Bryant Gumbel
Jul
17
Bryant Gumbel’s Closing Comments on HBO’s Real Sports, July 17, 2012
HBO Sports has sent us an advance transcript of tonight’s Real Sports closing commentary by Bryant Gumbel. Often, Bryant’s words are to the point and tonight, he’s practically spot on.
Here he takes on Reggie Jackson’s recent comments about Alex Rodriguez and the Baseball Hall of Fame. Then Bryant talks about the HoF being a place of honor and not necessarily statistics. And with the Steroids Era players becoming eligible starting next year, Bryant gives voters a warning.
BRYANT GUMBEL CLOSING COMMENTARY
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL
EPISODE #184
AIRS TONIGHT (7/17) @ 10:00 PM ET/PT“Finally tonight comes word that Reggie Jackson has wisely decided to pass on this weekend’s induction ceremonies at Cooperstown. You may have seen that Jackson recently caused a stir by suggesting that a variety of baseball notables didn’t merit inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Now, because his judgment was personal and his timing terrible, Reggie has since retreated from his stated views. But here’s hoping that the gist of what he said isn’t altogether lost on the Hall’s voters.
You see Reggie was basically right in contending that the hall should be special and its doors should not be opened just because someone stuck around long enough to collect 3,000 hits or 300 wins. Yes, the numbers are proof of some very good players. But as the former star pitcher Jim Kaat has often noted so astutely, Cooperstown’s supposed to be a Hall of Fame – not a hall of achievement.
If the voters are really so obsessed with honoring guys with the numbers, they’d be wise to start rethinking the exclusion of those megastars linked to steroids, and do it quickly. Because the next Cooperstown ballot will, for the first time, include among others, both the seven-time MVP Barry Bonds and the seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens. And while both men have a suspect past, it’s going to be hard to argue they don’t deserve a bust in Cooperstown. After all, a hall of fame that somehow excludes the game’s homerun king and its most honored pitcher and its all-time hits leader, would really be making a mockery of itself.”
That’s all. Real Sports airs tonight at 10 ET/PT
Jul
16
Real Sports Back on Tuesday, July 17
HBO’s Emmy Award-winning newsmagazine, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, returns Tuesday with a profile of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, a story about 1996 US Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu’s long-lost sister and an update on band hazing at Historically Black College and Universities. While 20/20 already did a story on Moceanu and her sister, I’m sure HBO’s version will have something 20/20 did not cover.
Here’s the press release from HBO.
GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH DODGERS ALL-STAR MATT KEMP;
TELLS THE IMPROBABLE STORY OF TWO GYMNASTS; AND
REEXAMINES MARCHING BAND HAZING AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS JULY 17, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBONow in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 184th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, JULY 17 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: July 17 (3:10 a.m.), 19 (2:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 22 (1:00 p.m.), 23 (1:00 a.m.), 25 (10:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m.), 28 (10:45 a.m.), 30 (11:30 p.m.) and 31 (6:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: July 18 (5:15 p.m., 1:50 a.m.), 20 (9:00 a.m., 8:00 p.m.), 24 (2:00 a.m.), 26 (2:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.) and 29 (7:00 p.m., 5:10 a.m.), and Aug. 1 (5:30 p.m.) and 4 (11:25 a.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: July 23-Aug. 13. The show is also available on HBO GO.
Segments include:
*The Toast of Tinseltown. Boasting a new $160 million contract, emerging superstar Matt Kemp is the heart and soul of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise. Kemp, 27, led the National League in home runs, runs batted in and runs scored last year, and was recently chosen to be a starting National League All-Star for the second straight season, despite a nagging hamstring injury that will keep him from playing in Kansas City. This current success stands in sharp contrast to his humble Oklahoma upbringing. In a REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Jon Frankel talks with Kemp about how the Dodgers have put their faith in him as a leader, and the pressures that come with that vote of confidence.
Producer: Michael Tolajian.
*Separated. Born without legs in the late 1980s, Jen Bricker was promptly given up for adoption by her parents. However, her foster parents treated her like a normal child, and she grew up in Illinois playing sports, despite her physical limitations. Around the same time, Romanian-American Dominique Moceanu was emerging as one of the United States’ best young gymnasts as part of the “Magnificent Seven” who captured team gold at the 1996 Atlanta games. Aware of her own Romanian heritage, Bricker rooted for Moceanu that summer, and, inspired by her idol, began competing and excelling in the sport. Recently, the two discovered an improbable bond much more profound than their shared interest in gymnastics, which would change both of their lives forever. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg sits down with the two women to hear their moving story.
Producer: Joe Perskie.
*The Deadly Tradition. Among the most entertaining spectacles in college football is the game-day performance of the school band. Shockingly, behind the tradition and prestige of marching bands at historically black universities is a longstanding ritual of violent hazing, where bandmates hit, strike and even beat their counterparts. Two years ago, REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford revealed some of the troubling incidents that led to the suspension of students and band directors, with victims filing and winning lawsuits. Yet the callous practice continued largely unabated. Last fall, at Florida A&M University, which was included in the Nov. 2010 report, drum major Robert Champion died after brutal hazing. Now, Deford leads HBO’s cameras back to the campuses to ask: Despite countless warnings, why does this dangerous initiation custom continue?
Producers: Josh Fine, Nick Dolin, Jake Rosewasser.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 15 times and has received 23 Sports Emmy® Awards overall. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. In January, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for a series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. In April, the show received the Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Sports Journalism for Bernard Goldberg’s 2011 report on the college bowl game money trail.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That is all.
Jun
19
Bryant Gumbel’s Closing Comments on Real Sports, 06/19
Tonight, Bryant Gumbel went after some athletes whom he felt got their comeuppance. He didn’t spare any words in going after Terrell Owens, Floyd Mayweather, Curt Schilling and Manny Ramirez. Sometimes Bryant’s comments are way out in left field, but tonight, I agree with him.
Overall, this edition of Real Sports was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.
Here are Bryant’s comments:
Finally tonight, it may be time to question that adage that “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, because some famous jocks who’ve been infamous jerks for a long time have finally been getting their comeuppance … and all in the last three weeks.
On May 30th, the veteran diva Terrell Owens, got kicked to the curb by the latest and probably last team that tired of his shenanigans… an indoor league football team at that.
On June 1st, Floyd Mayweather, the fighter who found it easier to get physical with the mother of his children than with Manny Pacquaio finally went to jail to begin serving a sentence for domestic battery.
On June 7th, we learned that the FBI is investigating former pitcher and fulltime blowhard Curt Schilling. A tea party guy, he evidently hates gov’t handouts, except when they’re to him. Schilling’s company, it seems, forfeited on a sweetheart Rhode Island state loan, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.
On June 13th, the US anti-doping agency effectively said what so many have long suspected…that Lance Armstrong is a fraud and they’ve officially brought charges that may at long last cycle him out of the spotlight.
And on June 15th, Manny Ramirez, the 40 year old slugger whose been a major league pain in the ass for years, was given his release and would appear to be finally on his way out of baseball.
In the grand scheme of things, the problems of all these guys may not amount to much, unless you believe in karma…in which case, congratulations are in order, because you’re having one hell of a month.
And that’s our show for this evening. For all the good folks here at Real Sports, I’m Bryant Gumbel. Thanks so much for being with us and good night.
Very strong words from Bryant tonight. I particularly like what he said about Curt Schilling. No, I’m not a bitter Rhode Island taxpayer, not at all. Anyway, Bryant’s commentary gets an A.
Jun
18
Real Sports Returns Tuesday, June 19
The Emmy Award-winning Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns on Tuesday with three new stories and one update. One story will have an interview with former NBA coach Phil Jackson who talks about whether he’ll return to the league. Two stories have Olympic themes and one will focus on one of the most dangerous races in the world.
Lots of interesting stories. HBO gives us a preview.
Now in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 183rd edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, JUNE 19 (10:00 p.m. ET/PT & 9:00 p.m. CT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: June 19 (2:25 a.m.), 22 (10:30 a.m., 8:00 p.m.), 24 (10:30 a.m.), 25 (3:30 p.m.), 27 (6:00 p.m., 1:15 a.m.) and 30 (10:00 a.m.), and July 2 (11:30 p.m.) and 5 (7:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: June 20 (2:00 p.m.), 23 (9:20 a.m.) and 29 (6:00 a.m., 8:00 p.m.), and July 1 (4:15 p.m.), 3 (8:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m.) and 9 (11:00 a.m., 11:00 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: June 25-July 16
Segments include:
*Philling Time. He’s won more championships than any other professional team coach in history. So why is Phil Jackson relaxing at his secluded house in Montana, instead of issuing orders from the bench of an NBA team? In an exclusive interview with the 11-time title winner, REAL SPORTS correspondent Andrea Kremer goes to Jackson’s rarely-seen compound in Big Sky country to discuss what’s ahead in his life and whether a return to an NBA team is in his future.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*Holley Mangold. At 5’8” and 350 pounds, Holley Mangold isn’t your typical world-class athlete. Loud and bawdy, the 22-year-old won a spot on the U.S. Olympic weightlifting team after hoisting 320 pounds in the clean-and-jerk event. Sitting in the stands cheering her on was older brother Nick Mangold, All Pro center for the New York Jets. The siblings grew up playing all kinds of sports, but when Holley saw Nick play Pee Wee Football, she followed suit, playing offensive line from grade school through high school and becoming the first high-school female ever to play from the line of scrimmage in Ohio. When she took up weightlifting in college, however, she really set herself apart, ascending to the top of the sport in only four years. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated report, correspondent Mary Carillo catches up with Holley Mangold as she prepares for the fast-approaching London Olympic Games.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.
*Isle of Man. The Isle of Man, a 226-square mile island in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland, hosts motorcycle racing’s most prestigious event, the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, but the competition has been under heavy scrutiny for safety concerns since it began in 1907. The Snaefell Mountain Course, where the race is held during the final week of May and the first week of June, has resulted in 237 deaths, and the event was stripped of its world championship status in 1976. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel travels to the British Isles to learn more about this prominent, very dangerous, race.
Producer: Tim Walker.
*Lopez Lomong. Lopez Lomong is considered one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan.” After being captured by rebel soldiers during a brutal Sudanese civil war and suffering through weeks of watching others die at their camp, the six-year-old ran for three days until he reached Kenya, where he was placed in a refugee camp. Lomong spent the next ten years of his life as a refugee before being adopted by a rural New York family. He subsequently emerged as an elite talent in long-distance running, earning a scholarship to Northern Arizona University, where he won two NCAA championships, and a chance to represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
When REAL SPORTS last talked to Lomong, he was training for the 2008 Games, at which he was chosen by his fellow Americans to carry the U.S. flag in the opening ceremonies and reached the semi-finals of the 1500M. Correspondent Mary Carillo reconnects with the 27-year-old as he prepares for the 2012 London track trials.
Producers: Jake Rosenwasser, Mike Sullivan.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 15 times and has received 23 Sports Emmy® Awards overall. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. In January, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for a series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. In April, the show received the Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Sports Journalism for Bernard Goldberg’s 2011 report on the college bowl game money trail.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That’s all.
May
29
Some Back To Work Tuesday Linkage
Back to work for many of you after the Memorial Day holiday. Because of my crazy schedule, I didn’t get to enjoy it, but you don’t care about that. Let’s do links.
John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reports that Cox Communications has dropped the New Orleans Hornets allowing Fox Sports to swoop up the rights.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News takes a look at the US TV coverage of the French Open.
Georg Szalai of the Hollywood Reporter writes that UK’s Channel 4 plans extensive coverage of the 2012 London Paralympics which will be held two weeks after the Summer Olympics.
