.

VIDEO: Jim Nantz Trolled Tony Romo On His Back Issues Live On Air

It’s no accident that Romo is a star on the rise, you need to look no further than to his side and Nantz. It’s an art form as a play-by-play announcer to make your analyst the star without even intending to do so. That’s what you’re seeing. It’s Nantz’s professionalism that is the underlying current. 

Nantz keeps up his high-level play-by-play, despite being one of the busiest guys in network television. His schedule is going to be even more crazy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally he’s pretty busy with a little down time, but not this year. How’s this for a workload?

2020 Masters — Nov. 12-15
NFL football — every Sunday through Jan. 24
Farmers Insurance Open — Jan. 28-31
Super Bowl — Feb. 7
PGA Tour golf — Feb. 14-21
NCAA Tournament — March – Early April
2021 Masters — April 5-11
PGA Tour golf — April 18-May 16
PGA Championship — May 20-23

As mentioned Nantz is known for a couple of signature lines, but one is unmistakable. “Hello friends,” the iconic greeting you get at the start of each and every broadcast he does. If you’ve ever wondered why, the story surrounding the origin is a touching one. 

Believe it or not, the tradition only began in 2002. At the time, Nantz’s father had Alzheimer’s and Jim wanted to do something under the radar to send his dad a special message during the PGA Championship.

Last year, Nantz explained the origin on “The Dan Patrick Show”, “My father was deep in the throes of his battle that he would lose in ’08 to Alzheimer’s, and he had faint recognition of his son. The last thing I said to him earlier in the week in Houston was, ‘I’m going to say a little cryptic message to you on the air this weekend, and it’s ‘Hello, friends.” Because my dad had nothing but friends in his life,” Nantz recalled. 

March Madness 2011 Predictions: Power Ranking the Final Four Teams ...

While it began as a one-time thing, one of Nantz’s friends suggested that he repeat it during Sunday’s final round. He did and has continued the tradition since. “I love it because for that little moment I connect with my dad and I feel like I’m talking to him,” Nantz said. “It’s a calming effect every time I come on the air.”

Pretty cool tradition by any standard. 

Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Al Michaels

Andy Masur
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“Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” Who among us hasn’t heard that perfect call when the USA Olympic hockey team shocked the Russians? The call by Al Michaels eventually led to the title of the movie about that 1980 team and what they did in Lake Placid, New York. There aren’t many broadcasters around who are in that league, where a call turns into a movie. Pretty special. Not many broadcasters have ever been traded either. Michaels was traded to NBC for a rabbit. Yes, a rabbit.

Who is ESPN looking to pair in the Monday Night Football booth?

BEST KNOWN FOR: 

It may be difficult to narrow down a distinguished career to one single thing Michaels is “best known for,” especially after almost 5 decades in network sports play-by-play. To me though, there were two moments that stand out above most others. Each moment displays a distinct quality in Michaels’ broadcasts that I really admire and respect. 

The first should be fairly obvious. In fact, the most famous 6 words in sports, led off this column. Michaels drew the assignment of calling hockey for the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. He had no idea what would follow. In fact, he now jokes about how he actually drew the assignment at the hockey venue in New York. 

“I had done one game and nobody else had done any,” Michaels told CNBC earlier this year before the 40th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice” game.  “I’m with the Mount Rushmore of announcers,” Michaels said. “We have Howard Cosell, Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel, Keith Jackson, Frank Gifford, Bill Flemming. And somebody had to do hockey in Lake Placid.”, he said. 

“I knew what icing was. I knew what offside was,” he said. “And so that’s how I got the assignment.”, he told the cable network. 

By chance, Michaels by virtue of that single game under his belt got to make that call, or should I say THE call.  The explanation on where that final came from is typical Michaels, understated, capturing the moment and right on point. 

“I can only tell you this: The thing came out of my heart,” Michaels said to the New York Post in January. “There was a word that popped into my head: miraculous. Miraculous got morphed into a question, and I answered it with a yes, like Marv Albert always says, ‘Yes!’ That was it.”, Michaels said succinctly. “At that particular time, I had no idea this thing would live in perpetuity as long as it has.”  

That last statement to me is what separates Michaels from others. He didn’t script the call. He didn’t start screaming. He didn’t let his voice get swept up in the emotions of the building that was filled with giddy US Hockey fans.

