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NBC To Make "NFL Talent Announcement"

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
At this writing (12:55 P.M. EDT, July 13th), NBC's Media Village website has issued a press release announcing that at 1:30 P.M. EDT today, the network will make an "NFL Talent Announcement" concerning the Sunday-night NFL games that will be shown on NBC starting in September, 2006.

My guess: It will be a three-fer: Al Micheals will be coming over from ABC to do play-by-play (as his current "Monday Night Football" analyst, John Madden, will move to NBC when they begin Sunday-night NFL games in 2006); Cris Collinsworth will become either an in-game (with Madden) or pre-game analyst (some news services have speciulated Collinsworth's participation), and Bob Costas will be the pregame/halftime/postgame host.

And given that the NHL's lockout is over (a new labor agreement was agreed to this morning, although it still must be ratified), and that Michaels has done a little hockey, expect him (if he joins NBC) to become the network's lead NHL play-by-play man.
 
> At this writing (12:55 P.M. EDT, July 13th), NBC's Media
> Village website has issued a press release announcing that
> at 1:30 P.M. EDT today, the network will make an "NFL Talent
> Announcement" concerning the Sunday-night NFL games that
> will be shown on NBC starting in September, 2006.
>
> My guess: It will be a three-fer: Al Micheals will be coming
> over from ABC to do play-by-play (as his current "Monday
> Night Football" analyst, John Madden, will move to NBC when
> they begin Sunday-night NFL games in 2006); Cris
> Collinsworth will become either an in-game (with Madden) or
> pre-game analyst (some news services have speciulated
> Collinsworth's participation), and Bob Costas will be the
> pregame/halftime/postgame host.

Collinsworth: yes, as in-studio analyst & co-host, likely with Costas (although he's not mentioned).

Michaels: no announcement yet.

<a target="_blank" href=http://"http://www.nfl.com/news/story/8642286">Link: NFL.com</a>
 
With NBC only doing one NFL game a week, might Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth do their pregame show from the site of each week's game??

It might help make the Sunday-night games more of a "happening". I also wish that the NFL and NBC would have live pregame musical entertainment by star performers each Sunday night: It could broaden the appeal of the pregame show to include fans of that particular week's pregame musical act.

This is the text of an NBC press release announcing Collinsworth's return (yes, "return" because he was a studio analyst for NBC's old Sunday-afternoon "NFL Live" studio pregame/halftime show during the early and mid 1990's). Although the release did not say so, I suspect Collinsworth will return to Fox for one last season as a lead game analyst, working alongside Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

Look for NBC to sign Al Michaels soon for the NFL, the NHL, and Olympic hockey. Depending on the network's NHL schedule, Michaels could end up calling a couple of NHL games on NBC in mid-to-late January (after doing an NFL first-round playoff game for ABC on January 7th), go back to ABC to call that network's final NFL game, Super Bowl XL (February 5th), fly to Turin, Italy to call hockey for NBC/USA during the Winter Olympics, then be lead NHL play-by-play man for the rest of the 2005/2006 season, then do the NFL in the Fall.

Another (and more likely) possibility should Michaels go to NBC: NBC might not do any NHL games until after the Winter Olympics end, which might make it easier for Al Michaels, as he could concentrate on football through the Super Bowl, then fly to Turin and start his career for NBC.

A question about Fox: Would they keep a three-man lead broadcast team for 2006 and hire someone to replace Collinsworth to work alongside Buck and Aikman?? Would Fox decide to go to a two-man booth with Buck and Aikman?? Or might Fox move Joe Buck off of football, demote or fire Aikman, and unveil a new lead NFL announcing team for 2006??
 
> With NBC only doing one NFL game a week, might Bob Costas
> and Cris Collinsworth do their pregame show from the site of
> each week's game??

I wouldn't rule that out. Probably depends on what Costas wants.

> It might help make the Sunday-night games more of a
> "happening". I also wish that the NFL and NBC would have
> live pregame musical entertainment by star performers each
> Sunday night: It could broaden the appeal of the pregame
> show to include fans of that particular week's pregame
> musical act.

Oh, good gawd, no! They need to stick to football.

