Eisen Q/A on his podcast: Hanging with Olivia Munn, Matt Damon, Larry David; football as pop culture

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Part 2:

Really, the picture (courtesy of the NFL) says it all for Rich Eisen. I mean, the guy is getting paid to talk football with Olivia Munn!

And Matt Damon, Jon Hamm, Adam Sandler, Larry David, “The Most Interesting Man in the World” guy, etc…

Eisen casually mentions that he is in a fantasy football league with Jeff Garlin, as if we’re all in a fantasy league with the Curb Your Enthusiasm star.

The guy truly is living the life.

In Part 2 of my interview, he discusses the popular Rich Eisen Podcast and how he deftly mixes football with pop culture. Actually, Eisen contends they are one and the same.

Here’s the Q/A:

So what is like sitting across from Olivia Munn for an interview?

It was great. I’d love to have her back. She also had a really good take. She said Romo is going to have a better year because now he’s married. Sure enough, Week 1, he had the best game of his career.

How do you explain your podcast to people who never have heard it before?

This is what I love about the podcast. Sometimes it’s talking about football, and other times, it’s about pop culture.

We had Bryan Cranston on. He’s not a football nut, so we spent 40 minutes talking about Breaking Bad, which is one of my favorite TV shows.

Matt Damon came on once last year. He knew every facet of the Patriots season. Every nuance. I turned to the movie he was promoting, and he seemed visibly irked that we were talking about his movie. It was like, ‘Hey man, let’s talk ball, because when I talk to the guy from Extra or ET, I can’t talk ball.’

Is that why the stars love doing the show so much?

It could be the engaging host too.

Why does the NFL and pop culture mix?

I get Tweets from people saying they want hardcore sports stuff. I say, hey, listen the NFL isn’t just sports. It’s pop culture. The NFL, to me, has reached the iconic pop culture status. It’s up there with movies. Watching the NFL is as part of the American pop culture landscape as going to a movie theater.

The big game of the season (the Super Bowl) has a rock concert in the middle of it. It’s a convergence of sports and entertainment. That’s what I’m trying to do with the podcast.

You live in Los Angeles. You have stars on your podcast. If I looked at your cell phone, would I be impressed with your contacts?

(Embarrassed laugh) I don’t know. I’ve been fortunate through the podcast and living where I live to meet a lot of people who are talented. Actors, actresses, directors. People I’ve admired for years. Part of the thing I love about the podcast is whenever I meet people I’m a fan of, I don’t mind telling them.

Who is  your favorite?

Larry David, hands down.

Why?

I’m friends with one of his executive producers on the show. A guy named Jeff Schaeffer. Through Jeff, I got invited into this focus group. You go and watch the Curb show in an edit bay months before it airs. Everything is so improvised, they want to make sure everything makes sense to people who aren’t involved in the show.

So they show the episode. It’s 6-7 people sitting in an edit and Larry is in the back with a note pad. He takes notes on whether they are laughing or not. Later, they ask questions, ‘Did you understand this? Did you get that?’

Based on that, I asked if Larry would call into the podcast. It couldn’t have been better. Then for last year’s debut, I invited Larry in. Believe me, during the lockout, I was looking for any sort of escape.

He came in to do a round table with Jeff Garlin, JB Smooth, and Bob Einstein. It was amazing. That was my favorite podcast, hands down.

 

Best Ryder Cup ever: Golf Channel documentary relives “War By The Shore”

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1991. Kiawah.

It all came down to Bernhard Langer facing one last putt on Sunday. The ultimate Ryder Cup.

Ross Greenburg weighs in with a documentary on the Golf Channel tonight at 9 p.m. Here’s the trailer:

Here’s the release:

The epic competition between the U.S.A. and Europe on Kiawah Island, S.C., in 1991 that forever changed golf’s Ryder Cup from a friendly exhibition to a high-stakes rivalry, is captured in War by the Shore, a 60-minute film by 51-time Emmy Award-winning producer and former president of HBO Sports Ross Greenburg, premiering Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.