Tim Nudd of Adweek reviews the latest WatchESPN spot.
Alex Weprin of TVNewser reports that HBO’s Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel will co-host Live with Kelly next week.
Evan Weiner at Examiner.com explains how NBC’s huge rights fee effectively ended Qatar’s bid for the 2020 Olympics.
Ed Sherman from The Sherman Report interviews legendary sportswriter Frank Deford.
Ed writes that USA Today’s Sports section is changing its reporting strategy.
Media Rantz remembers the Marv Albert arrest 15 years later. Disclosure: I’m quoted in this very well-researched article.
Will Brinson at CBSSports.com writes that Showtime/NFL Films has quietly dumped Warren Sapp from “Inside the NFL”, however, he remains on NFL Network.
Evan Sporer of SportsGrid has the great video of a soldier home from Afghanistan surprising his daughters at Sunday’s Minnesota Twins game. It has nothing to do with sports media. I’m just a huge sucker for reunion videos.
Chadd Scott at ChuckOliver.net explores how TV money has led to the “Wal-Martization” of college football.
Joe Lucia at Awful Announcing notes that former ESPN college football crackpot Craig James is running below “Undecided” in the Texas U.S. Senate Republican primary. Always a good place to be when trying to run a successful campaign.
Bob’s Blitz says former Miami sports radio talker Sid Rosenberg has a new gig.
The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick actually heaps praise this morning. And he does it to Hall of Fame hockey voice Mike Emrick.
Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette says Time Warner Cable will air some local high school lacrosse playoff games.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that the NBA Draft Lottery will air from New York’s Times Square for the first time ever.
Ken McMillan at the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record writes that apparently NFL Network will no longer air CFL games.
Ken adds that there’s no New York City radio home of the 2012 Olympics as of yet.
Ken provides the Compass Media college football schedule for the 2012 season.
And Ken has the Sports USA college football schedule as well.
Tom Jones from the Tampa Bay Times looks back at the weekend that was in sports television.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes that embattled South Florida sports radio talk show Sid Rosenberg is about to start a new gig.
David Barron from the Houston Chronicle says a local sports radio station is about to acquire a rival FM station.
Jerry Garcia from the San Antonio Express-News says TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal spent some time talking to a local TV station and defending his co-hort Charles Barkley.
Roy Bragg of the Express-News says the Chuckster was glad to meet the peeps in San Antonio on Monday.
Paul M. Banks at Chicago Sports Media Watch has some linkage of his own to provide.
Scott D. Pierce at the Salt Lake Tribune talks with Utah Jazz TV voice Craig Bolerjack.
Dusty Saunders of the Denver Post looks at the mtn.: The Final Days.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News notes that a hockey primer from 1993 still holds true today.
Steve Ladurantaye from the Toronto Globe and Mail writes that Rogers and TSN are smelling blood and plan to bid for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada package.
Bruce Dowbiggin of the Globe and Mail says Rogers Sportsnet has snatched IndyCar rights away from TSN.
The Canadian Sports Media blog looks at the silly PR hockey wars being conducted by Rogers Sportsnet and TSN.
Sports Media Watch gives us the overnight ratings for the Indianapolis 500 on ABC.
Steve Lepore at SB Nation’s Puck The Media predicts the ratings for this year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Joe Favorito says things are looking good at NBC Sports.
Jordan Golson at MacRumors talks with ESPN’s NASCAR pit reporter Dave Burns about using an iPad for his reports.
That’s going to do it for now.
May
21
HBO’s Real Sports Returns May 22
The Emmy Award-winning monthly HBO Sports newsmagazine Real Sports returns Tuesday with three new stories and an update.
Among the stories you’ll see will be a look at why Korean golfers thrive on the LPGA Tour, a profile of Olympics hurdler Lolo Jones, another profile on the nephew of legendary boxer Micky Ward and the update will be on a New York City fireman who was a top-notch accident, but after an accident and losing his leg became a top-notch athlete again.
We have the preview of this month’s program from HBO Sports. Check it out.
LOOKS AT SOUTH KOREAN DOMINANCE ON THE LPGA TOUR;
GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH US OLYMPIAN LOLO JONES;
TELLS THE INSPIRING STORY OF RAY GREENHALGE, MICKY WARD’S NEPHEW;
AND RECONNECTS WITH NEW YORK CITY FIREMAN MATT LONG WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS MAY 22, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBONow in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 182nd edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, MAY 22 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: May 22 (5:00 a.m.), 25 (1:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 27 (8:00 a.m.), 29 (8:30 a.m., 6:00 p.m.) and 31 (4:00 p.m., 3:45 a.m.), and June 2 (9:30 a.m.) and 6 (11:00 a.m., 12:25 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: May 24 (7:00 p.m.), 26 (1:40 p.m.), 28 (10:00 p.m.) and 30 (10:00 a.m., 11:00 p.m.), and June 3 (11:30 a.m.), 7 (7:00 p.m., 1:45 a.m.) and 11 (3:30 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: May 28-June 18
Segments include:
*Seoul Sisters. Home to 50 million people, tiny, mountainous South Korea has little room for golf courses, but no other country in the world has more women in the upper ranks of pro female golfers. An astounding 145 of the top 500 female golfers in the world are from South Korea, including four of the top ten, while the nation is responsible for 17 of the top 50 LPGA earners in 2012 to date, the most of any country. The path to success on the links can begin early, with some young South Korean women – on the advice of their parents – sacrificing traditional schooling to dedicate more than 40 hours a week to their craft. REAL SPORTS host Bryant Gumbel travels to South Korea to find out how a country roughly the size of Indiana and making up less than one percent of the world’s population has come to dominate a sport.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*Lolo Jones. Entering the Women’s 100M Hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lori “Lolo” Jones was the favorite to capture gold, but she tripped while attempting to clear the penultimate hurdle, finishing seventh. While this stumble was a huge blow to her career, it was also just another adversity to overcome. Jones’ difficult childhood included stretches of homelessness, thanks to a father who was in and out of prison and a mother who struggled financially. But she went on to win three NCAA titles, earn 11 All-American honors at LSU and capture gold medals at the World Indoor Championship. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Mary Carillo sits down with the 29-year-old to talk about then and now, as she prepares for what could be her last shot at Olympic gold.
Producer: Chapman Downes.
*Ray Greenhalge. When Ray Greenhalge was born seven weeks prematurely, doctors said he would never walk or talk as a result of the debilitating muscle disorder cerebral palsy, as well as severe fluid on the brain. Now, 26 years later, he’s probably more talkative and physically active than most his age – an age many feared he wouldn’t reach. The nephew and godson of retired boxer Micky Ward, best known for his historic trilogy of fights with Arturo Gatti in 2002 and 2003, Greenhalge has a unique passion for boxing, which gives him a sense of direction. He also proves to be every bit as tough as his uncle, with whom he spars ten rounds every Saturday, as well as engaging in two- to three-hour daily gym workouts. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg travels to Massachusetts to hear Greenhalge’s inspirational story.
Producer: Michael Tolajian.
*Matt Long. On a frigid 2005 winter morning in midtown Manhattan during a transit strike, New York City fireman, marathoner and Ironman triathlete Matt Long was riding his bike to work when a private bus made an illegal turn and literally ran him over. Given a one-percent chance of survival, he spent five months in the hospital and underwent 40 surgeries to repair his crushed right leg and impaled organs. The 46-year-old credits his great physical condition for being able to stave off infection and survive the ordeal. The 9/11 veteran persevered and trained passionately for two years to become a top-notch athlete again. In 2008, Long completed the New York City marathon in just over seven hours, and eight months later completed an Ironman Competition within the 17-hour time limit.
Since the original story aired in 2009, Long has gotten married and expects to become a father in June. He was also involved in another car accident, this time during a charity bike ride in Florida, but escaped with just a broken wrist. While the injury derailed his quest to qualify for this summer’s London Paralympics, REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo learns that Long is doing better than ever.
Producers: Jake Rosenwasser, Lisa Bennett.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 15 times and has received 23 Sports Emmy® Awards overall. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. In January, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for a series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the August 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Last month, the show received the Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Sports Journalism for Bernard Goldberg’s 2011 report on the college bowl games money trail.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That’s all from here.
May
01
HBO Sports Wins Three Sports Emmy Awards
Another Sports Emmy Award press release for you. This one comes from HBO Sports which was honored for its innovative 24/7 series, one for boxing, the other for the NHL. And HBO also received one of the more prestigious awards, Outstanding Sports Journalism for its feature “The College Bowl Game Money Trail” which was aired on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel last year.
Here is HBO Sports’ press release for you.
HBO collected three Sports Emmys Awards.
The wins marked the 15th time that Real Sports has been honored with the award for “Outstanding Sports Journalism” and the two trophies for the “24/7” franchise brings to 16 the number of Sports Emmys won by the series since its inception in 2007. “24/7” is the most honored sports series on television during that span.
OUTSTANDING SPORTS JOURNALISM –
- REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL – The College Bowl Game Money Trail (Bernard Goldberg)
OUTSTANDING EDITING –
- 24/7 PACQUIAO/MARQUEZ
THE DICK SCHAAP WRITING AWARD
- 24/7 FLYERS/RANGERS: ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC
We’re done. Two more Sports Emmy press releases and we’re finished in the category.
May
01
Winners of the 33rd Annual Sports Emmy Awards
Throughout the day, I will be posting various press releases from the networks touting their Sports Emmy Awards. Last night, I posted the winners as they were handed out. Now, we have the official press release from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences which holds the annual ceremonies.
These include the names who were involved in each category. Congratulations to all of the winners this year.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 33rd ANNUAL SPORTS EMMY® AWARDS
Jack Whitaker Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
New York, NY – April 30, 2012 – The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced the winners of the 33rd Annual Sports Emmy® Awards at a special ceremony tonight at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. Winners in 33 categories including Outstanding Live Sports Special, Live Series, Sports Documentary, Studio Show, Promotional Announcements, Play-by-Play Personality and Studio Analyst were honored.
The awards were presented by a distinguished group of sports figures and television personalities including Cris Collinsworth (sports analyst for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football”); Harold Reynolds (MLB Network studio analyst); Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football”); Al Leiter (studio analyst, MLB Network); Mike Mayock (game analyst, NFL Network); Melissa Stark (reporter, NFL Network); Shaquille O’Neal (studio analyst, “Inside the NBA on TNT”); Joe Buck (sportscaster, FOX Sports); Curt Menefee (sportscaster and host, “FOX NFL Sunday”); Tracy Wolfson (sportscaster, CBS Sports); Gary Danielson (commentator, CBS Sports); Mary Carillo (correspondent, HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”); Sage Steele (anchor, ESPN’s “SportsCenter”); Bob Papa (HBO Sports Broadcaster); Ernie Johnson (host of “Inside the NBA on TNT”); Chris McKendry (co-anchor, ESPN’s “SportsCenter”); and Steve Levy (journalist, ESPN’s “SportsCenter”).
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jack Whitaker, sports commentator and essayist, by Jim Nantz, play-by-play announcer of “The NFL on CBS,” NCAA college basketball and golf on CBS.
“We are honored to be presenting Jack Whitaker with our Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Malachy Wienges, Chairman, NATAS. “I had the pleasure of working with Jack for eighteen years at CBS, and Jack is a sports icon and a class act.”
In addition, NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell was honored with the Chairman’s Award representing the networks and their patriotic coverage of the historic 10 year anniversary of September 11th last year.
The Sports Emmy® Award recipients were chosen by a Blue Ribbon Panel of industry peers. The awards recognize outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast throughout the 2011 calendar year.
