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Ernie Johnson Is Trying To Get From Point A to Point B to Point C

Andy Masur
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His work is well known. His bowties are instantly recognizable. The smile is always present, and why not, right?

When you’re Ernie Johnson and you host one of the best studio shows on television, there’s a lot of reason to laugh and be happy. Johnson is a versatile broadcaster, the kind you can plug into any situation and know the job will be done well. In addition to his work on TNT’s Inside the NBA, Johnson hosts Turner and CBS’ coverage of NCAA March Madness and is the lead play-byplay announcer for Turner’s coverage of Major League Baseball and the PGA Championship. It’s already a very impressive resume. Add to it the NFL, The British Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics and you have the complete package. 

Ernie Johnson Jr. | Bio | Premiere Speakers Bureau

During the shutdown of sports, Johnson is trying to stay busy while at the same time helping young journalists. He is not a fan of fake crowd noise and he has as much fun hosting with Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal as it looks like he does. 

I caught up with Johnson this week and he was kind enough to answer some questions. We started with his work in the NBA and as studio host of Inside the NBA. 

Andy Masur: In general, how much fun is it to host Inside the NBA on TNT? You guys seem to have a blast every time you’re on the air. 

Ernie Johnson: It’s as much fun to do as it appears on the screen. We all realize how fortunate we are to have a job that requires us to watch basketball and then talk about it.  I mean if you hear that job description who wouldn’t say “Sign me up!”? Kenny, Charles and I have been together for 20 years, Shaq for the last 8. 

With producers like Tim Kiely and Jeremy Levin, we’ve been able to come up with a show that broke out of the traditional mold of studio shows, so that it became very unpredictable, very spontaneous, freewheeling—call it what you will.  And we haven’t been afraid to venture outside the traditional boundaries and voice our opinions on social issues, politics, whatever topics the average fan was talking about, we were going to talk about too. 

AM: What are some of the keys to hosting alongside 3 high profile former players and entertaining personalities?

EJ: I think the key is always to know your role, know your material, know how to prepare, and know that the show is not about you. Working with Kenny, Charles, and Shaq is about as much fun as you can have in this job.   You just have to keep in mind that they’re the ones who played the game at the highest level.  Nobody in the audience cares what I think is going on in a team huddle with a second and a half to play, but these guys have all been there.  We need to hear from them. 

My role is to move the show along from point A to point B to point C, and be armed with the latest information from around the league which will spark conversation.  That information can be anything from a key stat to a quote from a player or coach which begs a response from our trio of NBA players.  I think the reason our show has been successful through the years is that no matter how “high profile” the personalities may be, nobody has tried to make the show about themselves.

Shaq, Charles Barkley fight over speaking time makes Ernie Johnson ...

AM: I know a lot of us in this business are looking for ways to stay active and relevant in the sports world.  Looking at your Twitter account I noticed you started “Ernie’s Journalism School”. How did that come about and how much fun was it for you? 

EJ: It was born out of a feeling of “okay, what do we do now?” which popped up in the first few days of the NBA’s suspension of play.  As a journalism student at the University of Georgia way back when, my favorite classes were those in which a professor would bring in a guest speaker who was already doing what I wanted to do one day.  We as students were able to fire away with any questions we had about what it’s like in the real world. Now after 40 years in the business, one of my favorite things to do is return to my Alma Mater and talk about our industry, and answer questions.  

So, I talked to Turner’s social media team, just asking what possibilities were out there, and they mentioned Twitter Live.  I’ve been on Twitter for years but never realized there was a Live element to it.  So, I just thought with so many college students’ lives turned upside down maybe I could give the journalism students out there an outlet to ask questions.  So I reached out to some of my friends and told them what I was thinking—a daily, hour long session—in which they would take questions the students could type in Live, and basically tell their stories—where they started—how they moved up—advice, that kind of thing.   

I just basically went through the contacts in my phone and was so pleased to get such positive response. So, students got to hear from the people they see on their screens, or whose stories they read, and ask ‘em anything they wanted.  I didn’t know at the time that it would run Monday through Friday for six weeks, but before it was all done the students had heard from about 35 different people who were in the business—from Scott Van Pelt to James Brown to Andrea Kremer to Brian Anderson, and on and on.  I’ll admit it too, I learned a lot, even after this long in the business.

AM: What a great idea! I’m wondering what kinds of things have you learned during this pandemic about the importance of sports in our society? I know I miss them greatly! 

