Leading up to the 2022 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame ceremony on December 13 at the New York Hilton, SVG will present the nine inductees from this year’s class. For more information, CLICK HERE.
“I just don’t think they can, Dan.”
Those were the last infamous words NBC Olympic commentator Rowdy Gaines shouted over his on-air partner Dan Hicks as France’s Alain Bernard entered the pool to close the men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The gold medal and world record all seemed assured for the French team when American Jason Lezak dove seconds later to begin what some have called the greatest swimming leg of all time and what, quite simply, is one of the best. American TV sports moments of the century.
It was 46.06 seconds of pure television gold as Lezak closed the gap and 107 million Americans (according to Nielsen Media research) screamed at their home screens.
Those viewers may not know it, but they just had the man of the moment on their side. No, it wasn’t Lezak. It wasn’t even the legendary Michael Phelps – who, in that tie, secured second place in what would become eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, a record for the most golds won by an athlete in a single Olympics. No, the Monday morning race in China was timed the same as the previous Sunday night. Only on weeknights can you expect the best from director Drew Escoff.
“Drew has one quality that every great director has: he’s always where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there,” said Fred Gaudelli, the 2020-21 Sports Illustrated Sports Hall of Famer and Escoff’s longtime partner. NFL production both Monday Night. Football ABC and NBC Sunday Night Football. “His planes are always the right shots in terms of editorial. He does not leave the search for the most cinema; he serves sports fans and gives them what they need to process what happened. “
Go back and watch a live clip of that broadcast, which aired live on NBC last night in August. Lezak’s leg is a clean, simple, old-school story. Escoff makes only four cameras to cut the entire leg, refusing to interfere with the ability of the audience not only to enjoy but visually see the sudden difference between the lead swimmer. Just the pure running victory of the swimmer, the awesome feeling of the talent in the air, and the sheer joy on the faces of the American friends after the finish. For high-end minimal technology, no advanced analysis is required. Escoff didn’t even cut the underwater camera that is commonly used by swimmers. This was a sporting moment that speaks for itself.
“Sometimes I think, when you try to over-create a sporting event, you lose track of what’s important,” he explained. “People are used to watching events separately, and I don’t want to confuse the audience. I think the main thing responsible for my success is that I am a big sports fan.”
It’s easy to figure out what a sports fan wants – and needs – to see a given moment when you’re a badass. The raw love of the sport and a great skill to continue the story in the highest situations of high pressure helped to cement Escoff as one of the all-time greats in the director’s chair. Winner of 19 Emmy Awards, his career has included calling seven Super Bowls, multiple NBA Finals, years of horse racing’s Triple Crown (including Triple Crown winners in 2015 and 2018), and, perhaps, the card call, 23 years (and counting) of leading NFL primetime, including the past 17 on NBC Sunday Night Football.
“Drew Esocoff should go down in broadcasting history as the greatest sports television executive of all time,” said Al Michaels, a play-by-play veteran and 2013 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, who worked with Esocoff for many years. Monday Night Football and, of course, Sunday Night Football. “If he didn’t, it’s because he never blew his horn. All he did was be 1,000% ready for work, always bring his art to the table, and get love from everyone he works with. and respect”.
Sports television was heavily involved in Drew Esocoff’s life when he was young. After graduating from Colgate University in 1979 with a degree in political science, he got a job on Wall Street. He is bad. It only took nine months for him to pull through and drastically change the direction of his life. He returned to his hometown of Elizabeth, NJ, to work at a radio station, and even took a part-time job at Sports Phone, the old service where fans could call a hotline for up-to-the-minute scores. He also worked weekends as a runner and college football analyst for ABC.
It was in 1983 when he finally got his first full-time opportunity in the industry, working on ESPN’s studio shows. Taking advantage of opportunities, he quickly rose through the ranks and hosted the SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight segments until 1985, when he moved to the long-distance events segment.
“I find the second-to-second stuff very interesting,” Escoff said of directing live games. “If you make a mistake, there’s no correction in live TV. You fix it, and you go; I think the second-to-second deal was very interesting to me. I get that way. A lot of adrenaline rush. It’s just a lot of fun.”
He directed his first live production of a top-ranked boxing match in Indiana. Soon after, he directed his first football game: a 23-3 victory over the Akron Temple in 1987 at Old Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. He quickly directed everything for ESPN – college football, college hoops, even hockey – before getting the call to move to ABC Sports, shooting his way to the major leagues.
At ABC, Escoff has built a reputation for himself as a great storyteller, picker of camera angles, and a humble, easy-going guy. He earned marquee jobs, such as the NBA on ABC (including directing the NBA Finals), the Little League World Series (he was in the front seat when a team from Toms River, NJ, led by Major Leaguer Todd Frazier won future. world champion in 1998), and, finally, the highest gig of them all: Monday Night.
“He’s a mind-reader,” said Michaels, noting that he made more than 750 Escoff televisions. “Thousands of times, I would think of something to say, and, when the words started to come out, he had already punched the shot I was looking for. It was almost scary.”
On 2001’s Monday Night Football, Escoff joined forces with producer Fred Gaudelli to form what would become one of the greatest producer-director tandems in sports-TV history. The two sat on the front bench together for 22 straight years of NFL telecasts, six at ABC on Monday nights before moving to NBC Sports together in 2006 to start NBC Sunday Night Football.
“Drew is an incredibly important part of what has made Sunday Football such a great success story,” said Mark Lazarus, president, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “His ability as a director and leader has enhanced many NBC Sports events. He has a positive impact on our culture and shares his experience to educate others. He also happens to be a celebrity. It is an honor to be his friend and his friend.”