10 Questions: Remembering the Miracle on Ice - NBC News

He stayed true, even as the nail-biting game was counting itself down, Michaels continued calling the action. Then when the moment arose, he nailed it, calling an incredible moment and then letting the pictures tell the story. It’s hard to do. 

The other best known involved an earthquake, a World Series and Michaels becoming a news reporter. This time he was only able to utter four words, “We’re having an earth…” before the broadcast on ABC Sports cut away. Michaels was right in a big way, the 6.9 magnitude

Loma Prieta temblor hit just as he was setting the scene for Game 3 of the 1989 game in San Francisco. The quake killed 63 people and injured nearly 4-thousand others. 

“It was certainly one of the most stunning things ever. There’s no way to even think about preparing for something like that,” Michaels told Sports Illustrated. “It took place, then what you had to do when we were on the air, kind of collect your wits and stay calm. I look back on that night as a very unusual once in a lifetime event probably, something that was just extraordinary. That one was not a good memory.”

Michaels became an impromptu reporter for a national news broadcast. He remembered vividly what happened after power was restored in the broadcast booth. “The camera in the booth got power first, and we flipped it around until we saw a shot [in its monitor] from the blimp of the Bay Bridge,” Michaels recalled to SI. “That’s when I first had an understanding that even though all of us at Candlestick were O.K., the rest of the area was not.” 

Michaels drew upon his 12 years living in the Bay Area, to identify the locations covered by the camera aboard the Goodyear blimp. With Ted Koppel in a studio in Washington DC, the two navigated the coverage with Michaels carefully describing what he saw and where the chaos was happening. Not out of his realm in any way. “Sports reporters are the same as news reporters,” he said. “We present the story, assess situations and articulate emotions. The same basic principles apply.”

He did what he could and wasn’t without mistake, but he was certainly on his game, albeit a different game than he was used to covering. “Kids always ask me how to get to this point in broadcasting,” he said. “I tell them to pay attention to everything that happens in the world. Sports often is more than the hit-and-run, stolen bases and three days’ rest.”

I know I talk a lot about ‘versatility’ and usually I mean, the ability to call different sports well or to be able to host a show too. This time, versatility kind of means the ability to adapt to what is going on around you and despite it not being a comfort zone, coming through when needed. Michaels did that in both cases, two memorable calls on much different ends of the spectrum. Truly grace under pressure. 

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?

Lots of reps will certainly help you perfect your craft and he’s had plenty of those has Al Michaels. But that’s not what makes him so good in my book. Michaels possesses a quality that many broadcasters seek. 

He always has “command” of his broadcast. Michaels can sense moments and when he needs to be talking and when he can defer to his analyst. He seems to be able to sniff out big moments in broadcasts and still has the ability to treat an obligatory 3-yard run with the same respect. A broadcast never gets away from Michaels, it may seem like it at times, because of his sarcasm and sense of humor, but trust me that’s all him knowing what the moment needed. Michaels’ ability to drop in some humor here and there is great. Whether it be a pop-culture reference or one involving the spread of the game or the over/under. I think people enjoy those moments as much as anything he does. 

Michaels has an incredible knowledge of each game he covers. You can tell in some instances that he already has the grasp on a question he’ll ask an analyst during a game. That ability allows the play-by-play man to either think right alongside his color commentator or nudge him/her to that point. It’s seamless. If you didn’t know it, you could never tell. 

It doesn’t really matter who he’s working with. Whether it be John Madden, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Cris Collinsworth, Dan Dierdorf, Frank Gifford, Dan Fouts, Dennis Miller, Hubie Brown, Tommy Lasorda or Howard Cosell, he worked with them seamlessly. 

Michaels’ resume would take up the rest of this webpage all by itself. Suffice it to say, he’s done everything from, local baseball for the Reds and Giants, The Olympic Games, Super Bowls, World Series games and the NBA Finals. Michaels has also hosted coverage of The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, The Indy 500, Stanley Cup Finals and the Olympics as well. Having any one of those things under your belt alone would be noteworthy. The man has done it all and done it all very well. 

