Noble mission: Props to Jason Whitlock for new ESPN site that will provide opportunities to African-American sportswriters

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Finally caught up with Bill Simmons’ podcast with Jason Whitlock last week. Aside from the incredible reversal in Whitlock’s view of ESPN (Disney park theme music should have been included in this love fest), the reports of what he will be doing have been underplayed.

Whitlock actually is embarking on a noble mission. He will be assisting in the launch and will be the featured columnist in a new ESPN website that will be aimed at minority sports fans.  He referred to the site as “a Black Grantland,” which generated some headlines. But there’s more at play here.

“I want to try to engage all sports fans, particularly minority sports fans, in a conversation about sports,” Whitlock said in the podcast.

Now here’s the kicker: the site will be looking to hire and develop young African-American sportswriters. It’s hardly news that the profession has a dramatic shortage there.

Evan F. Moore wrote a compelling piece about the issue this week at ChicagoSide:

(When) I go to media events around town, I can’t help but notice that I am one of the few African-Americans I see. For example, I went to the media reception at the Cubs Convention earlier this year, and the only African-Americans I saw in attendance were myself and WCIU’s Kenny McReynolds. A couple of months later, I went to a similar media reception for Sox Fest. Laurence Holmes, Micheal Mayden, Ryan Baker and yours truly were the only black media professionals I came across.

I’ve always wondered why there was such as discrepancy between the number of black sportswriters and the number of black athletes. Even though two other African-Americans have contributed to ChicagoSide in the past, I’m the only one who contributes on a regular basis. Come to think of it, I’m one of the few African-American sportswriters at the other websites where I write. I don’t blame the publications, It’s just something I notice. I appreciate those sites for allowing me to add my own ingredients to the mix.

During the podcast, Whitlock talks about the impact Ralph Wiley had on his career as a mentor. Now he wants to do the same for other upcoming African-American journalists.

“I think there are talented, young African-American journalists out there,” Whitlock said. “I just don’t think they have been mentored properly. That falls on people like me, who have had some success, to take it upon ourselves to do that. At the end of the day, we can do better. I hope this website will change some of that.”

ESPN president John Skipper addressed the new site during media day in Bristol Wednesday.

“We have lots and lots of African-American talent at ESPN.com, but we don’t have a place where it’s an African-American-themed, or centric, site, where that conversation can take place…We’re going to do a talent search. We’re going to do what espnW did in identifying female reporters. Jason is going to help us look for new, young African-American sportswriters.”

I have had some issues with Whitlock, and we even had a Twitter spat earlier this year. So he likely will be surprised to see some praise coming from me.

However, any initiative that looks to provide opportunities and help diversify press boxes and newsrooms ranks high with me, and I’m sure others in the profession.

Skipper said the site still is in the planning stages. He added, “It won’t be titled ‘The Black Grantland.'”

How about “Wiley?” Sounds good to me.

 

 

 

 

 

My Golf World story: How several journeyman pros are major presence for Golf Channel

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It’s always a thrill to have a story in Golf World. Great editors and writers. I only hope I was able to live up to their high standards.

During the spring, I spent two days at the Golf Channel in Orlando, visiting and observing their analysts, many of whom have become bigger stars on TV than from their playing days on the golf course. Here is a link to the piece that appears in this week’s issue.

From the story:

For the most part, these golf analyst jobs are being filled by former players such as Isenhour and others who don’t have the cachet of having Hall of Fame résumés as players. They are, for lack of a better phrase, journeymen pros, who now are viewed as experts when it comes to dissecting the work of Tiger, Phil and Rory.

Besides (Tripp) Isenhour, who never won on the PGA Tour, Golf Channel’s roster of studio analysts includes Brandel Chamblee, Frank Nobilo, Charlie Rymer, Steve Flesch and Notah Begay. John Maginnes has emerged as a major presence for PGA Tour Radio. Combined number of major-championships victories: zero.

Compare that to the group of studio analysts for the NFL Network: Hall of Famers Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp (who will inducted this year), and a likely for future enshrinee, Kurt Warner. Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson do high-profile studio work in basketball; Terry Bradshaw, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, became an even bigger star during his years on Fox NFL Sunday.

The difference, of course, is that professional golf is the only sport in which the top stars seem to play forever. While a football player’s career is done by his early-to mid-30s if he is lucky to last that long, elite golfers play well into their 40s on the PGA Tour and then make a seamless transition to the Champions Tour in their 50s.

