Monthly Archives: March 2013

Colin Cowherd: Working on new TV project; Book comes out in November

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Get ready for more Colin Cowherd coming to a TV and bookstore near you.

While chatting with him Tuesday about his radio show being picked up in Chicago on ESPN 1000, Cowherd said he is at work on a new TV project at ESPN. He also has a book coming out in November.

Regarding television, Cowherd said, “It’s under wraps. I don’t think they are comfortable with blabbing about it.”

Cowherd, though, isn’t good at the not-talking thing. While he didn’t divulge everything, he did provide some hints. The plan doesn’t appear to be a daily TV show, as he did with SportsNation. It sounds more like Cowherd will have special segments on various ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter.

“Doing a three-hour radio show followed by a 30-minute to hour TV can be exhausting,” Cowherd said. “Anytime you do that I always worry that the quality suffers on TV. I don’t know if that is my future. Perhaps doing features and really thoughtful pieces would be more my future.

“I’m not one who thinks getting your face constantly on TV is good. To add a TV component, I’d like to make sure it’s smart, thoughtful, well funded. As I get older–maybe I’m losing my energy–I don’t want to just be on the air. I want to do interesting stuff.”

As for his book, Herd Mentality: Things About Sports and Life I Think but Probably Shouldn’t Say will hit the stores in the fall.

“It is stuff from a kid who came through divorces and from rural America, and I always have had a different way of seeing the world,” Cowherd said. “I wanted to put it in book form. It’s been hard, but I don’t know if I ever had more fun.”

 

 

Chicago radio shuffle: Cowherd show to air in morning on ESPN 1000; Waddle-Silvy to afternoons

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Colin Cowherd is coming to Chicago.

As expected, the lineup has been shuffled at ESPN 1000.

Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman are moving from mid-morning to the 2-6 p.m. afternoon slot. Carmen DeFalco and John Jurkovic will shift to the 10 a.m.-2 p.m. slot.

The new addition will be an hour of Cowherd’s national ESPN show. It will air from 9-10 a.m. Gone, at least in Chicago, will be Scott Van Pelt and Ryan Russillo, whose show currently airs from 1-2 p.m. on the station.

The changes are effective April 1.

ESPN appears to be making a push to extend Cowherd’s reach into more markets. It remains to be seen whether Chicago will embrace Cowherd.

Cowherd did some early romancing Tuesday, saying how he and his wife, a Michigan native, consider Chicago “their favorite city.”

“I never thought I’d get on in Chicago,” Cowherd said. “I’ve been on in New York and Los Angeles, so it’ll be great to be on there. Chicago has a pedigree as having a great radio market. There are talented people there (in sports talk radio). I know it won’t be easy. If you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, you’ll vanish in that market.”

Asked how he would describe himself to Chicago listeners who never have heard him, Cowherd said, “It won’t take long for people to know I drink a lot of coffee.”

“I take each segment very seriously,” Cowherd said. “I’m not saying I’m always right, but I’m going to come out with a ton of energy.”

The shake-up was expected after ESPN 1000 cut ties with Harry Teinowitz from the afternoon show a few weeks ago. The station is trailing its sports talk rival, WSCR-AM 670, in the ratings race.

ESPN 1000 knows it has to improve its numbers in the afternoon. In the January ratings of men 25-54 (the key demographic for sports talk radio) from 1-6 p.m., ESPN 1000′s afternoon show placed 17th with a 2.6 audience share.  Meanwhile, its main competition, Dan Bernstein and Terry Boers at WSCR-AM 670, was No. 1 with a 6.5 share.

ESPN 1000 is counting on the appeal of Waddle, a popular former Bear, and the chemistry he’s built with “Silvy,” to cut into that deficit.

As for the morning, there’s an interesting sidelight. Jurkovic now will be competing against his former ESPN 1000 partner and close friend, Dan McNeil, who teams with Matt Spiegel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WSCR.

Stay tuned for more.

 

 

Dodgers come to aid of Simers while suffering from stroke; ‘I hope I don’t have to call them Choking Dogs’

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T.J. Simers had a scary episode that fortunately wasn’t much worse.

