Dickie V news: Will call Final Four for ESPN International; teams with Magic Johnson for Indiana-Michigan State

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Still going strong at 73, BABBEEEE!!!!

Yesterday, it was announced that Dick Vitale will call the Final Four games for the first time. However, it won’t be for CBS. Rather, he will be heard on ESPN International, which will air the games to 150 countries and territories.

Somebody should inform the rest of the world it will get loud at the beginning of April.

Said Dickie V.:

“I am thrilled for this awesome opportunity to sit courtside for the NCAA Championship game,” said Vitale. “I learned from the great Jim Simpson years ago that the championship game is the most important moment in the athletic career to many of the kids who are playing in it. I will deliver the same enthusiasm, energy, excitement and respect as I do with every game I work. I can’t believe it. All my buddies in Italy are going to be able to hear me. I just hope they can understand what I’m saying. It’s going to be Awesome Baby, with a Capital A!”

*******

Then today, it was announced that Vitale and Mike Tirico will be joined by Magic Johnson for ESPN’s telecast of the Indiana-Michigan State game on Feb. 19. It turns out Vitale recruited Johnson when he was coach of the University of Detroit. If he had pulled off that coup, who knows how basketball and broadcast history might have been changed?

Said Vitale:

“I remember him as a kid so well. He was a basketball junkie, playing the game for hour after hour on the playgrounds. He became ‘Magic’ from his work ethic. I have always said if there was one player I wish I could’ve coached in my life it would be Earvin Magic Johnson. I am thrilled to be able to work with him and Mike Tirico. Although, I might have to remind him a few times that Indiana will be playing as well.”

 

Is Gus Johnson on World Cup same as Chris Berman on U.S. Open?

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Really, I can’t think of a better comparison. Like Chris Berman at the U.S. Open, Gus Johnson would appear to be totally out of his element calling a sport to scores of passionate and discerning fans.

However, the big difference is that I don’t know of one golf fan who likes Berman on the U.S. Open. He is an assault on our golf senses. Yet ESPN keeps thrusting him on us every year. Why, ESPN, why?

As for Johnson (favorite clip above because I was at the game), there appears to be a segment of fans who are open to the idea of him becoming the American voice for soccer. Even Rob Stone, who is far more identified with calling soccer for Fox, took the high road. He had the following tweet:

@RobStoneONFOX Huge @FOXSoccer welcome to @gusjohnson . Another massive addition for our sport.

However, there are plenty of soccer fans who are aghast at the idea of the highly excitable Johnson intruding into the biggest games of soccer. Clearly, this move will be very polarizing as evidenced by the response from fans on Twitter.

Here’s a sample:

jlmears: Sorry soccer, even Gus Johnson won’t make you exciting. #hater

jocoolwu I love Gus Johnson doing NFL/NCAA. This is dumbest idea ever – Gus Johnson groomed as voice of World Cup by Fox

jakesundstrom America is doing its best to ruin the World Cup by making Gus Johnson call games

SmothersFC Gus Johnson is going to be great for the 2018 World Cup

jmh0628 Not a Gus Johnson guy but I give him a lot of respect for not only calling soccer games but playing to better learn it, as well.

DanielSquizzato Picturing Gus Johnson calling a World Cup game… “RONALDO DOWN THE SIDELINE CAN THEY CATCH HIM WOWWWW”

KoreAmBear Gus Johnson note to self: “don’t say point guard, don’t say point guard, don’t say point guard.”

stmorway If one thing could get into into watching soccer, this might be it.

brennanrees guess I’ll be returning to days of watching World Cup en Espanol.

THowwwwse Don’t get me wrong, Gus Johnson is a fine commentator but he does not belong in the booth for soccer

mBowen31 Gus Johnson commentating the 2018 world cup is nothing short of a disgrace to the game

Erik_Sweet not to be outdone, ESPN has put together the broadcast team of Colicky Baby and Spoon Caught In The Sink Disposal…

epltalk Really disappointed with FOX Soccer’s decision to make Gus Johnson the voice of its coverage. Feels like they jumped the shark

pourmecoffee You’re about to wet your pants over a 0-0 tie.

‏lmechegaray I am a Brit who has lived in NYC for 10 years now. And I support you 100%!! Can’t wait to hear you say…messi!!! Cold-blooded!

*****

And your views? Let me know.

 

 

Gus Johnson Fox’s main voice on World Cup? What’s next? Seth MacFarlane hosting the Oscars?

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I don’t know about global warming, but I’m fairly sure our dear old planet just flew off the tracks into a different orbit.

The soccer world is in a tizzy over the news broke by SI.com’s Richard Deitsch that Johnson is being groomed to be Fox’s lead man for its coverage of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Fox announced that Johnson will get his first big spin when he does play-by-play for the Real Madrid-Manchester United game on Feb. 13.

