Corso, Bradshaw, Rachel Nichols and NBA theme songs | Sports Media Watch Podcast

Will Perdue of the Chicago Bulls | Tell Me A Story I Don’t Know

SMW Podcast

The Sports Media Watch podcast network features the flagship show with Jon Lewis and T.J. Rives, "Tell Me a Story I Don't Know" with George Ofman and the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" with Phil de Montmollin and Mike Gill.

John Kosner and Ed Desser on the SMW Podcast

by Drew Lerner

3 years ago

The latest from the SMW Podcast.

Hannah Storm on the Sports Media Watch Podcast.

ESPN’s Hannah Storm on the SMW Podcast

by Drew Lerner

3 years ago

Hannah Storm is this week's guest on the Sports Media Watch Podcast.

Pacers voice Chris Denari on the SMW Podcast

by Drew Lerner

3 years ago

From the latest Sports Media Watch Podcast, longtime Pacers play-by-play announcer Chris Denari joins Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner...

Broadcaster Alex Faust on the Sports Media Watch Podcast

by Drew Lerner

3 years ago

From the latest Sports Media Watch Podcast, prolific play-by-play announcer Alex Faust joins Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner to...

Comments 4

esl says:

4 years ago

Great podcast as always.
Some thoughts:
Regarding Corso and Bradshaw with health-related issues. As you guys mentioned, it is a fine line, but I do think it is important for them to relay any issues regarding their health as they are in such a high-profile public platform. It’s different if they were working in an office where they have to tell their boss and HR. But they are presenting to millions of people, and if it affects the broadcast, people have a right to know.
Speaking of older broadcasters, should give a shout out to John Sterling. The Yankees radio pxp voice is 84 years old, and still has the energy to make great calls. His call of Aaron Judges #62 HR was a classic. Good for him at 84.
Great discussion about the NBA theme songs. The roundball rock is still the best one. In fact, I would put roundball rock as 1 of the top 3 sports theme songs of all time. With the original Monday Night Football ABC theme (have to have Cosell with the voice over) and one that was mentioned by TJ on the podcast, the original NFL Today on CBS with Brent and crew. The NFL Today, Monday Night Football and NBA Roundball Rock were the best and got you ready for the game. Hard to beat those 3.
Finally great last note by Paulsen about the MLB post season coverage. I too have thought MLB went for years too far with cable on their post season coverage. No broadcast games since 06. Consider this, from 1996-2000, the division series were covered by 3 networks. Fox, NBC and ESPN. Thats it. That is NFL level playoff coverage. And, then Fox had coverage through 2006. Since then, the division series has been on something called Fox family, Fox Sports (before FS1), TBS, TNT, MLB network and FS1. Terrible distribution for the postseason. Embarrassing. You said it right when MLB destroyed an audience over time. You can see the ratings trend since 2006 (outside of Cubs 2016). It will be interesting to see the ratings this year, and how ESPN does this weekend. I think they should have decent numbers for the NL series. AL will be weak. Paulsen, do you know when Fox broadcast is scheduled to televise their division series game? I know it is an NL series. But will it be prime time? Or one of the weekday afternoon games?
- Paulsen says:
  
  4 years ago
  
  Not sure — I imagine primetime. Afternoon window makes little sense given high likelihood of preempting primetime anyway with a long-running game.
Nate Johnson says:

4 years ago

I know what I’m about to comment is not as important as the topics were covered.

I’m saying this with there being no public details of Herbstreit’s contract with Amazon. I believe Kirk Herbstreit should still be on College Gameday after 2023. However, if Gameday goes to a B1G Ten game or a Group of 5/FCS location then it should be optional for him to attend College Gameday IF he is still with Amazon after the 2023 season. Only should he attend the games where he will call games at that point again if he’s with Amazon after 2023. I believe he’s stuck in having to do the unbelievable travel in 2023 because of both no B1G Ten game and no SEC Game of the Week on the ESPN family of networks so a lot of Gameday locations could come from games they’re not televising on their platform and from that situation you can’t let Herbstreit go if Corso is not on there as well. When Herbstreit is on Gameday it still brings validity to the show and whatever game they’re promoting. On top of that I don’t believe they have an equal replacement for him. I know Robert Griffin III came to mind last week on the podcast. Good start, but it’s only based on potential with plenty of uncertainty, similar to an NBA player drafted in the lottery. Someone like RG3 should be eased in like Desmond Howard was. Tim Tebow is another name that came to my mind, but I believe ESPN should not entertain the thought because he’s SEC bias and that should be an immediate deal-breaker for ESPN. So who knows? I just don’t know if the timing is there to move on from Herbstreit also and we should also note there’s a reason why Herbstreit received a 3-year extension with 2-years left on the current contract he’s under. The man brings premium value to ESPN’s College Football broadcasts.

The theme song chat. So I’ll say this, I had no issues with the previous theme on ESPN/ABC. It was built off the theme as mentioned in the pod debuting Christmas 2004 and ending its playoffs run in the 2010 Finals, but maintained on regular season coverage until not sure when. The one being replaced was meant for the playoffs only starting in 2011, but became full-time again not sure when. Bottomline, I had no issue with it. The new theme? I believe it’s a downgrade, but could still survive and last through the remaining years of the contract and maybe at the start of the next deal if NBA stays with ESPN. How can that theme music survive? By not overusing it during games and also to not use it on ads. I don’t believe it’s on the level of being used as many times as the NBA on TNT’s theme, NFL on CBS, or March Madness uses theirs. One thing about social media critics is that they come and go so the best suggestion is to again not overuse it especially in the playoffs so that they could minimize viewers sharing their thoughts on it on social media.
R says:

4 years ago

Loved the NBA theme songs segment.

Along with the new graphics package, the new Disney NBA production has taken a very video game-ish feel.

I liked the 2003 NBA Finals theme, but it felt more suited for a college football package.