As many may know, we here at AA not only delight in announcing from here in the good old USA, but also around the world. But, I think it's safe to say today may bring us the first, and last announcing highlight from the world of cricket in Great Britain. Apparently cricket commentator Edward Bevan was announcing your standard, boring cricket match in Wales when a ball was crushed by Somerset's Peter Trego. Listen to the clip below as Bevan announces the flight of the ball heading for the commentary box, realizes it's about to hit him, and then does!
I don't know about you, but I'm not surprised a British cricket commentator was able to hold his poise when facing his own near-death experience at the hands of a wicked cricket shot. Can you imagine a more excitable announcer like Kevin Harlan or Gus Johnson (although he's come close before) reacting to a ball heading right towards them? Although Bevan was shaken up for several minutes after being struck, he was able to continue, after all, he's a cricket commentator! Just tape that baby up and get back to work! Suffice to say this show of poise and grit might even start to change the stereotype surrounding cricket commentators. Although, judging by the clip below, maybe the stereotype of British cricket announcers isn't what it used to be!
As the play by play man for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, Dan Shulman relayed one of the most important news stories in a generation to millions watching that Osama bin Laden had been killed by United States military forces. By all accounts, Shulman was masterful in his handling of the situation. In this interview, Dan talks to AA about how the information was relayed throughout the booth, breaking the bin Laden news, and other questions about his broadcasting career including what it's like to work with one Dick Vitale. Make sure to click "Read More" for the entire, amazing story.
Q: Before we get to the big news, the first question we always like to ask announcers is how you got your start in sports broadcasting?
A: I'm Canadian as you may know and I went to the university of Western Ontario. I actually graduated as an actuary. While I was at university just for fun as an extra-curricular kind of thing I worked at the campus radio station broadcasting the university's basketball and football games. When I graduated I worked as an actuary for six months and decided it wasn't for me. I had my mid life crisis early when I was 22 years old and decided to give broadcasting a try.
I got a job at a small radio station 50 miles north of Toronto, eventually got to Toronto and worked at the all sports radio station, and then eventually was hired to be the Blue Jays play by play announcer on TSN. One thing led to another, and some people at ESPN heard some of the work that I did and I got lucky and wound up there. When I got the Blue Jays job, which was 1995, I did the Blue Jays in the Summer and college basketball for ESPN in the Winter. Then, I went full time to ESPN in 2001.
Q: I have to ask, what's it like working with Dick Vitale?
A: It's great. It's a fun ride. It's always exciting and unpredictable, but it's fantastic. He's a ton of fun to work with and we're very close and become great friends. There's never a dull moment when you work with Dick. I enjoy every minute of it and I always look forward to working with him.
Q: You're the new play by play man for Sunday Night Baseball, how has the transition been filling in the Sunday Night booth, which is a big topic amongst a lot of baseball fans?
A: I'm so honored and flattered that my bosses would offer me the position on Sunday Night Baseball. Jon Miller is a Hall of Fame broadcaster and one of the best in any sport. It was definitely on my mind when I accepted the job that I'm following in the footsteps of one of the all-time greats. I try not to dwell on it because I don't want to put more pressure on myself. Every Sunday when the game begins I treat it like every game I've ever done and I hope all the viewers like what they're hearing and see.
ESPN puts so many resources into the Sunday Night show providing research and stats and we have so many bells and whistles that enhance the telecast, it's really fun. Anything a broadcaster could ever think of asking for is at our disposal. It's great to be a part of such a talented team.
Q: Tell us about how the Sunday Night booth is coming together and your chemistry with Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine.
A: I guess we've done about five or six games, we're very comfortable with each other, but the chemistry develops over time just like anything. This past week obviously was a much different situation because of the news that broke when we were on the air. Both Bobby and Orel see the game so well and so intelligently, I can throw anything at them and they've got an answer for it. They're such smart baseball guys. What's really nice and what's really important that your readers may or may not realize is the chemistry you have on the air develops from the chemistry you have off the air and all three of us get along great.