As a result, the roster of available big-name talent for TV is much slimmer, if non-existent for Molly Solomon, Golf Channel’s executive producer. “It’s difficult because golfers never want to quit,” Solomon says. “Once they get to 50, another door opens for them. It’s hard to get them to commit to TV. Why would you want to work for a living?”

******

And there’s this from Rymer:

“I’m not going to make statements I’m not qualified tomake,” he says. “I’m not going to try to get inside a major champion’s head. I will talk about how I would feel if I was in that situation. I try to be really honest about that. I understand my place in the game. I don’t want to walk in a locker room and have Tiger Woods say, ‘Why did you talk about that. You never did that.’ ”

******

And there’s plenty more. Please check it out.

 

 

 

Can Ryan Braun PR his way out of this mess? Fleischer: ‘Mea culpa has to be genuine’

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The only way for the shamed Brewers cheater to worm out of this one is to invent a machine that erases everyone’s memory.

Not only did Ryan Braun cheat and lie, he also tried to take down that poor drug tester. Unforgivable in my mind.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel asked several veteran PR people and others to see if there is a way for Braun to rehabilitate his reputation. Or at the very least, regain a shred of dignity.

From Ari Fleischer, who advised on Mark McGwire’s coming out:

“There are three parts to it,” Fleischer said about what Braun should do. “One is a full mea culpa now, like Mark McGwire did. He has to bare his soul, explain he messed up. But it has to be heartfelt and he has to mean it. It can’t be mouthed. It can’t be somebody else’s creation. It has to be genuine or fans and reporters are going to see right through it.

“If he were a client, I would really work him over to make that assessment,” Fleischer said. “If they just can’t pull it off, because they are too arrogant or because they don’t believe it, then I would say you don’t have a way back.”

Part two in his plan is a little easier.

“Go away,” Fleischer said. “Then lay low. Go away. Accept your punishment.”

And part three, “Come back and get hot,” Fleischer said. “You let your bat do the talking.”

From Fay Vincent:

“I would say two things,” Vincent said. “One is, he should see that the problem is a very serious problem for baseball, not think that the Ryan Braun case is about Ryan Braun. It’s really about baseball, which is much bigger than any of us. And secondly he should, in my view, go to somebody like the commissioner and say what can I do to go around and make it clear to fans and to people in baseball that we’ve got to do something to keep these drugs from infecting the rest of the game?”

From Steve Eichenbaum of Eichenbaum and Associates in Milwaukee:

“Create a 30-second or 60-second TV spot in which you do a complete mea culpa. Admit to using PEDs and to lying. Apologize especially for lying to the fans, team, organization and your friend Aaron Rodgers. Roadblock every local newscast within the sports news on the same night, at either 6 p.m. or 10 p.m. Do not promote the spot. Just let it run. At the end of the commercial, tell people you wanted to address the fans first, and you will address the media in a press conference the next day.“

 

Posted in MLB

New HBO documentary: ‘Glickman’ finally places legendary announcer in national spotlight

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My latest National Sports Journalism Center column is on Glickman, the upcoming HBO documentary on Marty Glickman. I had a chance to talk to the film’s producer, James Freedman, who worked for Glickman when he was 17.

For those of you who never heard of his story and his obstacles with Anti-Semitism, read on. And I highly recommend you watch this film.

******

When I was coming up as a sports journalist in Chicago during the 80s, I only had a vague notion of Marty Glickman. I always had heard he was an iconic, trend-setting pioneer in sports broadcasting.

Yet in the days before cable and satellite radio, I had no real idea of why New Yorkers held him in the same reverence as they do in Los Angeles for Vin Scully, or why he was considered one of the most influential announcers ever to sit behind a mic.

A new documentary, Glickman (HBO, Monday, 9 p.m. ET), provides the answers. The film’s producer, James L. Freedman, who was a producer on Glickman’s WNEW radio show when he only was 17, wanted to give a true legend the national exposure his life deserved.

“When I moved to the West Coast, I was stunned nobody ever heard of him,” Freedman said. “If you grew up in New England during the latter part of the 20th Century, he was part of the soundtrack of your life. His story was so remarkable, I want people to learn about Marty Glickman from this film.”

Indeed, Glickman lived a truly incredible life. He gained notoriety first as an athlete. He was an accomplished sprinter, earning a spot on the 1936 U.S. Olympic team, and a star football player at Syracuse. None other than Jim Brown, a pretty fair running back Syracuse, praised his play for the Orangeman in the film.