This is the National Football League, not Saturday Night Live or The Tonight Show. The league would have the right to approve anything related to their product,. including who goes on a pregame show. The acts that the NFL would allow would probably be too boring to attract a young-adult audience raised on hard rock and/or rap. And they can't afford Paul McCartney every week.

> This is the text of an NBC press release announcing
> Collinsworth's return (yes, "return" because he was a studio
> analyst for NBC's old Sunday-afternoon "NFL Live" studio
> pregame/halftime show during the early and mid 1990's).
> Although the release did not say so, I suspect Collinsworth
> will return to Fox for one last season as a lead game
> analyst, working alongside Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

Probably true, since Collinsworth's Fox contract is through the 2005 season.

> Look for NBC to sign Al Michaels soon for the NFL, the NHL,
> and Olympic hockey. Depending on the network's NHL schedule,
> Michaels could end up calling a couple of NHL games on NBC
> in mid-to-late January (after doing an NFL first-round
> playoff game for ABC on January 7th), go back to ABC to call
> that network's final NFL game, Super Bowl XL (February 5th),
> fly to Turin, Italy to call hockey for NBC/USA during the
> Winter Olympics, then be lead NHL play-by-play man for the
> rest of the 2005/2006 season, then do the NFL in the Fall.

Jeez, do you want to wear the poor guy out? :-D

> Another (and more likely) possibility should Michaels go to
> NBC: NBC might not do any NHL games until after the Winter
> Olympics end, which might make it easier for Al Michaels, as
> he could concentrate on football through the Super Bowl,
> then fly to Turin and start his career for NBC.

I doubt that either network would allow Michaels to switch between them week-to-week.

> A question about Fox: Would they keep a three-man lead
> broadcast team for 2006 and hire someone to replace
> Collinsworth to work alongside Buck and Aikman?? Would Fox
> decide to go to a two-man booth with Buck and Aikman?? Or
> might Fox move Joe Buck off of football, demote or fire
> Aikman, and unveil a new lead NFL announcing team for 2006??

My guess is that Buck & Aikman will continue as a duo. They need to move Buck off of baseball, not football - especially after that abomination from last night.
 
> > With NBC only doing one NFL game a week, might Bob Costas
> > and Cris Collinsworth do their pregame show from the site
> of
> > each week's game??
>
> I wouldn't rule that out. Probably depends on what Costas
> wants.
>
It wouldn't be an bad idea at all, if it doesn't happen right away, it will eventually happen.

> > A question about Fox: Would they keep a three-man lead
> > broadcast team for 2006 and hire someone to replace
> > Collinsworth to work alongside Buck and Aikman?? Would Fox
>
> > decide to go to a two-man booth with Buck and Aikman?? Or
> > might Fox move Joe Buck off of football, demote or fire
> > Aikman, and unveil a new lead NFL announcing team for
> 2006??
>
> My guess is that Buck & Aikman will continue as a duo. They
> need to move Buck off of baseball, not football - especially
> after that abomination from last night.

Which is the thing...even though Joe Buck began his career as a baseball guy, and learned from the master, dear ol' dad Jack, I much prefer him on football than to baseball. It's maybe because he's surrounded by very good analysts with Collinsworth and Akiman and an excellent sideline reporter in Pam Oliver, but it's something about Joe's baseball coverage that just bores the hell out of me, and it's not McCarver either (I've learned to tune out McCarver after awhile). I think it's Joe's constant pandering to whomever pays him the highest dollar, whether it be Fox, the Busch brewery, or the Cardinals.
 
> > Although the release did not say so, I suspect
> Collinsworth
> > will return to Fox for one last season as a lead game
> > analyst, working alongside Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

USA Today reported this morning that the president of Fox Sports said that Collinsworth would not return to it's NFL team this season.

Sounds right. Fox obviously doesn't want to give it's opposition a season-long promo by having Collinsworth on it's team to highlight what they will be losing.<P ID="signature">______________
Robert Charles Pickering
Lakeland, Florida</P>
 
> With NBC only doing one NFL game a week, might Bob Costas
> and Cris Collinsworth do their pregame show from the site of
> each week's game??
>

No. Maybe playoffs but not regular season. They're putting
millions of dollars into a new studio at 30 Rock.