War by the Shore goes inside the ropes on those three historic days in September, with in-depth and insightful interviews with many of the competing players and the captains who led their teams during one of the most memorable Ryder Cups ever played. Contested by the best golfers on either side of the Atlantic on Kiawah’s picturesque and brutal Ocean Course layout, the 1991 Ryder Cup was a spectacle for tournament patrons and television viewers, alike. All were witnesses to a tense, back and forth – not all together civil – affair, filled with miraculous shots and epic collapses.

How will MLB use new TV money? Hold line on tickets or make players even richer?

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Question: How will MLB use the mega bucks from its new $12.4 billion TV deal?

Will it attempt to hold the line on ticket prices? I was going to use the phrase, “Keep the game accessible,” but I think that concept went out the window a long time ago. However, MLB needs to keep the prices somewhere in its current neighborhood, even though in some cases, that borders on outrageous.

Or will MLB, specifically the big spending teams, just funnel the new funds to high-priced free agents? With the increased money, is the day coming soon when $20-million per year seems quaint, much like $3 million per year does now?

Unfortunately, I think we all know the answer to that one. It just got even better to be an agent.

John Ourand of Street and Smith’s Sports Business Daily has the details of the new deal, which is expected to be announced this week.

Major League Baseball is poised to announce a stunning $12.4 billion worth of media deals this week as it completes negotiations on eight-year deals with Fox and Turner to go along with its earlier deal with ESPN.

The total take from its three partners more than doubles the amount from its previous deals.

Because the deals had not been formally announced, nobody from the league or networks was authorized to speak publicly last week, but sources confirmed that Fox has committed to pay MLB $525 million a year for a package that includes annually the World Series, the All-Star Game, one league championship series and two division series. As part of the deal, Fox will sell two division series games to MLB Network for $30 million each year. It also keeps the rights to the Saturday “Game of the Week.”

Turner, meanwhile, has committed to pay $325 million a year for a package that includes one league championship series, two division series and extensive digital rights. TBS will carry 13 regular-season Sunday afternoon games, down from 26 in the current deal.

Including the $700 million per year that ESPN will pay under terms of its new deal, MLB will more than double the media rights fees it had been getting to an eye-popping $1.55 billion per season.

 

Posted in MLB

McNabb back in Philly-as an analyst

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This could be interesting, given Donovan McNabb’s history in Philly.

From the release:

Comcast SportsNet, the leader in local sports and the official cable home of the Philadelphia Eagles, welcomes former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to the network’s Eagles coverage team.  McNabb will appear every Thursday on “Daily News Live” throughout the season, starting this Thursday, Sept 27th.  This is in addition to his role as a studio analyst for the NFL Network.

McNabb played 13 seasons in the NFL, 11 of those with the Eagles.   He was the Eagles’ first round draft pick in 1999, and the second overall pick.   With McNabb under center, the club posted 10 or more wins in 8 seasons. In addition, the Eagles went to the postseason 8 times, won the NFC East 5 times, played in 5 NFC Championship Games, and reached the Super Bowl in 2004, before losing to the New England Patriots.

McNabb, a six-time Pro Bowl QB, is considered one of the finest players in Eagles franchise history. His 4,746 pass attempts, 2,801 completions, 32,873 passing yards, and 216 TD passes are franchise records. Donovan led the club to more wins (92), postseason games (16) and postseason victories (9) than any other QB in team history.

McNabb joins former Eagles including Brian Westbrook (Daily News Live and Eagles Extra), Leonard Weaver (Eagles Pregame Live), Ike Reese (Eagles Postgame Live) and Brian Baldinger (Eagles Extra) on Comcast SportsNet’s Eagles programming. Current Eagles running back LeSean McCoy appears every Friday on “SportsNite” and answers fans questions on CSNPhilly.com.

Posted in NFL

Q/A with Rich Eisen: His on-camera emotions about Sabol; progress of NFL Network; the Real Deion

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First of two parts:

Rich Eisen tried stand up comedy in a former life. Humor is a big part of his repertoire as the signature host of NFL Network.