Last but certainly not least, there was that trade, involving Michaels and a rabbit. Ok it was a cartoon rabbit. When Michaels joined NBC to broadcast Sunday Night Football in February of 2006, ABC and NBC struck a deal to let Michaels out of his remaining contract. NBC Universal sold ESPN the cable rights to 4 Ryder Cups, also granted ESPN more usage of Olympic Highlights and sold to parent company Disney the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Oswald was a cartoon character developed by Walt Disney himself which he lost in 1928. It was previously owned by Universal Pictures which is under the NBC umbrella. 

NBC History: How a cartoon rabbit brought Al Michaels to SNF | NBC ...

Michaels joked about the “trade” saying, “Oswald is definitely worth more than a fourth-round draft choice. I’m going to be a trivia answer someday.”. 

I think NBC got itself a steal of a deal, acquiring one of the all-time greatest voices in sports.  

BSM Podcast – Season 5 – Episode 1 – Sam Savage, Outkick

Jason Barrett
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Sam Savage may not be the name you’re most familiar with if you follow Outkick, but he’s a huge part of the brand’s expansion in recent weeks. The longtime digital media executive recently invested in the company, joining forces with Clay Travis and Jason Whitlock, and on this episode he sheds some light on why he chose to invest in Outkick during a rough 2020, what his vision is for the brand’s future, why understanding technology is even more important than brand exposure on traditional media, and where he sees the company directing its focus in the near and distant future.

Additionally, the first 10-minutes include an opening commentary from BSM President Jason Barrett on the status of the Managing The Crisis podcast, the BSM Podcast’s seasonal approach, and the importance of hearing and welcoming different points of view, and providing second chances to those who make mistakes.

ISSUES DISCUSSED WITH SAM:

  • His background as a digital media executive
  • Why he chose to invest in Outkick during a rough 2020
  • The reason for shortening the Outkick name
  • Luring Jason Whitlock to Outkick from FS1
  • Whether adding Whitlock could create tension with FOX
  • If Outkick can survive and thrive without traditional media
  • Building systems and strategies to increase Outkick’s revenue
  • Dealing with potential advertiser issues due to activism
  • What separates successful digital media brands
  • Outkick’s future plans in the podcasting space
  • If the goal is to build & sell or be part of Outkick long term
  • Whether Shannon Terry, FOX or iHeart could become future partners
  • Which goals he’s set for Outkick’s next 6 months
  • If the brand plans to add more talent in the near future

FROM THE GUEST:

Sam’s Linkedin profile: Sam Savage 

The Family Affairs Of Baseball Broadcasting

Andy Masur
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The Family Affairs Of Baseball Broadcasting

Father’s Day – a time to celebrate the dad’s in our lives and give them a special day or as former Mets’ broadcaster Ralph Kiner once said, “It’s Father’s Day today, so to all you father’s out there, happy birthday!”. Or something like that. We know what he meant. When you think of baseball, the fathers and sons that come to mind I’m sure are the Griffey’s, Ken and Ken Jr, the Bonds’, Bobby and Barry and the several generations of Boone’s, Bob, Brett and Aaron. 

On Aug. 31, 1990, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. became the first father ...

My mind of course goes to father and son duos in the broadcast booth. Almost as rare as a father/son combo in the game, it’s pretty rare off the field as well. There are several “family affairs” throughout baseball and some transcend just one sport. The common theme is, growing up with a dad that travels a lot leads to having to get to know him later in life. On rare occasions the duos get to work together, which leads to a relationship that wasn’t known before. The focus here, will be on the three most popular father/son combinations in baseball broadcasting. 

Jack and Joe Buck

Jack was the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1954-2001 and did baseball and NFL national broadcasts. The elder Buck had a distinctive deep voice that was perfect for baseball on the radio. He was versatile, doing the NFL as well. I loved listening to Jack alongside Hank Stram on the CBS Radio coverage of Monday Night Football. 

Joe is now one of those voices you hear and realize. It’s probably a big game, or THE national game of the week. The younger Buck followed in his father’s footsteps in doing both Major League Baseball and the NFL. Joe started with the Cardinals in 1991 before he went on to national acclaim as the lead play-by-play voice for Fox Sports’ coverage of MLB and NFL games. The two were able to work together for many years in St. Louis, with Jack on Cardinals radio and Joe on Cardinals television.