During Escoff’s time on Sunday Night Football, the show became one of the most successful properties in sports-broadcasting history. It has reigned as the number 1 TV show in all key metrics for 11 consecutive years. It has also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Game Series 11 times. As for being a key part of that success, Escoff always humbly scoffs at the idea.
“You start with Al [Michaels],” he said, “who is the greatest sportscaster of all time. You add [2010 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer] John [Madden] who, at the time, was the analyst. greatest of all time. You bring in Freddy [Gaudelli], the greatest producer of all time, and that’s a great way to start. The promise of the league to give us great games, though, maybe it’s the most important thing. I’m a very small part of the big teams, and I believe that. I try to point the nose of the plane down the middle of the runway.”
His long-time friends disagreed.
“There’s simply no one better,” said NBC Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth. “Most of the time, when I’m planning to talk about someone, that person is on the screen before I say their name. It’s amazing. When it comes to big moments and it’s up to Drew to paint the picture in multiple shots, I’ve learned the best. All I can say is it’s nothing. We just let Drew do his thing.”
“The most important thing [to be a direct sports director] is to match your talent,” said Escoff, “which means you match your producer. However, when it’s your time to lead, to however, make sure that your talent is following you. I try to be very aggressive about using split screens, and, if there are two images on the screen, I need to make sure that the talent knows what I’m trying to do. Get over it. When they can write that down, that’s even better.”
Be it the famous Water Cube swimming week in Beijing in 2008 or when Santonio Holmes pulled the trigger for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the waning seconds of Super Bowl XLIII in 2009 or when the New England Patriots quarterback turned heads in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 or , months later, when American Horse raced to a gate-to-wire victory in the Belmont Stakes to secure the horse’s first Triple Crown in 37 years, Esocoff met every moment every time. , not just for NBC but for the American sports viewing public. And he did all that was left of one of the most popular pictures behind the business.
“Before I met Drew, I knew his reputation as one of the best directors in sports television,” said Michele Tafoya, a reporter for NBC Sunday Night Football from 2011 to ’21, “but what surprised me when I started working with him. He was so humble, fun-loving, and unselfish. Everyone loves working with Drew because he’s collaborative, respectful, and funny.”
“It is an honor to be on the same team as Drew Escoff,” said NBC Sports President Pete Bevacqua. “He is one of the most talented people in our industry, and he is the rare person who can combine endless enthusiasm with an amazing and unwavering sense of calm, which sets the tone for all who are lucky enough to work with him. “
Where is the World Series 2022 being played?
| 2022 World Series | |
|---|---|
| Location | Minute Garden Park (Houston) Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia) |
What is the 2022 MLB playoff format? How will the playing style in 2022 differ from previous years? Unlike previous years, there will be one additional playoff team competing for each championship. Additionally, there will be no playoff games to determine the playoff teams for the 2022 season. In the wild-card round, the No.
Where is Game 3 of the World Series?
Game 3 started in Philadelphia on Tuesday night with Lance McCullers Jr. against Ranger Suárez. The Phillies started the scoring early with a home run by Bryce Harper followed by a solo home run by Alec Bohm.
Where is World Series?
What teams are in the World Series 2022?
The National League champion Phillies and American champion Astros square off in the 2022 World Series presented by Capital One on FOX, with the Fall Classic scheduled to run through Sunday, Nov. On the same subject : Children returning to youth sports at NRV. 6, if seven games are necessary.
How much does Joe Buck make broadcasting?
Buck could get close to $15 million a year, according to a person familiar with the deal. (ESPN declined to comment on the terms. To see also : 4 Hawkeyes named to preseason All-America by Athlon Sports.) Aikman and Buck aren’t the only paid football broadcasters.
Who is the highest paid NFL commentator? Jim Nantz During the fall season, he paired with Tony Romo on the No. 1 NFL team on CBS. As the circuit says, Nantz calls the Super Bowl. Marchand noted that CBS reached $10.5 million in Nantz’s latest contract negotiations.
What is Joe Buck’s annual salary?
According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Buck will earn between $60 million and $75 million over the course of his five-year contract. Read also : Sources: Matisse Thybulle, 76ers started contract extension talks before Monday. That means Buck will make somewhere between $12 million and $15 million a year.
How much do NFL commentators get paid?
How much do NFL announcers make? The highest salaries for broadcasters reflect the vast amount of revenue generated by the NFL. Although it is not close to the average salary of an NFL player (the average QB salary in 2022 is $ 7 million), sports players can make more than $ 1 million per season.
Why is Joe Buck being replaced?
Fox Sports found itself in need of a new primary play-by-play announcer for MLB, not to mention new color commentary for the NFL, after ESPN lured Buck and football partner Troy Aikman to take over. "Monday Night Football" booth, who has been struggling to find a stable place lately…
Who will replace Joe Buck in the World Series? Joe Davis will be the new voice of the World Series, The Post has learned. Davis is already an award-winning journalist who is now rising to the top. He is expected to work alongside analyst John Smoltz.
Is Joe Davis leaving the Dodgers?
Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Joe Davis has been named MLB’s play-by-play leader for Fox Sports in its 27th season. The promotion makes Davis the new voice of MLB’s premier events, including the World Series. Davis will also continue his role with the Dodgers and SportsNet LA.
Why did Fox replace Joe Buck?
Fox Sports found itself in need of a new primary play-by-play announcer for MLB, not to mention new color commentary for the NFL, after ESPN lured Buck and football partner Troy Aikman to take over. “Monday Night Football” booth, which recently struggled to find a stable …
