Awful Announcing Podcast

The beginning of the EPL season is just a few short days away. It's a new beginning for American soccer fans as NBC has the rights to every EPL game after coverage from Fox Soccer and ESPN. Before the launch of the 2013-14 campaign, we're joined by new NBC Premier League host Rebecca Lowe. Rebecca moved not just from ESPN UK to NBC, but also transplanted across the Atlantic to anchor NBC's coverage stateside. In this week's podcast we chat with Rebecca about:-The one thing she's missed most about the UK lifestyle.-Adjusting her style from a UK to an American audience.-How revolutionary NBC's coverage will be making every game available.-Her busy schedule with the tonnage of NBC programming for the EPL.-The balance between serving hardcore fans and marketing the league to new fans.-The transfer sagas of Suarez, Bale, and Rooney.-How the league is different without Alex Ferguson.-Which team might a new fan want to attach themselves to.All that and much more with Rebecca Lowe on this week's podcast. Hosted o

We're pleased to welcome to this week's podcast one of the premier sportscasters in the country - ESPN's Mike Tirico. We chatted with Mike before the opening Monday Night Football telecast of the preseason in Atlanta about his busy summer calling many of the top sporting events around the world, his career, and his influences in broadcasting. Topics include...-What it's like to call the NBA Finals, Wimbledon, and the British Open in one summer.-How he transitions across different sports and mediums.-Versatility for announcers, what events he'd still like to cover, and which announcer influenced him most.-A quick discussion about soccer, Gus Johnson, and his acceptance in the golf world.-The MNF booth, working with Jon Gruden, and what he learned from Tony Kornheiser.-The challenge of calling NFL Preseason games and what the league can do to fix it.-His most memorable moment of the last year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we say goodbye to July, we welcome back to the show Rob Stone of Fox Sports. Rob is the studio host for Fox Soccer and will also have a role on Fox's college football coverage this fall. Today, Rob chats with AA about the USA's victory in the Gold Cup and the imminent launch of Fox Sports 1. Topics include...-The USMNT's record winning streak and how excited fans should truly be.-How expectations have changed for the USMNT and goals at next year's World Cup.-Gus Johnson joining Fox's soccer coverage and the reaction to it.-The complicated relationship between TV and the soccer culture.-The death of Fox Soccer and launch of Fox Sports 1.-The increased battle for parking at Fox and which FS1 debutant will make the biggest impact.-Whether or not FS1 can surpass ESPN as the #1 cable sports network.There may even be a hambone mention as well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast returns with a full recap of the biggest sports media stories of the past month with Steve Lepore of SB Nation's Puck the Media. Steve anchors SB Nation's sports media coverage, which has grown in the past year with all the developments in the industry. We touch on all the hirings, announcements, new shows, and developments including...-Why Nate Silver's hire by ESPN is the most significant move of the summer.-Can Keith Olbermann last at ESPN2 in late night?-NASCAR's move to NBC and how beneficial it is to NBCSN.-How NASCAR compliments the NHL for NBC.-The expectations for Fox Sports Live and Fox Sports 1. What is jockularity anyways?-Can a light hearted approach work for FS1?-Steroids fatigue and the Ryan Braun coverage.-What one thing would Steve change at the Big 3 of ESPN, NBCSN, and FS1.All that and a lot more on this week's AA Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Stanley Cup Final in Boston and the series tied at 1-1, we're joined before a pivotal Game 3 by NBC's voice of the NHL - Mike "Doc" Emrick. Doc is widely regarded as the best play by play man in sports and has been honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame. We talk to Doc about the Bruins-Blackhawks series and some of the traits that make him one of the elite announcers in the business. Topics include:-How he keeps going for multiple overtime games.-The Doc Emrick lexicon-Does he ever get nervous before calling a big game anymore?-The way the NHL has bounced back after this year's work stoppage and the significance of an Original Six Final.-The connection between the Bruins and the city of Boston.-The potential for this Final to rate as one of the best ever.-The players that will be key for both teams the rest of the series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back for a rare weekend podcast and have the privilege of interviewing one of our favorite guests - the voice of the NBA Finals, Mike Breen. This year's championship series is the 8th Finals for ESPN's lead NBA announcer. AA chatted with Mike Saturday afternoon during an off day of the series before a pivotal Game 5 with the series tied at 2-2. Topics include...-The flop of the Finals.-Broadcast partner Jeff Van Gundy's future and what Breen is willing to do to keep him in the booth.-How the broadcast team approaches interviews with Gregg Popovich.-How his approach to announcing the Finals has changed over the years.-Covering LeBron James and Tim Duncan and how both have evolved in the last decade.-Dwyane Wade's Game 4 performance and legacy.-Manu Ginobili needing to provide an emotional lift for the Spurs.-What this series needs to truly become a classic.All that and more on this special NBA Finals edition of the AA Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who else could be the guest on the Silver Anniversary edition of the AA Podcast except our first and most frequent guest, the co-author of the #1 New York Times Best Seller Those Guys Have All The Fun - Jim Miller. With several stories surrounding ESPN in the last month, we catch up with Jim and get his take on the happenings in Bristol as well as a few stories he broke on his Twitter page. Topics include...-TBS hiring Keith Olbermann and where his long-term destination might be.-The reaction to the hundreds of layoffs at ESPN.-Whether or not the bursting cable bubble is a myth or reality and the impact on ESPN and other sports networks of rising costs.-Expectations for the new ESPN ombudsman Robert Lipsyte-Culture change at ESPN evolving from the Steve Phillips scandal-The rise and fall and rise of Stephen A. Smith.-The increasing competition of Fox Sports 1, NBCSN, and CBS Sports.More great insights from one of the most respected writers in the country on the 50th AA Podcast. I know I'm contractually obl

