Tag Archives: ESPN

Q/A with Darren Rovell: On leaving CNBC for ESPN; ‘It felt bigger’

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As any good business reporter knows, the element of risk is a theme in many stories.

So now the tables turn on Darren Rovell. Risk now is a part of his story in his recent jump from CNBC to ESPN.

Rovell had the sports business gig all to himself at CNBC. He also had his own sports business show on the NBC Sports Network.

Rovell, 34, landed many high-profile interviews and developed a huge following on Twitter (now in the 240,000 range). He carved out a nice niche at CNBC.

Rovell, though, decided to return to ESPN (he worked there from 2000-06). Obviously, he won’t be the only sports person at the network. While he will have more platforms for his stories, he also will face exponentially more internal competition. It will be more difficult for him to stick out at ESPN.

Money definitely was a factor in Rovell’s decision (ESPN book author James Miller reports he doubled his salary). Interestingly, for someone who talks at length about the cash athletes earn, Rovell declined to go into detail about his financial decision. I guess it is more interesting to talk about other people’s money.

Rovell stressed this decision is about more than just money. A big part, he said, is the ABC component, in which he will do business stories for various shows (Good Morning America, Nightline, ABC Evening News) on the network.

Ultimately, Rovell said of the move, “I just felt this was bigger.”

Here’s my Q/A with Rovell.

Why make the move from CNBC to ESPN?

I was happy with my gig at CNBC. I loved doing my NBC Sports Network show. It was a dream come true. I love working with my team there.

At the end of the day, I felt like being at ESPN was the right move. The ABC part was the deal-sealer.

How much did money have to do with the move?

CNBC did want me back. I was hoping for more interest from NBC Sports to get paid like a host. It didn’t happen.

I won’t do something solely for money. I’m so passionate about my career. Money alone could never get me to go to a place that I didn’t think was the best for me.

I talked to CNN. I talked to other people. I asked, ‘Do I break out? Do I move away from this niche?’ I decided the answer is no. ESPN and ABC can give me the best of both worlds.

Talk about your niche. Why is sports business so interesting to the masses?

I think a flashpoint came when sports became more corporate. Business became more out there, and people wanted to talk about it. Sports fans want to be armed at the water cooler. When you drop a piece of information, it allows you to beat your friend.

There are so many fascinating things about sports business. It touches people more than most people think.

Your career took off when you left ESPN and started at CNBC in ’06. Why?

CNBC gave me a great TV platform, for sure. The difference for me at the time was CNBC was a smaller place to be, but I could be the bigger fish. At ESPN, I was the geek who covered sports business. At CNBC, I was the cool guy who covered sports business.

CNBC wanted me to help turn up the volume. Traders watch with the volume off. CNBC said, ‘Hey, let’s show sports, but you rationalize it as business because it really is business.’

At CNBC and NBC Sports Network, you got so many big interviews with athletes like Tiger Woods and sports executives. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem appeared so many times, he was practically your sidekick. Will you get that same kind of treatment/access at ESPN?

We didn’t have a hard time getting people to come on CNBC. Our pitch to athletes and agents was, ‘Come on CNBC if you want to reach the wealthiest people in the world.’

Now at ESPN, Tom Rinaldi will have that interview with Tiger. How do I get Tiger Woods for business purposes? Does (agent) Mark Steinberg say, ‘He already did Tom Rinaldi?’

Admittedly, it’s going to be a challenge to get the big stars. But that’s the challenge of working in a bigger system compared to being a one-man machine. It’s a challenge I’m willing to accept. I still think I can get the big interview.

You’ve become Mr. Twitter. What has that meant to your “brand”?

It’s become a tremendous distribution platform. If all I did was just about sports business, I’d have about 10,000 followers. People like to have something different in their feed. When something happens in sports or otherwise, I’m thinking, ‘How can I inject the business aspect into it?’

When I was at ESPN (the first time), they had so many writers, I used to think, ‘If I write a great story, will it get on the front page (of ESPN.com)?’ Now because of Twitter, placement is not as much of a concern. It’s harder for something to get lost. Going to the Web site isn’t the only place to find the story. If I write a good story, somebody will link to it again and again and again.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. You’ve gotten into some notorious feuds on Twitter. Other people also have taken shots at you as your profile has increased. How do you feel about that?

Twitter allows people to reach out to you. Negative stuff is going to happen. Anything is fine. Anyone who is in the public eye has to deal with some negativity. It comes with the territory.