Q: Of course, all eyes were on Sunday Night this week. Your phone has probably been ringing off the hook with interview requests since then I can imagine.
A: Yea, it's been a crazy couple of days. It's certainly a moment that I'll never forget. It's not something you can prepare for in any way, shape, or form. It's one thing if it happens at 3 in the afternoon and you've got a few hours to think about how you want to handle it during the telecast that night. We weren't even in a commercial break, we were on the air when I found out. Bobby sits beside me and he nudged me with his elbow and I look towards him and he held up his cell phone...
Yes, we all want Manny Pacquiao to fight Floyd Mayweather, and the fact that it hasn't happened yet is an embarrassment to the sport of boxing and the seven fans of the sport that remain. However, Pacquiao will step in the ring with another one of the sport's big names, Shane Mosley, this Saturday. The 39 year old Mosley, who lost to Mayweather in a unanimous decision last May, may not be the most glamorous or most intriguing matchup for boxing fans. Pacquiao is a massive -600 moneyline favorite, which is an enormous number (you would have to bet $600 to win $100). One aspect of the fight that might convince more fans to watch though, is the presence of one Gus Johnson as the fight's play by play man. Gus will be working with Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarver on the call of the fight. Here's a quote from Gus during a conference call from BoxingNews24...
The two guys are in there and at the top of their game and taking risks. Everybody knows it and everybody can see it and feel it. And that’s what makes boxing so special; the anticipation and not only the anticipation but of the actual moment coming together for these two men who are in the ring. There’s nothing like a championship fight like James Brown said. As far as Pacquiao-Mosley, I’ve got to pinch myself to realize that I’m working this fight. I have a lot of friends and people who come up to me and say, ‘Hey, are you going to watch the Pacquiao-Mosley fight?’ I have to chuckle and say, ‘No, I’m not going to only watch it, but I’m going to call it.’ So I’m just so happy to be a part of this event.”
Gus may not be the superstar announcing boxing like he is doing the NCAA Tournament or the NFL, but it may be a reason for some folks to tune in to a fairly predictable fight. If Pacquiao dominates Mosley the way most fans believe, it'll take all of Gus' hyper-enthusiasm to make the fight exciting.
In case you missed it earlier, check out our article earlier today chronicling Dan Shulman's live announcement regarding the death of Osama Bin Laden. As Ben Koo pointed out, Shulman breaking into the late stages of a close game to deliver the jarring news compares to other moments in sports broadcasting history when sports and real life mix. Like many broadcasting greats before him, Shulman was more than admirable in his handling of the situation, even encouraging viewers to change the channel and watch the news as it unfolded. Our full analysis is available at the link, but here is the actual video of Shulman's realtime announcement. A huge tip of the hat to @LevityNYC for uploading and sending us the clip.
I had the pleasure of catching up with friend of AA and NBA on TNT play by play man Kevin Harlan today as he was flying to Miami to cover tomorrow's Game 2 of Celtics/Heat. Harlan is one of the most popular announcers in sports and last time we talked with Kevin in February, he was preparing to announce the Super Bowl for Westwood One radio. In this interview, AA chats with Kevin about that experience, the NCAA tournament, and these NBA Playoffs. If you'd like to read more of my interview with Kevin, you can jump over to the other half of the Q&A at Bloguin's outstanding new NBA blog - Crossover Chronicles.
Q: Last we talked you were getting ready for the Super Bowl. Can you take us back to that game and your experience?
A: I guess I just felt more anxious than anything else. From the moment I opened my mouth to sign on the air until we closed I was very happy with the strength of my voice, happy with the call, and very happy that my superiors were happy! (laughs) I worked with Boomer and he was just terrific, the game was great, you have these two NFL franchises that were meeting with a ton of star power in the game... it just lived up to everything I had hoped it would in terms of a broadcast. I usually leave a broadcast picking out a thousand things I wish I would have done differently, and I came away feeling overall pretty good, not perfect certainly, never feel that way, but pretty good about how everything turned out.
