The Sports Business Journal, a publication read by many in the sports media industry, conducted a  poll of its readership, including asking them to name their favorite sportscasters. With about 2,300 respondents, here are some of the results:

Favorite play-by-play: Al Michaels, squeaking past Joe Buck, 15.3 percent to 15.0.

Favorite studio show host: Chris Berman (!) edging Bob Costas, 21.4-20.8.

Favorite game analyst: Kirk Herbstreit on top (12.2), with John Madden second (10.9).

Favorite (non-game-related) studio show: Pardon the Interruption, in a romp, with 37.9. Real Sports a distant second at 12.9.

Favorite NFL studio show analyst: Terry Bradshaw (13.1) over a group bunched at about 9 percent (Cris Collinsworth, Tom Jackson, Howie Long).

Favorite non-NFL studio show analyst: Charles Barkley (25.8), more than 10 points better than Peter Gammons and Herbstreit.

And to disagree: Berman? Too loud, too corny, too much in general.  PTI is entertaining enough, but it doesn't make much sense to compare it to the excellent Real Sports. They're really not the same kind of show. Nothing against Bradshaw, but if I could listen to only one guy talk about the NFL, it would be Jackson.

Posted by Ray Frager at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
                    

The things you learn on NFL pre-game shows ...

On CBS, Charley Casserly said global warming was responsible for more touchbacks on kickoffs. Now, he wasn't being entirely serious when he mentioned Al Gore, but Casserly was making the point that the warm weather throughout much of the country during the fall meant kicks would fly farther.

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During Fox's show, the question of Brian Billick's job security was put to Jimmy Johnson. As a former Super Bowl-winning coach, Johnson put a lot of stock in the Vince Lombardi trophy in Billick's resume, regardless that it was seven years ago. "He's got no quarterback there in Baltimore," Johnson said.

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OK, maybe it's nitpicky. Or maybe it's a function of getting antsy watching the Ravens' offense.  But still ...

Late in the second quarter, Ian Eagle said Kyle Boller had a "forgetful" first half. Now, Boller didn't perform that great, but it seemed he did remember to wear his helmet for each series. Obviously, Eagle meant to say "forgettable." 

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Early in the season, ESPN's pairing of Stephen A. Smith and Bill Walton for its NBA studio show doesn't appear to be harmonious at all. Maybe it's just Smith's bluster and Walton's hippie hyperbole are such contrasting styles, or maybe they just happen to disagree on a few points so far. Or maybe we'll be soon be treated to the two of them actually yelling at each other. Of course, with Smith, it would be hard to tell, being that his volume is always turned up.

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Expect to hear some teeth-gnashing from non-NFL Networked fans at least twice this season. NFL Network exclusive telecasts include two matchups with broad appeal -- Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, Nov. 29 and  New England Patriots at New York Giants on Saturday, Dec. 29. In the latter game, the Patriots could be going for an undefeated regular season, but, in order to see it at home, you'll need to subscribe to the sports package on digital cable or satellite.

The good news is that your cable provider might be offering the digital sports package at a low promotional rate.

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... that Tony Kornheiser will go heavy on the Ray Lewis-Brian Billick angle during tonight's Ravens-Steelers game, even though it's old news in Baltimore.

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He has set the bar pretty high -- particularly with his President Bush and John Madden -- so maybe it's a compliment to Frank Caliendo to say his David Letterman during yesterday's Fox NFL Sunday wasn't nearly as good. But I enjoyed the Top 10 on Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

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Did they run out of commercials? The Navy-Notre Dame telecast seemed to drag with long lulls in action between the overtime possessions. Tom Hammond and Pat Haden sounded as if they were struggling to come up with anything to say. Too bad, because once the ball was being snapped, this was quite a compelling game.

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In Friday's blog entry, I posted incorrect information about the lead singer of the cartoon creation musical group the Archies. It actually was Ron Dante. And who corrected me? Mr. Dante himself e-mailed to politely set me straight. At the same time, I also learned Ron Dante was the man behind the Cuff Links' hit "Tracy." My apologies to Ron Dante.

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And now a little plug for me. Yesterday's Arts & Life Today section contained a piece I wrote about my health problems late this summer. And no cracks about how that other guy in the photo is better-looking.

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Just how big is the Patriots-Colts game? CBS is bringing in new technology.

The network has announced it will debut "FreezeCam." To quote from the news release, FreezeCam is "a significant broadcast tool that enables CBS Sports to replay game action, then 'freeze' the action while zooming in, out or around the frame, to show players setting up for a given play." 

We'll have to see just how different this is from similar technology already in use during NFL games, but it sort of reminds me of those scenes from one of the CSI shows where they zoom in on a video to catch a glimpse of the bad guy's initials embroidered on his shirt. In which case, maybe Jim Nantz can practice putting on a pair of sunglasses a la David Caruso.

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In today's column, I mentioned the 1970s hit by Andy Kim, so I thought it only appropriate to include a link to "Rock Me Gently." The announcer in the clip notes -- correctly -- how much Kim sounds like Neil Diamond. And I didn't know this: According to a factoid flashed on the screen, Kim was the lead singer for the Archies! "Sugar, Sugar" indeed.

Posted by Ray Frager at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)