Viewers, though, saw another side of Eisen last Tuesday. Eisen was visibly emotional in announcing the death of NFL Network President Steve Sabol. Here’s the link.

Eisen knows how much Sabol meant to his life. Without Sabol, he said, there would be no NFL Network.

Eisen has been there from Day 1 in 2003. He brought the channel on the air, saying “Your dreams have come true.”

Nine years later, it has become a dream job for Eisen, who took a considerable risk by leaving a fairly great gig at ESPN. In addition to his hosting duties on NFL Network, he also has a popular podcast that allows him to hang with stars like Larry David, Matt Damon, Jon Hamm, among many others in Los Angeles. And he ventures even further out of football by hosting a reality show, The Great Escape, on TNT.

In my part 1 of my interview, Eisen discusses Sabol, his on-air reaction, the progress of NFL Network and working with Deion Sanders.

What was is it like going on the air to announce the news of Sabol’s death?

I’m like everyone else my age. I grew up on NFL Films. My love of the game was stoked by NFL Films. I had the fortune to actually meet the man, and call him my colleague and know how he affected my career. Without him, the NFL Network never gets on the air. It wouldn’t be an embryo without him and his dad (Ed Sabol).

So to be the person on NFL Network given the assignment to break the news, it was moving to say the least.

How did you feel about becoming so emotional?

I got a call earlier in the day that this could happen. On the drive in, I’m thinking, ‘Is this really happening? He’s larger than life.’ It just caught me.

My philosophy in broadcasting is if there’s an emotion to the story and you’re feeling it, there’s no shame in showing it. I didn’t even give it a second thought.

Were you thinking about how he impacted your life?

It wasn’t just me. I always have Twitter open. I love to see the reaction from everybody on Sundays. Sabol was trending on Twitter within 15 minutes of the announcement. There was a collective mourning, and people were tuning into our network as if they were laying a wreath on a public memorial.

When I wrote my book about joining NFL Network, I asked Steve to write the foreword. Within 90 hours, it was in my hands. And it was a take on a topic of the book that I never would have thought of.

He’s one of those types of people who are inspirational. I’m not talking about professionally. I’m talking about personally. When we first went on the air, I never met the guy. Within six weeks, there’s an envelope. And it’s a hand-written note from Steve Sabol, saying, ‘Great job.’ Wow, to think this guy would take the time to do it. It was inspirational.

You took a big step leaving ESPN in 2003.

In the grand scheme of things, you could say that. But at the time, if you were going to bet on a start up, a channel about the NFL, run by the NFL, specifically Steve Bornstein, you’d make that bet.

How far have you and NFL Network come in nine years?

I’m thrilled with the way everything has turned out. I love being at the center of the NFL. The idea of the NFL as a year-round venture has become more of a mainstream idea. At one of my last SportsCenter idea meetings in April, ’03, somebody brought up an NFL story and was laughed out of the room. Now ESPN has two live NFL studio shows. This network was created to raise all boats for the NFL.

It’s been great and getting to plant a flag on the podcast. I love the free-form format.

How important is it for the network to go from 8 to 13 Thursday night games?

We all understand it is a valuable commodity. The fact we’re entrusted with more games means a lot. Means more travel. It means a lot of work. But we all understand the value of live NFL programming.

To me, what we do on our postgame show is very special. Watching the players run off the field and come to our set. Some of them just want to hear from Deion, Marshall and Irvin. ‘Tell me how we did.’ That’s great.

We’re in a good place now with 13 games and our Sunday morning show. I’d put that show up against anybody’s. And our game coverage. We’re all very proud of it.

What is it like to work with Deion Sanders. Is he the same off camera?

He’s the same. The most successful people I’ve met are the same on and off the air. Chris Berman. That’s not an act. When I got there in ’96, I observed Berman do a SportsCenter. He only did a couple a year at that point. And the guy who walked into the room for an idea meeting was the same guy I had seen on TV for a decade.

