Category Archives: NBC

No swear zone: NBC producer defends McGuire

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If the coaches start launching F-bombs over Pierre McGuire’s head during the Stanley Cup Final, executive producer Sam Flood said NBC will handle it the same way it did during Game 4 of the Rangers-Devils series.

During a conference call Tuesday, Flood said if McGuire doesn’t cut off his microphone, the truck would. Flood supported McGuire, who has come under fire for censoring the heated exchange between Rangers coach John Tortorella and New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer.

Flood said:

Pierre is going to give the information. It’s simply two coaches who are not getting along. What they’re saying is not ready for broadcast. (McGuire can say) ‘I can tell you they’re mad at each other’ He can tell you the context without any words. That’s his job.

Later Flood added:

He and I talk after every situation and how it was handled….In terms of language, I certainly wouldn’t want my children to listen to that. So why should I put it in living rooms across the country?

McGuire said:

It’s not an overly sanitized place to work. We’re not in a sound chamber. Also, there’s a responsibility. If somebody uses unbelievable amounts of vulgarity, which happens from time to time in professional sports, I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment on that.

 

 

A first for sports TV: NBC’s Sunday Night Football first in primetime

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This news is all you need to know about the power of sports on television these days:

With the conclusion of the 2011-12 television season this week, NBC’s Sunday Night Football topped all primetime entertainment programming to become the first sports series to finish the full fall-spring TV season as the most-watched show in primetime, according to The Nielsen Company.

Sunday Night Football averaged 21.5 million viewers and 20.9 million viewers for its games during the official TV season which ran from Sept. 19, 2011 through May 23, 2012. American Idol ranked second.  Sunday Night Football was also the top-ranked primetime program for the television season in household rating, and all key adult and male demographics.

Additional TV highlights from the 2011 NFL season:

  • Super Bowl XLVI on NBC was the most-watched program in U.S. television history.
  • The AFC and NFC Championship Games accounted for the most-watched Championship Sunday in 30 years.
  • Divisional Playoff weekend was the most watched ever, with Giants-Packers on FOX ranking as the most-watched Divisional Playoff game in history.
  • The Steelers-Broncos playoff game on CBS was the most-watched Wild Card game ever.
  • FOX posted its most-watched NFL season ever.
  • CBS posted its second-most watched NFL season since acquiring the AFC package.
  • ESPN’s Monday Night Football was the most-watched series on cable for the sixth consecutive year.
  • NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football posted its most-watched season ever.

 

NBC announces trillions of hours of Olympics coverage

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OK, maybe not trillions, but the actual number will feel that way.

NBC announced the following today:

NBCUniversal will provide 5,535 hours of coverage for the 2012 London Olympics across NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, two specialty channels, and the first-ever 3D platform, an unprecedented level that surpasses the coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by nearly 2,000 hours. It was also announced today that NBC will broadcast 272.5 hours of coverage, the most ever for an Olympic broadcast network, largely attributable to an increase in daytime coverage.

That’s 5,535 hours, or roughly the equivalent of 231 days of Olympics coverage. I’d love to see somebody do a reality show on people trying to watch every hour on the various outlets. Now that would be good TV.

Here are other fun facts from the release.

The 5,535 hours of Olympic coverage are the most ever and surpass Beijing’s coverage (3,600 hours) by nearly 2,000 hours.

NBC will broadcast 272.5 hours of London Olympic coverage over 17 days, the most extensive coverage ever provided by an Olympic broadcast network, and nearly 50 hours more than the 225 hours for Beijing in 2008.

The 5,535 hours more than double the total amount of coverage of every Summer Games combined prior to Beijing (2,562 hours from 1960 Rome on CBS to 2004 Athens on NBC).

NBCUniversal will average 291 hours of coverage per day over London’s 19 days (including two days of soccer competition prior to the Opening Ceremony).

The chairman weighs in:

“We are only able to provide this level of coverage to U.S. viewers because of the unmatched array of NBCUniversal assets,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “Whether on television or online, on broadcast or cable, in English or in Spanish, NBCUniversal has the London Olympics covered, providing the American viewer with more choices than ever to watch the Games.”