Glickman eventually went into broadcasting. He basically invented the play-by-play template for basketball with his work on college games and the Knicks. He also was a memorable radio voice for the New York Giants and later the Jets. Along the way, his style and hands-on mentoring had a direct and profound impact on Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Mike Breen, Charlie Steiner and countless others.

However, Glickman had to overcome several obstacles due to Anti-Semitism.  He and fellow Jewish sprinter, Sam Stoller, were knocked of the 400-meter relay team during Adolf Hitler’s Games in Berlin. While it never was stated, it is clear top U.S. officials didn’t want to offend the dictator with the possibility of Jews winning a gold medal.

Later when the NBA signed a national TV contract with NBC in the early 60s, a deal Glickman helped arrange, he was passed over to be the lead voice. Again, it seems likely that being Glickman being Jewish was a factor in the decision.

Yet the film shows that Glickman didn’t let Anti-Semitism suffocate him. Instead, he marched on.

“To me, the heart of the film is what happens to an 18-year-old when he faces racism?” Freedman said. “Not only did he not allow it to beat him, he used sports as a vehicle to transcend all the racism he faced.”

*******

And there’s more in the entire post at NSJC.

 

 

 

Bettis gets another TV shot: hired as analyst for ESPN

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Here’s why I am happy for Jerome Bettis today:

Back in 2007, my family was given a behind-the-scenes tour at NBC. It occurred on a Sunday night so we met the entire cast of the network’s Football Night in America show. My wife was thrilled to chat with Keith Olbermann. My kids were infinitely more excited to meet Jerome Bettis.

They marveled over Bettis’ Super Bowl ring.

“Do you want to try it on?” Bettis said to my son, Sam.

Sam was dumbfounded and reached for the ring, which appeared to be the size of an inner tube. Sure enough, a very nervous Sam dropped Bettis’ ring on the floor. His Super Bowl ring.

He definitely has his father’s hands. The impact generated a noise that felt as if it could be heard through Rockefeller Center. At least to us.

Bettis, though, laughed and assured Sam it was OK. He posed for pictures and chatted with the kids for a while. And I’m sure when Sam is 79, he will tell his grandkids how he dropped a Hall of Famer’s Super Bowl ring.

So yes, I’m happy Bettis is getting another shot at TV. It didn’t go so well for him at NBC, where he lasted only two years. Hopefully, it will work out better for him at ESPN.

Here’s the official release:

Super Bowl champion and six-time Pro Bowl running back Jerome Bettis has joined ESPN as an NFL analyst. The 13-year NFL veteran will appear on NFL Live and SportsCenter and contribute to other ESPN platforms, beginning September 1.

The National Football League’s sixth all-time leading rusher, Bettis ran for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns in his career while catching 200 passes for 1,449 yards and three touchdowns. He spent his first three seasons with the Rams (1993-95) before playing 10 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1996-2005).

Affectionately nicknamed “The Bus,” Bettis capped his legendary career by helping the Steelers win Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit. While hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on the podium after the game, he announced his retirement from professional football in February 2006.

Highly respected throughout the league, Bettis was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1996, and he was the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2002. This year he was a finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame honors.

Bettis has appeared as a guest on ESPN shows throughout the years, including the Super Bowl XLV edition of Sunday NFL Countdown in 2011 when the Steelers played the Packers. Bettis previously worked as an analyst for NBC Sports.

“Jerome is accomplished, knowledgeable and charismatic – and he’s a very familiar face to NFL fans; he will be a great addition to our team of NFL analysts,” said Seth Markman, ESPN senior coordinating producer for NFL studio programs.

Added Bettis: “I’m so excited to join ESPN and bring the same passion, knowledge, and leadership that helped me win a world championship when I was a player. I’m looking forward to working with my new team to bring the game closer to home for all the fans to enjoy.”

 

Posted in NFL

This would be huge: Google talking to NFL about Sunday Ticket package

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The future for sports on television might be here.

The NFL has acknowledged that it has talked to Google about its Sunday Ticket package. The league’s estimated $1 billion per year deal with DirecTV runs through 2014.

From CNBC:

“Members of our office meet often with innovative leaders in Silicon Valley and around the world,” the NFL said in a statement. “We are constantly looking for ways to make our game better on the field, in the stadium and for fans. We are not commenting on any specifics of the meetings.”