A detailed listing of all awards is below as compiled by the independent accountancy firm of Lutz and Carr, LLP. A list of winners for the 33rd Annual Sports Emmy Awards is also available on the National Television Academy’s website at www.emmyonline.tv.
Awards by Network Group
NBC Sports Group (NBC, Versus, Golf Channel, nbcsports.com) 9
ESPN (ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, ESPN 3D, espn.com) 6
Turner Sports (TNT, TBS, NBA TV, NBA.com, truTV) 5
FOX Sports Media Group (FOX, SPEED) 5
CBS (CBS, Showtime, CBSSports.com) 4
HBO Sports 3
MLB Network 3
NFL Network 2
PGA.com 1
Nominations by Network
NBC 8
FOX 4
TNT 4
ESPN 3
HBO Sports 3
MLB NETWORK 3
SHOWTIME 3
ESPN2 2
NFL NETWORK 2
CBSSPORTS.COM 1
ESPN 3D 1
NBA TV 1
PGA.COM 1
SPEED 1
VERSUS 1
And the list of award winners are after the jump.
Apr
17
HBO’s Real Sports Returns Tonight
The Emmy Award-winning newsmagazine, Real Sports returns to HBO tonight with three new stories and an update. As always, the show is extremely compelling and one of the best bastions of sports journalism today.
In tonight’s edition, we get a profile of Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon, another on Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol and a look into big-mountain back country skiing.
The update is on former race car driver Alex Zanardi who lost both of his legs in a horrific accident, but didn’t allow that to define him. Bryant Gumbel goes back to talk with Zanardi who is now training for the Paralympics in London.
All fascinating stuff. Here’s the press release from HBO Sports.
PROFILES TAMPA BAY RAYS MANAGER JOE MADDON;
VISITS LAKERS FORWARD PAU GASOL;
EXPLORES THE DEATH-DEFYING WORLD OF BACKCOUNTRY SKIING; AND RECONNECTS WITH FORMER RACE CAR DRIVER ALEX ZANARDI WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS APRIL 17, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBONow in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 181st edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, APRIL 17 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: April 17 (2:10 a.m.), 20 (1:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 22 (9:45 a.m.), 26 (5:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 28 (11:00 a.m.) and 30 (9:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: April 18 (9:30 p.m., 4:15 a.m.), 24 (10:55 a.m., midnight) and 27 (8:00 a.m.), and May 1 (7:00 p.m., 2:30 a.m.), 4 (7:55 a.m., 3:30 p.m.), 6 (noon) and 12 (9:00 a.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: April 23-May 14
Segments include:
*Joe Maddon. Since they went to the World Series in 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays have been a constant force in the playoff race, despite having one of the league’s lowest payrolls and competing in the American League East against the powerhouse Yankees and Red Sox. Much of the credit should go to Rays skipper Joe Maddon, who has led the team to three playoff appearance in six years, in the process capturing two A.L. Manager of the Year Awards. REAL SPORTS correspondent Armen Keteyian talks to the charismatic 58-year-old, who recently received a three-year contract extension, as he prepares once again to battle for a post-season berth.
Producer: Joe Perskie.*Pau Gasol. Seven-foot Spaniard Pau Gasol is arguably the most athletic big man in the NBA today. After setting nearly every franchise record during seven seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, he was traded to the storied the Los Angeles Lakers, where he teamed with superstar Kobe Bryant to win back-to-back NBA championships. Entering the shortened 2012 NBA season, Gasol was the subject of constant trade rumors, but with the trade deadline behind him, the four-time all-star can now focus on playing deep into June. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel sits down with the 31-year-old Gasol to discuss being a Laker and the pressure that comes with the Hollywood spotlight.
Producer: Maggie Burbank.*Backcountry. Skiers who conquer a slope routinely seek out a taller, faster and more challenging mountain. But some raise the stakes by taking on unchartered terrain in big-mountain backcountry skiing, where unforeseen cliff drops, unexpected turns and avalanches are among the risks. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Jon Frankel meets three backcountry enthusiasts who have risked life and limb skiing fresh-powder slopes, and asks why they find death-defying activity so enticing.
Producer: Tim Walker.*Alex Zanardi. In 2001, Italian race car driver Alex Zanardi was involved in a horrifying crash at a CART race in Germany that instantly severed both legs. Although it appeared the two-time CART champion’s driving career was finished, he embarked on a remarkable comeback, taking an active role in designing prosthetics that allowed him to resume such everyday activities as walking, swimming and driving. Eventually, he raced again, driving a specially equipped race car that allowed him to shift and accelerate with his hands. More recently, the 45-year-old has turned to handbiking, a form of Paralympic cycling. REAL SPORTS reconnects with Zanardi as he trains for this summer’s London Paralympics in the hills of Tuscany. Host Bryant Gumbel reports.
Producers: Jake Rosenwasser, Ezra Edelman.REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times and has received 22 Sports Emmy® Awards overall. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. On Jan. 19, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for a series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. On March 20, the program received four Sports Emmy® Award nominations for the 2011 programming season, including two in the category of Outstanding Sports Journalism. The winners will be announced April 30.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That is all.
Mar
20
33rd Annual Sports Emmy Nominations Announced
We have the nominations, all 170 in 33 different categories, for the 33rd Annual Sports Emmy Awards. They just came out today. There are some surprises like massive hockey charlatan Pierre McGuire nominated in the Sports Reporter category and for some really strange reason, Skippy Bayless of ESPN2′s First Take was nominated for Best Studio Analyst. What analysis does he do besides yelling and having massive manlove for Tim Tebow?
There are some of the usual suspects are nominated, Bob Costas for Best Studio Host, Al Michaels in Play-by-Play, Cris Collinsworth for both Studio and Game Analyst.
Some of the nominations I agree with include Mike Mayock for Best Game Analyst, College GameDay and Football Night in America as Best Studio Shows and all of the movies in the Sports Documentary category. Sports documentaries were strong this year and I have trouble picking one although Catching Hell, the ESPN Films effort on Steve Bartman and the Chicago Cubs might be the weakest of the bunch, but the doc was still very good.
Ok, get ready to scroll, the entire list is below. We do need a page break so the list of nominees will after the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences press releases.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES ANNOUNCES THE NOMINEES FOR THE 33RD ANNUAL SPORTS EMMY® AWARDS
Winners to be Honored During the April 30th Ceremony At Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jack Whitaker to Receive Lifetime Achievement AwardNew York, NY – March 20, 2012 – The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominees for the 33rd Annual Sports Emmy® Awards.
More than 170 nominees were announced in 33 categories including outstanding live sports special, live series, sports documentary, studio show, promotional announcements, play-by-play personality and studio analyst. The Awards will be given out at the prestigious Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center located in the Time Warner Center on April 30th, 2012 in New York City.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports will go to the Sports Commentator and Essayist, Jack Whitaker.
“This is an outstanding year for the sports community and for The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences,” said Malachy Wienges, Chairman, NATAS. “The entries received in this year’s Sports Emmys resulted in a record 175 nominees, illustrating the quality of these entries. We are also honoring Jack Whitaker with our Lifetime Achievement Award. I had the pleasure of working with Jack for eighteen years at CBS, and Jack is a sports icon and a class act.”
In addition to Jack Whitaker, many of the today’s leading sports broadcasters, personalities and television professionals will be in attendance as presenters at the event.
The networks of ESPN (ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, ESPN 3D & espn.com) lead the nomination totals with 55, the NBC Sports Group (NBC, Versus, Golf Channel & nbcsports.com) garnered 32, CBS (CBS, Showtime, CBSSports.com) entries received 26 nominations, while Turner Sports (TNT, TBS, NBA TV, NBA.com & truTV) have 22.
A complete list of all nominees is attached below.
33rd Annual Sports Emmy Award Nominations by Network Group
ESPN (ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, ESPN 3D, espn.com) – 55
NBC Sports Group (NBC, Versus, Golf Channel, nbcsports.com) – 32
CBS (CBS, Showtime, CBSSports.com) – 26
Turner Sports (TNT, TBS, NBA TV, NBA.com, truTV) – 22
HBO Sports – 19
FOX Sports Media Group (FOX, SPEED) – 16
NFL Network – 12
MLB Network – 8
DIRECTV – 2
MLB Advanced Media (MLB.com, MLBAM) – 2
NFL.com – 2
NCAA.com – 1
PGA.com – 133rd Annual Sports Emmy Award Nominations by Network
ESPN – 36
NBC – 22
HBO Sports – 19
CBS – 15
FOX – 15
TNT – 15
ESPN2 – 14
NFL NETWORK – 12
SHOWTIME – 10
MLB NETWORK – 8
VERSUS – 7
TBS – 3
ABC – 2
DIRECTV – 2
ESPN 3D – 2
GOLF CHANNEL – 2
NBA TV – 2
NFL.COM – 2
CBSSPORTS.COM – 1
ESPN.COM – 1
MLB.COM – 1
MLBAM – 1
NBA.COM – 1
NBCSPORTS.COM – 1
NCAA.COM – 1
PGA.COM – 1
SPEED – 1
truTV – 1BREAKDOWN OF MULTIPLE PROGRAM/SERIES NOMINATIONS
Program/Nominations/Network
24/7: 8 - HBO
E: 60: 7 – ESPN2
A Game of Honor: 5 – Showtime/CBSSports.com
MLB on FOX: 5 – FOX
NASCAR on FOX: 5 – FOX
NBA on TNT: 4 – TNT
NBC Sunday Night Football: 4 – NBC
FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – ESPN/ESPN2
Outside the Lines: 3 – ESPN
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: 3 – HBO
SportsCenter: 3 – ESPN
The Army/Navy Game: 3 – CBS
The Franchise: 3 – Showtime
Winter X Games 15: 3 – ESPN/ESPN3D
2011 Open Championship: 2 – ESPN
2011 Stanley Cup Final: 2 – NBC/Versus
ESPN Monday Night Football: 2 – ESPN
Football Night in America: 2 – NBC
Grand Slam Tennis on ESPN: 2 – ESPN2
Inside the NBA on TNT: 2 – TNT
Joplin: City of Hope: 2 – ESPN2
McEnroe/Borg: Fire & Ice: 2 – HBO
MLB Tonight: 2 – MLB Network
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament: 2 – CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV
NFL Films Presents: 2 – NFL Network
NFL GameDay Morning: 2 – NFL Network
NFL on FOX: 2 – FOX
Sports Science: 2 – ESPN/ESPN.com
Sunday NFL Countdown: 2 – ESPN
Unguarded: 2 – ESPN
And after the page break, all of the nominees for the 33rd Annual Sports Emmy Awards which will be handed out April 30 in New York City.
Mar
20
On Tonight’s Real Sports on HBO
Tonight on the Emmy Award-winning Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, there will be three new stories and an update. The main story will be a profile on New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The other new stories include a look at the Flying Wallendas who are still going strong despite numerous deaths and an inspirational story on a pitcher who finally made his Major League debut at the age of 28.
The updated story is on two Oklahoma State tragedies ten years apart and how they could have been prevented.
We have the preview from the HBO press release which is posted below. Check it out.