> It might help make the Sunday-night games more of a
> "happening". I also wish that the NFL and NBC would have
> live pregame musical entertainment by star performers each
> Sunday night: It could broaden the appeal of the pregame
> show to include fans of that particular week's pregame
> musical act.

NBC knows the audience it's going after - males.
The pre-game will be all about footbal. That's why they hired
Collinsworth. The working title is "Football Night
in America". Collinsworth' hiring probably means that
Costas gets the host role as both already work very
well together on HBO's Inside NFL. So, it probably
means that Michaels will sign to do play-by-play. When
Madden jumped, Ebersol said Costas would be considered
for play-by-play in case they couldn't get Michaels.

>
> This is the text of an NBC press release announcing
> Collinsworth's return (yes, "return" because he was a studio
> analyst for NBC's old Sunday-afternoon "NFL Live" studio
> pregame/halftime show during the early and mid 1990's).
> Although the release did not say so, I suspect Collinsworth
> will return to Fox for one last season as a lead game
> analyst, working alongside Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
>
No, he's not returning to Fox booth this fall.
They'll be going with a 2-person team of Little Buck and
Aikman.

> Look for NBC to sign Al Michaels soon for the NFL, the NHL,
> and Olympic hockey. Depending on the network's NHL schedule,
> Michaels could end up calling a couple of NHL games on NBC
> in mid-to-late January (after doing an NFL first-round
> playoff game for ABC on January 7th), go back to ABC to call
> that network's final NFL game, Super Bowl XL (February 5th),
> fly to Turin, Italy to call hockey for NBC/USA during the
> Winter Olympics, then be lead NHL play-by-play man for the
> rest of the 2005/2006 season, then do the NFL in the Fall.


> Another (and more likely) possibility should Michaels go to
> NBC: NBC might not do any NHL games until after the Winter
> Olympics end, which might make it easier for Al Michaels, as
> he could concentrate on football through the Super Bowl,
> then fly to Turin and start his career for NBC.

It's possible, but they may only sign him as NFL-only
announcer.

> A question about Fox: Would they keep a three-man lead
> broadcast team for 2006 and hire someone to replace
> Collinsworth to work alongside Buck and Aikman?? Would Fox
> decide to go to a two-man booth with Buck and Aikman?? Or
> might Fox move Joe Buck off of football, demote or fire
> Aikman, and unveil a new lead NFL announcing team for 2006??
>
See above. 2-person team. Why in the world would they fire Aikman?!
Fox late afternoon game is #1 and their postgame is also #1 vs. CBS.
NBC will have a tough time with its pre-game hour(7-8)
opposite Fox' game/post. NBC may have a bit of advantage with a
flex-schedule in the last 7 weeks of the season, but
Fox and CBS will also have a right to keep some of the
'big' Sunday afternoon games. So, we'll see.
 
> It might help make the Sunday-night games more of a
> "happening". I also wish that the NFL and NBC would have
> live pregame musical entertainment by star performers each
> Sunday night: It could broaden the appeal of the pregame
> show to include fans of that particular week's pregame
> musical act.
>

NO. Sporting events are barely watchable now because of all the "entertainment" that the networks throw in to draw younger viewers. Stick with the Xs and Os.
 
When do UPN and WB get the leftover games?

Not a serious posting; but with so many games, when do the weblets like those named above start getting games?
CBS could push that one a bit, they could have the other Sunday evening game for UPN.
Saturday nights for WB.
 