It’s part of the training process that will gear up Johnson for 2018, although he hasn’t committed to doing the World Cup just yet.

“I don’t know,” said Johnson to SI.com. “That’s too big right now for me, too big to think about and  digest. I am interested in getting a little better every day. I want to learn  this game. I am humbled by this game and their fans, and I am a little  intimidated by the travel. I’ll be in multiple countries and I don’t speak a  second language so I am going to have to become comfortable being an  international traveler. But I am excited about it.”

According to the release sent out by Fox, this is the depth of Johnson’s soccer background:

He called over a dozen MLS games on radio, mostly those of the San Jose Earthquakes; he has played pick-up soccer games in a park near his Manhattan home; spent several weeks in Europe last season attending games and conversing at length with Sky Sports executives and world-class football play-by-play announcer Martin Tyler.

Wait a minute, playing pick-up soccer counts as a credential? The fact that I’ve coached Little League probably doesn’t make me qualified to call the World Series, if you know what I mean.

With such a slim soccer resume, it isn’t a surprise that the move is highly polarizing. I’m hardly an expert on soccer, so I’ll let others weigh in with their analysis.

Ty Duffy, The Big Lead:

There are a couple areas for concern, though. Pacing could be a problem. Soccer is unlike most American sports. It is fluid and subtle. It does not have the same intricate rules or stoppages. The announcer should be a more delicate presence. Gus can be great. He’s our first choice for the last minute of an NCAA tournament game. He’s anything but delicate. Gus’ critics argue he’s loud, brash and too heavy-handed for American football. Can he tone it down enough to let a soccer game breathe? This is a sport where Martin Tyler, a man who can reach catatonia during a live broadcast, is considered the gold standard.

Brian Phillips, Grantland:

Gus Johnson is a good commentator. He’s got five years (!) to learn his stuff, and a huge incentive to get it right (i.e., calling the world’s biggest sporting event to an audience split between total neophytes and fiercely critical diehards). He’s better than just about anyone at zooming in on pivotal moments in big games and giving fans the crazed vividness they deserve. And since we’re talking about Fox, and probably came closer than we even want to know to a Buck-Aikman tag team on Denmark–Ivory Coast, I’d say it’s fantastic that we’re getting an announcer who actually makes games more fun. I mean, how many commentators on earth are legitimately fun to listen to? Maybe 10? It’s not a list that scrolls, put it that way. One of the guys who’s on it is calling a World Cup. This is good news! Euphoric screaminess is coming our way! Be happy!

Matt Yoder, Awful Announcing:

But will he be ready February 13th for Man Utd vs Real Madrid? Will he be ready for this year’s Champions League Final on Fox network television? Will Johnson and Fox be willing to endure the criticism that comes with the growing pains both will face from a fan base who has shown little patience for similar moves in the past?  These are huge tests and Johnson better hit the ground running from the outset, or else Gus at World Cup 2018 could be nothing more than a brief fantasy.

 

 

 

 

Boomer defends going off on Lewis: ‘Somebody had to say something’

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On his WFAN radio show, Boomer Esiason explained why he won’t be getting any Christmas cards from Ray Lewis, following his harsh comments Sunday on NFL Today.

From Sports Media Rantz:

The next morning, a caller had brought up Esiason’s being fired up about Lewis (to borrow a quote from Lewis himself) on WFAN/New York’s “Boomer & Carton” morning show.

“Marino’s not going to say anything, Bill Cowher’s not going to say anything, and I get it,” Esiason said. “I’m there in the end; somebody has to say something.”

And sure enough, Boomer lowered the boom.

“I said to Shannon, ‘I appreciate you asking him a direct question’… And I understand the difficulties that a former teammate might have in that situation. and I know why Shannon went there, because Shannon has a great friendship with Ray Lewis; they spent time together this week in Ray’s hotel room.” And it was during that time that the “deer antler spray” allegations emerged, but “that’s a whole ‘nother issue… We only have two minutes to discuss these things.

“These guys are coming back from injuries quicker than anybody in the history of sports.”

 

Posted in CBS

Is Dino Costa done at Mad Dog Radio? Suspended since last Thursday

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Dino Costa has been off the air since last Thursday. The Mad Dog Radio host explained in a post on his site after he received the news last week.

He writes:

On the other end was program director, Steve Torre.

The purpose of the call?

To inform me that I was suspended indefinitely because I accepted some money from a fan in Las Vegas to go to his Super Bowl party in Las Vegas.

I agreed to do this for the sum of $3500.

—>Plus airfare.

—>Plus hotel.

—>Plus a car service to and from the airport.

Torre told me I ran a ‘contest’.

No, I did not.

