If we use the Curt Gowdy Theory, Sunday is the best bargain in sports, CBS and Fox could have dandies!
By David J. Halberstam 01/29/2023
- Curt Gowdy did the national semi-finals for NBC in the 1960s, covering the great UCLA teams of Jabbar and Walton. He’d reference the millions watching, “I’ve always said this about the semi-finals. It’s the greatest bargain in sports. You get to see the best four teams in the land for the price of one.”
- I put the television on and he was on golf. Shouldn’t he be in Kansas City getting ready for the AFC championship game? I’m thinking, is he peripatetic, and also fighting the world clock? Is he trying to beat gravity too? Well, for commercial and prep purposes, CBS has Jim Nantz on anchor in KC for The Farmer Insurance Open held in San Diego. The golf ended Saturday.
- There’s one fellow who’s superb. He turned 80 last September and he’ll be at the ballpark tomorrow. Merrill Reese is still as sharp as a whip. He’s been in the Eagles booth 46 years, broadcasting for his beloved “Birds.” He and Mike Quick are cohesive, work together and can almost project what one another will say. In the opponent’s 49er booth, Greg Papa is crisp, doesn’t miss a syllable and fans love him in the Bay Area. Papa is equally good at baseball, basketball and football.
- Holthus, is now young whip-snapper. Or sounds it. At 65, the Chiefs play-by-player, began with the NFL club in 1994. He also did K-State football and basketball. In the past during the off-season, Mitch does regional college basketball occasionally for ESPN.
- Ages of local play-by-players this weekend: Reese, 80: Papa, 59; Cincy, Hoard, 60 and Holthus, 65 (Radio) Nantz presides over CBS-TV at 63. Meanwhile, Burkhardt is prepping for a daunting NFL biggie. Little NFL post-season experience at 49. He usually sounds pretty loose.
- Watched Kentucky-Tennessee. Dan Shulman is so underrated. Picks up speed with his voice so impressively, never gropes for a word or phrase. The audience doesn’t appreciate how smoothly the Canadian delivers. He’s terrific.
2023 NFL Championship Sunday TV & National Radio Schedule
Sunday, January 29
N F C Championship Game
3 PM- San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles: Merrill Reese and Mike Quick – radio
San Francisco 49ers: Greg Papa and Tim Ryan – radio
FOX TV: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
FXDEP: Adrian Garcia-Márquez, Alejandro Villanueva (Hispanic)
Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner, Ross Tucker
Entravision: Ricardo Celis, Tony Nuñez
Weather for SF, at Philly should be in high 40s or low 50s, 50 degrees/rain at kickoff
***
Sunday, January 29
A F C Championship Game
6:30 PM- Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs
Cincinnati Bengals – Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham – radio
Kansas City Chiefs – Mitch Holthus and Danan Hughes – radio
CBS, PARA+: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Evan Washburn, Jay Feely
Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Tony Boselli, Laura Okmin
Entravision: Ricardo Celis, Tony Nuñez
Weather for KC, high teens or low 20s, at kickoff
Eagles’ Jalen Hurts
As I remember, Rudy Martzke used to give awards for the kind of thing Jim Nantz did, regarding a lot of travel. I always felt it should be the Lindsey Nelson Award for when Lindsey did Notre Dame football on Saturday, the NFL on CBS Sunday, and Monday Night Football for Mutual. Then Vin had that wild weekend where he did a Friday night Dodger game in Houston, flew up to St. Louis to do the Game of the Week on NBC Saturday, flew back down to do the Dodger game that night, and a couple of games went extra… Read more »