Monthly Archives: February 2013

ESPN NFL Countdown: Robert Griffin III narrates piece on Doug Williams’ historic moment in Super Bowl

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Nice idea and nice execution.

Here’s a preview of the piece that will run Sunday on ESPN’s NFL Countdown (10 a.m. ET).

From ESPN:

“Having the opportunity to play and win the Super Bowl 25 years ago, and to have Robert Griffin lll narrating this piece on me for ESPN, wow what a blessing!! Thanks, and Hail to the Redskins.” – Doug Williams

Doug Williams was the Washington Redskins starting quarterback in Super Bowl XXII. His remarkable performance against the Denver Broncos dramatically changed the way African American quarterbacks were perceived in the NFL. Robert Griffin III, who plays the same position, in the same city is one of those beneficiaries, and helps tell the Doug Williams story. Written by ESPN.com reporter Greg Garber.

“All of a sudden he’s got more than a game on his back. He’s got history on his back — the hopes and dreams of a whole race. ‘How did I get all of this? I’m just a football player.’ But it wasn’t just another game, and he wasn’t just another player. Not that day!” – Al Sharpton

“It translated into so many different aspects of life, whether it was in government, whether it was in business, or whatever, that an African American could win the biggest game, in the most popular sport, at the most popular position and the most leadership of positions.” – Warren Moon, on the impact of Williams’ performance

Saturday flashback: NBC Pregame show for Super Bowl III; Broadway who?

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Once upon a time, a 30-minute tune-up sufficed for Super Sunday. This is NBC’s pregame show from Super Bowl III.

One of the quarterbacks popped off and predicted a victory. You would think Joe Namath’s comments would be the big story right at the top, right?

Guess again. Instead, Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis (great glasses) focused the first segment focused on defense.

Yes, times have changed.

Why this woman sports reporter will be rooting for Jim Harbaugh

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I have known Cheryl Raye-Stout since forever. She has been a long-time sports radio reporter in Chicago.

Women in the lockerroom is a non-story, but that wasn’t the case back in the 80s. On her blog on WBEZ.org, Raye-Stout writes about her difficulties back then and how a young quarterback named Jim Harbaugh changed the culture for the Bears.

She writes:

The media relations person at Halas Hall announced that the locker room was open. There was a group of reporters, (very small compared to the numbers now) and I walked in the middle of the group. That is when I was greeted by angry, hurtful words and loud obnoxious screams. It was evident it was directed at me and the reporters all stepped away as I took the abuse. At that point, the Bears media person told me I had to leave and would not have access.

I walked out the door unsure as to what had just happened. I controlled my anger as the realization set in.

The situation changed when the Bears drafted Harbaugh in 1987:

A few weeks into the season I asked to talk to Jim as I sat on the floor. The media person went into the locker room and brought the rookie out for me. Jim looked at me and then said to the media person, “Why can’t she go in the locker room like she does after games?”

He wasn’t kidding. Jim had the firm look he shows now as San Francisco’s coach. There was no answer that would be satisfactory to Harbaugh. There was more to the conversation, but for me, his first words were the most relevant.

Until that point, no one else had even challenged or really cared about my situation. Jim and I talked, and we walked into the locker room. There were no angry voices, there were no insults. (Now there was no red carpet or rose petals thrown either.) At times there were some other incidents, but this was a huge change at Halas Hall.

Raye-Stout never forgot the gesture. She obviously has good reason to pull for Harbaugh Sunday.

 

 

 

What’s the over-under on Harbaugh shots during the Super Bowl?

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It’ll be all-Harbaugh-all-the-time Sunday. Except when it’s all-Ray Lewis.

The Harbaugh brothers are an incredible storyline. In Jim Nantz’s view, the best pictures from the Super Bowl will come at the end of the game.

“When those two coaches meet at midfield when the game ends, I can’t wait to see  what that will be like,” Nantz said. “How much joy? How much despair? How will  they balance that? To me, the ultimate shot of this game will be when two  brothers meet at midfield — one a winner, one a loser, with the biggest stakes  in the sport, and it has all just been settled. Looking into their eyes, what  are we going to see?”