The Los Angeles Times columnist suffered from a  small stroke while covering the Dodgers in spring training. He wrote about how the Dodgers staff came to his rescue.

I alerted Times beat reporter Dylan Hernandez that I couldn’t cover the Dodgers. He told the Dodgers because he thinks delivering good news makes him more popular.

Dodgers PR guy Steve Brener called to confirm, a little too giddy for my taste.

I mentioned banging into the furniture and suddenly he’s got me talking to Dodgers trainer Sue Falsone. She wanted me to look in the mirror and smile. I never thought of that before. I never see anyone smiling when I arrive, so this was my chance to see what it would look like.

The rest is a blue blur with the Dodgers saving me. I wonder if this means their motto for 2013 will be: Win It for Page 2.

I hope I don’t have to wind up calling them the Choking Dogs.

And Simers wrote:

They had me stay overnight so the nurses could practice taking blood in the dark. Brener and Tom Lasorda stopped by. Lasorda used the bathroom so I would know he was there with me the whole way.

The Times’ obit writer emailed to wish me well.

Hernandez stopped by to see if it was time to apply for the Page 2 column. Ned Colletti was a visitor. There were no Angels, and I was pretty happy about that because the last place you want to see angels is in a hospital.

They tell me I’ll be fine. I’m supposed to interview Floyd Mayweather on Tuesday, so we’ll see.

To be completely honest, I wrote this to see if I could still do it. (I await the messages to the contrary.)

 

 

LeBron rules: Heats-Celtics thriller pulls huge rating for ESPN

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This is why ESPN loves teams that have a 23-game winning streak, and games that go down to the last minute.

Last night’s Miami-Boston game did a 3.1 rating on ESPN, the third-highest ever for a regular-season game on the network.

In case you missed it, here is LeBron James’ latest addition to his highlight reel. Said Hubie Brown: “That’s sending it down with some power.”

One more chance to experience the weirdness that is Bill Walton; On NIT game tonight

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Yes, folks, ESPN is giving him an encore.

Thanks to the NIT, Bill Walton will be on the call for the Stephen F. Austin-Stanford game Tuesday. Tipoff is 11 p.m. ET, but it might be worth staying up late to watch his show. When it comes to goofiness, Conan, Dave, Jay and Jimmy combined won’t match the big redhead. It could be the first NIT game that is must-see TV.

Walton went over the top several times during his analysis of the Pac 12 tournament. In the video above, he conjures up the image of Ray Lewis in a limo. Apparently, he forgot two people died in that incident. Not exactly something you joke about.

Walton also brought up Bill Simmons’ suspension at one point during a game.

Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites compiled an impressive list of Walton’s best/worst lines.

A sample:

“The vision of what could possibly be for the nation’s greatest conference! The conference that has all the records! The conference that has all the perfect demographics, all the cool spots! This event this week has been one of the greatest things I’ve ever participated in my whole life! It went over the top today, because at the MGM Grand, they had a pool party this afternoon. Oh my gosh! The bands were there! The bikinis were out in full force! It was absolutely remarkable!

“And then on the way to the game tonight through the lobby and the Golden Lion and the bands were all around that, the cheerleaders were dancing! And at the bottom of the elevator below my room, there was Wolfgang Puck’s open until 6 a.m. in the morning! Come on! This is just fantastic! Thank you, Larry Scott!”

Kudos to Dave Pasch for attempting to make sense out of all the nonsense.

My 17-year-old heard Walton’s act for the first time. He asked, “Who is that guy?”

I replied, “Oh, maybe the best player in college basketball history. If not the best, then top 3.”

My son said, “Really? He’s weird.”

Yes, Bill Walton is an acquired taste.

 

News flash! Tiger announces he is dating Lindsey Vonn

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Gee, wonder what kind of questions Tiger Woods will get this week at Bay Hill?

Woods just used his Facebook page to confirm what had been rumored for a while. He and skier Lindsey Vonn are a thing.

Woods, though, did bury the lead with this post. It’s still about the golf:

This season has been great so far and I’m happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral. Something nice that’s happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating. We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes.

Respect their privacy? Not likely.