So where will people see you at ESPN/ABC?

I’m going to be the sports business reporter covering the beat. I’ll be working out of the ABC office in New York, but I’ll be in Bristol quite frequently. ESPN is going to be my main responsibility. I’ll write for ESPN.com, be on radio, SportsCenter. I do intend to be on ABC quite often.

I love to put the pedal to the metal. I go 24 hours a day. The only way to not get burned out is to change things up. The ABC outlet allows me to stay fresh, to stay hungry.

 

 

 

Must read: ESPN Boston Edes gets positive (not really) in writing about Red Sox woes

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ESPN has put Tim Tebow aside for a minute to get into its other obsession: The Boston Red Sox.

Really, enough with the Red Sox. The only Sox I care about wear White. And by the way, thanks Boston for Kevin Youkilis. He’s been great.

However, I do want to point out a piece by ESPN Boston’s Gordon Edes. In response to all the whining that the media has contributed to Boston’s woes, he plants his tongue firmly in cheek and writes a positive tale about the Red Sox going into their series with the Yankees.

Here’s Edes:

NEW YORK — A weary but gallant group of Red Sox players, led by their plucky skipper Bobby Valentine, gathered in Baltimore’s Penn Station late Thursday night to board the iron horse that will carry them to the Big Apple and a rematch with the Mighty Bombers of Gotham.

The Sox played their hearts out the past three nights against the Orioles, but Fate and Lady Luck dealt them a tough hand. Despite their best efforts — which included a five-inning no-hitter (!!!) by Aaron Cook — the Sox were able to claim just one hard-earned victory, steady Clay Buchholz spinning a beauty Thursday night in Camden Yards. Once again, the game’s greatest fans were represented in large numbers, having made the arduous journey down the Jersey Turnpike to show their support for A-Gon, Pedey, Our Josh and all the Boys.

And more:

It was only three weeks ago, you may recall, that the Sox last visited Gotham and had their spirits lifted by the team-only pep rally organized   by their wise and benevolent owner, John W. Henry. Gosh, was Mr. Henry embarrassed when someone spilled the beans on Henry’s private cheerleading.

“No good deed goes unpunished, does it, Larry?” an abashed Henry declared to his most trusted adviser, Larry Lucchino, who along with Smiling Tom Werner had secretly assembled at the Palace Hotel in New York to surprise the lads with a morale-boosting rendezvous. They beamed as one player after another paid tribute to their skipper, Bobby V, who was detained in another room for fear he would literally burst with pride at all the compliments sent his way.

And finally:

It grieves this correspondent to note that the division title might now be out of reach for your heroes, but while they arrive here wounded, they remain unbowed. There is no quit in these Red Sox, no loss of determination by Bobby V, for whom the word “surrender” does not exist in his vocabulary. Do not abandon your heroes in their hour of need. Invite Don and Jerry into your living rooms this weekend, Joe Castig and O’B on your car radios, and root, root, root for the home team. Remember the words of Al Michaels: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”

Great stuff, Gordon.

 

 

Updated Saturday flashback: The complete story of Dick and Jeremy Schaap encounters with Bobby Fischer

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Updated: Jeremy just sent me the 13-minute version of his story on Bobby Fishcher. It details the relationship his father had the brilliant, but troubled chess legend. Schaap won an Emmy for the piece.

Earlier this week, I did an interview with Jeremy Schaap. Not surprisingly, two of his most memorable encounters were discussed: His 2000 interview with Bob Knight shortly after he was fired from Indiana; and an epic run-in with Bobby Fischer during a 2005 press conference in Iceland. Schaap eventually walked out on Fischer, but not before basically saying he was nuts, which he was (exchange comes at 2:30 mark of video).

“People ask me about Fischer and Knight all the time,” Schaap said. “At least once a week, I hear about Knight. Probably every other week, I hear about Fischer.”

Schaap was lauded for not letting Knight control his interview. It included this unforgettable exchange:

Schaap: Bob, we came here to do an interview. I’m asking you questions.

Knight: Well, then let me finish the answer. Is that OK, Jeremy, is that fair enough? Have I interrupted your questions yet?

Schaap: Yes.

Knight: No, I haven’t. You’ve interrupted my answers with your questions and then I’ve tried to get back. So let me finish.

Schaap: Please continue.

Knight: You’ve got a long way to go to be as good as your dad. You better keep that in mind.

