Your NBC Olympic Announcers

Wednesday, July 16, 2008


The Olympics are right around the corner (hard to believe) and today NBC will be announcing their roster of broadcasters. USA Today has an early look at who will be involved though and here's their breakdown....

•Rookies: Past stars — NBC's roster won 42 Olympic medals — making their Olympic TV debuts include wrestling's Rulon Gardner, volleyball's Kevin Barnett, soccer's Brandi Chastain, sprinter Ato Boldon, distance runner Ed Eyestone and gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi

•The gamers: Tim Ryan, lead alpine skiing analyst for the past five Winter Games, works his eighth Olympics — but it's his first on rowing and canoeing play-by-play. Craig Masback, who left TV to head USA Track & Field and is now a Nike "global" marketer, will be a marathon analyst — perhaps noting key footwear. Longtime NHL analyst Bill Clement played badminton growing up and called the sport at the 2004 Games where, says Solomon, he "fell in love with table tennis." In Beijing, she says, he'll analyze badminton, table tennis and shooting — "he said, 'I'll do anything you want.' "

For Cris Collinsworth, an NBC NFL analyst, the idea is to do anything. Solomon says. Collinsworth, who covered 1996 Olympic track, will be a reporter with an "unlimited pass to go wherever he wants." Most of the biggest roles go to returnees — NBC afternoon host Jim Lampley will have a record 14th Olympic assignment. But NBC's Al Michaels, who famously raised belief in miracles for the 1980 U.S. hockey team, won't be in Beijing.
Seems like a lot of the same people and most of the people above will be FOB's for the Games. What's an FOB you ask? Well that is a "Friend of Bob (Costas)" and he'll have the opportunity to bring them into the studio to talk about specific events. It's a shame that Al Michaels decided against it but I don't blame him one bit. I really wouldn't want to head to Beijing either.

NBC rings out its Olympics announcers (USA Today)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 8:15 AM

14 Comments:

Did Solomon fall out of the Bible?
They're quoted twice but never identified.
Guess the Bible is getting some extra chapters.
Nice that Collinsworth just wants to hang out with his "unlimited pass" -- instead of going to NFL training camps and preparing for the season.

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 10:04:00 AM  

Bela! You can do it, Kerri!

GMoney said...
Jul 16, 2008, 10:31:00 AM  

So will Marv Albert and the Czar do basketball again?

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 11:07:00 AM  

You know...I am kind of curious and excited to see what Collinsworth can do. I've always liked him on-air.

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 11:23:00 AM  

what no willie smith?

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 11:27:00 AM  

Mr. or Ms. Anonymous, "Solomon" is probably the last name for a spokesperson for NBC Sports.

The other Anonymous: Of course, that hasn't been revealed yet, but NBC has to find someone. The 2004 announcer, Mike Breen, is now at ESPN and no longer available. As for an opinion, I wouldn't mind Marv.

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 11:56:00 AM  

If you read further along that USA Today article, you'll find out that it will be Bob Papa who will do the NFL Network's play-by-play of Thursday and Saturday night football games. Kind of surprising because we thought it would have gone to Tom Hammond or Marv Albert...

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Dave D. said...
Jul 16, 2008, 11:57:00 AM  

Dave D - The news is a little old, unless your blog is threeweekoldsportsamerica.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 12:05:00 PM  

Here's the entire listing:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-07-16-nbc-announcers_N.htm

Breen/Collins look to be the top crew for basketball. There are a few Disney guys in there, including pretty much their entire soccer play-by-play stable minus Derek Rae.

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 12:08:00 PM  

all these no names calling bball games
anyone heard of any of these guys besides breen, doug collins, eric collins, or craig sager?

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 12:33:00 PM  

here is the entire roster for each sport:

HOSTS

• Bob Costas

• Jim Lampley

• Alex Flanagan

• Matt Vasgersian

• Melissa Stark

• Bill Patrick

• Fred Roggin

• Lindsay Czarniak

CORRESPONDENTS

• Cris Collinsworth

• Mary Carillo

• Jimmy Roberts

GYMNASTICS

• Al Trautwig, Play-by-play

• Elfi Schlegel, Analyst

• Tim Daggett, Analyst

• Andrea Joyce, Reporter

TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS

• Al Trautwig, Play-by-play

• Elfi Schlegel, Analyst

• Tim Daggett, Analyst

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS

• Andrea Joyce, Play-by-play

• Elfi Schlegel, Analyst

TRACK & FIELD

• Tom Hammond, Play-by-play

• Lewis Johnson, Analyst

• Carol Lewis, Analyst

• Dwight Stones, Analyst

• Ato Boldin, Analyst

• Craig Masback, Analyst

• Ed Eyestone, Analyst

• Bob Neumeier, Reporter

RACE WALKING

• Ron Vaccaro, Play-by-play

• Ed Eyestone, Analyst

• Carol Lewis, Analyst

SWIMMING

• Dan Hicks, Play-by-play

• Rowdy Gaines, Analyst

• Andera Kremer, Reporter

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

• Craig Hummer, Play-by-play

• Rowdy Gaines, Analyst

DIVING

• Ted Robinson, Play-by-play

• Cynthia Potter, Analyst

• Bob Neumeier, Reporter

• Andrea Kremer, Reporter

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

• Chris Marlowe, Play-by-play

• Karch Kiraly, Analyst

• Heather Cox, Reporter

INDOOR VOLLEYBALL

• Paul Sunderland, Play-by-play

• Kevin Barnett, Analyst

CYCLING (Road/BMX/Mountain Bike)