EJ: I’ve always said that sports are a great distraction to the pressures of real life and that’s just been amplified during the course of the pandemic.  Even if you don’t sit down and watch an event from start to finish, you might have it on as background noise for whatever else you’re up to, and you’re checking back to see the score, who’s leading the tournament, that kind of thing.  I think you saw how much people miss live sports, watching something without knowing who’s gonna win, with The Match: Champions for Charity.  Sport just gives us that escape valve that’s been missing for months now.

AM: Along those lines, there’s been a lot of talk recently that network TV broadcasts will pump in fake crowd noise and perhaps use virtual fans during games held with no fans. What are your thoughts on that possibly happening? 

EJ: I vote ‘no’. We all realize the situation we’re in with no fans.  There’s no need to fake it.  It might be interesting to hear all the things you normally don’t during a telecast because they’re drowned out by crowd noise. 

Amen to that. 

A note about that golf event he referenced earlier in our conversation. Johnson was supposed to be in Florida for “The Match”, but didn’t attend for personal reasons. In an emotional segment before the broadcast he described the reasons. 

Sportscaster Ernie Johnson on Adopting His Son with Special Needs ...

His son Eric has dealt with Muscular Dystrophy for years and since 2011 he’s depended on a ventilator to breath. Johnson said his son would be at great risk of dying if he contracted COVID-19. Said Johnson in the piece aired before the event, “I just didn’t think it was worth the risk of bringing in an unseen foe into our house.”

Ernie Johnson, tremendous broadcaster and equally tremendous as a father.

Fake Crowd Noise Isn’t The Innovation Broadcasting Needs

Andy Masur
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Fake Crowd Noise Isn’t The Innovation Broadcasting Needs

I’m not sure what to expect to be honest. I have no idea what it will sound like, no clue what it might feel like. I know it’s going to be strange.

I’m talking about doing a radio broadcast with no fans in the stands. As I write, I think to myself, ‘if that’s what it takes to get us back to playing baseball, I’m on board’. No offense to the fans. They are a vital part of the experience for sure, but if it means sports gets back going, it’s probably a fair trade off. 

Canceled Games and Empty Stadiums: Will the Coronavirus Spread to ...

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing everybody to pivot and figure out ways to get through this thing with as much “normalcy” as possible. Sports has been directly affected with shutdowns, layoffs, furloughs and anything but business as usual. This is the new reality at least now. It’s uncharted territory. Leagues and networks are feeling their way through the unknown and are doing what they feel is best for them and for the players. Safety is the biggest concern and why fans are not going to be in the seats when we get back underway. 

Now comes this from Fox play-by-play man, Joe Buck, taking to Twitter last week saying that his network is considering “pumping in fake crowd noise and maybe even show virtual fans if NFL stadiums are empty this season.”  It’s a couple of several options they are considering apparently. 

Are we talking something like a “laugh track” like in your favorite TV sitcom? Please no. I think I understand why this is being considered, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. 

Buck continued on Twitter last week, “some ambient crowd noise under a broadcast is a simple, necessary tool to normalize the viewing experience at home.” In a second tweet Buck wrote, “There is no ‘traditional’ take on this topic. It’s new territory. Hoping stadiums are full and all is normal. If not, then it’s a blank canvas. All networks will try to make it look and sound as normal as possible. It could lead to unprecedented, thrilling access. Who knows?”

FOX Sports 1 took to the air with a “test” run during a Bundesliga soccer matching between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. I didn’t personally hear it, but according to those that did, the sound seemed natural, with the dull white noise and some chants. Apparently it sounded good until the cameras panned to reveal an empty stadium. What a contradiction. 

Bundesliga | Borussia Dortmund celebrate with absent fans after ...

The fake crowd noise just nags at me. I love hearing ambient sound in my headphones when doing a baseball broadcast, don’t get me wrong. At the same time, its ACTUAL ambient sound from whatever type of crowd there is. If there are no fans in the stands, it will create a challenge for broadcasters, but I think the fake stuff will too. You’ll know it’s fake, so will your audience. It may become a very overused “punchline” to a “listen to the crowd” commentary. I’m not into that one bit. 

Same can be said for “virtual” fans. Can’t the networks just tighten up those high home, or 50-yard line cameras to show us a little more action? Is it really a big deal to show an empty arena? They’ll ALL be empty so what’s the big deal? Why even invest in the labor of faking it, both in person hours or money?

The KBO (Korean Baseball) is piping in crowd noise at the stadium for players to feel like it’s a little less strange. During the broadcasts on ESPN, that noise is barely audible. That seems like a better alternative for the viewer who again knows that nobody is there. The KBO even went as far as having fans send in photos of themselves, then they are made into cardboard cutouts and placed in the stands. That’s fun once, maybe twice. After that I don’t see the attraction. 