Guideposts Classics: Joe Buck on His Hero, His Father | Guideposts

For Joe being in his dad’s shadow was something that he had a hard time with at first, but learned later on that there was no reason to feel that way.  “I was broadcasting Cardinal baseball in the major leagues at the age of 21, and that only happened because my last name was Buck. At the time, I fought that,” the younger Buck told NPR in 2016. He continued, “But there’s also a little bit more of a sharp knife out there, as far as critics are concerned, that you better be as good as the old man, or in some cases better, to be considered a success.”

Being modest, Joe continued to NPR, “I know I do a decent enough job to keep my job, but I will forever be known to some people as Jack Buck’s son. And thank God he and I were best friends or that would drive me nuts. Instead, I consider it a high compliment.”

The Bucks are the only father-son combination each to have called a Super Bowl.

Marty and Thom Brennaman

Hall of Famer Marty replaced Al Michaels as the Reds play-by-play announcer in 1974, a position he continued in until retiring at the end of last season. He spent his entire 46 year run behind the mic for the Reds. Marty is one of the nicest human beings you’ll meet and was the last of a breed of announcers that were able to really “tell it like it is”.

Marty broadcast games for the fans of Cincinnati and somehow still had the support of management over the years. His distinctive voice, a very “folksy” and “midwestern” delivery was an easy listen. Not many get to stay with one team for his entire career and go out on his own terms, still at the top of his game. 

In 2006 it was announced that Marty’s son Thom would be joining the Reds broadcast crew for the 2007 season. Marty was thrilled, “this is a dream fulfilled for me,” said Brennaman in 2006. “I was always a little bit envious of the Buck’s and the Caray’s. Now I get to work with my son. Nothing’s better than that.” 

Cincinnati Reds on Twitter: "#OTD in 2007: Marty & Thom Brennaman ...

Thom began his career in the late ’80s, working for the Cubs and Diamondbacks before returning to Cincinnati in 2006. Thom proved himself to be a top tier broadcaster with a very straight forward style. In some ways he took some of the best of his father and made it his own. Thom is not shy about voicing an opinion during a game, about a player or team or whatever. As mentioned, Marty was one of those “fans” in the booth back in the day, Thom has a knack for being able to do that as well. 

Thom was fortunate to grow up in Cincinnati and tag along with Marty to the ballpark. He learned a lot about the game from some of the greatest Reds in history and of course his dad. As Thom rose through the ranks, dad was always there for him. “After games or the next day or as the years went by to Chicago or Arizona or even now, I can certainly and have, thousands of times, picked up the phone or sat down with him and say hey how would you have maybe handled this or what do you think about the way I handled that?” Brennaman said last September on a Reds’ podcast. “Especially during football season. He’s able to sit back and watch a lot of the games I’ll do during the NFL season. He’ll say ‘hey what were you thinking about that?’ or I’ll say ‘what did you think about that.’ It’s a pretty dog gone good coach to have around.”

Thom spoke about his decision to leave Arizona and join his dad in Ohio on the Reds’ Flagship Radio Station, WLW. “Having a chance to work with him (Marty) is sort of the cherry on top of the sundae. You know the sundae was built on a foundation of I’ve always been an Ohio guy. I just love Cincinnati,” he said. “I loved growing up in this part of the country. I just thought it would be really great if our children could grow up here. I’m really just going to miss being around him.”

The Brennamans are the only father-son combination each to have called a perfect game (Marty for Tom Browning in 1988; and Thom for Randy Johnson in 2004).

Harry, Skip and Chip Caray

Maybe the most popular broadcaster of all the duos (in this rare case a trio) was Harry Caray. The elder stateman of the trio held down gigs with the Cardinals, White Sox and Cubs (he also had a brief stint with the A’s and St. Louis Browns). He teamed with Jack Buck in St. Louis to form a terrific broadcast team on Cardinals Radio. Harry was a showman though and that really came through when he went to the White Sox. The eldest Caray started the tradition of singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” on the PA, from the booth in the 7th inning (thank you Bill Veeck). He would swing his microphone encouraging the crowd to join him, to the delight of those in attendance and those watching at home. While it was big on the Southside of Chicago, it exploded on the Northside.