Now in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 180th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, MARCH 20 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: March 20 (2:30 a.m.), 24 (10:30 a.m. ET, 11:30 a.m. PT, 2:15 a.m. PT), 27 (5:15 p.m., 12:10 a.m.) and 29 (12:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.), and April 1 (9:00 a.m.) and 4 (10:00 a.m., 7:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: March 22 (6:00 p.m.) and 26 (8:30 a.m.), and April 3 (10:00 a.m., 9:00 p.m.), 7 (11:45 a.m.), 9 (2:00 p.m., midnight), 12 (7:00 p.m.) and 15 (3:30 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: March 26-April 16
Segments include:
*King Henrik. The New York Rangers are currently battling for the best record in the National Hockey League, led by All-Star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The 30-year-old Swede leads the league in shutouts and has already topped 30 wins this season, becoming the first NHL goalie to exceed that total in each of his first seven seasons. But there is more than meets the eye with Lundqvist. He frequently appears on “best dressed” lists, plays guitar in a band that also includes tennis legend John McEnroe and participates in a variety of philanthropic efforts in the New York City area. REAL SPORTS host Bryant Gumbel sits down with the charismatic goalie, who captured gold with the Swedish national team at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, as he tries to lead the New York Rangers to their first Stanley Cup championship since 1994.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.
*The Flying Wallendas. While there are many famous families in the circus business, probably none are more notable than the Flying Wallendas. Since the early 1900s, this large extended family has been well-known for performing high-wire acts without a safety net, resulting in numerous deaths and debilitating injuries over the course of seven generations. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford sits down with members of the Wallenda family to find out what drives them to risk their lives and what keeps the family tradition going strong.
Producer: Tim Walker.
*Wonder Arm. While only eight to ten percent of Minor League Baseball players ultimately make a Major League roster, Steve Delabar, currently in camp with the Seattle Mariners in Arizona, defied the odds after a lengthy stint as a career minor leaguer. For six seasons, the six-foot, five-inch right-handed relief pitcher never went beyond Single-A advanced ball. Then, after suffering a seemingly career-ending elbow injury in 2009, Delabar left the game and headed back to the classroom to work as a substitute teacher and finish his undergraduate degree. But his passion for the game never left him, and after participating in the Velocity Program, designed by former Major League pitcher Tom House, he began throwing harder than ever before. In 2011, Delabar signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners, and by September had achieved his dream of playing in the Major Leagues. REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo sits down with the 28-year-old to hear his inspiring story.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*Oklahoma State Tragedies. In Jan. 2001, the Oklahoma State men’s basketball team and staff boarded two small jets and a turbo-prop plane that were to take them home following a loss to Colorado. But over Colorado, the turbo-prop plummeted 23,000 feet, crashing into a field and killing all on board, including two players, six staff members and both pilots. Ten years later, in Nov. 2011, tragedy struck Oklahoma State again when women’s basketball head coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna, along with an 82-year-old pilot and his wife, were killed when their single-engine plane crashed during an Arkansas recruiting trip. REAL SPORTS’ Armen Keteyian returns to the Oklahoma State campus to see how the community is moving on from the latest tragedy and pose the same question he asked in his investigation of the first crash ten years ago: Could this disaster have been prevented?
Producers: Jake Rosenwasser, Zehra Mamdani and Brian Hyland.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times and has received 22 Sports Emmy® Awards overall. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. On Jan. 19, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for a series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That is all.
Feb
21
Bryant Gumbel’s Closing Comment on Real Sports Focuses on Jeremy Lin
We have the transcript from tonight’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO. As expected, Bryant speaks about the New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin, but he also thinks the coverage is more of a media creation and come Spring Training, no one will care about him. Agree?
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL
EPISODE #179
AIRS TONIGHT (2/21) @ 10:00 PM ET/PT
“Finally tonight, I’m hoping you didn’t think we’d make it through the whole program this evening without mentioning Jeremy Lin. If so, I’m sorry to disappoint you, because like everyone else we’ve been enthralled by Lin’s meteoric rise and unforeseen efforts. His is the kind of story everyone can cheer.
But now that he’s met the challenges posed by such powerhouses as the Lakers and the Mavericks, I’m curious to see how Lin fares against the Yankees. That’s right, the Yankees. See amid the Jeremy Lin hoopla, it’s been easy to overlook the fact that Spring Training got underway this past weekend, as pitchers and catchers reported for duty, and here in New York over the next few weeks, that is going to pose a new and very different kind of challenge to the Lin Mystique.
As Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban suggested last week, Lin is getting a ton of attention not just because his is a great story, but also because he plays in the media capital of the world, and in this capital, Lin has had the town to himself since his run began. Which is why it’s going to be interesting to see if his exploits continue to be headlined after New Yorkers start hearing news about Joba Chamberlain’s surgically repaired right arm, A-Rod’s troubled knees and Derek Jeter’s battle with age.
Baseball may be ho-hum in some places, but this is still very much a pinstriped city. Yes, fans here love an underdog and a winner, but history suggests that nothing in sports surpasses Manhattan’s obsession with the Yankees. The Knicks, thanks to Lin, are the hot team. The New York Rangers are among the Stanley Cup favorites and the New York Giants just won the Super Bowl. But make no mistake, the Yankees are the big bully here in Manhattan and opening day is just six weeks away. The way Lin has captured the headlines; it may yet be a fair fight.”
That will do it.
Feb
17
HBO’s Real Sports Returns February 21
HBO’s Emmy Award-winning sports magazine, Real Sports, returns Tuesday with three new stories. It includes an investigation into the tragic plane crash that took the lives of everyone on board from Lokomotiv, one of the best teams in Russia’s KHL.
Real Sports also profiles a professional BASE jumper. And the rounds out its new features with a story on the man on whom the character Jerry McGuire is based, former super agent Leigh Steinberg.
The program premieres this Tuesday night at 10 ET/PT.
We have the full press release from HBO below.
Now in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 179th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, FEB. 21 (10:00 p.m. ET/PT & 9:00 p.m. CT), exclusively on HBO.
HBO On Demand availability: Feb. 27-March 19
Segments include:
*Russian Plane Crash. On Sept. 7, 2011, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, one of Russia’s premier hockey teams, boarded a Soviet-era Yak-42 jet at a Yaroslavl airport to travel to a game in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. A few moments after lift-off, the chartered aircraft crashed about 500 yards from the runway, instantly killing 43 of the 45 passengers, including several NHL veterans. The model of the aircraft carrying the team had a long history of problems, while the airline currently has one of the worst air safety records in the world. However, Russian air safety officials confirmed that the crash was caused by basic human error during takeoff. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg travels to Yaroslavl to delve further into what happened that tragic September afternoon.
Producer: Joe Perskie.*Jeb Corliss. The top competitor in an activity fraught with danger, 35-year-old Jeb Corliss is a professional BASE jumper, skydiver and wingsuiter. At age 18, he found comfort in what most would deem uncomfortable – jumping out of airplanes – and has since jumped off some of the world’s highest structures, including Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Seattle’s Space Needle and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2006, he was arrested for attempting to BASE jump from New York’s Empire State Building. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel goes behind the scenes with Corliss as he attempts a jump in Cape Town, South Africa and captures his nearly fatal crash on film.
Producer: Tim Walker.*Leigh Steinberg. Once the most powerful sports agent in the world, Leigh Steinberg built an empire by making NFL players and himself extremely wealthy. The 62-year-old lawyer was the agent for a host of stars, including Troy Aikman, Steve Young and Drew Bledsoe, and even branched out into boxing, representing Oscar de la Hoya and Lennox Lewis. Now Steinberg is living with a roommate in an apartment in Southern California, fighting an addiction that he says cost him everything. REAL SPORTS correspondent Armen Keteyian presents a no-holds-barred look at the former NFL super agent and his fall from glory.
Producer: Chapman Downes.REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times and has received 22 Sports Emmy® Awards overall. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. On Jan. 19, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for its series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That’s going to do it.
Jan
24
Real Sports’ New Season Premieres Tonight
The first new edition of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel premieres tonight on HBO. The critically acclaimed sports newsmagazine will have three new stories and an update from 2009. As usual, Real Sports has a very interesting lineup and we have it for you below.
EXAMINES THE USE OF TORADOL IN THE NFL; PROFILES BASKETBALL’S VAN GUNDY BROTHERS; VISITS A REMARKABLE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM THAT NEVER PUNTS; AND RECONNECTS WITH SUPER BOWL NO-SHOW BARRET ROBBINS WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS JAN. 24, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBOEntering its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 178th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, JAN. 24 (10:00 p.m. ET/PT & 9:00 p.m. CT), exclusively on HBO.
HBO On Demand availability: Jan. 30-Feb. 20
Segments include:
*Toradol in the NFL. Real Sports investigative team looks at the largely unknown practice of NFL players being administered the controversial pain drug Toradol. For years, NFL players in every locker room across the league have lined up to get a shot of Toradol before kickoff because it is the most effective remedy to mask pain throughout the entire body unlike local numbing agents such as Novocaine. Toradol is not a narcotic, is perfectly legal and provided by team doctors. Also, it is not physically addictive and does not affect your mental state, but the long-term effects are something that have recently become a hot topic of debate. When abused, Toradol has shown to cause permanent damage to internal organs, including stomach bleeding, liver disease and kidney failure. REAL SPORTS correspondent Andrea Kremer speaks with current and former players, doctors and the NFL about the issue of the use of Toradol.
Producer: Chapman Downes.
*Brothers. Over the last 15 years, the Van Gundy brothers, Stan and Jeff, have made quite a name for themselves in the NBA. Having found limited success as players, they followed their father, who coached college basketball teams, into the family business of patrolling the sidelines. Stan, 52, is currently head coach of the Orlando Magic and previously served as head coach of the Miami Heat. Jeff, who turned 50 on Jan. 19, led the New York Knicks and then the Houston Rockets for years before becoming one of the game’s top broadcasters. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Bernie Goldberg sits down with the brothers to discuss their remarkable ascent to the top of the game.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.
*Between the Numbers. Kevin Kelley, head football coach at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., uses his own research to back up the mantra that his team should never punt, should always kick onside kicks after a score and should never return punts. If this sounds too unorthodox to be effective, Kelley’s theories have resulted in a 104-19 record since he became head coach at the high school, and statisticians have supported his theory on the relative value of punting. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel visits the 42-year-old Kelley in Little Rock as his team prepares to seek its third state title under his leadership.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*Barret Robbins. On Jan. 26, 2003, one of the strangest Super Bowl controversies ever unfolded when Barret Robbins, Pro Bowl center for the Oakland Raiders, went AWOL, leaving no trace of his whereabouts two days before the biggest game of his career. For the Raiders, Robbins’ disappearance was a major distraction, but for Robbins, the episode was the beginning of a dark and tragic story that would include a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, substance abuse, numerous stints in rehab and multiple run-ins with the law. In 2009, six years after the Raiders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, the Houston native sat down with HBO’s Andrea Kremer to reflect on his troubles. Now, Kremer leads REAL SPORTS cameras into the Florida State Prison where the 38-year-old former NFL star has been incarcerated on drug charges after another encounter with the law.
Producers: Zehra Mamdani, Chapman Downes.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times and has received a total of 22 Sports Emmy Awards. It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005. On Jan. 19, Real Sports will receive its second duPont Award when Columbia University recognizes the show for its series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
The new season of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel premieres at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. That is it for this post.
Nov
22
On The Next HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
The next Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel airs on Tuesday, November 22 and will be the last new edition before next month’s Year in Review program.