UFC fights without fans in the stands have gotten a lot of positive commentary on social media. Fans said that crowd noise helps build the drama for a major fight, but it’s not the end all, be all. UFC viewers actually say they liked hearing the kicks and punches land making them feel like they had seats in the front row. They also enjoyed hearing the coaching that was going on, almost like a behind the curtains view and sound. 

In sports, or should I say “entertainment” events like the WWE, no fans equal a big 180 from the way things need to be. The WWE needs the crowds to be involved and into it.  

There was an occasion a few years ago, in 2015 when the White Sox and Orioles played a game in Baltimore with the gates locked and no fans in the stands. There was some unrest in the city and the decision was made to play the game as scheduled but without an audience. It was a bit of a different feel for sure.

The Orioles telecast had a little fun with the situation. Gary Thorne put on his “Masters voice” for a brief moment, giving the play-by-play as Adam Jones took his at-bat in the top of the seventh. The approach was tested immediately when Jones hit the first pitch of the at-bat. Thorne’s call: “Jones will whack the son-of-a-gun to center field. That’s very deep, it’s deep and it’s off the base of the wall. … Adam Jones has a double, and that green jacket is well within reach, Jim.” Thorne providing a light-hearted moment that was well accepted. He didn’t do the whole game that way, just the one at-bat. 

I do realize that networks are going to have to do what they can to make it the best broadcast possible. The virtual fans and pumped in crowd noise are a couple of ways to go, but again, to me not the desired direction. I say we embrace this and try some things that are REAL and could have some meaning and staying power. This is a great opportunity to “switch up the normal” because this is not going to be normal. 

Some broadcasters across the country echo those sentiments. Cardinals play-by-play announcer Dan McLaughlin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that any potential bumps in the road for networks wouldn’t compare to the games coming back to our screens and radios.

“We’d have baseball and sports back,” he said. “If this is how the game is to be presented, then let’s do it. Let’s give the viewing audience the best product we can under the circumstances. Let’s enjoy it and embrace it, no matter if it’s different than what we’re used to.”

In other words, steer into the skid, embrace the chaos, blazon new trails and create something out of nothing. The piped in crowd noise, cardboard cut outs and virtual fans are what you might call “low hanging fruit”. Easy fixes. Again, are you enhancing the broadcast with these maneuvers or are you creating a mockery? I say it a lot, but it’s true, time to think outside the box. Come up with some solutions that may in fact carry on, once the pandemic is over and we get back to “near normal” conditions. 

What am I talking about? How about ESPN’s broadcast of KBO games?  Not only are the broadcasters doing the games from their own houses (for obvious reasons) but they’re using a rotating “third voice” in the “booth”. Whether it be a former player, a Korean baseball expert or even an MLB insider.  It’s an interesting idea to provide some information and some entertainment, especially since most people tuning in are just ‘jonesing’ for some baseball. They likely don’t know who the players are on most of the teams, with a few exceptions. Why not tune in for some KBO games and hear about what is going on with MLB? I like it. 

Yonhap News Agency reporter appears on ESPN telecast of KBO game ...

Dave Flemming who calls Giants games in San Francisco told the folks on KNBR radio it’s ok to experiment during these weird times. “I think there could be room for, OK, the Giants are playing the Cubs in one of these weird games,” Flemming said. “Let’s have Will Clark on and let’s show some highlights from that playoff series and let’s show the Maddux moment. I think there is some room to do a little bit of that while still actually covering the game.”

“When there’s no crowd and no ballpark atmosphere, there is a huge part of what we’re used to watching missing,” Flemming said on KNBR. “That void probably does need to be filled somehow. I wouldn’t do it all game every game. But I think there is a spot for some stuff like that without fans and ballpark atmosphere to lean on. It is going to be tough on those directors and camera operators. It’s like, man, you can only get so many facial closeups of the guy on the on-deck circle.”

Maybe this will be something that continues past the pandemic when fans are allowed back into stadiums and ballparks. Sometimes telecasts and broadcasts fall into predictable habits, especially in the case of baseball, because the sport is such a repetitive thing. Daily broadcasts basically for 6-7 months can force that.

I’d love to see this crazy time turn into positives that we can take as we move through this pandemic and back to some type of normal. Fake crowd noise and virtual fans? No thank you. Ways to grow the game and grow as broadcasters as a result? Yes, please. There’s nothing wrong with a little inventiveness now and then.

