The Worldwide Leader in Sports is watching its best people walk out the door.
I recently watched the Fiesta Bowl on ESPN (On a side note -- and this is a personal record for the earliest side note in my 21-year career as a writer -- did anyone really get into the bowl games this year? The regular season dragged on really late, then the first bowl game kicked off, like, 15 minutes later. About a third of the bowl games were canceled, and I didn't even notice.*)
Anyway, it was the much-anticipated matchup between Iowa State and Oregon, a matchup I personally had been dreaming about since about 30 minutes after it began because I forgot it was on. I didn't watch it for the matchup, believe it or not. I watched because it was the final broadcast for Mike Golic.
Golic has always been one of my favorites in the booth. Never the smartest cookie in the jar, but always the most enthusiastic, and he is one of the best in terms of applying his on-the-field experience to his broadcasts.
Even on his way out, Golic was Golic.
Twenty years at ESPN and he can't afford a fork.
Golic joins Tom Rinaldi, Dan Le Batard (no loss there), Ivan Maisel, award-winner Claire Smith, and Keith Olbermann** as talented on-air and writing talent that's no longer employed in Bristol.
Golic and Mike Greenburg hosted their Mike & Mike In The Morning show for nearly 18 years, and I used to eat it up. The practical and nerdy Greeny contrasted with the boisterous, jocky Golic. When Greeny was moved out and Trey Wingo came in, it just didn't mesh. ESPN knew this and canceled the show soon after. Now, they have other hosts whom I would know if I did any research.
Well, I know one of them: Mike Golic, Junior.
Mike Golic Junior is everything Mike Golic Senior is, except funny, and talented. Mike Golic Junior has the same voice as his dad, and he can be every bit as annoying -- but, unlike Senior, not in a good way. Mike Golic Junior doesn't belong on my radio. He belongs somewhere cutting deer meat and wild boar hocks for guys who wear too much camouflage.
Mike Golic Junior isn't the only example of the latest TV sports trend, Let's-Throw-A-Famous-Person's-Son-On-TV-I'm-Sure-It-Will-Work. NBC is doing it right now with Jac Collinsworth.
Try not to smack your screen.
Jac Collinsworth occasionally hosts NBC's pre- and post-game NFL stuff (I say occasionally, because I can't quite figure out the pattern) and their weekend studio stuff when NBC is showing something uninteresting. His dad, of course, is Cris Collinsworth, who I can't decide is either one of the best announcers in football or is the reincarnation of Pitch from the El Santa Claus movie.
In terms of pure non-talent, however, he doesn't hold a candle to Jac.
Jac Collinsworth is a perfect example of giving a kid everything because he has a famous father: He went to Highlands High Scholl in Fort Collins, Kentucky -- one of the wealthiest and most exclusive schools in the country and which just so happens to be 95% white. He then went on to Notre Dame, where he was immediately given the keys to the television and film department. He started on-air at NBC while still a freshman. I'm sure Big Daddy Cris had absolutely nothing to do with this.
Want another one? NBC had to replace Mike Emrick, one of the best voices in NHL history. (I grew up with Gary Thorne, but I still respect the heck out of Emrick.) They named Kenny Albert his replacement. Now, to be fair, Kenny Albert -- while not quite at the level of his father Marv -- is more than decent at play-by-play. However, I object to this hire, simply because Kenny Albert has no discernable neck.
There are a bunch of other examples of guys who rode their daddy's coattails to get to the top, without any real talent whatsoever. Personally, I can't think of any who could truly end this column on a definitive note.
I'm sure someone will come to mind.
Follow me on Twitter @WildLegend before I hand the account over to my son.
*--I digress.
**--Did you know Keith Olbermann still worked for ESPN as recently as October? Did you know Keith Olbermann doesn't really exist? He's a hologram.
No comments:
Post a Comment