My translation: Our butts are on the line here, so you better watch.

 

 

Beadle on over-coverage of her: It’s ridiculous

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Hopefully, we’re about to enter a Michelle Beadle-free zone for a while. But first, one last word from the women herself.

Even Beadle was embarrassed about the excessive amount of attention that has been focused on her in recent weeks. In an interview with USA Today, she said:

I find it ridiculous. It’s a little stupid. I’ve changed jobs a couple dozen times since I started in an amusement park at 16. … I got a little sick of myself. It’s been an odd situation. Hopefully, it will come and go and everybody will get back to their business. Very weird. Who knew?

Of her decision to move to NBC, where she will be involved in sports and entertainment programming, she said:

I’m 36 and I knew whatever I signed next would be a threeish-year deal. If I was 25, you’d have time to play with. You know, with high-def TV, women get the short end of the stick.

Anything else? OK, that should be enough Michelle Beadle for a while.

 

Tilghman to have major role at Olympics; O’Brien, Roggin also will host

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Kelly Tilghman’s ship has come in, so to speak.

NBC announced Wednesday that the Golf Channel veteran will serve as MSNBC’s studio host during its coverage of the Olympics. Tilghman will receive plenty of air time with 155 hours of Olympics sports slated for MSNBC.

This will be Tilghman’s first Olympics assignment. It is a huge step, allowing her to branch out beyond golf. It also shows the synergy among the networks since Comcast bought NBCUniversal.

Also, NBC announced CNBC will have 73 hours of Olympic boxing, both men’s and women’s. Fred Roggin will serve as the host.

Tennis fans will go to Bravo for 56 hours of their favorite sport. Pat O’Brien will be the host.

 

Jordan looks forward to Ryder Cup; Rolfing show focuses on Chicago

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Michael Jordan doesn’t do much in the way of sit down interviews these days. Especially if the questions are about the Charlotte Bobcats.

However, there are two reasons why Mark Rolfing got a chat with him; he is good friends with the basketball legend and the subject was the Ryder Cup.

An interview with Jordan will be featured on the latest edition of Rolfing’s Global Golf Adventure, which airs Saturday on NBC at 1 p.m. ET. The show focuses on the Ryder Cup coming to Chicago in September.

The Ryder Cup is Jordan’s favorite sporting event. He never misses it. And with the Ryder Cup in Chicago, where he remains a sporting God, and at Medinah Country Club, where he is a member, you can bet he will receive plenty of love from NBC’s cameras.

Said Jordan during the interview with Rolfing:

“I think it’’s a great, great sports town for all sports, not just basketball.  For football, the Bears have been strong for years, you have the competition, the rivalry between the Cubs and the White Sox, and you know obviously the Bulls have made its impact, even the hockey team has been just as strong. The fans are so passionate there in Chicago and I think they’’re truly going to enjoy the Ryder Cup. If they have never been, they are going to see an unbelievable event. And for me, it’’s truly a highlight.

The show also features interviews with “Mr. Cub”, Ernie Banks, and Dustin Johnson.

Eli’s opening monologue and reviews of Eli, the actor

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From what I’ve found, the reviewers have been kind to Eli Manning.

Writes Marc Snetiker of Entertainment Weekly:

The brunt of the monologue was Manning’s self-proclaimed expertise about New York City, which included recommendations to get tickets to Cats and eat New York cuisine at Olive Garden.

Thus began the theme of the night: Manning as dimwitted doofus. Whether this reflects something about Manning’s public persona or if it’s simply an easy approach to writing for a gawky jock, I don’t know — but Manning was up for it, and in any case, he delivered on what he was given (although his cue card reading skills could use some polishing).

Writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News:

He held one older brother’s head in a toilet, gave another a wedgie, and shot  another with an arrow.

“We know that big brothers can be real d—heads,” Eli said.