Jay Mariotti Headlines New Additions to BSM’s Writing Team

Jason Barrett
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For the past 3 years, the BSM Summit has served as our company’s Super Bowl. The 6 months leading up to it are the most intense days and weeks of my year, but once the show is over, it’s back to normal day to day business until the fall.

But not this year.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put immense pressure on the media industry and it’s had an impact on BSM too. I’ve had to postpone market visits to help clients, suspend a relationship or two, and take on a heavier role publishing, podcasting, and executing our social media in order to keep industry readers informed. Maintaining brand relevance during a chaotic time is critically important, so although it’s increased my workload and made writing a little harder, it’s what you have to do to survive when operating an independent business.

When a crisis like the one we’ve lived thru occurs, you can either absorb the punches and keep moving forward or give in to the pain and wave the white flag. I’m not going to tell you it’s been easy because it hasn’t been, but no way was I going to let almost 5 years of hard work go up in smoke.

As soon as I saw what was starting to transpire, I got busy launching the ‘Managing The Crisis’ podcast which is now 15 episodes in. We started doing more features on advertisers and brands to help format folks understand what’s happening in the business world and to share ideas to help folks protect their bottom line. Demetri and I even got active in the video space, producing a weekly Zoom chat on topics of interest to industry people. Last but not least, we launched and began promoting the BSM Member Directory which has grown to 11 subscribers and will become a helpful resource going forward for aspiring and established hosts and producers, as well as program directors and executives.

Watching our industry endure pain throughout March, April and May convinced me that we had to pivot and make a stronger commitment to content. I’ve kept our team between 6-8 people over the past few years and it’s worked quite well. But, I knew that we needed to produce more eyeballs on the site, increase word of mouth, and cement our position as a resource for media companies and industry professionals.

Which brings me to today.

I am pleased to announce that we have added Jay Mariotti, John Michaels, Rob ‘Stats’ Guerrera, Chrissy Paradis, Ricky Keeler and Jacob Conley to our writing team. Jay, John, Rob and Chrissy are industry veterans who will contribute weekly columns, Ricky and Jacob are young professionals who will be producing news stories on national brands and talent.

Starting with Jay, his profile is well known. He was a dominant columnist in Chicago for over a decade for the Sun-Times. He also became a regular panelist on ESPN’s ‘Around The Horn’. The response to his columns have been excellent, and his writing abilities are second to none. I’m well aware that Jay has fans and critics. Most highly opinionated people do. I’m not here to play judge and jury on people’s past situations. Everyone in this business deserves second chances, and I’m happy to provide one to a guy who’s been nothing but professional and consistent since reaching out. Roughly 20 shows have had him appear on their airwaves in the past month to talk about things he’s written for BSM. It shows that people value the content and they should because he makes you think and react.

In Rob and Chrissy’s cases, they’re both accomplished producers who have worked with notable personalities in the industry. ‘Stats’ as he’s referred to has spent time working with Mike Florio, Mike & Mike, Erik Kuselias, and a slew of other national talents. Chrissy has done the same but on the local level, helping hosts such as Tim Brando, Rob Dibble and Steve Cofield. At some point in the future they’ll be positive additions to a sports radio behind the scenes, but until then, I’m happy to have them sharing their knowledge and opinions on this website.

Adding another local host’s perspective was important too. Brian Noe has done a great job for us telling stories from the west coast, but I wanted to add an east coast slant as well. John Michaels has hosted for over a decade in Atlanta with 92.9 The Game and the now defunct 790 The Zone. He’s originally from south Florida, and contributes currently to SB Nation Radio. Having worked in a Top 10 market with a number of accomplished talents will serve John well in producing future pieces on the site.

These 6 additions will make our brand stronger, and I’m excited about it, but our work is not done. I’d still love to find someone to write about the business who has a background in sales and/or management. I’m also digging thru resumes and writing samples to find one general assignment reporter to work on feature stories. If you or someone you know is interested, email JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.

The focus now is on creating compelling content to grow our traffic and influence, serving our partners, growing the member directory, and adding a few advertisers to the website. We’ve proven that we can help those who do business with us, whether it be in a consulting role or as an online advertiser or paid partner at the BSM Summit. I’ll be sending out decks to companies this week and next to gauge interest in partnering with us.