Q: Staying with the NFL, the fear of a lot of fans is that we may miss some game. As an NFL broadcaster for CBS, would that affect you and others that broadcast those games if we do miss games, or even a season?
A: I'm not sure exactly what will happen to us at CBS. We're all basically under contract, but there has to come a point if the lockout cancels multiple games that the network would come to us and even ask for a little release. I'm not certain where that stands. I certainly hope that none of us, and I speak for broadcasters, stadium employees, members of organizations, and the fans that we never cross that line. It seems like there's some pretty important things going on that may not be resolved as quickly as we'd like. That possibility always exists that there might be a time when the networks come to their broadcasters and say, "we've missed multiple games, we need some relief here" and I don't know a broadcaster that, as incredibly good as these jobs are, how anyone would balk at that.
Q: Another event you did was the NCAA Tournament. What is that first day of the NCAA Tournament like when you broadcast four games in the same day?
A: I wouldn't say it's the most fulfilling broadcast day that we have on our schedule for the simple reason that you can't savor a well-played game, a fun game to do, a close game, a last second shot because once that game is over, you've got to go to the next game. Almost immediately, once that game ends you're putting your notes for that game away and you're grabbing notes for the next game, and then the next game. You don't have a chance to reflect and thus make corrections or enjoy as a crew great shots, great replays, because they are quickly forgotten. From strictly a broadcast standpoint, it's a pretty unfulfilling day.
From a fan's standpoint, and to be a broadcaster you've got to be a fan, it's terrific because it's this non-stop conveyor belt line of interesting stories, colorful coaches, great plays, upsets, it's like it's a non-stop cavalcade of all those different things. So, as a fan and a broadcaster it's terrific. But strictly from a broadcasting platform it's a day you can't reflect on because there's so much volume to it.
Q: You also were at VCU's regional site and saw their run to the Final Four.
A: Their run was exhilirating and great, great copy. That made watching them enjoyable, Richmond was in that same group, as was Florida State. We had three double digit seeds and a one seed Kansas. As it turned out, that site had some really interesting games. That was a stunning performance by that team making it all the way to the Final Four and it was fun to catch a little bit of their story from one of the last teams in to one of the last teams out.
Q: How is the NBA Playoffs different from those other events that you cover like the Super Bowl or NCAA Tourney?
A: The Playoffs are different because it's an ongoing story. We have at least four games in a series and if you're lucky six or seven games. It's really like a chapter in a book because of the adjustments. You are constantly glancing at statistics, trends, because you can begin to really thread the story of Game 1 through Game 2 into Game 3. Something that happened in Game 2 may be relevant in Game 5. You are immersed in those two teams and you feel at the end of the series like you know every dribble, every shot, every minute played. You can somehow chronicle it because you've witnessed it and you've had to reflect on it and carry the significance into the next game or two or three games down the line.
That's what makes the NBA Playoffs so great. Number one, the best team always wins because you have multiple games to prove yourself and it's not just a one and done. Number two, trends develop, strategies become more clear, counter strategies become the focus. If you love the NBA, and follow it closely and know how much strategy goes in, you enjoy every second. The NBA Playoffs is just a thrill a minute and these Playoffs in particular have been incredibly entertaining.
Q: I thought we may have gotten a "With no regard for human life" call on Kobe's first dunk in Game 5.
A: Well, when LeBron did the no regard dunk, he came off of that thing with a look on his face that was just menacing like he would've gone through a brick wall, a ring of fire, anything to make that thing work, and basically did. With Kobe, what he did I thought was just incredible, but I did not see the expression after the dunk so that's why I didn't say it. I was so stunned that he did that because he's conceded he doesn't have many more left in his bag so you weren't expecting it, especially with the bad ankle. He soars, comes down, and does this incredible dunk. It was no more spectacular than a lot of other dunks he's pulled off, but because of the circumstances that one will stand out.
