In the wake of Jason Collins’ announcement, I guess everything is on the table when it comes to being gay in sports.

Richard Deitsch at SI.com looked at the issue from the sports media perspective. Given that there are openly gay sportswriters, it raises the question of why it hasn’t happened on the sports broadcast front.

Not surprisingly, every executive Deitsch contacted said they wouldn’t have a problem hiring a gay announcer. Indeed, it would have been much bigger news if one of them said, “No way.”

From CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus:

“It is one of those things that I don’t even think crosses people’s minds anymore when it comes to on-air broadcasters or lawyers or bankers or school administrators,” McManus said. “When I look at tapes or have someone in my office who wants to work for me at CBS Sports in play by play or as a studio analyst, it just never really occurs to me or find out what his sexual preference is. I think the Jason Collins story was a big story for a lot of reasons, but if a broadcaster chose to make that kind of statement, I don’t think it would be all that big a story. I think most people would say, “Okay, so what? I couldn’t care less what your preferences are. What I care about his how good a play-by-play man or analyst you are. If the general public liked that man or woman as an on-air broadcaster, they would have very strong opinions about that person whether that person is gay or straight.”

However, there was this passage:

Not everyone shares that opinion. One ESPN broadcaster I spoke to said sexuality would be a significant factor in how the audience reacts to a broadcaster. “I do think some viewers would be biased and not look at the gay broadcaster the same — or give them any slack,” said the broadcaster. “If this particular broadcaster were to make an innocent mistake on the air –or have a comment or view that some might not agree with — I think all bets would be off. Sad, but true, in my opinion.”

“My sense with play by play is that there is the same level of closeting that goes on for the same reasons athletes aren’t more open — concern over appearance,” said another ESPN staffer who has done play by play. “I suppose they wonder if a network and/or the fans would somehow “hear” them differently. It’s quite easy for me to say they wouldn’t but until someone is courageous enough to say the hell with it, I guess it’s a barrier to be crossed.”

It will be crossed soon enough. There will be an announcer who comes out about his or her sexuality.

Hopefully, it will be news for a day and then everyone will move on.

One of the most amazing stories in sports broadcasting appears as if it is about to end.

Barry Jackson writes in the Miami Herald that Jack Ramsey, 88, will miss the rest of the playoffs to undergo a medical treatment.

Ramsay, 88, declined to discuss the nature of his medical condition. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1999 and received treatment, several years ago, for melanomas “all over my body.”

Ramsay said Thursday that the looming treatment will prevent him from working the remainder of the NBA playoffs, including The Finals, for ESPN Radio. He had been scheduled to announce Game 3 of the Heat-Bulls series on Friday. And he said he’s not planning to do broadcast work next season, barring a change of heart.

“I’m going back to Naples and will start the treatment on Monday there,” Ramsay said by phone Thursday. “I have a specific time period where I must have this and cannot do it if I’m traveling around. I’ll miss doing the broadcasts.”

Of his spirits, he said, “I’m fine. I’ve been through all this many times.”

Earlier this year, Dr. Jack said he intended to retire after the season. From Jackson:

“I’m not enjoying it like I used to, and travel is difficult,” he said. “Before this season, I did the games mostly with Jim Durham, and then he passed away after the first game this season.

“I enjoyed working with him, which is why I extended my [stay with ESPN]. I will miss the association with the players and coaches. It has been a great ride.” 

Indeed, it has. It staggers my mind that a man in his late 80s could withstand the grind of calling all those games, let alone the travel that comes with it. Dr. Jack did it at such a high level.

When you look at his work as a coach and then as a broadcaster, well, it is quite a combination of quantity and quality.

Thanks, Dr. Jack, and be well.

Tyler Kepner in the New York Times has a terrific story on Bob Wolff. The 92-year old broadcaster is donating his collection of interviews to the Library of Congress.

And what a collection it is. Kempner writes:

Wolff has donated about 1,400 audio and video recordings, consisting of well more than 1,000 hours, to the Library of Congress, which will honor him in a ceremony next week.