I couldn’t be prouder of the work this team has done to make the website a daily destination for the sports media industry. These 6 new additions will help us continue growing, and there are a few other things we’re working on which I’m looking forward to sharing at the appropriate time. It’s going to take more than a global pandemic to slow us down, and I want to thank my clients for sticking with us during difficult times. Equally as important, I want to express my gratitude to all who continue to read our content, and share it on social media or via word of mouth. It’s a privilege to create content for you, and we appreciate the support.

Managing The Crisis – Mike Thomas, Good Karma Brands/ESPN 1000

Jason Barrett
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New company. New radio station. New staff. New city. New competition. And if that’s not enough to adjust to, how about going thru all of it while the media industry deals with the wrath caused by a global pandemic?

That’s what Mike Thomas‘ world has consisted of the past 5+ months since becoming the Market Manager of ESPN 1000 in Chicago. On this episode we discussed how he’s managed thru those adjustments, which sales ideas have provided a boost, what are the biggest differences and similarities between Chicago/Boston and Good Karma/Beasley/CBS Radio, how ESPN Chicago took advantage of the momentum created by The Last Dance and a lot more.

Managing The Crisis – Jill Albert, Direct Results

Jason Barrett
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As the founder and President of Direct Results, Jill Albert has had to make a number of adjustments to support her staff during the pandemic while remaining a valued partner to advertisers and the radio stations they place their business on. On this episode of Managing The Crisis, Jill discusses why she believes strongly in endorsements, how ratings factor into the buying process, which categories have been busiest during the pandemic, why she remains bullish on the future growth of podcasting, and when she thinks the advertising business will start to recover.

Who Is The Best Analyst In Each Sport?

Andy Masur
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Who Is The Best Analyst In Each Sport?

As I’ve discussed here before, it takes a village to put on a great television broadcast. It requires great production and direction, the right technical aspects, and of course the broadcast booth. Television is a different animal when it comes to the dynamic of play-by-play and color commentating.

The analyst is supposed to be the star on TV. There are so many opportunities to inject interesting, pointed commentary, during the action and a replay. The best play-by-play announcers across the country realize that their partner is the one with the expertise and knowledge of the sport he/she is calling. So, the best thing anyone can do is let the analyst do his/her job. 

Not everyone is capable of leaving the field of play and entering the broadcast booth. It takes a special former athlete to make the conversion. The timing in the booth is much different than it is on the field. The preparation is vastly different. The ability to convey a thought in an intelligent and concise manner seems like it would be easy, but it is not. There are a few though, that have managed to make it look easy and they are among the best of the best in their sport.

I’ve compiled a list of the best analysts in each of the 4 major sports, plus college football and basketball. The criteria is based on a national broadcast. These folks are quite often seen even if they aren’t with the “top broadcast team” on that network. Here we go.

NFL – Tony Romo 

This one may have seemed obvious to some, but it did cause a little debate in my mind. I really have enjoyed Tony Romo. I wasn’t sure when he first got into the broadcast arena, but he’s proven more than capable. The fact that he’s so fresh off the field, he still has the quarterback mentality and can still read defenses while on the air. How many times have you watched and seen him predict what is going to happen? Many, right? And many times he’s right. 

Romo’s personality compliments the broadcast. He’s not so giddy that it’s annoying, but he really sounds like he’s enjoying this phase of his life. I can almost picture him elbowing Jim Nantz in the booth during games when he’s right about a situation, or when he offers a humorous moment. He and Nantz go well together, with the play-by-play man offering the straight scoop on what’s going on and the analyst telling us how, what, when and why something happened. I can understand why Romo was such a commodity when his CBS deal was up. Good job by the folks at CBS to retain this star in the analyst chair. 

NBA – Doris Burke

I had to differentiate this one to just regular “game callers”, because otherwise it would have been a shared award between the Inside the NBA crew of Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. 

Burke is not such an obvious choice to the casual NBA fan, but listen to a broadcast and tell me that I’m off base. No, she didn’t play in the NBA, but she did play at a high level in college. Burke was a point guard at Providence and held assist records there, so she knows the game. You can tell that during any broadcast. 

Those that work with her know how knowledgeable she is. Burke has credibility with the players in the league as well, after serving as an in-game sideline reporter for many years. She’s interview the top players of a game and the questions were extremely professional. As a play-by-play announcer for ESPN as well, Burke knows the timing and flow of the broadcast. She self-edits and tries not to get too technical when explaining situations on the court.

Burke also admits to leaning a bit on co-analyst Jeff Van Gundy, who’s pretty darn good at this as well. She said in a November 2019 piece for Deadspin, she relies on Van Gundy to let her know when she misses the mark. She called him “a truth-teller” and referred to him basically as her in-game coach. 