In 2010, ESPN pulled back the curtain on some of the behind the scenes scrambling that sports broadcasters endure when unexpected yet monumental news breaks during a live sporting event. Tonight Dan Shulman and ESPN were pressed into action again on this front as millions watching Sunday Night Baseball were informed of the news of Osama Bin Laden's death. Many people have praised how the matter was handled and it is in fact how I caught wind of the historic news.
While Twitter, text messages, IM, news channels, and the web also played a pivotal role in spreading the news, Sunday Night Baseball was probably one of a handful of programs that were being broadcast live and to an audience of millions. Looking back at somewhat similar moments in time when unexpected news and a major sporting event clashed, we know it's quite stressful to scramble to inform the American public that something unexpected and riveting has happened.
For the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon, ESPN had a a great special on Howard Cosell's famous late game Monday Night Football announcement of the star's unfortunate passing. I highly recommend you check it out as it's on Youtube here.
1980 is ages ago, way before all things internet and the explosion of cable television. Cosell's announcement of the news which was an ABC scoop that no other network had, was the first announcement on the matter and one that millions watched. Below is that now famous call.
This special about the back-story of this moment was extremely telling, especially for those too young to have any connection to that moment in history. The news came in the final moments of the game, a game that was hotly contested all the way to the final seconds. Once Cosell had Lennon's death confirmed by ABC news, they had about a minute before going back on live air for the final seconds of regulation to determine if and how to break the news.
Game 1: Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder (ABC 1PM) Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown Game 1: Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat (ABC 3:30PM) Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy
Monday May 2
Game 1: Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls (TNT 8PM) Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello Game 1: Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers (TNT 10:30PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Tuesday May 3
Game 2: Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat (TNT 7PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller Game 2: Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT 9:30)
Wednesday May 4
Game 2: Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls (TNT 8PM) Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello Game 2: Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers (TNT 10:30PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Friday May 6
Game 3: Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks (ESPN 7PM) TBA Game 3: Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks (ESPN 9:30PM) TBA
Saturday May 7
Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies (ESPN 5PM) TBA Game 3: Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics (ABC 8PM) TBA
Sunday May 8
Game 4: Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks (ABC 3:30PM) TBA Game 4: Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks (TNT 8PM) TBA
Monday May 9 Game 4: Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics (TNT 7PM) TBA Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies (TNT 9:30PM) TBA
ESPN's coverage of the 1st Round of the NFL Draft left a lot to talk about, but in the end it was a marked improvement over last year's train wreck. Unfortunately for the network, ratings fell from last year's all-time high to around 6 million viewers in 2011. Meanwhile, the competition over at the NFL Network actually saw a miniscule gain in their coverage from last year to just over 1.04 million viewers. While the combined numbers for the two networks were still the 2nd highest draft ratings of all time, there was still a 16% dip in viewers of the two networks.
So why the decline in numbers in the 2nd year of the NFL Draft in primetime? For one, lockout fatigue may be finally setting in on some hardcore fans. The uncertainty and bitterness surrounding the labor dispute might have tuned some fans out of the Draft coverage entirely.
Another factor in the ratings downfall could have been the stiff competition on TV Thursday night. In fact, ESPN's coverage was ranked 3rd in primetime behind American Idol (which people apparently still watch without British Mel Kiper...you know, Simon What's-his-name) and The Big Bang Theory (a show I wouldn't watch if tied down and held at gunpoint). The worldwide leader should actually be pleased that they were able to beat the likes of the NBA Playoffs and Steve Carell's final episode of The Office, which was definitely a tear-jerker for fans of the show like yours truly.
Now, I know what you're thinking, if my brother Matt were around this weekend, he'd have the perfect Office video to tie back in to the NFL Draft. But, since he's not here, my weekend present to you is a random compilation of "That's What She Said"...enjoy!
It was a new experience last night for viewers watching ESPN's NFL Draft coverage. Gone were the days of 25 analysts crammed on the main stage all fighting for the little bit of talking time between picks. Gone were endless cutaways to team sites and war rooms. Instead, ESPN went all-in with the tandem of Mel Kiper and Jon Gruden. So, how did the leaner and meaner NFL Draft coverage grade out? Let's go through the good, the bad, and the ugly to give ESPN's 1st Round performance the proper evaluation.