As for the game itself, CBS director Mike Arnold said his crew will have dedicated cameras on both coaches. Of course, that’s a no-brainer, considering CBS will have 62 cameras.

The reaction shots from the coaches are standard fare during a Super Bowl. However, there’s going to be much more interest in seeing the Harbaughs because of the brother connection–especially Jim, who can get very animated.

“If he’s got a great reaction, we want to make sure we see that on the air,” Arnold said.

And what about the parents? There will be a high value on the reaction shots from mom and dad.

“If we find them in the stands, we’ll definitely mix them into the broadcast,” said executive producer Harold Bryant.

Meanwhile, the challenge for Nantz and Phil Simms will be to come up with fresh angles to a Harbaugh storyline that will have been beaten to death by kickoff.

Simms:  “I think we have a few stories about both brothers than nobody knows through experiences I’ve had with him or people who know them. Maybe we’ll get into a couple of those, but so many of those stories are dependant on the pace of the game and the plays that are being made. If there’s a lot of exciting plays, it’s hard to tell anything personal about either one. We’ll just deal with the game.”

Nantz: “We’ll be armed with appropriate bullet points. Hopefully very fresh. There’s so much out there right now. This game is so Harbaugh-centric. You just hope you can find in your face-to-face meetings a story people have no heard.”

 

 

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Golf Channel: Morning Drive to unveil new set; goes 7 days a week

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The new set has been named “Studio AP” in honor of Golf Channel co-founder and pretty good golfer Arnold Palmer.

With the Super Bowl out of the way, golf heads into full gear. Pebble Beach, this week.

The Golf Channel is stepping up with enhancements to Morning Drive. Not that co-host and old pal Damon Hack needs any help looking better than he already does.

From Golf Channel:

Morning Drive welcomes an A-List roster of guests next week when the show re-launches on Monday, Feb. 4 at 7 a.m. ET with a new format, a new set, an expanded cast and a new, seven-days-a-week schedule. Headlining the roster of guests in-studio on Monday are 2011 PGA Champion Keegan Bradley, who is making his first appearance in-studio, and 2010 U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell.

In addition, Monday’s show will feature the first official interview conducted in the new Morning Drive studio: a sit-down with co-founder Arnold Palmer. The interview was taped earlier this week after he cut the ribbon on the new Morning Drive set, “Studio AP,” which was named in his honor. In addition to the ribbon cutting, Palmer also introduced a new autograph board that will be signed by every guest who visits Morning Drive.

Additional studio guests throughout the week include (subject to change):

 

  • Tuesday, Feb 5: Hall-of-Famer Greg Norman, including his arrival via helicopter; 10-time LPGA Tour winner Suzann Pettersen; and 2011 Kia Classic champion Sandra Gal
  • Wednesday, Feb 6: Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam, for her first regular weekly appearance; 2012 Sybase Match Play champion Azahara Munoz
  • Thursday, Feb 7: European Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter; 2012 LPGA Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis
  • Friday, Feb 8: Nine-time LPGA Tour winner Paula Creamer

 

Joining Morning Drive regulars Gary Williams, Damon Hack and Holly Sonders as co-hosts starting next week when Morning Drive expands to seven days include Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer, longtime Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman, Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, Ahmad Rashad, 11-time PGA TOUR winner John Cook, Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam, former Golf Digest travel editor Matt Ginella, and host of Top 10 and GolfNow Lauren Thompson. Golf Channel contributors Tim Rosaforte, Brandel Chamblee and Win McMurry also are scheduled to join the show next week.

Morning Drive’s new studio features four dedicated sets: a main anchor desk, an interview area, a product demonstration area and a news update desk. The new home is nearly four times larger than the show’s original studio. Panoramic, high-definition video backdrops throughout the studio will make viewers feel like the cast is broadcasting from just inside the picture windows of their local clubhouse. This signature look is accomplished by linking 20, 90-inch and 10, 52-inch monitors to create golf course morning vistas.