The timing is interesting. I expect Woods decided to make this announcement because somebody else was about to break it, and/or had pictures of the couple together. Or Vonn might just be at Bay Hill this week to watch Woods in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Not that she will be able to get around much because of her injured knee.

Either way, as Bonnie Raitt once sung in a song, “Let’s give them something to talk about…”

*****

Tim Layden, who did a profile of Vonn in Sports Illustrated last week, issued this tweet.

I’d like to thank @lindseyvonn for doing non-denial denial on Tiger romance in SI last week. Was obvious. Now official.

 

Better late than never: Dan Jenkins wins Red Smith Award; sports magazine writers finally get honor

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Or what took so long?

Last year, the Associated Press Sports Editors gave their top honor, the Red Smith Award, to Frank Deford. It was long overdue considering how Deford likely is on Mt. Rushmore for modern sports journalists.

This year, another one of those faces on the sportswriting peak, Dan Jenkins, finally will get his Red Smith. Last Friday, APSE announced the 83-year-old Jenkins will be honored during its summer conference in Detroit.

Why did two titans like Deford and Jenkins have to wait so long for recognition from APSE? Well, they are mainly known for their magazine work. Last year, Deford became the first magazine writer to win the Red Smith; Jenkins now is the second, mainly for his work at Sports Illustrated and Golf Digest. He still is going strong, pumping out columns for Golf Digest.

APSE is made up primarily of sports newspaper editors. So that attests to the reason why the award previously has been given to newspaper writers and editors.

However, if Deford and Jenkins don’t have a Red Smith, what’s the sense in giving out the award? At least APSE recognized these glaring omissions.

APSE president Gerry Ahern did a nice write-up on Jenkins. Here are the highlights.

“I’m delighted, I’m flattered and frankly I’m overwhelmed because I’m such a fan of most of the people who are in there and have known a great many of them,” Jenkins said. “I even knew Red pretty well.

“I used to sit next to him at Super Bowls and NFL games and was a great admirer of his. I used to quote stuff to him, his stuff. He was such a wonderful, gentle, terrific guy and helpful to any other writer, any young guy who read him and understood his work.”

The Red Smith Award is just the latest honor for the inimitable Jenkins, who got his start in newspapers at the Fort Worth Press and Dallas Times-Herald. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012 and won the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing last year. The PGA gave him its Lifetime Achievement in Journalism Award in 1995 and he entered the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 1996.

But the Red Smith Award is special, Jenkins said. The thought of being enshrined alongside Smith, Blackie Sherrod and Furman Bisher brought out emotions.

“I’ve got a few plaques hanging on my wall, but I’ve never been as thrilled about any award as I am about this one,” Jenkins said.

More from Jenkins:

“These are supposed to be fun and games as Red himself always said. I love to try and keep people honest. We have enough God-like creatures running around in Sports nowadays that someone has to try and keep their feet on the ground.

“I just say what I think and things come to me. Sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s not. I hate to draw blood but sometimes I do.”

Here’s who is on deck for the Red Smith:

Twelve sports journalists received nominations for the 2013 Red Smith Award. The five top vote-getters behind Jenkins (in alphabetical order) are Henry Freeman, Leigh Montville, Bob Ryan, Fred Turner and George Vecsey. In accordance with APSE rules, they will automatically be on the ballot for 2014.

 

Q/A with Verne Lundquist: Appearing in Happy Gilmore ‘is gift that keeps on giving’; his love for NCAA tournament

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Verne and Raft and all is right in the world.

It wouldn’t be an NCAA tournament without Verne Lundquist. Thanks to some tweeks in his schedule, the popular play-by-play man is rested and anxious to go this week.

Now 72, Lundquist asked CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus for an extended break in the grind during college basketball season as part of his new contract. After he completed his football duties, instead of trekking  to exotic outposts like East Lansing, Mich. and West Lafayette, Ind., he and his wife headed for a trip Down Under.

Lundquist, though, returned to the microphone a few weeks ago.Thursday, he and his good friend, Bill Raftery, will dive in at Auburn Hills, Mich. for what Lundquist calls his favorite assignment. He did his first NCAA tournament game in 1982, teaming up with former LSU coach Dale Brown.

