The following is our weekly roundup of some the sportscasting news that has been making headlines recently.
We thank the members who have contributed information. Please continue to send your news, comments, updates, etc, so each week's edition can get better and more informative. You can email us at LSchwa8918@aol.com.
~ Lou Schwartz, President
Tim Brando, Lifetime ASA member and Fox college football announcer, has been selected to receive the inaugural Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame's Ambassador Award and will be part of the Hall's Class of 2020 to be enshrined next June. The Louisiana native called his first game at the young age of 14 alongside his father, Shreveport broadcast pioneer Hub Brando. His resume, dating back to the mid-1980s, includes studio hosting and play-by-play for Fox, ESPN, CBS, Turner and Raycom/Jefferson Broadcasting.
A statue of legendary ABC announcer Keith Jackson was unveiled at the Rose Bowl on December 14. The statue depicts the ASA Hall of Famer standing and holding a microphone with the Rose Bowl logo. Jackson dubbed the bowl game "The Granddaddy of them all" and called it a record 15 times. In 2015, the stadium's broadcast center was renamed in his honor.
Ryan Howard, former Phillies first baseman and ESPN baseball analyst, has decided to leave the network to focus on his business endeavors.
Kelenna Azubuike, Golden State Warriors analyst on NBC Sports Bay Area, shared an interesting story on the air during the Warriors-Blazers game on December 18. It seems that when Carmelo Anthony was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in 2011, he asked Azubuike, who was a player on the Knicks at the time, for his No. 7 jersey. Azubuike obliged, hoping that Anthony would reward him handsomely. Instead, he received a check for $3000, pocket change by today's NBA standards. Incidentally, Anthony's new team, the Blazers, beat Golden State, 122-112.
ESPN has re-signed Eduardo Perez and Tim Kurkjian and is reportedly interested in signing former Yankees and Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson.
As speculated, WFAN midday hosts Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts will move into the 2-6pm time slot vacated by Mike Francesa. Benigno and Roberts will not be inheriting the No. 1 afternoon show, as reports say ESPN Radio's "The Michael Kay Show" has thoroughly beaten Francesa in the final ratings that come out on December 23.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to former NBA Commissioner David Stern and his family as he remains in serious condition after undergoing emergency brain surgery on December 13. Stern 77, collapsed at a New York City restaurant after suffering a brain hemorrhage. Stern has received an outpouring of support from the NBA community, including the "NBA on TNT" crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, who reflected on what Stern has meant to the NBA and how much he accomplished during his 30 years as commissioner.
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