Deion is the same thing. He’s a great broadcaster and teammate. He’s always aware of what other people want to say and how to set it up. Some of my favorite converations with him are about baseball. Listening to him about riding the bus in the minors. I just love everything about him. I’d go through the wall for him.

Tomorrow: Eisen on his podcast: interviewing Larry David; sitting across from Olivia Munn.

 

 

College notes: Notre Dame delivers big night for NBC; ESPN GameDay at Michigan State-Ohio State

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NBC is happy to see Notre Dame off to a 4-0 start.

From the network:

ND-Mich overnight beat all other college games yesterday.

NBC’s Notre Dame Football game in prime (7:30-11P; #11 ND vs #18 Mich) earned a 4.0, up 48% from its second ND home game on 09/17/11 (3:30-7P; vs Mich St; 2.7), and up 54% from its first ND prime game on 10/22/11 (7:45-11P; vs USC; 2.6).

*********

From ESPN:

Pack up the trucks and grab a sweater, College GameDay Built by the Home Depot is moving on out of Tallahassee, Fla., and heading to East Lansing, Mich., site of next Saturday’s Ohio State (4-0) vs. Michigan State (3-1) matchup (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). College GameDay, in its 26th year, will be making its fifth visit all-time to the Spartans’ campus, the most recent being October 22, 2011 when the school hosted then-No. 6 Wisconsin for a 37-31 upset victory.

College GameDay’s first visit to Michigan State was for the October 25, 1997 showdown against in-state and Big Ten rival Michigan, ranked No.5 at the time. The then-ranked No. 14 Spartans lost 23-7.

While Michigan State is 2-3 when GameDay visits, Lee Corso is 4-1 on his winner picks when in East Lansing. Needless to say, Spartans fans should keep fingers crossed Corso spends the week getting fitted for body armor and a helmet.

College GameDay will air live at 9 a.m. ET on ESPNU and 10 a.m. on ESPN with host Chris Fowler, analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack, and host/reporter Samantha Steele.

Past results from GameDay visits to East Lansing:

10/22/11 – (16) Michigan State def. (6) Wisconsin, 37-31

11/9/05 – (5) Penn State def. Michigan State, 22-21

9/18/04 – Notre Dame def. Michigan State, 31-24

10/9/99 – (11) Michigan State def. (3) Michigan, 34-31

10/25/97 – (5) Michigan def. (14) Michigan State, 23-7

 

Stephen A returns on SNL: Vents on Tim Tebow

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Jay Pharoah’s spot-on impression of Stephen A. Smith returned to Saturday Night Live last night. Actually, this is the first time the spot made the air.

Last spring, Pharoah did a Stephen A. spoof that only ran on SNL’s site; it didn’t make the show.

Last night, Pharoah’s Stephen A. went off on Tim Tebow. What do you think? Probably not as funny as the first one on LeBron James.

Saturday flashback: Sergio’s tree shot at Medinah

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Sergio Garcia returns to Medinah Country Club next week for the Ryder Cup.

It is fitting that he qualified for the European team because Medinah was the scene of his most famous shot. During the 1999 PGA Championship, the 19-year old found his ball up against a tree on the 16th hole.

He closed his eyes and….

By the way, Garcia won’t find the tree for his return trip to Medinah. It died a few years ago. However, the memories remain.

Saturday flashback: The brilliant work of Steve Sabol and NFL Films

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In tribute to the great Steve Sabol, here are some classic works by NFL Films.

The first video is The History of Pro Football from 1983. Note the simplicity of the opening image: A football resting on the tee framed by blowing snow. Pretty much summarizes the brilliance of Sabol and NFL Films.

The Super 70s. When NFL Films, behind Sabol, transformed how the game was viewed.

A tribute to Vince Lombardi. John Facenda:

“Lombardi. A certain magic still lingers in the very name. It speaks of duels in the snow and cold November mud.”

Still gives me chills.

And here’s a clip from the NFL Game of the Week in 1977. Prior to ESPN, this is how we saw the NFL from Tuesday through Saturday.