Caray leads 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' - YouTube

When Harry came to the Cubs, he was the attraction. The team was starting a rebuild under GM Dallas Greene and they weren’t very good. Caray was the ultimate salesman for baseball, pointing out the great things about being at the game and also calling things out that needed it. Some of the things Harry got away with then, probably wouldn’t fly in today’s game or world. Lost in all of that though, was Harry in his early days and up until he suffered a stroke in 1987 was a tremendous broadcaster – clean, crisp and concise calls of some big moments in the game of baseball. Not that he wasn’t good after 1987, he kind of steered into the skid and embraced his role as an entertainer and someone people wanted to watch. Harry passed just before the 1998 season, the year he was supposed to start working with his grandson, Chip. That duo never materialized. More on that in a moment. 

Harry’s son, Skip Caray was as much a part of Atlanta Braves lore as his father was with both Chicago baseball teams. Skip joined the Braves broadcasts in 1976 and stayed there until his untimely death in 2008. Skip and longtime partner Pete Van Wieren formed a widely popular duo on Superstation WTBS. They were seen all across the country (as were the Cubs during that time) growing a fan base in places not even near Atlanta.

Skip was widely popular and not for the same reasons his dad was. Skip’s style was often imitated but never duplicated. He had a quick wit and a sarcastic sense of humor that really made him so endearing to most fans. Some didn’t take his sarcasm to heart and weren’t fond of his deprecation of some of the bad Braves teams in the 1980’s. Skip would try to make light of horrible games, in fact with the Braves down big in a game he said, “It’s OK to walk the dog now, folks, if you promise to support our sponsors.” Priceless.

Chip Caray is the third member of the trio. Chip came into his own as the television voice of the Chicago Cubs from 1998 until 2004. Chip has an enthusiasm for the game that is hard to match. His home run calls during the ’98 race between Sosa and McGwire were featured prominently during Long Gone Summer when it debuted last weekend.

“Swung on and belted…” is a signature call. Chip is a cerebral guy and really knows the history of the game of baseball. You can tell that he really loves what he does and really loves the game with his style. 

Chip was hired by the Cubs to work with his grandfather Harry in the booth for the 1998 season. Unfortunately, Harry passed away in February of that year, and they never got to work together. “I never got to close the family book with Harry, I didn’t know him well and had very little interaction with him, which is why ‘98 is still bittersweet in many respects.”, Caray told me. “There is a ton of regret not getting to ‘know’ my grandfather on a personal level. Professionally, I mean, an entire history of baseball in our family was lost, I would have loved his advice on how to handle being a play-by-play guy in a big city like Chicago…all of that gone in a flash,” said Chip. 

When the Cubs chose not to renew his contract on the final day of the 2004 season, he announced he was headed to Atlanta to work with his father Skip on Braves’ broadcasts. A man he didn’t know very well. “My parents were divorced; I knew my dad loved me. I saw him two weeks a year. As he said one time, ‘I left when you were five and all of the sudden, I see you and get to know you and you’re 16 and 6 foot 4.’ That was an eye opener for him and an eye opener for me too,” said Chip. 

Skip Caray Dead at 68

“As bittersweet as it was to leave the Cubs, I was overjoyed getting a chance to work with my dad and be his son,” said the youngest Caray. “Understand that while divorce is in one way a failure it doesn’t make you a failure. We had a heart wrenching conversation one time. He said ‘I feel so guilty about the things I wasn’t able to do with you as a kid.’ I stopped him and said ‘do you like who I am as a person? Forget the broadcast, do like what you see of me as a person, a husband, a father?’ He said ‘yeah’, and I told him that he needed to understand that all of these experiences and things that I went through have made me who I am.”, he recalled. “So, celebrate that you did a lot of things right. It turned out ok. I think it gave him some peace and was sort of the basis of understanding for us and not looking back at what didn’t happen or should have happened but think about what could be from that point on,” Chip said with a smile in his voice.  

“The moments and times I had with my dad were great, we had a lot of laughs. He left us far too soon. I miss him every day,” Chip said.

He recalled how important it was to forge a relationship with his dad. “We were able, as adults, to reconnect the fibers of family that weren’t frayed by any stretch, but had never really been put together.  My dad developed amazing relationships with my kids, my wife and it was so rewarding to see how proud he was of me being a husband, father, and yes, broadcaster too.”

In May of 1991 all three Caray’s were in the booth together, for the open of the broadcast when the Cubs hosted the Braves. Chip and Skip with Atlanta and of course Harry with the Cubs. 

Chip Caray remembers grandfather, others as Cubs play in World ...