Here is my Q/A with Lundquist on going strong at 72; and how appearing in Happy Gilmore still is paying dividends for him. Also, I am rerunning his comments on calling the famous Duke-Kentucky game from a post I did with him in December.

How does it feel to being doing another NCAA tournament?

I’m coming up on 50 years in the business. Isn’t that staggering? It is to me. I have a good sense of what goes well and when it doesn’t. It’s like a competitor. When it goes badly, you want another at bat. You don’t have too many that go badly. I wouldn’t be here if I did. I’m proud of the fact I’m still working, still considered viable.

Is the tournament your favorite?

I do think so. Raft and I have become such good friends.

How difficult is it to do four games in one day?

It’s the hardest thing ever. There’s nothing equal to it. The first time, I thought I was up to the challenge, but I didn’t know how to organize myself in the proper fashion. You learn you don’t use up too much energy in the first game. Then you pray to high heaven the last game is compelling. There’s nothing like a blowout in that fourth game to make you really weary.

What sets apart the tournament in your view?

You can argue about what is the greatest sporting event. It’s certainly in the top three. To see the public embrace it has been great. Is the Super Bowl bigger? Certainly, from a corporate aspect it is. But it doesn’t have the charm the NCAA has because of the potential of a Butler winning the title. If (Gordon Hayward’s shot) goes in, Duke-Kentucky becomes the second greatest game.

You went more than 10 years without watching a replay of the famous Duke-Kentucky game. Why?

I thought I had a good broadcast. The truth of the matter is I didn’t want to intrude on the reality of my memories. I didn’t want to look at the tape and say, ‘For crying out loud, why did I do that?’

About 10 years ago, Billy Raftery and I were getting ready to do Marquette-Kentucky (in the NCAA tournament). He called and said they were airing the game on ESPN Classic. He knew I hadn’t watched it. I picked it up midway through the game. At the end, I thought I did a pretty good job.

What was going through your mind as Grant Hill got ready through the in-bounds pass?

At first, I was surprised that Rick Pitino didn’t have anyone guard him. I think if Rick had one do-over, he would have put somebody 6-8 on him.

Then for a split second, I remembered I announced Grant Hill’s birth on a Dallas TV station. His father, Calvin, and I were good friends. Now here’s this guy (Grant) about to throw in the pass. I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ It was very personal to me.

What was your assessment of the final call?

You hope you get the call right. Mine wasn’t particularly brilliant. I channeled my inner Marv Albert and yelled ‘Yes!’

Somebody once asked if I was proud of that call? I’m proud I didn’t muck it up. It wasn’t an innovative piece of broadcasting, but it captured the moment. Len and I then had the good sense to shut up and let (director Mike Arnold) do his job.

What was the reason why you didn’t work as many basketball games this year?

When I did my new contract, I asked them if they could relieve me of some games. There was too much travel to places like East Lansing and West Lafayette. It was very gracious of them to do that. I still watched the games, but I was thankful to be able to do it with my wife.

You’re 72. This is supposed to be a young man’s game. Why does it still work for you?

The fact that I’m working at 72 in a high-profile position makes me feel honored. I think there still is some connection to not only the generation younger than me, but maybe two generations. I have to connect with kids 18-22. I think (appearing in) Happy Gilmore is the gift that keeps on giving.

I’m being factious, but something like that accidentally kept me viable with the college kid crowd.

Do you still enjoy it?

I don’t think you can fake a passion for it. You have to do the preparation. You can’t shortcut the process. The only thing I don’t like is the uneasiness of dealing with the airlines. Everything, except getting from point A to point B, I still find immensely pleasurable.

How much longer do you plan to work?

I’m not gilding the lilly when I say I am so appreciative to management that they gave me the time in the winter. I’ve got a contract that (could take him to 75). Then we’ll see.

