Glenn
06-20-2007, 09:50 AM
FINALLY!!!
God I hate Berman (and Costas is the man, one of my MANCRUSHes)
Home run for Mushnick (he makes up for Vecsey yesterday).
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06182007/sports/open_and_shut_sports_phil_mushnick.htm
OPEN AND SHUT
By PHIL MUSHNICK
June 18, 2007 -- AS TV big shots go, Bob Costas remains one of the smartest.
He knows he's at the U.S. Open because it's a major, it's on NBC and he's NBC's top guy.
And he knows that there's no one in the audience who tuned in to listen to him. Thus, recognizing that his presence is largely symbolic, Costas kept his appearances short and sweet.
Saturday, NBC threw it to Costas just before the leaders teed off. Costas told us who they were, what was at stake and then it was back to golf. No speeches, poetry or floral designs. He knew that not a single soul had tuned in to the U.S. Open because he was there.
Compare Costas to ESPN's signature guy, Chris Berman, who as tower host of the first two rounds of the Open, couldn't help but show up as Vaudeville Chris, performing his TV clown act as if Open viewers would otherwise have been disappointed.
From the start of coverage Thursday, when ESPN showed tape of Ken Duke pitching in for bird at the first hole, three hours earlier, Berman served notice that it's show time - The Chris Berman Show: "On hole No. 1, Ken Duke was no hazard." Clever, huh? Berman had three hours to come up with that one.
Steve Martin knew that the laughs would fade if he hollered, "Ex-cuuuuuse me!" one more time, but Berman still seeks to win the day performing an act he should've grown from, then out of, then retired years ago.
Berman's forced silliness - of Oakmont's church pew bunkers, he said the course has "more pews than the Vatican!" - once provided him early career distinction, but his continued reliance on buffoonery has established him as the uncle you thought was funny when you were 10, but now no longer ask to be seated next to at Thanksgiving dinner. (So true -G)
ESPN's cherished 15-year-old X-Games demographic wasn't watching the Open, Thursday and Friday, but Berman played to it, anyway.
Costas, on the other hand, always knows his audience. U.S. Open viewers want to watch the U.S. Open, and most want to hear Johnny Miller tell them about it. So Costas would quickly get in and then out. It's not as if Costas doesn't have an ego; it's just that his brain - his sense of place, audience and proportion - is his strongest suit.
More pews than the Vatican. Good one.
God I hate Berman (and Costas is the man, one of my MANCRUSHes)
Home run for Mushnick (he makes up for Vecsey yesterday).
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06182007/sports/open_and_shut_sports_phil_mushnick.htm
OPEN AND SHUT
By PHIL MUSHNICK
June 18, 2007 -- AS TV big shots go, Bob Costas remains one of the smartest.
He knows he's at the U.S. Open because it's a major, it's on NBC and he's NBC's top guy.
And he knows that there's no one in the audience who tuned in to listen to him. Thus, recognizing that his presence is largely symbolic, Costas kept his appearances short and sweet.
Saturday, NBC threw it to Costas just before the leaders teed off. Costas told us who they were, what was at stake and then it was back to golf. No speeches, poetry or floral designs. He knew that not a single soul had tuned in to the U.S. Open because he was there.
Compare Costas to ESPN's signature guy, Chris Berman, who as tower host of the first two rounds of the Open, couldn't help but show up as Vaudeville Chris, performing his TV clown act as if Open viewers would otherwise have been disappointed.
From the start of coverage Thursday, when ESPN showed tape of Ken Duke pitching in for bird at the first hole, three hours earlier, Berman served notice that it's show time - The Chris Berman Show: "On hole No. 1, Ken Duke was no hazard." Clever, huh? Berman had three hours to come up with that one.
Steve Martin knew that the laughs would fade if he hollered, "Ex-cuuuuuse me!" one more time, but Berman still seeks to win the day performing an act he should've grown from, then out of, then retired years ago.
Berman's forced silliness - of Oakmont's church pew bunkers, he said the course has "more pews than the Vatican!" - once provided him early career distinction, but his continued reliance on buffoonery has established him as the uncle you thought was funny when you were 10, but now no longer ask to be seated next to at Thanksgiving dinner. (So true -G)
ESPN's cherished 15-year-old X-Games demographic wasn't watching the Open, Thursday and Friday, but Berman played to it, anyway.
Costas, on the other hand, always knows his audience. U.S. Open viewers want to watch the U.S. Open, and most want to hear Johnny Miller tell them about it. So Costas would quickly get in and then out. It's not as if Costas doesn't have an ego; it's just that his brain - his sense of place, audience and proportion - is his strongest suit.
More pews than the Vatican. Good one.