MLB – John Smoltz

Smoltz gets what it is to be a top flight analyst. He was always known for his baseball “smarts” and it translates to the broadcast booth. I like his personality in meshing with whomever he’s working with. Mainly it’s Joe Buck and the two play off each other very well. Baseball is supposed to be fun and Smoltz sounds like he’s really enjoying himself every time he’s in the booth. 

The thing about Smoltz that maybe separates him from some of the others is his credentials. The man succeeded on the baseball field, not only personally but for his team as well. This gives him some pretty serious cache when it comes to his commentary. Yes, he was a pitcher, but he understands all facets of what is going on in the game. 

I really appreciate his candor. Smoltz isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. He also thinks through the games he’s covering and will make points about what might happen on a certain pitch if it’s thrown, BEFORE it’s actually headed to the plate. Those accounts are invaluable to a serious baseball fan watching the game he’s doing. 

NHL – Eddie Olczyk

In life of horses and hockey, Eddie Olczyk never faced odds like ...

This one was pretty easy. Olczyk is head and shoulders above all others in the NHL. He’s ahead of the play most of the time. Olczyk is a master at seeing things that not many others do from his broadcast position. While we’re watching the action, he’s on his intercom telling the producer to grab the ISO camera for a replay. Olczyk makes it pretty easy for the casual hockey fan to understand the game a little bit better by following along with him. 

Olczyk works mainly with Doc Emrick on the NBC and NBCSN telecasts of the NHL. The two have a great rapport. Olczyk has a terrific personality and never takes himself too seriously. It’s endearing because he doesn’t come off as a hockey robot, the analysis comes out with an easy-going tone. 

He has serious credentials as a former player and coach in the league. 

NCAA Football – Joel Klatt

The former Colorado quarterback has risen quickly up the ranks at Fox Sports. He’s been paired with Gus Johnson since 2015. The two now combine to call the Big Noon Saturday broadcast on the network. Klatt knows his football and has a very relatable style. He doesn’t talk down to the casual fan. 

Klatt is in a rare position to be working with a play-by-play announcer that is relied upon to be the personality of the booth. All Klatt has to do is focus on the field and telling the audience what he sees. He doesn’t add a lot of fanfare in his analysis, it’s not needed with Johnson in the booth.

Klatt has a good grip on the entire scope of the college game. He can talk intelligently about all aspects surrounding the game. He has a unique ability to relay the information in a very natural way. Seems like his early work as a studio host has served him well, having to prepare for all eventualities and learning how to work alongside other personalities. 

NCAA Basketball – Jay Bilas

Bilas has a tremendous understanding of the ins and outs of the game of basketball. That understanding along with his ability to describe what’s happening on the floor are still the best in the business. While he played the game at a high level, the explanations he gives are simple and easily understood. If you’re looking for a guy to tell you why certain strategies work and some don’t from game to game, he’s your guy. He is a steady force in the game of college basketball analysis. 

If you’re looking for a flamboyant, loud and sometimes overbearing color commentator, well Bilas is not your guy. He doesn’t use humor or exuberance to make his points because he doesn’t have to. Bilas can leave that to Vitale. 

Bilas provides excellent and insightful commentary on issues regarding college basketball, both on and off the court. I know it’s a pretty big college basketball game when Bilas is on the call. 

I just can’t wait until these folks are doing what they do best, analyzing actual games. 

Managing The Crisis – Mitch Rosen, 670 The Score and 105.7 The Fan

Jason Barrett
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With programming responsibilities in Chicago and Milwaukee, Mitch Rosen has been forced to adjust his daily and weekly approach as a result of the pandemic. On this episode, Mitch shares how the country’s chaos has impacted ratings, revenue, day to day communication, and even staff layoffs. Mitch also weighs in on The Last Dance, Daniel Ek’s comments on audio moving from linear to on-demand, and the return to Entercom for Chris Oliviero.

Building A Fantasy Monday Night Football Booth

Andy Masur
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Building A Fantasy Monday Night Football Booth

With the NFL’s release of its 2020 schedule, we are optimistic that a season will follow along with it, meaning a kickoff to the season on September 10 and a Super Bowl on February 7, 2021. But circle one date in your calendar, Monday September 14.

Why? It’s the debut of Monday Night Football for the season and it’s anyone’s guess who might be manning (no it won’t be him) the booth that night. 

The Monday Night Football broadcast is lost and is trying to find its way back into football fans’ hearts. Currently Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland are the team and it’s just not working. Neither have been told that the plug is being pulled on them, but from everything out there in various media reports, they won’t be back. Nothing against those guys personally, but the booth needs a retooling. The chemistry isn’t there. 