Schaap: I appreciate that. What’s next? What do you do this year?

Now that Knight works at ESPN, I asked Schaap if he’s ever run into the former coach.

“I’ve run into him a couple of times, but he has not acknowledged that I’m there,” Schaap said. “Now it’s possible, he didn’t notice. I tend to think he is choosing to look the other way.”

 

Q/A with Jeremy Schaap: On missing Olympics; goal for radio show; and long-form journalism at ESPN

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Jeremy Schaap has one clause specifically written into his contract with ESPN: The network has to send him to the Olympics.

So why isn’t he in London? And why wasn’t he in Vancouver in 2010?

As fate would have it, his wife, Joclyn, gave birth to couple’s first child during the last Winter Olympics, and they welcomed a boy Monday morning.

As a result, Schaap had to stay home again and watch on tape delay on NBC like everyone else.

“I had to call and say, ‘Hey guys, you know that whole Olympic thing? Sorry about that,” Schaap said.

Schaap, though, has plenty to keep him busy. He is hosting his own radio show, The Sporting Life and is a correspondent for E:60, among his other endeavors.

The radio show finally is available on podcast. It’s terrific. It features excellent long-form stories and interviews that go way beyond the Tebow-Sanchez debate. The show is a nice refuge from the shrieking that dominates sports talk radio.

As was the case with his father, Dick, I’ve been a long-time admirer of Jeremy. His bio on ESPN’s site lists his many honors, which includes six Emmy awards. It makes journalists like me feel inadequate. Stop being so perfect, Jeremy.

When I started my sports media site, he was high on my wish list of interview subjects. I recently had lunch with him in New York.

Here is my Q/A:

Is it hard not to be at the Olympics?

Na. I relish it, but I’m pretty jaded about the Olympics in general. There’s still something about the Olympics. I grew up in a house where the Olympics were a big deal. My father did books on the Olympics.

In this day and age, they don’t have quite the same meaning that they had. During the Cold War, let’s face it, it was us against them. There was a drama that’s lacking today.

Some of the stuff the IOC does. The fact that they won’t honor the Israeli athletes. The thing that’s objectionable to me is that I suspect if it were any other country, they would do it. But because it’s Israel, they won’t do it.

The IOC ignores the Olympic charter. Not just the Arab world, but in most of the Muslim world, women aren’t allowed to compete. How can Saudi Arabia be in good standing with the IOC?

What is your objective with the radio show?

We’re trying to tell stories. Four segments and it ends with an essay from me. I do a lot of interviews with authors. The books that are being written are great stories. So much works goes into putting them together. I like the publishing industry. I’d like to help these guys sell a few books.

It’s also the only place where I have the opportunity to do those cultural interviews. People I’ve known for a long time who I want to have on. For instance, the Olympics. I’ve known Bob Beamon my whole life. So I have him on with (fellow Olympic great) Ralph Boston.

There are things that they make fun of me up in Bristol. There are things that are of interest to me that are of less interest to other people in the building. I always say you have to include (discus thrower) Al Oerter when you talk about clutch performers. They start laughing. I say, ‘Al Oerter won four consecutive golds and each time with the longest throw of his life. You can’t be more clutch than that.’

The radio show is Al Oerter for me. I get to talk about the stuff I want to talk about.

Is there a place for storytelling on radio?

There has to be a place for it. Look at the success of NPR. If we could come close to approximating what they do on those show, in terms of storytelling on radio, that’s great. The show gives us another platform to get some storytelling out there.

I think we’ve done good work. I’ve gotten a chance to do longer versions of the TV pieces I do. One I liked the best: I did a piece on the 20th anniversary of Douglas-Tyson. It was a long TV piece: 10-11 minutes. But we had so much good stuff we did a 20-minute version for radio.

What kind of feedback have you received?

The show has gotten a lot of awards. That’s a big deal in our business.

It’s niche programming for ESPN Radio. It’s certainly not a rating grabber. I know that. If they wanted ratings, they wouldn’t be putting this show on the air. Some of the affiliates probably air it between 3-5 in the morning.

Nobody does what we do on (sports talk radio). We’re different.

How do you feel about the podcast?

This is exactly the show that should be podcasted. It’s evergreen. You could listen to what we’ve done six months from now.

With all the work that goes into the pieces and all the storytelling we do, it’s nice to have an opportunity to push it into another platform.