> > > With NBC only doing one NFL game a week, might Bob
> Costas
> > > and Cris Collinsworth do their pregame show from the
> site
> > of
> > > each week's game??
> >
> > I wouldn't rule that out. Probably depends on what Costas
>
> > wants.
> >
> It wouldn't be an bad idea at all, if it doesn't happen
> right away, it will eventually happen.
>
> > > A question about Fox: Would they keep a three-man lead
> > > broadcast team for 2006 and hire someone to replace
> > > Collinsworth to work alongside Buck and Aikman?? Would
> Fox
> >
> > > decide to go to a two-man booth with Buck and Aikman??
> Or
> > > might Fox move Joe Buck off of football, demote or fire
> > > Aikman, and unveil a new lead NFL announcing team for
> > 2006??
> >
> > My guess is that Buck & Aikman will continue as a duo.
> They
> > need to move Buck off of baseball, not football -
> especially
> > after that abomination from last night.
>
> Which is the thing...even though Joe Buck began his career
> as a baseball guy, and learned from the master, dear ol' dad
> Jack, I much prefer him on football than to baseball. It's
> maybe because he's surrounded by very good analysts with
> Collinsworth and Akiman and an excellent sideline reporter
> in Pam Oliver, but it's something about Joe's baseball
> coverage that just bores the hell out of me, and it's not
> McCarver either (I've learned to tune out McCarver after
> awhile). I think it's Joe's constant pandering to whomever
> pays him the highest dollar, whether it be Fox, the Busch
> brewery, or the Cardinals.
>
WHAT"S THE ANNOUNCEMENT? Seems like they said there was going to be one but I havent seen anything.
 
I assume Dick Stockton will once again come over and fill in for Buck when he is covering baseball during the playoffs. Someone will have to since they are not replacing Collinsworth. And if so, someone will have to fill in for Stockton on the #2 team with Daryl Johnston (if that remains the same) if he continues to fill in for Buck on the #1.
 
Re: When do UPN and WB get the leftover games?

Hi everyone:

> Not a serious posting; but with so many games, when do the
> weblets like those named above start getting games?
> CBS could push that one a bit, they could have the other
> Sunday evening game for UPN.
> Saturday nights for WB.

Three reasons.

1). Time-Warner wouldn't even be interested in the NFL (and even if they were, it'd be for TNT Sports anyway).

2). UPN couldn't air a Sunday Night game because NBC has EXCLUSIVE rights to the Sunday Night package In fact, THE CLOSEST that UPN has EVER come to the NFL (and WILL GET to it) was the Steelers-Dolphins game last year. And even THAT was aired on a regional basis (thanks to ESPN's exclusive rights) in Pittsburgh and Miami AND was delayed till 8:00 PM ET from its originally scheduled 1:00 PM ET start due to a hurricane barreling its way through South Florida.

UPN *could* however be brought in to carry games on Thanksgiving and (assuming it doesn't fall on a Saturday or Sunday and isn't post-season action) Christmas to expand the holiday lineup. But even the chances of THAT happening would be slim to none (with Slim half way out the door no less!).

3). For a single game played under special circumstances (or even a double-header under special circumstances for that matter), there's always NFL Network (But even THIS would be in the most extreme of circumstances like a game being postponed till Tuesday or Wednesday). Otherwise, it'd be on the originally assigned network.

Just my opinion :)

Pat Cook
Denver, Colorado<P ID="signature">______________
patspodcast03a.jpg

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT?? :)</P>
 
Hi everyone:

> I assume Dick Stockton will once again come over and fill in
> for Buck when he is covering baseball during the playoffs.
> Someone will have to since they are not replacing
> Collinsworth. And if so, someone will have to fill in for
> Stockton on the #2 team with Daryl Johnston (if that remains
> the same) if he continues to fill in for Buck on the #1.

Why do that when FOX can just simply go WITHOUT their #1 team during the baseball playoffs. This would make Stockton the #1 guy by default. As for Troy Aikman, they could just simply send him on vacation for a bit.

I also wouldn't rule out them replacing Pam Oliver with "The Moose" either (Dick has someone else who's name I can't think of now in the booth with him).

As for NBC landing Al Michaels, I wouldn't stake the farm on it, especially if they land Gary Thorne. While I don't believe I've ever seen Gary call a football game (ESPN could've EASILY utilized him if they wanted to instead of bringing in Pat Summerall when Mike Patrick missed half the season due to surgery), there's no reason to believe that he *couldn't* call one if asked to do so.

Turning to Chris Collinsworth, he was on NFL Total Access on NFL Network earlier this month and they pretty much said he wouldn't be back this year, though they didn't really come right out and say it like that on camera.

Just my opinion :)

Pat Cook
Denver, Colorado <P ID="signature">______________
patspodcast03a.jpg

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT?? :)</P>
 
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