Monday Night Football broadcast: Joe Tessitore, Booger McFarland ...

What used to be appointment watching has now become a disappointment to watch. The glory days of ABC’s early telecasts are gone. The uniqueness of those booths can’t be replicated and the times have just changed frankly and maybe nobody should try to duplicate what worked then.

The formula was simple. Frank Gifford, the former New York Giants star, was the play-by-play voice, taking over for the original guy, Keith Jackson. Gifford had a likeable quality and was a familiar face in a large media market in New York. “Dandy” Don Meredith, another former player, was the “class clown” with his endearing Southern drawl and “Turn out the lights…” song to end a game. Gifford and Meredith were great, but the star was Howard Cosell. The brash, unapologetic, tell it like it was and never at a loss for words, Cosell was must watch television. Cosell had always been a bit contemptuous when it came to ex-jocks in the booth and here he was, working with two of them. He and Meredith would clash often, but it worked. 

Over the years, ABC tried to duplicate the formula a couple of times. When Al Michaels took over the play-by-play duties, the network shifted Gifford to analyst along with Dan Dierdorf. It was a few years later when the folks at ABC thought, let’s bring in a comedian Dennis Miller to work with Michaels and Dan Fouts. That experiment didn’t last very long. When the telecasts moved to ESPN, that network looked to recapture something from the glory days as well, by hiring Tony Kornheiser as an analyst along with Joe Theismann. That lasted a short time too. It’s hard to replicate something that was really a once in a lifetime thing. I understand why the choice was made though. 

Monday Night Football in the 70’s was on one of 3 major networks at the time. Now, ESPN is one of hundreds of TV options along with streaming services fighting for viewership. It’s a much different landscape, so why not adapt to that, instead of going backwards? Move forward. The broadcast could use a shakeup. It may even be time to look outside the box a bit if I’m ESPN. I’m not the network, I don’t work for them, but if I did, here would be my list of candidates and a case made for each. 

I’m going to break down who should at least be considered for the new booth. I’ll break it down into categories, those internal candidates already at ESPN, some that are outside the network and a couple that are outside the box. Here we go. 

PLAY-BY-PLAY:

Internal candidates: Dave Pasch, Bob Wischusen and Steve Levy

Pasch is a fixture on the network and is well versed in basketball and football. He has been the radio voice of the Arizona Cardinals since 2002, so the NFL experience is definitely there. Pasch is a proven commodity with the network and has the ability to work with a number of different color analysts. He works well with all of them, deferring when needed to create credibility. He would be a great choice. 

Wischusen is also an NFL broadcaster already. He has been the play-by-play voice of the Jets since 2002. Wischusen has been at ESPN in a variety of roles since 2006, where he’s called college football and basketball. A graduate of Boston College he had a couple of classmates with ESPN ties, including the incumbent voice of MNF, Tessitore and ESPN baseball play-by-play guy Jon Sciambi. Wischusen wouldn’t be a flashy choice, but a solid one nonetheless. 

Levy has been a mainstay in Bristol having been with ESPN since 1993. He’s probably best known for his SportsCenter anchoring and NHL play-by-play than anything else. Recently though, he’s called College Football again for the network. Levy did call one MNF game last year. It was the second game of the Monday night doubleheader. Levy called it with Brian Griese. 

My personal pick from this group would be Pasch. 

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ANALYST

Internal candidates: Brian Griese, Todd Blackledge, Pat McAfee, Louis Riddick and Jesse Palmer

Of this group, all have played in the NFL, so they all have credibility. Palmer has been around the longest of the group, but he seems to be concentrating more on hosting both in and out of sports. 

Griese has the pedigree and that easy-going demeanor that goes over well with audiences. 

Blackledge has the knowledge for sure, but is he a primetime performer under the scrutiny of MNF? 

Riddick was a star on this year’s coverage of the NFL draft. His insight and knowledge as a player and personnel director make him a qualified candidate. I think I’d rather see him where he is, as a studio contributor. 

McAfee is the new kid on the block, filled with energy and opinions. He’s become a big part of ESPN and actually, reportedly auditioned for the MNF booth when Jason Witten returned to play.  While he’s a bit of a wildcard, McAfee is very entertaining (he did some work for the WWE) and does know his stuff. 

From this group, McAfee is my choice, hands down. 

