Rudy Martzke ruled the space for years. He penned regular sports media columns for USA Today which were must reads for broadcast executives, announcers and sports television aficionados. The Wisconsin alum started with the national daily when it hit American newsstands in 1982 and he retired in 2005. 

Martzke became well known for his Rudy’s in which he praised network announcers who excelled and was critical of others who failed to reach expectations.

How powerful was Martzke? In his years at USA Today, Sporting News listed him among the industry’s top 100 influencers.

While enjoying his retirement in Florida, Martzke is still a fan and watches lots of television sports. He took the time to share his observations and opinions in this version of the Rudy’s.

Today, Martzke goes through NFL, college football, NBA, college basketball and golf broadcasters:

RETIRED USA TODAY TV SPORTS COLUMNIST RUDY MARTZKE’S 2018 FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL/GOLF HONORS

NFL and COLLEGE FOOTBALL

STUDIO HOSTS:

1. James Brown, CBS
2. Rece Davis, ESPN

STUDIO ANALYSTS:

1. Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN
2. Boomer Esiason, CBS.
3. Terry Bradshaw, Fox
4. Jimmy Johnson, Fox
5. Michael Strahan, Fox        

PLAY-BY-PLAY:

  1. Al Michaels, NBC; Jim Nantz, CBS; Joe Buck, Fox and NFL Network (Tie)

  4. Mike Tirico, NBC and NFL Network

NETWORK GAME ANALYSTS:

1. Cris Collinsworth, NBC
2. Gary Danielson, CBS
3. Troy Aikman, Fox
4. Tony Romo, CBS
5. Brian Griese, ESPN

REPORTERS:

1. Erin Andrews, Fox
2. Tracy Wolfson CBS
3. Todd McShay, ESPN

INFORMATION INSIDERS:

1. Jay Glazer, Fox
2. Adam Schefter, ESPN
3. Peter King, NBC
4. Jason La Canfora, CBS

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:

Gene Steratore, CBS, NFL rules analyst

MOST IMPROVED:

1. Rece Davis, ESPN
2. Joel Klatt, Fox
3. Brad Nessler, CBS
4. Brian Griese, ESPN
5. Todd Blackledge, ESPN
6. Charles Davis, Fox

UP AND COMER:

Maria Taylor, ESPN

BEST COLLEGE ANNOUNCE TEAM (PLAY-BY-PLAY OR STUDIO):

Host: Rece Davis and Analysts: Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, David Pollack,  ESPN

BEST NFL ANNOUNCE TEAMS (PLAY-BY-PLAY OR STUDIO):

 Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, NBC and Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, CBS (Tie)

MOST MISSED – FOOTBALL:

1. John Madden, CBS, FOX, ABC, NBC (retired)
2. Verne Lundquist, CBS (retired)
3. Dick Enberg, NBC, CBS, ESPN  (deceased)

WISH HE HADN’T RETIRED:

Bob Costas on NBC’s Olympics

UNDERRATED:

Spero Dedes, CBS

MOST VERSATILE:

Steve Levy, ESPN studio host and college football play-by-play

MOST WELCOME SURPRISE: 

NFL TV ratings overcame a few down years and bumped up 5 percent through the 2018 regular season; 46 of the top 50 TV shows were NFL games.

COLLEGE and NBA BASKETBALL

BOTH HOST AND PLAY-BY-PLAY:

1. Ernie Johnson Jr. TNT and CBS
2. Marv Albert, TNT.
3. Greg Gumbel, CBS and TNT

BOTH GAME AND STUDIO ANALYSTS:

1. Reggie Miller, TNT and CBS
2. Chris Webber, TNT
3. Bill Raftery, CBS, TNT and Fox
4. Grant Hill, CBS and TNT
5. Seth Greenberg, ESPN
6. Jay Williams, ESPN

BEST COLLEGE BASKETBALL ANNOUNCE TEAM:

 Jim Nantz, co-analysts Bill Raftery and Grant Hill, CBS

BEST ANNOUNCE TEAM; STUDIO OR PLAY-BY-PLAY:

Host Ernie Johnson Jr, Analysts; Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaq O’Neal, TNT

REPORTER:

Kristen Ledlow, TNT/NBA TV

GOLF

HOSTS

1. Jim Nantz, CBS.
2. Dan Hicks, NBC.
3. Ernie Johnson Jr. TNT

ANALYSTS

1. Nick Faldo and Gary McCord, CBS (Tie)

3. Paul Azinger, Fox

4. Johnny Miller, NBC

5. Ian Baker-Finch, CBS

NATIONAL RADIO

TOP NATIONAL RADIO HOSTS

1. Colin Cowherd, Fox Sports Radio
2. Dan Patrick, Fox Sports Radio
3. Dan Le Batard, ESPN

Rudy Martzke releases his TV ‘Rudy Awards’ – for first half of 2018