This was spontaneous, this was off the cuff, this was, in the end, radio genius.

I need not anyone at SXM to agree with me on this – it was radio genius.

End of story.

Apparently, Mad Dog Radio didn’t think it was genius, and Costa is on the sidelines. He did a post last night saying he hopes to hear something today. He also tries to make nice to Mad Dog Radio and Chris Russo.

He writes:

One way or another I’ll be finding out if I still have a future at SiriusXM Radio.

I certainly hope so — because in all candor — it would be difficult for me to not acknowledge that SXM has become almost like a second home and a second family for me these past several years.

I believe I have stated on the air many times – and here on this forum as well – that to be a part of something that has grown, and to be an asset that has assisted in fueling the growth of the Mad Dog channel — is something that gives me a great deal of personal and professional satisfaction.

Later, he writes:

Not only has management championed my style and allowed me tremendous leeway for my show’s — but in addition — I have come to understand that Chris Russo himself, has also both defended me at times, and he has stepped forward on at least two occasions to insure that The Dino Costa Show remained at SXM, where otherwise perhaps my show would have been cancelled possibly.

While Chris and myself have battled at times, taken shots at one another, there can be no question I believe, that he has also been in my corner in a quiet – yet convincing – sort of a way.

We are two very different people with two very different philosophies on how to do a talk radio show — but at this point there can be no denying that Chris himself, incredibly, has been somewhat a fan of my work along with many of you.

Sure to be more to this story.

 

 

 

 

 

Will Phil Simms be analyst for CBS’ next Super Bowl in 2016?

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During the lead-up to Sunday’s game, Lance Barrow, CBS’ coordinating producer, was asked when preparations began for this year’s Super Bowl?

“The day after our last Super Bowl (in 2010),” Barrow said.

So that means Monday was day 1 of CBS’ preparations for Super Bowl L (the big 5-0) in 2016, the next time it has the big game. While the question may not have been discussed yesterday, you can be sure it will be asked within the highest reaches of the network: Will CBS give Phil Simms another shot at the Super Bowl?

CBS is an extremely loyal place, and Simms has been a good ambassador and a capable soldier, serving as its lead NFL analyst since 1998. Sunday was Simms’ seventh Super Bowl; two were with NBC. Quite an impressive track record.

Unfortunately for Simms, Sunday was by far his worst. As I wrote in a post yesterday, I can’t recall another time when the lead analyst in a Super Bowl received such an avalanche of bad reviews. It wasn’t as if all the critics had a conference call and decided what to write. Rather, it was a spontaneous reaction to an analyst who seemed hesitant to speak out during key points of the game.

Regardless of what network officials might say, the negative reaction definitely was heard all the way up to the office of CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves.

CBS knows it was a bad performance by Simms. The one time you really don’t want to be bad is during a Super Bowl.

If CBS decides to stick with Simms for the 2016 Super Bowl, it creates a problem. His presence will revive all the harsh critiques from Sunday. It will become a storyline for that year’s coverage. Can Simms redeem himself after 2013’s clunker?

“That’s not the story they’ll want,” said a TV insider.

If not Simms, then who? Internally, CBS has two former ABC Monday Night Football analysts on its roster. Boomer Esiason is terrific as a radio analyst for Dial Global Sports. The network could shift him from the studio. Dan Fouts, a Hall of Famer, has received high praise for his work at CBS and on radio for Dial Global.

CBS also could go outside. Who knows? What if Peyton Manning plays two more years and retires at the end of the 2014 season? Boom, CBS swoops in and puts him in the No. 1 seat next to Nantz in time for the 2016 Super Bowl.

Here’s a thought: Don’t discount the possibility of CBS using a three-man booth, with Simms and another analyst for the 2016 game. In fact, I think it is a strong possibility. It would enable the network to transition to a new look in the booth and allow Simms, who will be 61 in 2016, to call one last Super Bowl.

A little history: That’s exactly what NBC did with Simms when he went from player to analyst in the 90s. He teamed with Dick Enberg and Paul Maguire on that network’s No. 1 crew.

Then again, CBS could decide to stick with Simms. Perhaps, the network will determine one bad game doesn’t define a career.

Remember what I said about loyalty.

CBS doesn’t have to decide Simms’ fate today or even for next year. But a decision will have to made at some point.

 

 

 

No record for CBS, but Super Bowl rating hardly left in dark

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Get it? I made a pun out of the power outage. By the way, Craig Ferguson is taking full responsibility.

The game didn’t set a viewer record, as it did the previous two years. I’m sure that will spark stories of a drop in ratings and the beginning of football’s downward spiral.

Forget about it. The number still is staggering. And as usual, I’m left with my annual question: What were the other 31 percent of the country watching during the Super Bowl?