Much of the material, DeAnna said, comes from an era when broadcasts were erased or not recorded at all. Wolff called some of the most memorable sports moments of the last century, including Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series and the Colts-Giants N.F.L. championship game in 1958. But the jewels of the collection are his interviews.

The subjects in Wolff’s trove range from Babe Ruth and Connie Mack to Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, plus Vince Lombardi, Joe Louis, Jim Thorpe and nearly every other major sports celebrity to cross his path. He was a pioneer in the creation of pre- and postgame shows, which he syndicated to various teams for their local broadcasts.

“In the early days, the people doing interviews, for the most part, were former athletes,” Wolff said. “They were people who had spent their time answering questions because they were stars, and had never asked a question in their lives.”

Wolff’s encounter with Ted Williams:

Wolff said he always wanted the interview to be appealing to the audience and enjoyable for the athlete, but he was no pushover. He once approached Ted Williams for an interview, and Williams, noticing the microphone, scowled at Wolff and muttered to himself. Wolff later chastised Williams, who made him a deal: the next time they met, if Williams had a certain batting average, he would do the show.

Williams, indeed, had met his high standards when he next encountered Wolff. But he had also just sworn off all interviews in another of his famous feuds with the Boston news media.

“Ted, you told me this with a handshake, but I read about what happened in Boston, and if you live up to your deal with me, as a reporter, I’ve got to ask you if you have any remorse,” Wolff said he told Williams. “But you’re a friend of mine, and if you want to bow out, we’re still friends. But if you want to go on, I’ve got to ask you the questions.”

Wolff said Williams did not hesitate.

“What time’s the interview?” Williams said. “Ask anything you want.”

And the good news if you love history:

The Library of Congress is digitizing Wolff’s collection and making much of it available to the public online. The library shared several recordings with The New York Times last week, including interviews with Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson and Tris Speaker.

Robinson gives fielding tips — keep the glove low, brushing against the dirt — and, in a group interview after his groundbreaking rookie season, offers a rather benign comparison when asked about the abuse he took from Southern players.

“I went to U.C.L.A.,” Robinson says. “U.S.C. is our archrival across town. Suppose I suddenly had to go over and root for U.S.C. during a crucial game between U.S.C. and U.C.L.A. I mean, I think that’s the same way that these fellows felt when they came up out of the South. They have certain things instilled with them in the South, and they had to come up, all of a sudden, and were pushed in with me. At first they didn’t know just how to take it, but as the season progressed, there was certainly no feeling at all between us and we got along swell.”

Sports media lost a giant today. Pat Summerall passed away at the age of 82.

There will be plenty of tributes to Summerall in the upcoming days. And memories. Here is the open from his first game working with John Madden in 1979. It wouldn’t be their last.

I have known Cheryl Raye-Stout since forever. She has been a long-time sports radio reporter in Chicago.

Women in the lockerroom is a non-story, but that wasn’t the case back in the 80s. On her blog on WBEZ.org, Raye-Stout writes about her difficulties back then and how a young quarterback named Jim Harbaugh changed the culture for the Bears.

She writes:

The media relations person at Halas Hall announced that the locker room was open. There was a group of reporters, (very small compared to the numbers now) and I walked in the middle of the group. That is when I was greeted by angry, hurtful words and loud obnoxious screams. It was evident it was directed at me and the reporters all stepped away as I took the abuse. At that point, the Bears media person told me I had to leave and would not have access.

I walked out the door unsure as to what had just happened. I controlled my anger as the realization set in.

The situation changed when the Bears drafted Harbaugh in 1987:

A few weeks into the season I asked to talk to Jim as I sat on the floor. The media person went into the locker room and brought the rookie out for me. Jim looked at me and then said to the media person, “Why can’t she go in the locker room like she does after games?”

He wasn’t kidding. Jim had the firm look he shows now as San Francisco’s coach. There was no answer that would be satisfactory to Harbaugh. There was more to the conversation, but for me, his first words were the most relevant.

Until that point, no one else had even challenged or really cared about my situation. Jim and I talked, and we walked into the locker room. There were no angry voices, there were no insults. (Now there was no red carpet or rose petals thrown either.) At times there were some other incidents, but this was a huge change at Halas Hall.

Raye-Stout never forgot the gesture. She obviously has good reason to pull for Harbaugh Sunday.