Talk about your work on E:60. What do you have planned for the upcoming season?

We’re putting a lot of pieces together right now. There are a few I shouldn’t talk about because of the competition. I’m doing something on Rob Gronkowski. I’m doing something about a soccer team in Israel.

I like human rights related stories. That’s what I’m always looking for. Sports is the starting point, and it gives us this platform to do these kinds of stories.  We’re working on athletes and insurance. I think of health care as a human right. To me, that’s a human rights story.

The Arab spring is something that’s not often talked about on ESPN.  It gave us an opportunity to educate our audience about what’s going on in the Middle East through the story of a few soccer players in Bahrain who have been tortured by their government.

Does ESPN take full advantage of their resources to do the long-form stories? Should the network do more?

To me, that’s what I do. I understand, it’s not what drives the ratings, although we (E:60) hold our own. Our commitment to journalism is there. In the conversation about what’s on ESPN, the focus is going to be on the less edifying stuff. But I don’t think we’re there as a counterweight. I think there’s a sincere interest in doing this kind of journalism.

How do you feel about where you’re at during this stage of your career?

You do the work because you think it’s important and you hope that it resonates with people who watch. It’s a great platform. I don’t tell them this during negotiations, but I think I have the best job in the country.

Over the years, there have been opportunities to work full time in Bristol or to do the debate stuff. It’s not what interests me, and ultimately that’s not what they want me doing.

One baby arrived during Vancouver. The next during London. Should we put you down for baby No. 3 for Sochi in 2014?

No, that would be too fast. Perhaps, Rio for 2016.

 

 

 

 

Gottlieb on leaving ESPN for CBS: Need to step out of nest and see if wings work

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Sean McManus as the Godfather? Not exactly the Marlon Brando type.

But the CBS Sports chairman did make Doug Gottlieb an offer he ultimately couldn’t refuse.

“Sean said, ‘This is what I want to do and I want you to be a part of it,'” Gottlieb said Tuesday afternoon. “It wasn’t just tempting. It was an honor.”

McManus and CBS lured Gottlieb away from ESPN with a package that includes his own 3-6 p.m. (ET) radio show. The network debuts on Jan. 2.

He got other terrific goodies, such as working the NCAA tournament and Final Four as a game and studio analyst for CBS. Gottlieb also is going to host a show on the CBS Sports Network.

All in all, it is an excellent deal with a myriad of opportunities. Yet when I chatted with Gottlieb Tuesday, he definitely had conflicting emotions about leaving ESPN, his home for the last nine years.

“At some point you have to step out of the nest and see if the wings work,” Gottlieb said.

Here’s my Q/A.

What made you decide to go to CBS?

I wasn’t looking for another job. I wanted to make a little more money. ESPN made an incredible offer.

CBS then came in and said, ‘What if you could do your radio show from California (where he was raised and still has family)? What if you could be done by 3 in the afternoon (to allow him to get home to spend time with his three young kids)? What if you come back at 7:30 to do your own TV show? And what if we throw out the golden carrot of NCAA basketball?

I was very torn. ESPN helped create me. I’m very loyal. But all the stars aligned for me to go back to Orange County.

How much did getting a chance to work the NCAA tournament sway you?

I consider the tournament the holy grail. Whether it is sweeping the floor or calling a game. Whatever they want me to do.

I’m not looking to replace anyone. I’m just going to be added to the mix. I think I bring something different to the table.

How does it feel to be a cornerstone of CBS’ new sports radio network?

It feels great. A substantial number of people know my radio style. I’m very coachable, but I know what works in sports radio.

ESPN is a juggernaut. I respect that. I don’t expect it to be easy. But CBS and Cumulus Media have a good plan.

What is the plan for the TV show?

They asked me not to give out the details. It’ll be all sports. I’m not going to try to out-ESPN. The show should be unique and fun.

Much like Jim Rome, you’re leaving the biggest sports network for a network that barely is on people’s radar. How will it feel playing to much a smaller audience?

I asked people (who left ESPN) what it was like to go to a smaller network. They’ve had success going somewhere else.

Listen, I love to work. I love to talk about sports. One thing I pride myself in is that I put everything into it. I don’t care if five people are watching. They’re going to get a good show.

 

 

 

 

Doug Gottlieb jumps to CBS; Will anchor afternoon show for new radio network

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Doug Gottlieb now will be one of the key players for the new CBS Radio Network.