Peter Kafka in AllthingsD.com writes:

An informal chat is a very long way from a deal, so there’s no need to invest too much in the conversation quite yet. And I’m told that Goodell and other NFL executives are meeting with multiple Silicon Valley companies on this trip, which is one they make annually.

That said, Google plus the NFL is an intriguing concept. Google could certainly afford the rights, which currently cost DirecTV $1 billion a year.

And while YouTube is the world’s most popular video service, Google has been playing around the edges of TV without making a substantial dent. An NFL deal could certainly change that.

Indeed, the presence of Google means there is a new player in the mix for NFL rights. It opens up all sorts of possibilities for how the package will be distributed.

Since I have no intention of getting DirecTV, I would be in favor of a new deal that would enable me to get Sunday Ticket. I’m sure others feel the same way.

At the very least, the ridiculously rich NFL is going to get much richer once this deal is done.

 

 

Posted in NFL

My USA Today story on Amy Trask: Becomes first woman analyst to have role on NFL pregame show

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Thanks to USA Today for asking me to do a story on Amy Trask. From talking to her and based on the tweets from people who know and cover her, she should be an interesting component in CBS Sports Network’s new NFL pregame show.

From the story:

Amy Trask never dwelled on her gender when she served as the longtime CEO of the Oakland Raiders. She maintains she will take the same stance with her new role as an NFL TV analyst.

It was announced Tuesday that Trask will be part of That Other Pregame Show, a new four-hour production that will air on CBS Sports Network from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., beginning with week 1 of the NFL season on Sept. 8. Adam Schein will be the host and other analysts include longtime linebacker Bart Scott.

Trask will be the first woman to fill an analyst’s chair who actually ran an NFL team. She spent 27 years with the Raiders, serving as CEO since 1997 before stepping down in May.

Previously, Phyllis George broke new ground for women on NFL Today during the 1970s. However, she and her successor, Jayne Kennedy, were primarily feature reporters.

Just as she did with the Raiders, Trask downplayed the notion that she is breaking any barriers.

“I have always tried to do my job as best as possible without regard to gender,” Trask said. “I’ve always felt if I have not considered my gender to be an issue, it will be less likely that others will consider it an issue.”

The bigger issue, Trask says, will be the mental adjustment that she will have to make. She says she always tried to avoid the news media during her days with the Raiders. She felt the focus should be on the players and coaches. Now she is part of the media, a prospect she called “nerve-wracking.”

“I spent almost 27 years running away from the cameras,” Trask said. “I tried my best not to engage in any dialogue with the media. This is a paradigm shift for me. Now I’m supposed to look into the camera, not run away from it, and answer questions.”

 

NBC bumps up Irish coverage: Will do live pregame shows from Notre Dame Stadium

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In addition to Dan Hicks taking over the play-by-play chores this year, NBC is bringing the entire gang to South Bend this year.

Here is the official rundown from NBC:

*******

Stamford, Conn. – August 21, 2013 – NBC Sports Group will produce a live pre-game show from Notre Dame Stadium, prior to every Notre Dame Football broadcast on NBC, during the upcoming 2013 season. NBC Sports Group’s Notre Dame Football pre-game show will debut Saturday, August 31, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, preceding the Fighting Irish’s first game of the season against Temple. Beginning on Saturday, September 21, and prior to all remaining Notre Dame Football home games in 2013, including the annual off-site Shamrock Series game, the pre-game show will air on NBCSN.

Liam McHugh will host the show from the field at Notre Dame Stadium, and will be joined on-site by 1984 Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie and two-time Super Bowl champion Hines Ward.  McHugh, Flutie and Ward will also handle half-time coverage on NBC broadcasts, all of which will originate from the field.

In addition, NBC Sports Group will produce a post-game show, on NBCSN, after three Notre Dame Football broadcasts on NBC.

NBC will broadcast seven Notre Dame Football games this season, including two in primetime. NBC Sports’ 2013 Notre Dame Football schedule is highlighted by the Fighting Irish’s primetime game against USC on Saturday, October 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Continuing its annual off-site Shamrock Series, Notre Dame will host the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, on Saturday, October 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET. This is the fifth straight season that NBC will broadcast a Notre Dame off-site home game in primetime.

Live game coverage of Notre Dame Football on NBC begins Saturday, August 31, at 3:30 p.m. ET, when the Fighting Irish host Temple. The 2013 schedule also includes 3:30 p.m. ET games against Michigan State on Saturday, September 21; Oklahoma on Saturday, September 28; Navy on Saturday, November 2; and BYU on Saturday, November 23.