PLAY-BY-PLAY

Outside play-by-play: Kevin Harlan and Kevin Burkhardt 

Harlan is such a great announcer, with a personality that matches. Harlan is part of the Westwood One coverage of MNF, so he’s already traveling to the sites for the games, why not just say, “Kevin, we need you in the TV booth”? He is the kind of person that can seemingly work with anyone and make the analyst look and sound great. Harlan is valuable to CBS, covering the NFL on Sunday’s and also working on their NCAA Tournament broadcasts. 

Burkhardt is a great story, one of perseverance. Waiting for his break, he left the business for a time to sell cars. He knew the day would come and break after break came his way and now, he spends his Summer anchoring FOX Sports coverage of Major League Baseball. His Fall is split between MLB Playoffs and the number two announce team for FOX’s NFL coverage. He’s qualified for sure to take over the MNF booth. I enjoy his easy-going style, never upstaging the game, just calling what he sees. I am a fan.  

My vote from this group of Kevins, is Burkhardt. It would be nice for him to be considered and get it. 

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ANALYST

Outside analyst: Daniel Jeremiah, Steve Mariucci, Nate Burleson and Tony Gonzalez

I’m more impressed every time I see Jeremiah on the air. He has a quiet confidence about him and the information is always good. Jeremiah’s on-air presence is very good and he is concise but informative. In other words, he’s not just talking to hear the sound of his own voice. 

Mariucci is the old guard, the coach, the storyteller and a guy you’d like to sit and have a beer with. I’m not sure that the grind of the prep and travel would be something he’d want to do.

Burleson has great credibility as a former player. For a relative newcomer to the field, he handles himself very well on the air. He’s affable and can have a laugh at his own expense on the air. Burleson is pretty plugged in and well versed in the goings on in the NFL today. 

Of this group, my pick without much hesitation is Jeremiah. I’d love to see him on the broadcast of MNF. 

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Outside the Box play-by-play: Gus Johnson

Could you just imagine Gus Johnson in primetime once a week? Don’t laugh too hard, because I think it could work. Johnson’s reputation for making a routine play sound like the most exciting one ever is appealing to a younger crowd. Isn’t that what ESPN is looking for? The 25-54’s eat this stuff up. Johnson would give some fans a reason to tune in, without a dog in the fight or if the game is terrible.

Don’t laugh. 

Outside the Box analyst: Rotating analysts

Would ESPN make a move and say, ok, we’ll have a play-by-play announcer, a permanent analyst and a rotating group of “other” analysts? Maybe this is where a Greg Olsen could fit in late in a season. Tony Gonzalez? Michael Strahan (not that he’d have any time with his 2000 jobs!) for a game in New York? Bill Walton? Ok maybe that last one is a stretch, but who knows. This broadcast needs something to pep it up and make it watchable no matter the way the game is going. 

So, I’ve picked favorites from each of my categories, but there can only be three in the booth. For the sake of this column, I’ve been given sole power to select the new MNF booth and money is not an object. 

From the start of this column, I knew who I’d be going with. Though, some of my own blurbs made me rethink a few times. But in the end, I stuck to my guns. Ladies and Gentlemen, the new MNF booth as chosen by me:

Play-by-play: Kevin Burkhardt

Analyst: Daniel Jeremiah

Analyst: Pat McAfee (rotating group came in 2nd in this one)

I think it’s a solid booth. Burkhardt knows how to use his analysts and delivers solid calls. He’s a pro’s pro. Jeremiah is climbing up that ladder as a respected evaluator of talent and has a ton of football knowledge. With Jeremiah concentrating on the serious, McAfee would be the entertainer and guy that makes outlandish observations and statements, but can back it up with some insight into the game, having played it for so long. 

That’s my booth. It’s fresh, new and I think can work and work well. 

Managing The Crisis – Brandon Steiner, The Steiner Agency

Jason Barrett
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Managing The Crisis – Brandon Steiner, The Steiner Agency

As one of the most influential people in the sports memorabilia business, Brandon Steiner understands the challenges associated with running a company during a global pandemic. On this episode he shares his thoughts on digital marketing, pivoting in business, providing ideas and interaction, how he’d adjust if he ran a radio or hotel company, and why Michael Jordan hasn’t been as valuable to the sports memorabilia business as he could be.

Managing The Crisis – David Scott, HBO Real Sports

Jason Barrett
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Did the world of sports contribute to the spread of the corona virus? HBO Real Sports correspondent and producer David Scott tells Jason Barrett how mistakes made during the first two weeks in March contributed to the disease getting worse and how Real Sports’ production has been altered as a result of the pandemic.

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