CBS has lured Gottlieb away from ESPN with a package that includes his own 3-6 p.m. (ET) radio show. The network debuts on Jan. 2.

From Gottlieb’s perspective, he got other terrific goodies, such as working college basketball and the NCAA tournament as a game and studio analyst for CBS. He’s also going to be a show on the CBS Sports Network.

However, the radio component is the big one for CBS. A statement from Dan Mason, president and CEO of CBS Radio, was listed first in the release. He said:

“This is the first of many prominent personalities we will be adding to the CBS Sports Radio lineup,” said Mason.  “Doug is well-versed in today’s sports landscape and for years has entertained audiences with his unique blend of wit, honesty and outspokenness – traits essential for creating great radio programming.  We are thrilled to provide this exciting show to our new and soon-to-be announced affiliates across the country.”

Indeed, CBS wanted a recognizable name and someone who knows how to play the radio game. Gottlieb is hosting an afternoon show for ESPN Radio.

Gottlieb obviously had a good deal at ESPN, but I’m sure the chance to work the NCAA tournament pushed him over the top in making this move.

Here’s the release:

Among the platforms that Gottlieb will be featured on are:

  • CBS SPORTS RADIO – Gottlieb will host afternoons (3:00-6:00 PM, ET) on CBS Sports Radio, the newly created 24-hour, seven-day-a-week network featuring national programming from premier entities CBS RADIO and CBS Sports.  He will debut onJan. 2, 2013, the same day CBS Sports Radio launches.
  • CBS SPORTS –Gottlieb will serve as studio and game analyst for CBS Sports’ coverage of regular-season college basketball and the Network’s joint coverage with Turner Sports of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
  • CBS SPORTS NETWORK –Gottlieb will host a new show airing weekdays on CBS Sports Network beginning this fall and will be an analyst for regular-season college basketball.
  • CBSSPORTS.COM –Gottlieb will be an exclusive contributor to CBSSports.com, including columns, podcasts and College Basketball 360.

“With his ability to host both radio and television shows plus his studio and courtside analysis on college basketball, Doug is a triple threat, and the perfect fit across CBS Sports’ many platforms,” said McManus.  “Doug brings a wide fan base and a fresh take on sports, and we are excited to develop a unique show with him on CBS Sports Network.”

“CBS has among its portfolio the most powerful assets in all of sports and is home to arguably the greatest championship event – the NCAA Tournament,” said Gottlieb.  “Thinking about the reach of CBS Sports Radio and the continued growth of CBS Sports Network, coupled with quality online reporting and the overall distinguished reputation of CBS Sports, this was an easy choice to make, and an opportunity I couldn’t resist.”

“Listeners of my radio show will enjoy a fast, highly opinionated program that will challenge and engage sports fans nationwide.  And I’m looking forward to developing a new television program, following in the steps of my former colleague and friend Jim Rome,” added Gottlieb.

Illinois fans might boycott; ESPN adds Pearl to GameDay

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I know some of my fellow Illinois fans likely will tune out ESPN’s College GameDay show for basketball this year. The network just hired Bruce Pearl to be one of its analysts.

Even though it’s been more than 20 years, the folks in Champaign haven’t forgotten how Pearl got the Illini in major hot water with the NCAA. Then an assistant coach at Iowa, he accused Illinois of offering $80,000 and a Chevy Blazer to sign Chicago high school star Deon Thomas. The NCAA never found Illinois guilty of the charge, but it still slammed the program with penalties.

I covered the messy story for the Chicago Tribune, and it was one of the more interesting years of my career.

Much has happened since then. Pearl went on to have considerable success before he ran into his own NCAA problems at Tennessee. Now he has found refuge at ESPN.

All I can say is the bitterness over Pearl still runs deep at my former school. If I’m ESPN, probably not a good idea to do a College GameDay live from Champaign if Pearl is on the panel.

From the release:

Former college basketball coaches Bruce Pearl and Seth Greenberg have joined ESPN as men’s college basketball analysts and ESPN’s Jalen Rose will be added to the college basketball commentator team, it was announced today by Mark Gross, ESPN Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, Production. Pearl and Greenberg will each serve as studio analysts throughout the season and will call select games from various conferences. Rose will be a featured analyst on the weekly College GameDay as well as other college basketball studio programming, and will work as a game analyst for a series of matchups. Additionally, all three will contribute college basketball commentary to ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and other ESPN outlets.