• Pat Parnell, Play-by-play

• Craig Hummer, Play-by-play

• Kenan Harkin, Analyst

• Paul Sherwin, Analyst

• Marty Snider, Reporter

TRIATHLON

• Craig Hummer, Play-by-play

• Siri Lindley, Analyst

• Marty Snider, Reporter

BASKETBALL

• Mike Breen, Play-by-play

• Chris Carrino, Play-by-play

• Mike Crispino, Play-by-play

• Pete Pranica, Play-by-play

• Eric Collins, Play-by-play

• Teresa Edwards, Analyst

• Doug Collins, Analyst

• Ann Meyers, Analyst

• Bob Salmi, Analyst

• Craig Sager, Reporter

ROWING

• Tim Ryan, Play-by-play

• Yaz Farooq, Analyst

CANOEING (Flat Water)

• Tim Ryan, Play-by-play

• Joe Jacobi, Analyst

CANOEING (White Water)

• Craig Hummer, Play-by-play

• Pat Parnell, Play-by-play

• Joe Jacobi, Analyst

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

• Craig Hummer, Play-by-play

• Heather Olson, Analyst

WRESTLING

• Matt Devlin, Play-by-play

• Rulon Gardner, Analyst

WATER POLO

• Bob Fitzgerald, Play-by-play

• Wolf Wigo, Analyst

BOXING

• Bob Papa, Play-by-play

• Teddy Atlas, Analyst

• Jim Gray, Reporter

MODERN PENTATHLON

• Ron Vaccaro, Play-by-play

• Rob Stull, Analyst

WEIGHTLIFTING

• Pete Pranica, Play-by-play

• Shane Hamman, Analyst

EQUESTRIAN

• Kenny Rice, Play-by-play

• Melanie Smith-Taylor, Analyst

SOFTBALL

• Joe Castellano, Play-by-play

• Michele Smith, Analyst

SOCCER

• JP Dellacamera, Play-by-play

• Glenn Davis, Play-by-play

• Adrian Healey, Play-by-play

• Steve Cangialosi, Play-by-play

• Marcelo Balboa, Analyst

• Brandi Chastain, Analyst

• Shep Messing, Analyst

• Lori Walker, Analyst

TENNIS

• Barry MacKay, Play-by-play

• Jimmy Arias, Analyst

BASEBALL

• Eric Collins, Play-by-play

• Joe Magrane, Analyst

HANDBALL

• Andrew Catalon, Play-by-play

• Dawn Lewis, Analyst

TABLE TENNIS

• Bill Clement, Play-by-play

• Sean O'Neill, Analyst

BADMINTON

• Jim Kozimor, Play-by-play

• Steve Kearney, Analyst

• Bill Clement, Analyst

FENCING

• Joe Castellano, Play-by-play

• Pete Pranica, Play-by-play

• Andrew Catalon, Play-by-play

• Mika'il Sankofa, Analyst

ARCHERY

• Joe Castellano, Play-by-play

• Denise Parker, Analyst

SHOOTING

• Bill Clement, Play-by-play

• Shari LeGate, Analyst

FIELD HOCKEY

• Mike Corey, Play-by-play

• Nick Conway, Analyst

SPORTSDESK REPORTERS

• Lester Holt

• Peter Alexander

• Eyee Hsu

• Julie Foudy

• Lindsay Czarniak

• Alan Abrahamson

• Lindsay Soto

• Nancy Snyderman

NBCSPORTS.COM

• Julia Mancuso

TELEMUNDO

• Andres Cantor, Host

• Jessi Losada, Host

• Monica Noguera, Host

Anonymous said...
Jul 16, 2008, 12:36:00 PM  

sorry, usa today made it sound like it was news. and i didn't discover this blog until two weeks ago.

Dave D. said...
Jul 16, 2008, 2:53:00 PM  

Rowdy Gaines - should win the Worst Olympic Announcer award. Thankful we can hit the mute button during his lame comments.

Mike Sebastian said...
Aug 11, 2008, 10:54:00 PM  

Everyone should have the opportunity to proclaim their least favorite sports announcer, especially during the quadrennial Olympics. This time it is Kevin Barnett, whose voice reminds me of the sound of emesis (puking). His chauvinism for Pepperdine, a mediocre school of right-wing political persuasion in my backyard, is also irritating. Karch Kiraly is vastly better. Where is Holly McPeak when we need her?

LAlawMedMBA said...
Aug 16, 2008, 8:53:00 AM  

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