Several easy newspaper column topics have come and gone during my vacation; here's another:
Dan Patrick is reuniting with Keith Olbermann on NBC's Sunday night football program this fall, another step in the network's strategy of hiring everyone in America other than Chris (Boomer) Berman and Norman (Boomer) Esiason to work on the show.
In other football studio show news, Showtime is going with James Brown, Cris Collinsworth and Phil Simms for the new version of "Inside the NFL."
Click below for the NBC release on Dan Patrick. Back to "vacation." Thanks for reading.
Dan Patrick has been named a co-host of NBC's "Football Night in America" studio show, reuniting him with Keith Olbermann who together redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1992-97. Patrick, who will handle highlight duties with Olbermann, joins host Bob Costas and co-hosts Cris Collinsworth and Olbermann, along with analysts Jerome Bettis and Tiki Barber and reporter Peter King. The announcement was made today by Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics.
"We are proud to reunite one of the greatest teams in the history of sports broadcasting," Ebersol said. "Dan and Keith were more than successful together, they defined the way that sports highlights are now delivered. Their unique delivery has been sorely missed and now they'll be able to take their act to a primetime network television audience each Sunday night in the fall."
Olbermann said: "I'm delighted to be reunited with my tag team partner. I can't stop Dan Patrick from working with me again, I can only hope to contain him."
Olbermann and Patrick, while anchoring SportsCenter, became renowned for their inimitable style of coupling pop culture and sports - now a hallmark of the modern television sports reporter. While at ESPN, Olbermann and Patrick also wrote the critically acclaimed book "The Big Show" about their experiences working on SportsCenter. Costas wrote the foreword to the best-selling book.
"I think it's a great idea because it reunites one of the great combinations ever in TV sports," said Costas. "I've been in favor of the idea ever since NBC Sports reacquired the NFL but we haven't been able to work it out until now."
Patrick is currently a columnist at Sports Illustrated and contributes to SI.com. In October of 2007, Patrick began hosting a new version of The Dan Patrick Show, distributed nationally through The Content Factory and Premiere Radio Networks. The show airs from 9 a.m. to Noon ET and on XM-144 from 10 a.m. to Noon ET.
Patrick was an anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1989 to 2006. While at ESPN, he also reported from major events including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Final Four. He hosted The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio from 1999 to August of 2007 and wrote for ESPN The Magazine's most popular page featuring interviews with athletes. In 2000, Patrick released a book entitled "Outtakes," based on the magazine column. Prior to working with ESPN, Patrick was a sports anchor and reporter for CNN from 1983 to 1989.
In 1998, he received a Sports Emmy Award in the Studio Host category. In 2000, Patrick was named the National Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, making him just the second cable commentator to receive the honor. He received a CableACE Award in 1997 for his work on SportsCenter.
Patrick received a B.A. in broadcasting from the University of Dayton.
Comments (6)
Mad Dog is mad that Boomer hung up on him today. I love it when he rips other media members. (No offense...I'd have your back if it ever got phsycical!)
There seems to be unrestricted warfare at WFAN. Never been this tense since Sid called Russo a "f@##$$" on the air.
Boomer surprisingly was not into Wimbledon at all while Carton was, they call Russo up at home to get his two cents on the match, Boomer made snoring noises showing his disinterest while Carton was fine, Russo was annoyed by the noises and talked about Boomer throwing INTs, Boomer allegedly hung up after that comment.
Something tells me the FranDog feud and possible break-up annoys the hell out of the rest of the station. Also the rumors that Russo has been flirting with Sirius while still under contract with the station probably bothers people. I guess this was also Boomer's revenge being stuck with Russo all those years on that NFL show they had for MNF.
you are all missing the crux of the issue.MONEY MONEY MONEY.MIKE AND DOG ARE SO ANGRY AT WFAN MGMT BECAUSE NORMAN MAKES MUCH MORE THAN BOTH OF THEM. THIS IS THE ISSUE. THEY WANT TO BE IN THE SAME BALL PARK AS RUSH LIMBAUGH. MONEY AND MORE MONEY. THAT IS THE DEAL. NORMAN SCREWED UP WFAN SALARY CAP. NEIL,YOU SHOULD LOOK IN TO THIS ANGLE.
CBS Radio is laying off on air talent and off-air technicians all over the country yet between the 2 of them Mike and Dog make nearly $3million a year to draw a total rating of 2.5 per afternoon and finish around 15th overall. So what the rating for their demographic is the highest in the area? They get nothing from any of the other demos. CBS is probably praying at least one of them leaves, they are extremely overpaid for what they do and what they actually deliver.
Now NBC is really trying very hard to keep me on Fox and CBS until the game starts, aren't they? Costas, Tiki, Patrick, Bus, Collingsworth and Olbermann, I don't think so.
sandy,do you think the world wants the great comunicator evan roberts in prime time.if m&m split,the fan is in trouble.the only one who would listen to roberts and anybody else in the afternoon is maybe mrs. roberts.
You would listen Bruce. And so would Bruce in Flushing and Eli and Jerome from Manhattan, Val from Brooklyn and quite a few others. It is a 20-year habit you won't break. Because you can't. You listened before M&MD, you will listen after M&MD.