The Good
-The reduced main set with Gruden and Kiper was a classic example of addition by subtraction. Last year's 1st Round was ruined by Steve Young dominating analysis without saying anything of substance. The revolving door of NFL analysts brought in by ESPN over the years (Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, etc.) all seemed more interested in making sure their voice was heard instead of analyzing the draft. Reducing the circus to the duo of Kiper and Gruden allowed the two analysts to shine. Instead of waiting for Steve Young to finally stop talking, we finally got our money's worth from Mel Kiper, who was able to give the type of analysis this year that he had to cram into 30 seconds in previous years. What little debate there was between Gruden and Kiper allowed both to shine as well.
-Gruden especially was on top of his game, separating himself from the pack of ESPN's NFL analysts with a tour de force performance. With the extra time allowed by the slimmed down set, Gruden was able to showcase the insight everyone loves from Gruden's QB Camp. The scouting reports ESPN had from Gruden and Kiper were very informative, especially the 2 pages of adjustments Gruden suggested Cam Newton would have to make to be successful in the NFL. The extra air time given to Gruden also allowed him to actually get into some of the concerns he had for each player. And while Gruden was still largely positive, he wasn't the one-trick "I LOVE THIS GUY" pony that he can revert back to at times. While Gruden still isn't the perfect draft analyst (more on that later) his attention to detail and clinical breakdown of each prospect from a coach's perspective was a breath of fresh air.
-Mark Ingram's moment, although contrived by ESPN and Suzy Kolber, was still an emotional moment. Seeing the former Heisman Trophy winner read an email from his father (currently in prison) allowed all of the emotion of the draft to bubble to the surface. And while I'm normally not one to accept such made for TV moments, the connection of father and son was worth the manufactured drama.
-Although it was a minor detail, I was relieved ESPN chose not to use Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen to spoil every pick before it happened. The revealing pictures of young men getting a phone call they had dreamed their whole lives about was more than enough. Once again, ESPN decided to scale back the on-screen presence of Mort and Schefty and it worked. For those who wanted to be in the know, Schefter was again a Twitter maniac, which is exactly the proper forum for tipping potential picks.
Nobody knows what exactly is going on in the NFL right now, but one thing all football fans can celebrate is the sanctity of the NFL Draft, with the 1st Round happening tonight. There are many questions about the lockout and the state of the NFL's CBA, but we at AA have a few different questions in anticipation of ESPN's new trim and slim coverage of tonight's 1st round. How many towels will be required to mop up Chris Berman's sweat? Will Roger Goodell be tossed any softballs by Berman between picks? How many "guys" will Jon Gruden absolutely love? Will Mel Kiper's hair actually move on set? Will any viewers be watching NFL Network instead? If you have the answers to these questions and more, feel free to leave a comment below. We'll be back on Friday to grade ESPN's coverage of Round 1 and will include the best comments in our recap so make sure you let us know what you think throughout the evening. Happy Draft Day!
Update:
Before the draft even starts, we have our first unique moment of the draft as Goodell makes his first appearence and is met with a chorus of chants for "We Want Football". He did well to shake it off, but it's hard to ignore moments like this.
Nobody knows what exactly is going on in the NFL right now, but one thing all football fans can celebrate is the sanctity of the NFL Draft, with the 1st Round happening tonight. There are many questions about the lockout and the state of the NFL's CBA, but we at AA have a few different questions in anticipation of ESPN's new trim and slim coverage of tonight's 1st round. How many towels will be required to mop up Chris Berman's sweat? Will Roger Goodell be tossed any softballs by Berman between picks? How many "guys" will Jon Gruden absolutely love? Will Mel Kiper's hair actually move on set? Will any viewers be watching NFL Network instead? If you have the answers to these questions and more, feel free to leave a comment below. We'll be back on Friday to grade ESPN's coverage of Round 1 and will include the best comments in our recap so make sure you let us know what you think throughout the evening. Happy Draft Day! 