It still amazes me how the game of baseball is such a family affair. Whether it be on the field, the broadcast booth or in the stands, it’s generational. It’s meant to be shared with father’s and sons or father’s and daughters. Let’s hope those in charge of the game realize it and get the players back on the field soon. 

Others include (not specific to baseball only):

  • Marv and Kenny Albert 
  • Harry and Todd Kalas
  • Ian and Noah Eagle
  • Will and Sean McDonough
  • Don and Daron Sutton        
  • Ken and Casey Coleman
  • Woody and Wes Durham
  • Dan, Dan Jr. and John Kelly

Sports Media Personalities As Women? Blame FaceApp!

Jason Barrett
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The internet can be a scary place. Especially if you’ve surfed the web or social media recently. But for all of its dangers, it can also bring people together, increase conversation, and provide laugh out loud moments.

On Wednesday, my social timelines became full of images of SEC Football Coaches as women. The thread was introduced Tuesday afternoon, and by Wednesday, it was spreading like a wildfire. Then as the hours passed, I noticed the hashtag #FaceAppchallenge was trending. The photos of the coaches were hilarious, and though I’m not sure how or why it caught on again (aging images were the trend last July), thousands got involved sharing, and engaging with them. My personal favorite was Mike Leach.

When these type of unexpected things happen, it’s vital for brands to dive in immediately with their own spin. It shows that you’re aware of what people are into. Waiting 48-72 hours to get involved is no different than showing up to a party 2-3 days after it’s over. Creativity and speed are essential for capitalizing on viral moments, and as I saw this trend growing, I was stunned that more sports media brands didn’t turn their digital teams loose to have a field day with it. It isn’t like the sports world has been overflowing with content lately.

How to Go Viral on LinkedIn | Inc.com

Kudos to Altitude Sports Radio in Denver, and 104.5 The Zone in Nashville who dove in early. Nice job as well by Sports Talk 790 in Houston, Outkick The Coverage, and Kentucky Sports Radio who posted and shared articles about the SEC coaches viral sensation. Props as well to Troy Hughes of 105.3 The Fan and ESPN’s Stanford Steve, who got into the act last night, and immediately saw a strong response to their posts.

Taking something like this, and localizing it is pretty easy. All it takes is opening an app, uploading an image, going thru the app’s options to decide what you want to create, and then clicking save. It’s literally finished within minutes, maybe even seconds. Stations could’ve jumped on this by creating images of local players, coaches, celebrities, the station’s hosts or anything else with a connection to the brand or market. Laughter is contagious, and anytime you can make an audience feel something good, while giving them incentive to engage with and share your content, that’s an opportunity you can’t pass up.

I knew this social trend would likely fade fast, so I pulled some photos of sports media personalities, and started messing with the app. Just seeing the instant change in each person’s appearance thru FaceApp cracked me up, and I figured others might enjoy it too. Hosts who don’t take themselves too seriously should appreciate it as well, because it’s both a content opportunity, and a chance to show the audience that you can laugh along with them, even if sometimes it’s at your own expense.

Below you’ll find the photos that were created and shared on social media. My intent wasn’t to change the world, reinvent the wheel, or make anyone look or feel bad. It was simply to recognize a popular trend, find a creative way to enter the conversation, and reward people in the process with a few laughs while giving them reasons to engage and share the content. Given what we’ve all dealt with over the past few months, a little bit of fun should be a welcomed distraction.

First Take – Stephen A. Smith & Max Kellerman
Skip & Shannon Undisputed: Shannon Sharpe & Skip Bayless
The Herd – Joy Taylor & Colin Cowherd
The Dan Le Batard Show – Dan Le Batard & Jon ‘Stugotz’ Weiner
Outkick The Coverage – Clay Travis & Jason Whitlock
The Ringer – Ryen Russillo & Bill Simmons
Barstool Sports – Dave ‘El Presidente’ Portnoy & Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz
ESPN – Scott Van Pelt & Paul Finebaum
ESPN – Mike Greenberg & Mike Golic
FOX Sports Radio – Doug Gottlieb & Dan Patrick
CBS Sports Radio – Pat McAfee & Jim Rome
WFAN/SiriusXM – Mike Francesa & Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo
Barrett Sports Media – Jason Barrett & Demetri Ravanos
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