Here’s the press release.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 176th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, NOV. 22 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: Nov. 22 (2:40 a.m.), 23 (11:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m., 2:55 a.m.), 26 (11:00 a.m.) and 29 (1:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), and Dec. 4 (8:00 a.m.), 7 (7:00 p.m.) and 9 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Nov. 24 (4:50 a.m.), 27 (6:10 a.m.) and 30 (6:05 a.m., 7:00 p.m.), and Dec. 3 (6:30 p.m.), 7 (8:00 a.m., midnight) and 13 (2:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: Nov.28-Dec. 19
Segments include:
*Bob Hewitt. Every day the care and instruction of children are entrusted to athletic coaches, but sometimes that trust is painfully compromised. Earlier this year, the Boston Globe conducted a six-month investigation that disclosed allegations of sexual abuse by several adult women against Tennis Hall of Famer Bob Hewitt, who won all four Grand Slam titles in both doubles and mixed doubles in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The allegations against him, which reach back to the ‘70s, contend that Hewitt harassed and sexually abused girls as young as ten years old. Although no formal charges were brought against the 71-year-old Australian, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted in 1992, has formed a committee to review the allegations. REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo, who competed in the 1977 U.S. Open at Forest Hills when Hewitt captured the doubles title, travels to Hewitt’s home in South Africa and investigates the truth behind his controversial past.
Producer: Joe Perskie.
*Brad Stevens. In 2007, Brad Stevens became the head coach of men’s basketball at Butler University, located just 30 minutes north of his hometown of Zionsville, marking a changing of the guard in Indiana basketball. Now entering his fifth season, the fresh-faced Stevens has raised more than a few eyebrows by leading Butler to four consecutive NCAA tournaments and back-to-back national championship games. After losing the title game in 2010 and 2011, the 35-year-old coach is confident that his mid-major Horizon League team remains a force to be reckoned with. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Jon Frankel travels to Indianapolis to meet the charismatic Stevens as he prepares for another run at the NCAA championship with his underdog Bulldogs.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*Marcus Dixon. In fall 2003, Marcus Dixon expected to split his time at Vanderbilt University between football games and the classroom. Instead, the first time REAL SPORTS host Bryant Gumbel visited the 6’4” defensive lineman, he was in a Georgia penitentiary. Dixon was a senior in high school when he was accused by a sophomore classmate of rape. The case went to trial, and despite the fact that the jury determined that the sex had been consensual, Dixon was convicted of statutory rape and aggravated child molestation – the first time Georgia’s Child Protection Act had been applied in this way – and was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Following the initial REAL SPORTS report, the Supreme Court of Georgia overturned Dixon’s conviction on appeal, and he was released from prison the same day. He subsequently excelled at Hampton University, signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008, and in 2010, signed with the New York Jets, where he is currently in the rotation on the defensive line. Bryant Gumbel reconnects with the 27-year-old Dixon, who has thrived since his release from prison.
Producers: Jake Rosenwasser, Joe Perskie.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. In May, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for Aug. 2010’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That’s it.
Oct
20
Putting Together A Few Thursday Links
I’ll give you some linkage. Won’t be able to give you a whole set, but I’ll give you what I can as I have to do the Friday features, Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks, College Football Viewing Picks, NFL Viewing Picks and Weekend Viewing Picks tonight. I won’t be able to blog extensively on Friday as I’ll be away from my computer, but I will have my iPad to post any important press releases and breaking news as necessary.
But for now, this is what we have.
Sports Business Daily notes the lower ratings for Fox for World Series Game 1 on Wednesday, but more importantly, it won the night for the network.
SBD also looks at the media fallout from Bryant Gumbel’s comments on HBO’s Real Sports earlier this week in regards to NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today wonders if the 2011 World Series is on track to become the lowest rated World Series ever.
The Big Lead notes that Fox’s Tim McCarver knew how to spell S-T-R-I-K-E, but didn’t know how many letters there were.
Lindsay Rubino of Broadcasting & Cable notes that Fox won the night in the 18-49 demographic thanks to the World Series.
Phil Swann of TV Predictions says Fox’s HD picture of World Series Game 1 was much improved from the American League Championship Series.
Etan Vlessing of the Hollywood Reporter writes that the NHL has signed a rights deal to have all of its games streamed in Scandinavia. This is after ESPN America lost the rights to air NHL games across Europe.
Anthony Crupi of Adweek writes that the NFL is the king of the TV ratings heap.
Dan Shanoff writes a guest column for CNBC’s Darren Rovell about the NFL’s new Venture Capital fund.
The U.S. Open and the United States Tennis Association are looking to add another day to the tournament and ending it on a Monday. CBS is considering the change.
Brandon Costa from Sports Video Group notes that NBC is putting the infrastructure in place to ensure a smooth brand transition from Versus to NBC Sports Network.
Keith Groller at the Allentown (PA) Morning Call can’t believe Two and a Half Men actually beat the NFL in the ratings thus far.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner says Fox is concerned about winning the night, not low ratings projections for the World Series.
The Orlando Sentinel has a primer on how fans can watch tonight’s Central Florida-UAB game.
From the Dallas Morning News, Barry Horn writes that local ratings for the World Series were not as good as St. Louis’.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes that E:60 did a piece on a local woman whose husband had to work on her after a bicycle accident.
George Hesselberg at the Wisconsin State Journal notes that outgoing MLB Commissioner Bud Selig got a sweetheart deal from the University of Wisconsin to use an office to write his memoirs and so he can also watch MLB Network which is usually not available on campus.
Dan Caesar from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Game 1 of the World Series ended too quickly for Fox’s liking.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News looks at the US TV bidding for the 2018/’22 World Cups.
Tom has your football schedule for the weekend complete with pictures of his new sweetheart, ESPN’s Jenn Brown.
Sports Media Watch has the final ratings of this year’s League Championship Series.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media says Versus got low viewership for Colorado-Toronto on Monday.
Steve has some ideas for NHL Overtime on Versus.
Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing has video of Joe Buck apologizing to America before last night’s World Series Game 1. Joe Buck is such as a jerk.
I have to end it there. I keep getting interrupted and I can’t anything done. Back later.
Oct
19
It’s Been Way Too Long Without Linkage
I appreciate you still visiting Fang’s Bites as I’ve been trying to keep the site updated for you. Linkage has been scarce since Sunday. Been busy helping my sister with her son and then I was out for most of the morning.
Time to provide you with some linkage.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today says Fox Sports will be using infra-red technology during the World Series.
The Nielsen Wire blog notes the MLB teams that topped their local markets in the TV ratings.
Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk looks at Bryant Gumbel’s controversial commentary about NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing says while Gumbel’s “plantation overseer” comment is what’s driving controversy, it’s Stern himself who’s stirring the pot.
Robert Littal at Black Sports Online is uncomfortable with Gumbel’s commentary.
Lauren Schutte of the Hollywood Reporter has a look at Stephen Colbert’s mock ad on the NBA lockout.
George Winslow from Broadcasting & Cable says the Big 12 Conference has chosen a company to help develop mobile apps for the iPhone and Android platforms.
Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News writes that ESPN scored a key demographic win for Monday Night Football.
Anthony Crupi of Adweek says low ratings for the MLB League Championship Series isn’t providing much hope for the World Series.
Anthony also looks at the breakdown of talks between the NFL and Time Warner Cable for the NFL Network.
Glenn Davis of SportsGrid says while people are talking about Bryant Gumbel’s comments about NBA Commissioner David Stern, there’s another unflattering analogy about him floating around the internet today.
Joe Gisondi of the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center has some suggestions on how to write a proper lead and how to avoid writing clichés.
Brandon Costa from Sports Video Group says Fox Sports Midwest is trying to set itself apart among the outlets covering this year’s World Series.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell looks at the two Lone Star State businessmen behind the Texas Rangers.
To Pro Hockey Talk and Mike Halford who says the Winnipeg Jets are blown away by the local media coverage particularly today in Toronto as compared to when they were the Atlanta Thrashers.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says the byes in NFL Week 7 are leaving Fox with scraps.
Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call writes that Fox’s Joe Buck doesn’t care if you think he’s biased for one team or another.
From the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg notes that former DC NFL Team quarterback Joe Theismann isn’t in favor of John Beck starting this week over train wreck Rex Grossman. This is why Joe was such a bad analyst.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner says ESPN on ABC correctly covered Dan Wheldon’s death and subsequent tribute on Sunday.
To the Houston Chronicle where Anna-Megan Raley shows us how Texans tight end Joel Dreessen took down an NFL Network analyst.
Mel Bracht of the Daily Oklahoman says the Fox Sports crew is looking forward to airing its 14th World Series.
Mel notes that college football topped the local ratings.
John Kiesewetter of the Cincinnati Enquirer says the local CBS affiliate won’t carry Carson Palmer’s Oakland Raiders debut on Sunday.
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business has some sports TV notes including the World Series ratings expectations.
Ed also compares the fates and fortunes of the Cubs and Cardinals as the World Series begins tonight.
Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that both Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are almost back at full strength after separate physical ailments.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News writes that Fox won’t be displaying a live strike zone graphic as TBS did during its MLB Postseason coverage.
Bruce Dowbiggin at the Toronto Globe and Mail says like it or not, Don Cherry’s influence on Canadian hockey cannot be measured.
Sports Media Watch notes that CBS finally broke out of its NFL ratings losing streak in Week 5.
SMW says in NFL Week 5, Fox saw a ratings downtick.
Steve Lepore at Puck The Media notes that Versus/NBC Sports Network will begin airing Notre Dame hockey games this season.
And that will do it for links today.
Oct
18
Bryant Gumbel’s Incendiary Closing Comments on The NBA Lockout on Real Sports
Bryant Gumbel has used his closing comments on Real Sports to go after the late NFL Players Association head Gene Upshaw, Roger Clemens, and so many others. Tonight, he went after NBA Commissioner David Stern and his handling of the lockout. He started by calling Stern, “The NBA’s infamously egocentric Commissioner” and Gumbel practically called him a slave owner. Well, not practically, he for all intents and purposes did.
Here is the transcript of Gumbel’s comments from tonight’s program. Thanks to HBO Sports for sending this to me.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL
EPISODE #175
AIRED 10/18 @ 10:00 PM ET/PT
“Finally tonight, if the NBA lockout is going to be resolved any time soon, it seems likely to be done in spite of David Stern, not because of him. I say that because the NBA’s infamously egocentric commissioner seems more hell-bent lately on demeaning the players than resolving his game’s labor impasse.
How else to explain Stern’s rants in recent days? To any and everyone who’d listen, he has alternately knocked union leader Billy Hunter, said the players were getting inaccurate information, and started sounding chicken-little claims about what games might be lost if the players didn’t soon see things his way.
Stern’s version of what’s been going on behind closed doors has, of course, been disputed. But his efforts were typical of a commissioner, who has always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern plantation overseer treating NBA men as if they were his boys. It’s part of Stern’s M.O. Like his past self-serving edicts on dress code or the questioning of officials, his moves are intended to do little more than show how he’s the one keeping the hired hands in their place.
Some will, of course, cringe at that characterization, but Stern’s disdain for the players is as palpable and pathetic as his motives are transparent. Yes, the NBA’s business model is broken, but to fix it, maybe the league’s commissioner should concern himself most with a solution, and stop being part of the problem.”
Well, HBO is not a rightsholder, but Time Warner corporate cousin TNT is, so we’ll see if there are any ramifications on this. However, I give Gumbel credit for going out on a limb on Stern. Not too many people are willing to go this route.
UPDATE, 10:45 a.m.: We now have the video of Gumbel’s comments from last night.
That will do it.
Oct
18
HBO’s Real Sports Returns Tonight With An All-New Edition
The Emmy Award-winning HBO Sports magazine Real Sports returns tonight with two new stories and one updated feature. The main story will focus on Jerry West and his very candid autobiography. Bryant Gumbel will interview the man simply known as “The Logo” as he’s the man who adorns the NBA logo.
Then Andrea Kremer updates her story on a town opposed to sports, part of a Fundamentalist sect, and how a school is expanding its sports program. I saw this story originally and not only was the subject matter uncomfortable, but it was also very fascinating to watch.