“Both Seth and Bruce bring a contemporary coaching perspective and a great ability to break down the action in an entertaining style,” Gross said. “Jalen’s NBA analysis has been insightful and engaging and that style will translate to the college game where he’s remained closely connected since the ‘Fab Five’ days.”

Greenberg, who served as a guest ESPN studio analyst during the 2012 NCAA Tournament, most recently coached Virginia Tech for nine seasons (2003-2012). While there, he compiled a 170-123 record. Prior to that, Greenberg had head coaching stints at South Florida (1996-2003) and Long Beach (1990-1996). He was previously an assistant coach at Long Beach, Miami, Virginia, Pittsburgh and Columbia. He is a 1978 graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson with a Broadcast Journalism degree.

Greenberg said, “I am excited and honored to be joining ESPN. I look forward to using the relationships I have developed over 35 years of coaching college basketball to bring unique insights to the ESPN viewing audience.”

Pearl has worked as a college basketball commentator for Sirius XM Radio this past season after coaching the University of Tennessee from 2005-2011. While at Tennessee, Pearl led the team to 145-61 record and NCAA Tournament berths each of his six seasons there. Prior to that, Pearl coached at UW-Milwaukee (2001-2005) and Southern Indiana (1992-2001) after working as an assistant at Iowa and Stanford. Pearl is a 1982 Boston College graduate where he served as a student assistant coach and earned a degree in Business.

Pearl said, “I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to bring ESPN the same sort of knowledge, passion and intensity that I tried to have as a basketball coach. I’m anxious to get started and contribute to ESPN’s great college basketball coverage.”

Rose has been an ESPN NBA analyst, primarily for studio coverage since 2007. He will continue to provide NBA studio analysis during the Playoffs. Rose had a successful 13-year NBA career which included playing with the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 Finals. He was a consensus high school All American and team captain of the University of Michigan’s famed “Fab Five” that played for the National Championship in 1992 and 1993. Rose and his production company Three Tier Entertainment served as executive producer of ESPN’s critically acclaimed documentary about that team.

Rose said, “I’m eager to join College GameDay with Rece, Digger, Jay, and the amazing fans across the country! Calling games courtside feeling the spirit and electricity of the crowd plus hearing the gym squeak will be a treat.”

 

No longer marquee: ESPN, Big Ten Network losers with Penn State sanctions

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Regarding the NCAA’s announcement, since this is a sports media site, I’ll discuss the TV aspect:

Make no mistake, when the Big Ten added Penn State as its 11th school in the early 1990s, a major component was television. The addition of the school delivered the large Eastern TV market to the conference. It led to marque match-ups with Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions going up against Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, not to mention attractive non-conference games against Alabama, etc.

Penn State’s presence then gave the conference a wide enough national footprint to launch the wildly successful Big Ten Network.

The Big Ten will continue to cash in on a TV deal with ESPN that runs through 2016-17, and the BTN isn’t going anywhere.

But both of its broadcast outlets will feel the pain of the NCAA’s sanctions. Gone for many years is the idea of Penn State football being a marquee draw for television.

Frankly, I think Penn State would have been better off with a one-year “Death Penalty.” The unprecedented long-term penalties for bowls and scholarships are devastating. Unless new coach Bill O’Brien pulls off a miracle, the Nittany Lions are doomed to be 2-10, 1-11 for several years. Or as one tweeter said, “Penn State just became Indiana.”

Penn State had been a showcase team for the Big Ten, with several of its games playing in primetime. In fact, it has two on the schedule for 2012: an Oct. 20 game at Iowa, and Oct. 27 at home against Ohio State.

Will those games be moved back to afternoon starting times? Probably.

Suddenly, Penn State-Ohio State, Penn State-Iowa, or Penn State-anything no longer looks attractive. Perhaps there might be a curiosity factor at first to see how the Nittany Lions and their fans react to the sanctions. But if the product on the field suffers, as expected, viewers won’t watch for long. Those 40-0 blowouts can get boring fast.

Also, bowl TV will be impacted by the four-year postseason ban. Penn State always delivered solid ratings in the bowls.

The brand of Penn State has been diminished, if not decimated. The program was one of the great TV draws throughout the years. Now it is the object of national scorn.