 

Your broadcast lineups for NCAA tournament

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Here are your best pals for the upcoming feast of basketball:

OPENING ROUND
TUESDAY, MARCH 19

6:40 pm, truTV, Dayton
N.C. A&T vs. Liberty
Marv Albert-Steve Kerr-Craig Sager

9:10 pm, truTV
Mid Tennessee vs. St. Mary’s

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

6:40 pm, truTV
LIU-Brooklyn vs. James Madison
Jim Nantz-Clark Kellogg-Tracy Wolfson

9:10 pm, truTV
Boise St. vs. LaSalle

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

12:15 p.m., CBS, Auburn Hills
Valparaiso vs. Michigan State
Verne Lundquist-Bill Raftery-Rachel Nichols

12:40 p.m., truTV, Lexington
Bucknell vs. Butler
Ian Eagle-Jim Spanarkel-Allie LaForce

1:40 p.m., TBS, Salt Lake City
Wichita St. vs. Pittsburgh
Spero Dedes-Doug Gottlieb-Jamie Maggio

2:10 p.m., TNT, San Jose
New Mexico St. vs. Saint Louis
Brian Anderson-Dan Bonner-Marty Snider

2:45 pm, CBS, Auburn Hills
Mid Tennessee / St. Mary’s vs. Memphis
Lundquist-Raftery-Nichols

3:10, truTV, Lexington
Davidson vs. Marquette
Eagle-Spanarkel-LaForce

4:10, TBS, Salt Lake City
Southern U. vs. Gonzaga
Dedes-Gottlieb-Maggio

4:40, TNT, San Jose
Oregon vs. Oklahoma St.
Anderson-Bonner-Snider

6:50 p.m., TBS, Lexington
N.C. A&T/Liberty vs.Louisville
Eagle-Spanarkel-LaForce

7:15 p.m., CBS, Auburn Hills
South Dakota St. vs. Michigan
Lundquist-Raftery-Nichols

7:20 p.m., TNT, Salt Lake City
Belmont vs. Arizona
Dedes-Gottlieb-Maggio

7:27 p.m., truTV, San Jose
California vs. UNLV
Anderson-Bonner-Snider

9:10, TBS, Lexington
Missouri vs. Colorado St.
Eagle-Spanarkel-LaForce

9:45, CBS, Auburn Hills
Akron vs. VCU
Lundquist-Raftery-Nichols

9:50, TNT, Salt Lake City
Harvard vs. New Mexico
Dedes-Gottlieb-Maggio

9:57, truTV, San Jose
Montana vs. Syracuse
Anderson-Bonner-Snider

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

12:15 p.m., CBS, Philadelphia
Albany vs. Duke
Kevin Harlan-Len Elmore-Reggie Miller-Lewis Johnson

12:40 p.m., truTV, Kansas City
Ole Miss vs. Wisconsin
Albert-Kerr-Sager

1:40 p.m., TBS, Dayton
Temple vs. N.C. State
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

2:10 p.m., TNT, Austin
Pacific vs. Miami
Tim Brando-Mike Gminski-Otis Livingston

2:40, CBS, Philadelphia
Cincinnati vs. Creighton
Harlan-Elmore-Miller-Johnson

3:10, truTV, Kansas City
Boise St./LaSalle vs. Kansas State
Albert-Kerr-Sager

4:10, TBS, Dayton
LIU Brooklyn/James Madison vs. Indiana
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

4:40, TNT, Austin
Colorado vs. Illinois
Brando-Gminski-Livingston

6:50 p.m., TBS, Philadelphia
Florida Gulf Coast vs. Georgetown
Harlan-Elmore-Miller-Johnson

7:15 p.m., CBS, Dayton
Iona vs. Ohio State
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

7:20 p.m., TNT, Kansas City
Villanova vs. North Carolina
Albert-Kerr-Sager

7:27 p.m., truTV, Austin
Northwestern St. vs. Florida
Brando-Gminski-Livingston

9:10, TBS, Philadelphia
Oklahoma vs. San Diego State
Harlan-Elmore-Miller-Johnson

9:45, CBS, Dayton
Iowa St. vs. Notre Dame
Nantz-Kellogg-Wolfson

9:50, TNT, Kansas City
Western Kentucky vs. Kansas
Albert-Kerr-Sager

9:57, truTV, Austin
Minnesota vs. UCLA
Brando-Gminski-Livingston