The rundown of tonight’s show is below.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 175th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, OCT. 18 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: Oct. 18 (2:00 a.m.), 21 (10:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m.), 23 (7:00 a.m.), 27 (1:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m.), 29 (11:00 a.m.) and 31 (3:00 p.m.), and Nov. 9 (8:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 20 (11:30 a.m., 3:35 a.m.), 22 (8:00 a.m.), 26 (8:30 a.m.) and 28 (4:30 p.m.), and Nov. 1 (1:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 3 (7:00 a.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 6 (7:30 a.m., 4:55 a.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: Oct. 24-Nov. 14
Segments include:
*The Logo. NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West is widely regarded as one of the most influential players ever to play the game, and his mark can literally be seen everywhere, since his silhouette serves as the NBA’s official logo. But there is much more to his story. For all his achievements on the court, West, 73, has waged a lifelong battle with depression off the court. His depression was triggered after suffering the childhood traumas of an abusive father who left him feeling tormented and worthless. Determined to prove himself, West became obsessed with perfection. As a result, he ascended to greatness as a player and as an executive, helping build two separate dynasties with the Los Angeles Lakers, and is currently attempting to do the same with the Golden State Warriors. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, host Bryant Gumbel travels to West’s home in West Virginia for the first TV interview in advance of his revealing autobiography.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.
*Obsessive Runners. REAL SPORTS explores the sometimes-bizarre world of obsessive runners, who don’t just enjoy running, but are consumed by it. In Miami, a man called The Raven has run eight miles every day since 1975, all without leaving South Beach. Former addict Catra Corbett keeps her drug addiction at bay by traveling the world in search of the next 100-mile ultramarathon. Then there’s Marshall Ulrich, the godfather of long-distance running. Among other accomplishments, he ran straight across the United States – from San Francisco to New York – in 52 days, averaging 60 miles per day. REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo meets some of these fanatical runners and looks into what keeps them going and how it affects their everyday lives.
Producer: Chapman Downes.
*New School. While it may seem strange that participating in sports could be taboo in America, that was long the case in Colorado City, Ariz. For years, Colorado City has been infamous for the practice of polygamy and for being the home of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and its imprisoned prophet, Warren Jeffs. When HBO last visited the town, the El Capitan High School basketball program was established over the objections of some in the community. Now, following the success of its expanded curriculum, El Capitan has introduced volleyball and football. and plans to add a baseball team. REAL SPORTS correspondent Andrea Kremer revisits Colorado City to discover that the town remains divided about athletics.
Producers: Zehra Mamdani, Ezra Edelman.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. In May, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for Aug. 2010’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
Perhaps one or two more press releases before I give you some linkage.
Aug
31
Some Really Quick Wednesday Links
I’m going to try to do some Wednesday linkage here. Also have a lot of end of the month/beginning of the month crap to do at work some I’m balancing the two off.
Here are the links that I have for now.
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand looks at NBC’s plans to provide live online coverage of the 2012 London Olympics.
At MediaPost, Erik Sass looks at the New York Giants integrating Twitter into its NFL preseason broadcasts.
David Goetzl at MediaPost notes that Fox has had a 51% majority stake in Big Ten Network since last year.
The Associated Press reports that Versus is adding a whole host of original programming to its weeknight lineup.
Georg Szalai of the Hollywood Reporter also writes about Versus’ new original programming.
Lacey Rose and Lesley Goldberg at the Reporter report that HBO has given the green light for a drama based on boxer Mike Tyson.
George Winslow at Broadcasting & Cable writes that Turner Sports is expanding the exclusive content offerings at NCAA.com.
R. Thomas Umstead of Multichannel News says CBS Sports Network will air a documentary on the first black college football game played in New York.
To Adweek where Anthony Crupi chronicles how NBC Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus lured former NBC Sports Emperor Dick Ebersol back to the company just mere months after he left.
Bill Cromwell at Media Life Magazine discusses how NBC is going to provide everything from track & field to archery live at 2012 London Olympics.
Glenn Davis of SportsGrid looks at the sad tenure of Fred Hickman’s days at ESPN.
Dan Fogarty of SportsGrid has the video preview of NFL Films’ documentary on Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
On this final day for SportsNewser, let me link to a few stories. Marcus Vanderberg writes that former Rutgers player Eric LeGrand will be joining the school’s football broadcasts on radio. You may recall LeGrand was paralyzed last year and hopes to make a full recovery.
Cam Martin of SportsNewser says fans will vote on the next nominee for the Baseball Hall of Fame Ford C. Frick Broadcaster Award.
Back to Marcus, he writes that Southwest Airlines will stream live MLB games to its passengers thanks to its in-flight internet provider. Now back to me.
Now back to SportsNewser where Marcus looks at Sports Illustrated’s Super Bowl picks.
Ok, that’s it for the SportsNewer links. The site will be missed.
Nat Ives of Advertising Age notes that a month-long sponsorship starting tomorrow, will allow the New York Times to open up five sections (including sports) in its iPad app from behind the dreaded paywall.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell couldn’t be more thrilled to be getting his own weekly show on Versus.
Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette talks about ESPN releasing its Big East and Big Monday basketball schedules.
Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog talks with former Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic original Russ Thaler about his new gig with Versus/NBC Sports Network.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner notes that the U.S. Open will be well covered on TV and online.
Josh Robbins from the Orlando Sentinel says the Magic’s Gilbert Arenas has shut down his Twitter account.
Mel Bracht at the Daily Oklahoman notes that a pair of Eastern transplants top the local sports radio ratings.
Mel says NFL preseason again led the local TV ratings.
John Kiesewetter at the Cincinnati Enquirer has a preview of tonight’s HBO/NFL Films 10 year retrospective on Hard Knocks.
Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that ESPN’s Jon Gruden isn’t a fan of the new NFL replay rule.
Bob says the digital Sporting News Today has ceased publication.
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business says the city’s high school football and basketball championships are moving to a new TV home.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News says all of the Dodgers’ announcers are coming back for 2012.
Ed Tait and John White of the Winnipeg Free Press says the new Jets have signed a 10 year deal with TSN for both TV and radio.
Sports Media Watch says Hurricane Irene coverage on many local ABC stations cut into NASCAR’s ratings on Saturday.
Deadspin shows a picture of HBO’s Bryant Gumbel being “beaten up” by UFC’s Chuck Liddell and Fox’s Jay Glazer.
Joe Favorito says the hiring of former Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl by a grocery company is a good marketing move.
And we’ll end it there for today.
Aug
16
HBO’s Real Sports Returns Tonight With An Interview With Plaxico Burress
The Emmy Award-winning Real Sports returns to HBO tonight with three new stories and an update from 2008. The main attraction is an interview that host Bryant Gumbel conducted with New York Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress. It’s already getting some mileage and I’ll have a video preview in this post. First, the text preview of the stories you’ll see on Real Sports tonight.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 173rd edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, AUG. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: Aug. 16 (1:55 a.m.), 17 (10:30 a.m., 6:15 p.m.), 20 (11:30 a.m.), 22 (2:00 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), 24 (9:00 p.m.), 25 (2:30 p.m., midnight) and 28 (10:00 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Aug. 21 (1:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.), 23 (10:00 a.m., 12:30 a.m.) and 27 (3:00 p.m.), and Sept. 13 (5:30 p.m.) and 16 (12:30 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: Aug. 22-Sept. 12
Segments include:
*Plaxico. Over the last few years, several prominent athletes have overcome major setbacks to reemerge as stars once again. Plaxico Burress, who returned in June from a two-year stint in a New York prison, is the latest to get the chance to rewrite his own legacy. The 34-year-old wideout pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon after he illegally carried a firearm into a Manhattan nightclub on the night of Nov. 28, 2009 and accidently shot himself in the leg. He now looks to return to form in the same city where he ascended to stardom and won a Super Bowl with the Giants, but his homecoming will be in a New York Jets uniform. In the first TV interview to feature both Plaxico and his wife, Tiffany, since Burress signed with the Jets, REAL SPORTS host Bryant Gumbel reviews the incident that led to Burress’ imprisonment, the new path that he has forged and his outlook on playing for the Jets.
Producer: Chapman Downes.
*Holding Court. The dreadful showing by Americans at Wimbledon earlier this summer gave more ammunition to critics who charge that tennis is in steep decline in the U.S. The glory days of Ashe, King, Connors, Evert and McEnroe, who gave the U.S. a towering presence, are long gone. Add the retirement of Sampras and Agassi, and injuries to the Williams sisters, and the scene is ripe for new stars to emerge. But why is American tennis sputtering? And what can be done to revive it? As the USTA prepares to host the US Open in Flushing Meadows, correspondent Jon Frankel examines the issue in this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration. Queens natives Patrick and John McEnroe lead the discussion about what should be done to promote tennis to America’s youth while explaining their contrasting approaches to the revival.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.
*Riding the High. Most surfers would say the rush from high-risk surfing is almost incomparable. Away from the tides, some still chase that high through illegal drug use, and say their passion for big waves and dependence on drugs stem from the same adrenaline-seeking impulse. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel looks inside the world of surfing and its disturbing subculture of drug use, which has been around for decades, and speaks with former users about the steps being taken to raise awareness and aid in rehabilitation.
Producer: Maggie Burbank.
*Danger in the Saddle. The exhilarating and glamorous sport of equestrian eventing, when horse and rider compete in dressage, jumping and cross-country, is not just the ultimate test of horsemanship, but is also extremely dangerous. Every year, riders are seriously injured when horses trip over jumps or balk during competition, vaulting jockeys to the ground. When HBO first covered this story in 2008, REAL SPORTS discovered that a troubling number of riders and horses were killed participating in this sport. REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford reconnects with the some of the riders who brought attention to this issue and details what steps have been taken to improve rider safety.
Producer: Zehra Mamdani.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. In May, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for August 2010’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
And here’s the video of Bryant Gumbel’s interview with Plax.
That’s all.
Jul
25
Going For Some Monday Linkage
Let’s do the linkage on this busy Monday where it appears the NFL will be back this week as the league and the NFL Players Association appear to have come together on a collective bargaining agreement that would last 10 years with no opt-out. We’re just waiting official word on everything.
I’ll provide linkage until I get the joint press release from the NFL and NFL Players Association.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today writes that TV analysts are predicting the first few weeks of the NFL year will be extreme chaos.
Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine says the NFL’s TV partners are ready to broadcast football.
Awful Announcing is down to the Final Four of its Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament.
In SportsNewser, Cam Martin has the official trailer for “Haywire” starring MMA babe Gina Carano. Yes, starring. And you won’t believe the cast of stars in the film.
Joe Favorito says with this being the 25th anniversary of the downfall of the USFL, it’s time for a league to explore playing spring football again.
To SportsGrid where Timothy Burke condenses this morning’s five hours of media overgushing on Brett Favre into 60 seconds. I hate Brett Favre.
Canadian sports network TSN provides 12 reasons for Canada to watch the 2012 Olympics.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell says the fantasy football business is hoping for a quick recovery now that the lockout is over.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post hates Yankees voice John Sterling.
Neal Zoren from the Delaware County Times notes a Comcast SportsNet Philly reporter will be taking part in a celebrity bicycle race.
In the Washington Post’s Reliable Source column, it looks at Lindsay Czarniak planning a move to ESPN and a wedding at the same time.
From the Centreville (VA) Patch, Mary C. Stachyra talks with Lindsay about leaving the DC area and working at ESPN.
Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times chronicles an on-air argument between Tampa Bay Rays TV broadcasters DeWayne Staats and Brian Anderson.
Mike Herndon of the Mobile (AL) Press-Register says the Longhorn Network has thrown a monkey wrench into the Big 12′s wheels.
Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says the Longhorn Network isn’t worth the time or the trouble.
David Barron of the Chronicle provides some thoughts on the departure of Ross Greenburg from HBO Sports and a few other news and notes.
Jeff Potrykus from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that the media has given its picks for Big Ten division champs. Leaders and Legends. Are you serious?
Ed Sherman of Crain’s Chicago Business has a new appreciation for the Park formerly known as New Comiskey 20 years after it opened.
The Lincoln (NE) Journal Star says Time Warner Cable will put Big Ten Network on its standard service tier after the channel threatened to play hardball with Cornhusker games in the wake of originally being put on a digital sports tier.
Blair Kirkhoff of the Kansas City Star has Texas coach Mack “Big Daddy” Brown hopeful that the Longhorn Network can air state high school football games.
Andrew Logue of the Des Moines (IA) Register writes that the Longhorn Network has many Big 12 schools concerned about the conference’s future.
Dusty Saunders of the Denver Post says HBO’s Bryant Gumbel’s commentary on the US Women’s soccer team certainly gave him some food for thought.
Jeff Call of the Deseret (UT) News says ex-Brigham Young players are ecstatic about the school’s new contract with ESPN.
Bruce Dowbiggin in the Toronto Globe and Mail says CBS/Golf Channel analyst David Feherty is now the face of golf. Big, big, big stretch.
Raju Mudhar of the Toronto Star tries to make sense of the ESPN suspension/non-suspension of Bruce Feldman.
And that will do it for our links today. The players have unanimously ratified the NFL collective bargaining agreement meaning we have football once again. Thank goodness.
And I’ll be off Twitter, Facebook and Google + for the foreseeable future so this is where you’ll have to come to get the latest from me.
Jul
22
The Complete Friday Megalinks
Friday’s have become maddening. I was out of the office earlier today and expect to be out again later, but I’m doing the Megalinks early so I can be done with them and be free for other stuff tonight.
As always, check out the Weekend Viewing Picks for the sports and entertaining programming.
National
We’ll begin with Andy Staples from Sports Illustrated who writes that the Longhorn Network has suddenly created a big problem for Big 12 Conference schools not named “Texas.”
Gavin J. Blair of the Hollywood Reporter says one of Japan’s networks will begin airing women’s soccer in the wake of the country’s win in the Women’s World Cup last week.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News says MSG Network will celebrate Baseball Hall of Fame Weekend with a marathon of Halls of Fame specials.
Jessica Shambora of Fortune says ESPN succeeds where other cable channels don’t.
Glenn Davis of SportsGrid notes that NFL Players Association Executive DeMaurice Smith snuck up on ESPN reporters George Smith and Chris Mortensen during a live shot on Thursday.
Cam Martin at SportsNewser has former Howard Stern Show castmember Artie Lange confirming that he’s in talks to do a Fox Sports Radio show.
Karen Hogan of the Sports Video Group mentions that ESPN Films will premiere a new documentary on famed Georgia running back Herschel Walker in September.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell tells us that he’s going to sing the national anthem before a selected MLB game next month.
Sports Media Watch has some various ratings news and notes.
Steve Lepore of Puck The Media waxes poetic about Mike Emrick’s departure as Voice of the New Jersey Devils.
Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing has the site’s next matchup in its Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament, Joe Buck vs. Jim Gray. That’s a tough choice.
Ryan Yoder from AA says ESPN is taking a chance on airing live poker.
Joe Favorito asks who really benefits from the World Cup?
Dave Kohl at Major League Programs has a review of the week in sports media.
Dom Cosentino of Deadspin notes that San Francisco Giants announcer Jon Miller is still bitter about his firing by ESPN.
East and Mid-Atlantic
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe talks with Sunday Night Baseball analyst Bobby Valentine about his first year in the broadcast booth.
The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir talks with Mike Emrick about his decision to leave the New Jersey Devils.
Newsday’s Neil Best writes that the Derek Jeter 3,000 hit chase has put a famous memorabilia company into the spotlight one again.
Neil talks about New Jersey announcers departing their teams after long runs.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post admits that he loves to hate WFAN’s Mike Francesa.
Justin Terranova of the Post writes about Hall of Fame announcer Mike Emrick leaving the New Jersey Devils after 21 seasons.
Justin has five questions for ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union talks with an NBC Sports executive about how its summer horse racing series from Saratoga came to fruition.
Dave Hughes from DCRTV.com writes in Press Box that one Baltimore TV station is cutting back on its sports coverage.
The Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg revels in an on-air argument on one of the local sports radio stations in the DC Sports Bog.
South
At the Houston Chronicle, Brent Zwerneman writes that Texas A&M officials are very concerned about the Longhorn Network and what it means for the future of the Big 12 Conference.
The Chronicle’s David Barron has statements from Big 12 Commissioner Don Beebe and Longhorn Network owner ESPN about the conference’s temporary cease-and-desist order on airing high school football games and a Texas conference game.
David says the Longhorn Network saga could make for good reality TV.
David says while Longhorn Network is prevented from airing high school football for now, Fox Sports Southwest will have an NFL Red Zone Channel-like high school football block on Friday nights.
Suzanne Halliburton of the Austin Statesman-American says Longhorn Network programming is currently in limbo.
From the Daily Oklahoman, Mel Bracht writes that ESPN will document the Oklahoma football program as it prepares for the 2011 campaign.
Midwest
John Erardi of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes that ESPN’s Barry Larkin is coming back to the Queen’s City this Sunday.
Michael Zuidema of the Grand Rapids (MI) Press writes that a local TV sports director is back on the job after corrective neck surgery.
Ed Sherman at Crain’s Chicago Business has this week’s winners and losers.
Roman Augustoviz says WNBA star Maya Moore will give viewers an inside look at the WNBA All-Star Game tomorrow.
West
John Maffei at the North County Times says there’s too much money being left on the table for an extended NFL lockout.
Bill Shakin of the Los Angeles Times writes that court documents show MLB was very skeptical of how Fox’s money for an extended rights deal could have helped the Dodgers remain competitive.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News says Minnesota Twins analyst Bert Blyeven credits Dodgers voice Vin Scully for helping him to become a Hall of Fame pitcher.
Jeff Faraudo of the San Jose Mercury Times reports that ESPN Deportes now has an affiliate in the Bay Area.
Jon Wilner of the Mercury Times tries to handicap what will happen next with the Pac-12 Network.
Canada
Bruce Dowbiggin at the Toronto Globe and Mail looks at Bryant Gumbel’s closing comments on the US Women’s soccer team on HBO’s Real Sports.
And that’s going to do it. Stay cool on this scorcher of a day.
Jul
19
Bryant Gumbel’s Real Sports Closing Commentary On Women’s Soccer
Bryant Gumbel is never one to mince words and he does so again tonight on Real Sports in his closing comment. Says it’s time to stop coddling the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL
EPISODE #172
AIRS TONIGHT (7/19) @ 10:00 PM ET/PT“Finally tonight, can we stop coddling women in sports? Are we now so fearful of being labeled sexist that we can’t objectively assess the efforts of female athletes? Those are both valid questions that have come to the fore in the wake of the patronizing reactions that have followed the USA’s loss to Japan in the Women’s World Cup soccer final.
For the record, in the final, a very determined but unheralded Japanese team won the championship, upsetting a U.S. team that was heavily favored and ranked number one in the world of Women’s Soccer. En route to the loss, the American women failed to cash in on a wealth of early scoring chances, twice blew late leads with sloppy mistakes, and then got badly outclassed in penalty kicks.
Had a men’s team turned in a similar performance, papers and pundits nationwide would have had a field day assailing the players, criticizing the coach, and demanding widespread changes to a men’s national team that flat out choked. Yet the common reaction to this ladies’ loss were simply expressions of empathy for the defeat of the unfortunate darlings and pride in their oh-so-heroic effort.
Look, I have no desire to see anyone assail the women’s game or their athletes unfairly. But if the definition of true equality is treating folks honestly, without regard for race or gender, then it’s time we started critiquing women athletes in the same way we do the men. I’m sure some won’t like it, but blind praise is worthless in the absence of fair criticism.”
He has a point, but I’m not calling it a choke and I would feel the same way if the US Men’s Soccer Team did the same. Newsday’s Neil Best has his reaction to Gumbel’s comments.
Real Sports airs at 10 p.m. East and West on HBO.
Jul
16
HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel is Back On July 19
This Tuesday, the Emmy Award-winning Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns with three new stories and an update. Let’s check out what they have in store for us.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 172nd edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, JULY 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: July 19 (3:20 a.m.), 21 (5:00 p.m., midnight), 24 (9:00 a.m.), 26 (10:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m.), 28 (1:00 p.m., 1:45 a.m.) and 30 (10:30 a.m.), and Aug. 4 (8:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: July 23 (6:30 p.m.), 25 (1:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.), 29 (5:00 p.m.), and 31 (12:30 p.m.), and Aug. 2 (11:00 p.m.) and 5 (11:30 a.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: July 25-Aug. 15
Segments include:
*All in the Family. Manning. Griffey. Ripken. These are some of the multi-generational families in sports that are household names. But a new family is set to make history, not as players, but in coaching. The Harbaugh boys, John and Jim, have followed in their father’s footsteps and are the first brother act to serve simultaneously as head coaches in the NFL. Jack Harbaugh coached college football for 45 years and taught his only sons the ins-and-outs of the game from an early age. His eldest son, John, is the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach and has led the team to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons at the helm. Jim, after a successful NFL career as a quarterback, reenergized the Stanford University football program and was hired in January to take over the underachieving San Francisco 49ers. And later this year, when most families will be gathered around the TV watching Thanksgiving Day football, the brothers are set to face-off at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated report, correspondent Andrea Kremer joins the family on vacation to find out what makes them tick and why they have so much to be thankful for.
Producers: Joe Perskie, Josh Fine.
*Wounded Warriors. Often the hardest part of an athlete’s career is battling back from injury, but nothing can compare to challenges faced by members of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team. All of these men have endured near-fatal injuries and excruciating rehabilitation to return to the ball field from the battlefield. The current team is made up of 15 Army and Marine vets who suffered leg, foot or arm amputations while heroically serving their country. Despite their individual handicaps, they face able-bodied teams and have a .500 record. In this feelgood comeback story, REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford goes on location with the Wounded Warriors Softball Team to show that they are the same focused, physically capable men they have always been.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*The Original Extreme Sport. Hundreds of years before skateboarding, BMX biking and water skiing, the original extreme sport was the running of the bulls, wherein people test their bravado by racing bulls through barricaded streets to a corral at the end of the course. According to Spanish lore, the custom originated in Spain around the 14th century, and it was made world-famous by American author Ernest Hemingway’s first novel, “The Sun Also Rises.” With extreme sports comes extreme danger, however, and since record-keeping began in the early 1900s, 15 people have died, while scores are injured every year. REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo travels to the Fiesta de San Fermin in Pamplona to meet some of the top runners and provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse at one of the most dangerous events on earth.
Producer: Tim Walker.
*Record Breaker. In Oct. 2009, REAL SPORTS profiled Ashrita Furman of Queens, NY, who held the Guinness World Record for holding the most world records, with 245 records overall and more than 100 simultaneously. He finds spiritual fulfillment through the constant pursuit of physical challenges and world records, which is why he continues to hold on to his title. Furman has set 355 world records since 1979 and currently holds 130. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg reconnects with Ashrita Furman, who has set exactly 100 new records since the last time they got together.
Producers: Zehra Mamdani, Tim Walker.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. On May 2, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for last August’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producers of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That will conclude this post.