Last fall, I attended the Northwestern-Penn State game. After the Nittany Lions won in what turned out to be Paterno’s final road game, its faithful fans marched through the streets of Evanston, proudly chanting “We are Penn State, We are Penn State…”

Looking back, I wonder what those fans are thinking now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ESPN ombudsman: Millen miscast in Paterno coverage

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Good to see the Poynter Review Project, which serves as ESPN’s ombudsman, finally weigh in on a timely topic. Timely hasn’t been a strength of the current set-up.

Jason Fry and Kelly McBride reviewed ESPN’s coverage of the Freeh Commission and the fallout at Penn State last week. Like everyone else, they knocked ESPN for electing to have Matt Millen, one of Joe Paterno’s former players, have such a prominent role on SportsCenter.

They wrote: “His difficulty coming to grips with the implications of the Freeh report for Paterno’s legacy and Penn State’s culture was painful to watch.”

They correctly put the ultimate blame on the ESPN producers, not Millen.

Media critics and viewers have pilloried Millen, but we think ESPN’s producers should bear a substantial part of the blame for what went wrong. For openers, Millen is too close to the subject to offer clear-eyed analysis. The Freeh report helped show us that Penn State’s culture of reverence for its football program and for Paterno himself were gross distortions of a star system that ultimately allowed the rape of children to continue. Insider analysis that can help us understand how that happened would be helpful, but too often Millen gave us more examples of the perils of such devotion.

Besides Millen, they gave glowing praise for ESPN’s coverage among its many platforms. However, they missed one: ESPN Radio.

As I wrote last week, ESPN Radio broke for a commercial 15 minutes into the Louis Freeh press conference, and then came back to discussion about basketball. I thought that was inexcusable.

 

ESPN happy to put own stamp on British Open; legendary Alliss returns

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It’s been five years since I covered my last British Open. And I truly miss it, more so than anything else I covered in 27 years at the Chicago Tribune.

I loved everything about being over for the Open Championship (the proper name). There’s nothing like quirkiness of links golf. In fact, everything about the experience was quirky; from the food (yes to brown sauce) to the ridiculously small showers to summer temperatures in the 40s and 50s with a damp chill that goes right through you.

I’ll definitely be watching ESPN’s coverage, although I can’t say I’ll be awake for the opening shot Thursday. Network coverage begins at 4:30 a.m. (ET), meaning night owls on the West Coast can tune before they go to sleep.

In previous years, ESPN and ABC had to rely mainly on the BBC for its coverage. Again, think quirky, as the BBC pace is much slower.

Mike Tirico likened the experience to “playing with rented clubs.” If you’re a golfer, you know what that means.

However, ESPN has had its own cameras in place since 2009; the BBC will be available to supplement anything that gets missed. It has made a huge difference in the production.

I had a chance to talk to Mike McQuade, ESPN’s vice-president for event production, about covering the tournament and having 81-year-old legend Peter Alliss back as a contributor.

On the difference between ESPN and BBC coverage:

We cover golf differently than the way the BBC does it, from where the camera angles are to the storylines. It’s an American broadcast. It moves quicker. The big difference will be on Thursday and Friday. There are so many more storylines. While they might want to focus on some Englishman trying to make the cut, we’d rather focus on Phil Mickelson.

On the difference between covering a PGA Tour event in the states and a British Open:

Besides the fact that when it rains everyone is wearing a black rain suit and a hat and you can’t tell anybody from anybody, that’s a big problem.

The wind is always an issue.  Trying to follow the ball in conditions like that is an issue.  Telling Andy North he’s got to walk in the rain for eight hours could be an issue.

I think at this point we’re sort of used to that.  I think the one thing that we’ve tried to do to sort of overcome all of this is this Flight Tracker that we’ve used the last couple of years, and this year I think it’s on six different holes, that really allows the viewer to ‑‑ if the skies are gray and it is tough to follow a ball in gray and white skies, the tracker will at least give you a sense of where the ball is headed and the direction it’s going in.

On Peter Alliss being part of the telecast:

In our mind, he symbolizes the Open Championship. He’s been a part of it for the better part of 60 years. When you have someone that iconic, it goes without saying you take advantage of it. He offers perspective and insights that I think our guys may not be as quick to grasp on to. That’s a good thing. It makes us better.

Here’s Andy North on Alliss.

Peter is one of those few individuals that you come across in life that if you open up the New York telephone book and had him read six or seven pages you’d be enthralled by it.  He is one of those gifted people that is so much fun to be around, and Curtis (Strange) and I have the great opportunity to work the week following the Open Championship at the Senior British Open Championship.  It is a riot.