The post-game shows, where applicable, will air on NBCSN, immediately following game coverage on NBC. Post-game shows will air after Temple – Notre Dame on August 31, Oklahoma – Notre Dame on September 21, and BYU – Notre Dame on November 23.

Dan Hicks, NBC Sports Group’s longtime and critically-acclaimed golf and Olympic commentator, will lead NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football coverage for the first time this season as its play-by-play voice. Hicks will join analyst Mike Mayock and sideline reporter Alex Flanagan for NBC’s 22nd season broadcasting Notre Dame Football home games.                                  

Following is NBC Sports Group’s 2013 Notre Dame Football schedule (all times ET):

Date Opponent Pre-Game Network Game Time Network
Saturday, Aug. 31 Temple** 3 p.m. NBC 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Sept. 21 Michigan State 3 p.m. NBCSN 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Sept. 28 Oklahoma** 3 p.m. NBCSN 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Oct. 5 Arizona State* 7 p.m. NBCSN 7:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Oct. 19 USC 6:30 p.m. NBCSN 7:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Nov 2 Navy 3 p.m. NBCSN 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Nov 23 BYU** 3 p.m. NBCSN 3:30 p.m. NBC

*Off-site Shamrock Series game from Arlington, Texas.

** Post-game show on NBCSN

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA ONLINE & APP: NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream all Notre Dame Football home games.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

NBC Sports Live Extra online will feature a simulcast of the broadcast feed in full HD quality plus one additional online-only bonus camera. The video player will include picture-in-picture capability and full DVR functionality, allowing the user to pause the live video and even review plays in “slo-mo.”

Sideline reporter Alex Flanagan will provide live in-game tweets. Additionally, fans can watch in-game highlights, live coverage of the Notre Dame and visiting teams’ bands at halftime, as well as live postgame footage that will include head coach Brian Kelly’s press conference.

NBCSPORTS.com

NBCSports.com will again continue its Notre Dame football coverage though its Notre Dame Central section. Notre Dame will also be featured within NBC Sports Talk with its popular Inside The Irish blog written by Notre Dame Football insider Keith Arnold.

 

COMCAST SPORTSNET CHICAGO

Beginning this season, NBC Sports Regional Networks’ Comcast SportsNet Chicago will join forces with NBC Sports to help power NBCSports.com’s “Notre Dame Central” (http://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/notre-dame-central).  CSN Chicago will contribute a dedicated Notre Dame Football “Insider” in JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) from CSNChicago.com, who will serve as a beat reporter providing up-to-the-minute Fighting Irish news and analysis, columns, game previews/recaps, interviews and much more.

 

Fans can also follow the network’s @IrishTalkCSN Twitter handle for the latest Fighting Irish news and updates 24/7.  Also this season, CSN Chicago will provide its TV viewers with same day replays of every Notre Dame home game produced by NBC Sports beginning Saturday, August 31, along with a CSNChicago.com live stream of Head Coach Brian Kelly’s weekly press conferences.  In addition, Comcast SportsNet Chicago has also hired Tony Rice, quarterback of the 1988 National Champion Fighting Irish, to be its ND Football on-air/online contributor throughout the upcoming college football season.

 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON NBCSN

In addition to Notre Dame Football on NBC, NBC Sports Group will air 11 games featuring teams from the CAA and Ivy League, all on NBCSN.

 

Date Teams Time Conference Network
Saturday, Sept. 7 Delaware State at Delaware 3:30 p.m. CAA NBCSN
Saturday, Sept. 21 Lehigh at Princeton 6 p.m. IVY NBCSN
Saturday, Sept. 28 Brown at Harvard 7:30 p.m. IVY NBCSN
Saturday, Oct. 12 Lehigh at Columbia Noon IVY NBCSN
Saturday, Oct. 12 Richmond at James Madison 3:30 p.m. CAA NBCSN
Saturday, Oct. 12 Villanova at Towson 7 p.m. CAA NBCSN
Saturday, Nov.  9 James Madison at New Hampshire 12:30 p.m. CAA NBCSN
Saturday, Nov.  9 Cornell at Dartmouth 4 p.m. IVY NBCSN
Saturday, Nov. 16 Penn at Harvard Noon IVY NBCSN
Saturday, Nov. 23 Harvard at Yale Noon IVY NBCSN
Saturday, Nov. 23 James Madison at Towson 3:30 p.m. CAA NBCSN

 

 

CBS Sports Network jumps in with Sunday morning NFL show; Amy Trask to be first woman analyst on pregame show

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The launch of Fox Sports 1 has highlighted what CBS Sports Network has done, or more specifically hasn’t done. While it has some studio shows (Jim Rome etc…), it hasn’t been nearly as aggressive as the new FS network when it comes to creating its version of SportsCenter and being a player for major sports properties.