That’s not a side the usually calm, polite and sometimes awkward Manning has  ever shown publicly, but he was clearly willing to step way out of character  during his star turn on SNL.

Writes Tim Keeney of Bleacher Report:

It was Eli’s decision—whether it was his or not—to Tebow on national television that will have everyone talking about him and falling in love with him.

When in doubt about whether or not you’re going to actually be funny on a show that is built to be funny, just Tebow.

Seriously, it works everytime.

 

Posted in NBC

Eli’s ‘Little Brother’ scores on SNL

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Not sure that Eli Manning topped his brother Peyton’s performance, but he did have some moments as host of Saturday Night Live.

The most memorable came in an ad for “Little Brothers,” in which Eli, a little brother himself, got revenge against the evil big brothers of the world. It was topped by a wonderful kicker line at the end aimed at a certain future Hall of Fame quarterback.

 

Roll call of athlete hosts on SNL; Why is Tony Danza on list?

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From Wikipedia.

As of 2012, there have been 35 sports figures who have hosted SNL. They include athletes, former pro athletes, coaches, owners, & sports commentators.

Why is Tony Danza on this list? Even though he once boxed professionally (9-3 career record), he wasn’t asked to host SNL for his athletic skills.

Also, note the second athlete host. Much better days back then for O.J.

Host Occupation Number of episodes First hosted Last hosted
Fran Tarkenton football player 1 January 29, 1977
O. J. Simpson football player 1 February 25, 1978
Bill Russell basketball player 1 November 3, 1979
John Madden football coach/sportscaster 1 January 30, 1982
Bob Uecker baseball player/sportscaster 1 October 13, 1984
Alex Karras football player/wrestler/sportscaster 1 February 2, 1985
Howard Cosell sportscaster 1 April 13, 1985
Hulk Hogan wrestler 1 March 30, 1985
Mr. T wrestler/actor 1 March 30, 1985
Tony Danza boxer/actor 2 April 19, 1986 January 28, 1989
Marvin Hagler boxer 1 May 17, 1986
Billy Martin baseball player/manager 1 May 24, 1986
Joe Montana football player 1 January 24, 1987
Walter Payton football player 1 January 24, 1987
Carl Weathers football player/actor 1 January 30, 1988
Wayne Gretzky hockey player 1 May 13, 1989
Chris Evert tennis player 1 November 11, 1989
George Steinbrenner New York Yankees owner 1 October 20, 1990
Michael Jordan basketball player 1 September 28, 1991
Charles Barkley basketball player 3 September 25, 1993 January 7, 2012
Nancy Kerrigan figure skater 1 March 13, 1994
George Foreman boxer 1 December 17, 1994
Deion Sanders football/baseball player 1 February 18, 1995
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson wrestler/actor 3 March 18, 2000 March 7, 2009
Derek Jeter baseball player 1 December 1, 2001
Jonny Moseley freestyle skiing 1 March 2, 2002
Jeff Gordon NASCAR driver 1 January 11, 2003
Andy Roddick tennis player 1 November 8, 2003
Tom Brady football player 1 April 16, 2004
Lance Armstrong cyclist 1 October 29, 2005
Jason Lee skateboarder/actor 1 November 12, 2005
Peyton Manning football player 1 March 24, 2007
LeBron James basketball player 1 September 29, 2007
Michael Phelps Olympic swimmer 1 September 13, 2008
Eli Manning football player 1 May 5, 2012
Posted in NBC

Saturday flashback: Peyton Manning on Saturday Night Live

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It’s Eli Manning’s turn to host Saturday Night Live tonight. Brother Peyton had the duties in 2007.

Of all the SNL sports hosts, you could make the case that Peyton was the best. His spoof of the United Way commercial was a classic.

SNL didn’t have the actual link on its site, but I did find a clip of the bit that ran during a Fox News report.

Here’s a video of Peyton talking about the SNL experience. Interesting to note that Manning said there wasn’t much rehearsal of the skits prior to air.

Check back later today. I’ll have more videos from the ads Eli and Peyton did together.