Jack Whitaker is cleaning up in 2012.

Earlier this year, the legendary announcer/essayist received the Sports Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award. Tuesday in New York, he was among the inductees to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

In both cases, there is the obvious question: What took so long? Were they going to make Whitaker, now 88, wait until he turned 100 to give him fitting recognition for an exceptional career?

Even Whitaker, ever the gentleman, couldn’t resist a jab during the ceremony Tuesday in New York.

“Thank you for giving me this award and for giving it to me in time for me to remember I got it,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker also noted the difference between then and now in covering sports.

“We used to pal around with (the athletes),” he said. “Now they’re all multi-millionaires.”

Joining Whitaker in the class of 2012 were ESPN executive chairman George Bodenheimer, audio pioneer Ray Dolby, famed NFL commentator Frank Gifford, sports production visionary executive Ed Goren, legendary NBC cameraman Cory Leible, former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, NBC operations and engineering guru Jack Weir.

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame is relatively new. Its first class in 2007 featured Roone Arledge, Howard Cosell, Jim McKay and Pete Rozelle.

It truly is incredible. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times says the official annoucement will be made today.

Shaikin wonders if Scully will make the trip to New York next year when the Dodgers play the Yankees in Yankee Stadium.

He writes:

He told a wonderful story the other night, bemoaning the relative tranquillity of the current Dodgers-Giants rivalry and pivoting adeptly to a tale involving Jackie Robinson.

The Dodgers were playing the Giants in New York, in the old Polo Grounds, and Reese and Robinson were two of the three people left in the Dodgers clubhouse. Scully was the other one.

“Pee Wee said to Jackie, ‘I’ll bet you I get more boos than you do.’ And Jackie said, ‘You gotta be kidding.’

“So Reese opened up the door as he started down the wooden steps. I mean, they booed him out of the ballpark.

“And Robbie sat there in the dressing room laughing. And finally he said to me, ‘Now watch this.’ He said, ‘I’m sure that the Giants fans check off the name of each Dodger player who has left the clubhouse. I’ll guarantee you they know I’m the only player left in the clubhouse.’

“And I swear to you, the door didn’t crack open six inches — you couldn’t see who was coming out — but the crowd knew it was Robinson.

“And they went wild.”

That is not Scully’s best story, not even close.

The Chicago Tribune’s Eric Zorn writes about Bob Greenberg, who died this week.

Despite going blind shortly after birth, Greenberg still pursued a career in broadcasting. He was a fixture in the Chicago press boxes and locker rooms.

And yes, as Zorn writes, Greenberg was a mix of amazing and annoying.

Greenberg lost his sight shortly after birth but never considered that a reason not to pursue a career in sports broadcasting — a particularly bravura goal given that the disabled were even more pigeonholed then than they are today.

He sat in the press box and interviewed athletes in the locker room at major Chicago sporting events for more than a decade. That he achieved his goal was a heartwarming story.

But Greenberg was not a particularly heartwarming guy. He was loud and blustery, stubborn and occasionally obnoxious. He was known to push his way clumsily through media scrums, interrupt other reporters’ interviews and even play “the blind card” to get reluctant athletes to talk to him.

It probably served him well. Once the novelty of being a blind sportscaster wears off, you have to bring the goods — get the tape, know your stuff — because no one’s going to hand them to you out of pity.

Without going into details, Zorn notes there was the story of Greenberg sticking his microphone in an inappropriate place. The story, if I remember correctly, was that Greenberg plunged the mic in between Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s butt cheeks while asking a question.

“What do ya think, Kareem?”

Jabbar jumped about 10 feet in the air.

Yes, Greenberg truly was a memorable man.

I’m going to offer a blast from the past on the weekends. It could be an old video, a print interview or profile of a famous newsmaker in sportswriter, or a classic story.

Since we’re in the beginning stages of this site, I felt it was appropriate to dig up something on Howard Cosell, the one and only.

In this clip, Cosell pays a visit to David Letterman in 1985. He’s promoting his new book, “I Never Played the Game.”

Cosell is engaging, but also he’s also pretty bitter about most things. Take a look.