So perhaps this new NFL pregame show is a sign that CBS Sports Network is stepping up the ante.

The interesting part is that it will be a four-hour show (9 a.m.-1 p.m.), with the last hour competing against NFL Today on CBS.

Also interesting to note that former Oakland Raiders CEO Amy Trask will be the first woman analyst on an NFL pregame show.

Here’s the official rundown:

*****

Continuing its aggressive expansion of programming around CBS Sports’ marquee properties, CBS Sports Network launches THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW (TOPS), a new weekly Sunday football studio program debuting Sunday, Sept. 8 (9:00 AM-1:00 PM, ET). The announcement was made today by Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports, and Executive Producer, THE NFL ON CBS, and David Berson, President, CBS Sports.

THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW breaks from the familiar pregame show format, presenting a unique fan-focused take on all the week’s NFL and college action, headlines and hot-button issues, giving viewers all the latest information as it happens. “TOPS” will be hosted by Adam Schein along with 11-year NFL veteran Bart Scott, long-time Oakland Raiders executive Amy Trask, CBS Sports Radio’s Brandon Tierney, CBSSports.com fantasy analyst Nathan Zegura and LEAD OFF’s Allie LaForce reporting.

The show also will incorporate various forms of social media interaction, engaging the “TOPS” team with its viewers.  The last hour of the show will be centered on Fantasy Football helping fans set their line-ups each week. Continuing its focus on all things football, “TOPS” will take a look back at all the college football games and performances that fans are still talking about from the previous day and look forward to the week ahead.

Regular contributors to THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW include analysts from THE NFL TODAY: Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, as well as host James Brown and Insider Jason La Canfora. CBS Sports’ NFL on CBS announcers will appear regularly from their game sites including Phil Simms, Dan Fouts, Dan Dierdorf, Rich Gannon, Solomon Wilcots, Steve Tasker and Steve Beuerlein.

“In today’s television landscape, there is certainly room for another pregame show if that show offers a unique approach and perspective,” said McManus. “THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW will accomplish that, as we combine all the assets of CBS Sports including CBS Sports Radio and CBSSports.com, creating a show focusing on the fans and how they consume football.”

THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW is part of CBS Sports Network’s expanded studio programming focusing on NFL Football. “TOPS” joins NFL MONDAY QB, which returns for its second season on Monday, Sept. 9 (5:00 PM, ET), with host Adam Schein and analysts Phil Simms, Rich Gannon, Steve Beuerlein and Insider Jason LaCanfora. After Week 1, NFL MONDAY QB airs weekly at 6:30 PM, ET.

Scott joins CBS Sports Network after an 11-year NFL playing career with the Baltimore Ravens (2002-08) and New York Jets (2009-12). In 2006, he was a Pro Bowl selection and earned All Pro honors.

Trask spent 26 seasons with the Oakland Raiders working directly for Al Davis. She was named the first female CEO in the NFL in 1997. Under her watch, the Raiders won four Division Championships (1990, 2000, 2001 and 2002) and one AFC Championship (2002).

Tierney serves as co-host of TBD in the AM, CBS Sports Radio’s national morning show. He has been a staple on sports talk radio in New York and San Francisco for the last 10 years, most recently at 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area.

Schein, host of “TOPS” and NFL MONDAY QB, anchors “Schein on Sports,” a sports talk radio show on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio, and is featured on SportsNet New York’s weekday show “Loud Mouths.”

Zegura is the Senior Fantasy Football Writer for CBSSports.com and appears regularly on CBSSports.com’s FANTASY FOOTBALL TODAY.

LaForce is a co-host of LEAD OFF, CBS Sports Network’s weekday late night news and commentary program, and also served as sideline reporter during the 2013 NCAA Tournament.  She joined CBS Sports Network in 2012.

Shawn Robbins and Andrew Finger produce THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW. Tyler Hale is Vice President, Studio Production, CBS Sports and Harold Bryant serves as Executive Producer of CBS Sports. The show will originate from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

Posted in CBS