From CBS:

The CBS Television Network’s coverage of Super Bowl XLVII featuring the BALTIMORE RAVENS’ 34-31 win over the SAN FRANCISCO 49ers’ on Sunday, Feb 3 (6:32-8:41 and 9:11-10:47 PM, ET) was watched by a Nielsen estimated average of 108.41 million viewers, making it the third most-watched program in television history (Super Bowl XLVI – 111.3 million; Super Bowl XLV – 111.0 million).

CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XLVII earned an average fast national household rating/share of 46.3/69 (47.0/71; N.Y. Giants-New England; Super Bowl XLVI), making it the second highest-rated Super Bowl in 27 years (1/26/86; 48.3/70; Chicago-New England).

Last night’s Super Bowl HH rating/share peaked at a 50.7/73 with an average of 113.92 million viewers from 10:30-10:47 PM, ET. 

Posted in NFL

Don’t look, Phil Simms; Hard to recall network analyst who got creamed worse after Super Bowl

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Best advice to Phil Simms: Stay away from surfing the websites for a while. It’s not pretty.

I’ve been doing this longer than I care to admit, and I can’t remember a Super Bowl TV analyst getting obliterated worse than Simms did following his performance Sunday.

I’m not trying to pile on, but the volume and magnitude of the criticism is noteworthy if you follow this beat.

Richard Deitsch, SI.com:

The biggest problem on Sunday was Simms. He did not have a strong game, from his  inability to let plays breathe (tweeted media critic and NBA All-Star Kevin  Durant: “Feel like I’m playin madden, Phil Simms talkin to damn much.”) to too  often not providing clarity to the questions posed at him by Nantz.

More from Deitsch:

Minutes later, when Nantz asked him whether the Ravens should take a safety,  Simms said he would not punt the football. He followed that by saying Nantz  brought up a great point, followed by reaffirming his original position. (The  Ravens ended up taking the safety and them punting.) It’s simply hard to imagine  Cris Collinsworth or Mike Mayock being so hesitant on such a big stage.

Richard Sandomir, New York Times:

Once the game resumed, Simms did not seem to draw inspiration from Beyoncé or studying highlights in the dark. He offered a trite truism about the 49ers, who were trailing badly: “When you’re down, you have to make great catches.”      

Simms then added this tortured analysis: “One thing I’ve taken out of this game, and really all through the playoffs, is if you watch it, the number of big plays in the games are because the quarterbacks are throwing the football.” (Yes, yes!) Arm strength, he emphasized, is important.      

Then, after the 49ers had amassed 105 post-blackout yards and 14 points, to the Ravens’ 15 yards, Simms said that the power failure had not hurt the Ravens but that it had helped the 49ers. That just sounded wrong.

Dan Levy, Bleacher Report:

It’s amazing that Phil Simms is still, after all these years, the best option as a color analyst for CBS. Simms consistently failed to give viewers anything more than they could see with their own eyes, eschewing second-level analysis for straight narration on replays. 

Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Daily News:

After the power came back and CBS retained its audio in the third quarter, Nantz joked that it was Simms’ powering up his cellphone that caused all the problems.

“Yeah, I was doing some of my best work during that blackout,” Simms joked.

But not many were laughing.

Ken Fang, Fang’s Bites:

Phil Simms was missing and perhaps CBS needed to issue an Amber Alert for him as he did not have his best broadcast. Simms did not step up for a big game, a rarity for him. Normally in the upper echelon of NFL analysts, Simms had a pedestrian performance. Several times Nantz tried to set up him, but instead, we received silence from Simms. I’m not sure what was going on in the booth. 

Tom Jones, Tampa Bay Times:

It was a rough day for Simms. Too many times, play-by-play man Jim Nantz had to prod Simms for a comment. Nantz, who called a good and enthusiastic game, had to ask Simms to speak out on a brawl, as well as a fake field goal by the Ravens.

In both cases, Simms did little but relay what we already saw, failing to give the strong opinions that a good analyst should. Simms never said anything dumb, mostly because he hardly said anything at all.

Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury-News:

Simms was really the chief culprit, notably in the second half. He is the master of stating the obvious instead of providing any real insight, but on Sunday he just seemed a bit addled with things getting worse as the game went along.

Keith Thibault, Sports Media Journal:

Simms did not have his best day on the air.  He seemed confused at times about what was happening on the field and was not critical enough of either team.  This was evident when he said he would not “second guess” the Ravens’ fake field goal attempt in the first half.  He also seemed confused about how advantageous a safety would be at the end of the game when Baltimore was forced to punt from its own end zone with :12 left.  I felt Simms had slipped in the quality of his analysis all year.  Yesterday’s performance bore that out.

You get the idea. Unfortunately, so does CBS.

 

 

Posted in CBS