For those of you into the NFL announcing assignments like I am, CBS has set their game lineup for the first three weeks of the season. Week 1 always has regional action as it falls on the same day as the US Open Men’s Final. Then CBS comes back with a vengeance with two consecutive doubleheaders in Weeks 2 and 3.
In addition, CBS had a conference call today and not only had Jim Nantz and Phil Simms partake, but former #1 announcing team Pat Summerall and John Madden as well. You can take a look.
THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 1 (SUNDAY, SEPT. 13)AUDIBLES WITH “NFL ON CBS” LEAD ANNOUNCE TEAM JIM NANTZ AND PHIL SIMMS AND LEGENDARY “NFL ON CBS” ANNOUNCE TEAM PAT SUMMERALL AND JOHN MADDEN
The CBS Television Network, home of Super Bowl XLIV, begins its Golden Anniversary 50th year broadcasting the NFL with regional coverage as THE NFL ON CBS kicks off its 2009 NFL season broadcast schedule on Sunday, Sept. 13 (1:00-4:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY, the Network’s one-hour studio show (12:00 NOON-1:00 PM, ET), live from THE NFL TODAY studio in New York City.
THE NFL ON CBS lead announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms call the action from the New York Jets-Houston Texans game live from Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Lance Barrow is the coordinating producer and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.
Throughout the 2009 season, THE NFL ON CBS will broadcast all of its games each week in HDTV, the highest definition television format – 1080i lines of picture resolution – along with 5.1 digital audio.
Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports, and serves as executive producer of CBS Sports’ coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
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EXCERPTS FROM “THE NFL ON CBS” CONFERENCE CALL ON SEPT. 1
OPENING REMARKS
(On having Pat Summerall and John Madden joining Jim Nantz and Phil Simms on THE NFL ON CBS conference call in celebrating 50 years of THE NFL ON CBS):
Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports
It’s a little different having two men on the CBS conference call that haven’t worked for CBS for quite some time. But we really wanted to do something very different and something dramatic to highlight the fact of 50 years televising any sport is pretty amazing. But televising the most important sport in America for 50 years, and having done more NFL football games and more Super Bowls than any other network, we felt we would do something very special by having John (Madden) and Pat (Summerall) on the call. When you look at the names that have been involved with the coverage of THE NFL ON CBS…going back to Chris Schenkel and Ray Scott, Jack Buck, Lindsey Nelson, Frank Gifford, Curt Gowdy, Jack Whitaker, Al Michaels, Vin Scully and Verne Lundquist. That doesn’t even include the lineup that we have today with such people as Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf, JB (James Brown), Greg Gumbel, etc. I firmly believe, and I think it is really a given, that
when they were doing the NFL together there has never been a better team than Pat Summerall and John Madden on NFL football. I think that is an unquestioned fact. And I like to think now that they are no longer together that the two guys that we have in the booth, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, really are carrying on that tradition of being the best in the NFL booth. I’m proud to have two men who are legends on our call. I thank them for joining us. And I’m proud to have Jim and Phil up in the booth also carrying on the great tradition that John and Pat set so amazingly well when they were with CBS all those years.
Jim Nantz, Lead Play-by-Play Announcer, THE NFL ON CBS
I am honored to be on the call with these two great men and my partner Phil Simms. It’s really special to hear their voices. They’re both friends. Just hearing Pat’s voice, I could listen to Pat order breakfast and it would make my day. It’s really spectacular, a very big thing. Fifty years. We know it’s not a continuous 50, but it’s more years than anyone, more broadcasts, more Super Bowls, this being the 17th for CBS, and just to be able to say you’re on the roster…it’s a real thrill.
Phil Simms, Lead Analyst, THE NFL ON CBS
I’m honored to be the phone call today. I played for the New York Giants and CBS covered most of those games. I sat in a meeting room a lot of times with John Madden and Pat Summerall. We had some laughs and I probably told them way too much information about the game. It was a lot fun. Now as an announcer, I’m proud to be a part of CBS’s football coverage.
Pat Summerall, NFL ON CBS Announcer (1962-93)
I don’t remember Phil ever telling us too much. I remember he was very selective in what he told us…The first one of the seminars (NFL ON CBS production seminar) that you mentioned Jim that I went to was in 1962*. I think that everybody who was at that meeting that day in 1962 has passed away…The Cowboys had just come into the League so there were 13 (teams) then…As I remember each team had its own set of announcers. It was unlike it is today. Of all those announcers that were in that room that day, I think I might be the only one still alive. What an honor it is to be a part of this group.
John Madden, NFL ON CBS Analyst (1979-93)
I love tradition and I love history. This is kind of what it’s all about – CBS, NFL – that just brings back so many great memories of the foundation of the game. That was my first job in television and they gave me an opportunity. The people that give you your first opportunity, your first chance in anything, you always have a certain loyalty to them. So this call, this time, this 50 years – it means an awful lot to me.
* The roster for the 1962 NFL ON CBS announce team: Joe Bach, Tom Brookshier, Bill Brundige, Tony Canadeo, Herb Carneal, George Connor, Ken Coleman, Jack Drees, Bill Fischer, Bob Fouts, Ed Gallaher, Jim Gibbons, Frank Glieber, Red Grange, Bob Kelley, Warren Lahr, Davey O’Brien, Van Patrick, Bosh Pritchard, Bob Reynolds, Gordon Saltau, Chris Schenkel, Ray Scott, Gil Stratton, Pat Summerall, Chuck Thompson, Clayton Tonnemaker and Joe Tucker
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Following are THE NFL ON CBS assignments for Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3 (subject to change).
WEEK 1 – Sept. 13
GAME PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST
1:00 PM, ET starts:
- Miami @ Atlanta – Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
- Kansas City @ Baltimore – Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
- Denver @ Cincinnati – Gus Johnson/Dan Fouts
- Jacksonville @ Indianapolis – Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
- N.Y. Jets @ Houston – Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
WEEK 2 – Sept. 20 – CBS DOUBLEHEADER
GAME PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST
1:00 PM, ET starts:
- New England @ N.Y. Jets – Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
- Cincinnati @ Green Bay – Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
- Houston @ Tennessee – Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker
- Oakland @ Kansas City – Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
4:15 PM, ET starts:
- Pittsburgh @ Chicago – Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
- Baltimore @ San Diego – Dick Enberg/Dan Fouts
- Cleveland @ Denver – Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein
WEEK 3 – Sept. 27 – CBS DOUBLEHEADER
GAME PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST
1:00 PM, ET starts:
- Kansas City @ Philadelphia – Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
- Cleveland @ Baltimore – Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker
- Jacksonville @ Houston – Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein
- Tennessee @ N.Y. Jets – Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
4:15 PM, ET starts:
- Miami @ San Diego – Dick Enberg/Dan Fouts
- Denver @ Oakland – Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
- Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati – Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
So there you have the assignments. I like having Screamin’ Gus Johnson on the Browns-Ravens game in Week 3. He should have some gems in that game.