Jun
21
Bryant Gumbel Slams The USGA In Tonight’s Real Sports
Tonight on HBO’s Real Sports, host Bryant Gumbel blasts the United States Golf Association for making the Congressional Country Club course in Bethesda, MD way too easy for the recently completed U.S. Open. Now Bryant is an avid golfer and was Johnny Miller’s original partner when he joined NBC Sports, so Gumbel has good knowledge of the sport. However, Bryant admits he buys into a conspiracy theory that the USGA made the course easier in attempt to get ratings. It’s definitely food for thought.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL
EPISODE #171
AIRS TONIGHT (6/21) @ 10:00 PM ET/PT“Finally tonight, the U.S. Golf Association should be ashamed of itself. The same folks who like to claim they’re the caretakers of the game took a national championship that has always been revered, and this past weekend, made a mockery of it. Instead of setting up a U.S. Open course, as they always have, to identify the best player. They seem to have sought only to identify the most viewers.
Yes, the course they laid out was nominally long, but as even those who regularly shill from the game noted, they played the tees up, they thinned the rough, and they placed many of the pins in bowls that allowed many balls that were hit to a green to simply funnel to the hole from all directions.
In no way does this discredit the impressive and likeable Open winner, Rory McIlroy. That he finished with a score of 16-under par is remarkable, but that so many made it look like a local pitch-and-putt is an embarrassment. On Sunday, 20 golfers finished this U.S. Open under par. Twenty! That’s as many golfers that have finished under par in the last 12 Opens combined.
Look, as a rule, I don’t buy conspiracy theories. I don’t subscribe to suspicions about Roswell, the grassy knoll, and fake lunar landings. But I do believe USGA honchos sold out this weekend. Knowing the absence of Tiger Woods would cost them audience, I believe they decided to try to make up for it by enabling anyone who teed it up to go low in the hopes that lots of birdies would mean lots of viewers. That their Open plan instead generated lousy TV ratings that were down 26%, suggests that karma’s alive and well in the world of golf.”
There you have it.
Jun
20
Real Sports Is Back on HBO Featuring An Interview With Tiki Barber
On Tuesday, HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns. There are three new stories and one update. One story of interest is one on former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber who is attempting a comeback to the NFL. The story also chronicles Barber’s bout with depression after losing his NBC gig following the end of his marriage and subsequent stories in the tabloid press. Here’s a preview from HBO Sports.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 171st edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, JUNE 21 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: June 21 (2:45 a.m.), 23 (9:30 a.m., 7:00 p.m.), 25 (10:00 a.m.) and 28 (noon, 8:00 p.m.), and July 3 (8:15 a.m.), 7 (5:00 p.m., midnight) and 11 (2:00 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: June 22 (11:00 p.m.) and 26 (7:45 a.m., 9:30 p.m.), and July 1 (1:00 p.m.), 5 (7:00 p.m., 2:25 a.m.) and 16 (12:30 p.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: June 27-July 18
Segments include:
*Tiki. Rarely does a great athlete walk away from competition at the peak of his abilities, but in 2006, after ten seasons with the New York Giants, Tiki Barber hung up his cleats to pursue a career in network TV. The Virginia native landed at NBC as a sports analyst and “Today Show” correspondent, but after his TV career fizzled and his marriage fell apart in public, Barber was transformed from prince of the city to tabloid casualty. Now, at age 36, he’s seeking redemption with a return to the gridiron next season. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Armen Keteyian goes one-on-one with Tiki Barber in his first extended TV interview since announcing his NFL comeback.
Producer: Nick Dolin.
*The Big Bust. There is an exclusive club reserved for first overall picks in the NBA draft, including names like Magic, Shaq and LeBron. LaRue Martin, another member of the club, is famous for being the biggest bust in draft history. Selected first by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1972 draft, the former Loyola University (Ill.) center averaged a disappointing five points a game and retired after only four years in the league. Martin began drinking heavily and struggled for years with shame and depression on his rocky path to redemption. REAL SPORTS host Bryant Gumbel returns to De La Salle High School in Chicago, where he and Martin were schoolmates, to tell the story of how LaRue Martin went from dejected basketball retiree at age 26 to successful UPS executive.
Producer: Maggie Burbank.
*Saadi Qaddafi. As the turmoil continues in Libya, REAL SPORTS chronicles the strange quest of Saadi Qaddafi, third son of Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, to become an international soccer player. Although his skills were limited, Saadi used his family’s wealth and power to buy his way onto some of the world’s best soccer teams. Sparing no expense, he recruited a team of professionals that included everything from a nutritionist to a physiotherapist, but nothing could transform him into a pro-caliber athlete. After a failed drug test, he eventually returned to Libya and now serves as commander of special forces in his father’s regime. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel travels to Italy, where Saadi Qaddafi played on several clubs, to tell this bizarre story.
Producers: Chapman Downes and Josh Fine.
*Ann Wolfe. Ann Wolfe dominated women’s boxing for almost a decade after turning pro in 1998, holding world titles in four different weight classes simultaneously. However, she suffered devastating blows outside the ropes, including a stretch of homelessness. When HBO’s cameras previously caught up with Wolfe, she was about to become the first woman in boxing history to train a man for a world title. Those plans were derailed when her fighter, James Kirkland, went to prison for 18 months. When Kirkland returned from his stretch behind bars, he hired a new trainer, but in April was knocked out in shocking fashion, suffering the first loss of his pro career. REAL SPORTS correspondent Andrea Kremer reconnects with Ann Wolfe, who is back in James Kirkland’s corner, as they set out to make history together.
Producers: Zehra Mamdani, Nick Dolin and Chapman Downes.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. On May 2, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for last August’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producers of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That will do it.
May
17
Bryant Gumbel’s Closing Comments For Real Sports, May 17, 2011
Tonight on the latest edition of Real Sports, Bryant Gumbel gives out praise to two sports figures who recently spoke out about homosexuality. Let’s take a look.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL
EPISODE #170 AIRS TONIGHT (5/17) @ 10:00 PM ET/PT“Finally tonight, did you ever feel like not making a big deal out of something, because it shouldn’t be, but you mention it anyway? That’s kind of how I feel right now in extending some praise to Sean Avery, when I doubt he even wants it. Avery is a veteran hockey player who recently recorded an endorsement for the legalization of same sex marriage, which in the macho world of pro hockey, proved to be a very big deal indeed.
Avery’s stand, combined with the recent announcement by Phoenix Suns President and CEO Rick Welts that he’s gay has me wondering just when such news items in sports will become commonplace. It’s 2011. Folks in politics, entertainment, business, education and every other aspect of life have already moved past dramatically caring about someone’s sexual orientation, so why is the sports world still lagging when the law says it needn’t be and logic says it shouldn’t be?
Look, I know it’s easy for me to sit here and hope for the day when someone else sticks their neck out, but amid estimates that perhaps two-to-six percent of all guys are not heterosexual, it is sad and absurd to think of just how many athletes today might be feeling compelled to essentially hide in plain sight at games we all enjoy – simply because of their sexual orientation.
Jocks don’t like to talk about homosexuality and when they do it’s often in crude terms. That could have changed long ago, but so far it hasn’t and it’s time it should. Which is why Sean Avery is to be applauded for showing some courage on this issue and for not making a big deal out of something that shouldn’t be.”
That’s all.
May
14
Real Sports Returns To HBO on Tuesday, May 17
Real Sports has four segments, three new and one update. One of particular interest will be a profile on Milwaukee Brewers radio voice Bob Uecker. Uecker is one of the funniest men in baseball and of course, known for his role in the Major League movies (announcer Harry Doyle). The update will be Donald Trump’s efforts to build a golf course on the Scottish coastline. We take a look at what’s on tap for the newest edition Real Sports.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 170th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, MAY 17 (10:00 p.m. ET/PT & 9:00 p.m. CT), exclusively on HBO.
HBO On Demand availability: May 23-June 13
Segments include:
*Bob Uecker. No one else in the history of sports broadcasting has done it quite like Bob Uecker, who was dubbed “Mr. Baseball” by Johnny Carson and guested on “The Tonight Show” nearly 100 times. Uecker also starred in the famous Miller Lite commercials of the ‘70s and ‘80s, famously spoofed himself in the “Major League” movies and was one of the headliners of a hit network sitcom (“Mr. Belvedere”). Today, despite two major heart surgeries last year, the effusive and modest radio voice of the Milwaukee Brewers shows no sign of taking it easy. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg goes one-on-one with the 76-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster as he navigates his 41st year in the booth.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.*The Other Side of a Rivalry. The rivalry of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox is perhaps the bitterest in all of sports, but in a moment of tragedy they banded together like true comrades for someone in need. Last summer, Bridget Johnson, 11-year-old daughter of Red Sox first base coach Ron Johnson, was riding her horse, Rhonda, when they were struck by a car. The young girl’s left leg was severed and her horse had to be put down. The Red Sox immediately chipped in to help with the family’s mounting bills, and Ron Johnson’s longtime friend, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, led a charge inside the New York clubhouse by rallying players to raise money for Bridget’s care as well. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, correspondent Frank Deford learns more about the heart-wrenching event that changed the rivalry, if just for a moment, and Bridget’s inspiring recovery.
Producer: Maggie Burbank.*Smokeless Tobacco. Commonly referred to as “chaw,” chewing tobacco is one of the oldest ways to consume tobacco, which may be why it is grandfathered into the game of baseball. While Major League Baseball prohibits players from smoking or drinking alcohol on the field, they can use smokeless tobacco, and the habit is far from uncommon. But chewing tobacco is a known carcinogen that has been proven to cause different forms of oral cancer. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel sets out to learn why this controversial custom is permitted, why so many players use when the risks are well documented, and how its popularity among the game’s elite affects the players of tomorrow.
Producer: Tim Walker.*Trump. Donald Trump is no stranger to the headlines and certainly no stranger to controversy. In 2008, the high-flying New York tycoon embarked on a mission to build one of the greatest luxury golf resorts in the world – along with hundreds of homes and condos, plus a hotel and conference center – near the city of Aberdeen on the historic northeast coast of Scotland. The project sparked serious opposition from locals who felt the venture would spoil their pristine coastline, but Trump broke ground in July 2010. Now, the would-be Presidential candidate is looking forward to a grand opening. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg reconnects with casino magnate extraordinaire and unveils his exquisite development across the Atlantic.
Producers: Jill Klapper, Tim Walker.REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. On May 2, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for last August’s revealing report demonstrating the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producers of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
That will do it.
May
05
NFL Network Announcing Teams Since 2006
The upheaval in the NFL Network Thursday Night Football booth has been well documented. Now that Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock are officially the new announcing team, we look at the people NFL Network have assembled over the years. Let’s hope that this team can remain in place through the end of the current NFL TV contract.
2006 – Bryant Gumbel/Cris Collinsworth
2007 – Bryant Gumbel/Cris Collinsworth
2008 – Bob Papa/Cris Collinsworth
2009 – Bob Papa/Matt Millen
2010 – Bob Papa/Matt Millen/Joe Theismann/Alex Flanagan
2011 – Brad Nessler/Mike Mayock/Alex Flanagan (I’ll say Alex returns this year)
So you can see there has been hardly any consistency in the booth with changes coming practically every year but 2006-07. Here’s hoping that this year’s version of Thursday Night Football will work for NFL Network. I’m rooting for Brad and Mike.
http://fangsbites.com/2011/04/nfl-networks-thursday-night-football-announcing-teams/
Howdy. Welcome to Fang's Bites!
Thanks for dropping by! Feel free to join the discussion by leaving comments, and stay updated by subscribing to the RSS feed. See ya around!