Even before Janet Jackson introduced mainstream America to the nipple shield, the marriage between television and football was in need of a counselor. Now that Super Bowl XXXVIII is officially behind us, here’s a replay of some of the gaffes, curiosities and otherwise odd broadcast moments of the past football season.
MAKING A SPLASH
From her luxury box, ESPN reporter Michele Tafoya tried to cool off squabbling fans by dumping beer on them at the Minnesota-Michigan game. She claimed it was just a few ounces; the fans claimed she emptied two cups. Instant replays were inconclusive.
ROOKIE MISTAKE
On her debut for ABC’s “Monday Night Football,” Lisa Guerrero confused Redskin quarterback Patrick Ramsey by asking him what he had to say “with ex-teammate Laveranues Coles.” The problem: Coles was on Ramsey’s team.
BATTLE OF THE ABC PROPERTIES!
Stuart Scott and John Anderson, anchors for ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” mocked Guerrero’s boo-boo, prompting an ESPN executive to complain that the anchors “were piling on and made it personal. There’s no reason for that on our air.”
BUT THERE’S REASON FOR THIS
ESPN2 reporter Thea Andrews portrayed a TV sports reporter who flirts with a player in “Playmakers,” an ESPN dramatic series that depicted pro football as a world of drugs, drunkenness and adultery.
QUALITIES A COMMENTATOR NEEDS
“I’ve been out of football, and even though I study it, I tell Greg this every weekend–and we laugh about it–whatever I did as a player I’ve forgotten 80 percent of it,” said CBS analyst Phil Simms, partner of Greg Gumbel.
HE ALSO HAD THE PREREQUISITES
Oakland Raiders linebacker Bill Romanowski was signed by Fox as an analyst after being sidelined because of a series of concussions.
BROADWAY JOE ON LONELY STREET
While being interviewed, an inebriated Joe Namath twice told ESPN sideline reporter Suzy Kolber, “I want to kiss you.” The Tribune’s Mike Downey said it could have been worse–at least ESPN didn’t post a graphic asking, “Should Suzy kiss Joe? Cast your vote.”
DITTOHEAD DOWNFALL
ESPN first-year analyst Rush Limbaugh asserted that Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb was “overrated” by liberal media types who wanted an African-American to succeed. ESPN executive Mark Shapiro explained afterward, “We brought Rush in for no-holds-barred opinion. Early on, he has delivered.” Limbaugh delivered his resignation a few days later during the ensuing uproar, and McNabb went on to have a stellar season, guiding his team to the NFC Championship game.
RUSH WORKED FOR THE WRONG SHOW!
When Limbaugh admitted he was addicted to pain pills, the Washington Times’ Patrick Hruby said the conservative commentator would have “fit right in on ‘Playmakers.’ “
A-WAY-WITH-WORDS AWARDS
– Fox’s Terry Bradshaw called Falcons owner Arthur Blank an “idiot” for his treatment of Coach Dan Reeves.
– ESPN’s Stuart Scott used the term “pimp-slapped” to describe a Tennessee defeat.
– Seldom-used CBS commentator Jerry Glanville said of his assignment to cover a game between the lowly San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions: “I got the skim milk game–2 percent of the country.”
– CBS college football analyst Spencer Tillman said, “Remember, the value of a player to his team is relative to his distance to the ball.”
TURNED OFF
Fox commentator Tony Siragusa confessed to the L.A. Daily News’ Tom Hoffarth that when he was working a New York Giants game on the sideline, he instinctively yelled out what play he thought the Giants would run. “I’m glad my mike wasn’t on,” he said in retrospect. Could we leave it that way?
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Edited by Joe Knowles (jknowles@tribune.com) and Chris Courtney (cdcourtney@tribune.com)