On today's podcast we venture into the world of Formula 1 to chat with globetrotting NBC Sports pit reporter Will Buxton. Will covers every F1 race on the calendar live on-site for NBC and is in Monaco this week for the world's most glamorous race, the Monaco Grand Prix. NBC will be airing live coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix on broadcast network television this weekend. We chatted with Will from Monaco after Thursday's practice session about his work for NBC, the F1 season, and the magic of Monaco. Topics include...-How he went from paying the way himself and camping at all the European grand prixs to workign in television.-How Monaco is different than any other Formula 1 circuit and the magic of Monaco.-How Monaco compares to Indianapolis and Daytona.-Working with a broadcast crew that's often a continent away.-Growing F1 in the USA and why Formula One needs an American audience moreso than America needs F1.-The tire debate swirling around F1 at the moment.-How 3 time champ Sebastian Vettel compares t

Today's podcast guest is the lead analyst for the NHL on NBC, a Stanley Cup champ, and NHL veteran who played over 1,000 games in the NHL. After his playing and coaching careers, Eddie Olczyk has transitioned to a successful broadcasting career calling the Stanley Cup Finals and Olympics for NBC as well as the Blackhawks locally in Chicago. Eddie joins us to talk about the Red Wings-Blackhawks series, the rest of the conference semis, and of course, his passion for horse racing. Other topics include...-How the Blackhawks will respond to adversity for the first time this season trailing Detroit.-The unpredictability of the NHL postseason and whether it takes away too much regular season value.-Pittsburgh's response to their Game 3 2OT loss in Ottawa.-The chances of the Kings to repeat.-Which playoff goalie would Eddie take right now?-Working alongside the best in the business, Doc Emrick.-Would Eddie consider a return to coaching or a front office role?-How he got his television start... in horse racing. Ho

On today's AA Podcast we welcome award winning sports reporter Tom Verducci. Tom's an award winning field reporter for TBS and MLB Network as well as a game analyst for Fox and a respected writer for Sports Illustrated. Tuesday Tom will appear as a field reporter for MLB Network's coverage of Yankees-Orioles. Tom chats with AA about his many different duties in the baseball media and the 2013 MLB season taking shape. Topics include...-Being honored as the best sports reporter in the nation.-The challenge of a sportswriter stepping into the broadcast booth.-Why he hasn't joined Twitter and his priorities as a reporter.-Why it's actually fun to follow the Yankees this year.-Miguel Cabrera possibly winning a second Triple Crown.-Races in the AL and NL Central.-The biggest in-game issue MLB must address moving forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's AA Podcast we welcome one of the pioneers of people with sports blogs taping podcasts - Dan Levy! Dan is the current National Lead Writer at Bleacher Report and had one of the blogosphere's most successful podcasts at On the DL. He was on our panel for the People's Sports Emmys so we chat with Dan about fake awards and actual real sports topics including...-The disconnect between the Sports Emmys and sports fandom.-ESPN being dissed by the Sports Emmys and the network's depth chart.-Which personalities deserve more recognition at ESPN.-NBA and NHL Playoff coverage, especially Derrick Rose's injury drama and how the media has handled the story.-Ian Darke's impact on soccer in the states.-Why Dan thinks Gus Johnson is "ruining soccer coverage in America"-Is Fox Sports One the "next" or "best" challenger to ESPN to emerge.-The continued evolution of Bleacher Report Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With one of the wildest days we can ever recall in sports media, we invite back to the show Deadspin's John Koblin to break it all down. John's reporting into ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and more in the sports media is one of the pillars of the top sports blog in the land. Today, we chat with John about Jason Collins coming out, the fallout of Chris Broussard's comments on Outside the Lines, and where we go from here, as well as...-The significance of Jason Collins coming out in a first person narrative.-The importance for SI as a magazine and their future health.-The reaction to Collins' announcement from the sports and media worlds.-Did ESPN set up Chris Broussard to debate homosexuality?-Why ESPN was late to the Collins story and how yesterday was a backwards step after a positive year for Bristol.-What other networks and outlets may learn moving forward.A great discussion with John on the major stories of the day and their evolving nature. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's podcast we're joined by one of the preeminent basketball analysts in the land, Steve Kerr of Turner Sports. The five time NBA champion has been busy the last month calling not just the NBA Playoffs, but the Final Four as well as leading one of the most experimental broadcasts in sports in an all-analyst booth. Steve chats with AA about that experience as well as...-What his trademark play by play call would be.-The biggest challenge in covering the NCAA Tournament and how he was welcomed by Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg.-How the style of play in college basketball can be improved.-The predictability of the NBA Playoffs' first round.-How he would react to Derrick Rose's injury as a teammate.-Why the Knicks may be the only Eastern Conference threat to Miami.-The Spurs being the best in the west, even before Russell Westbrook's injury.-How his time in Phoenix helped his broadcast career and the itch to get into coaching.Those topics and more with one of the best sports analysts on television in th

For this week's podcast we welcome back veteran sports media and golf writer Ed Sherman of The Sherman Report. Ed joins the show to chat about CBS Sports' massive week with the NCAA Tournament Final Four and The Masters and his Q&A with CBS Sports ubervoice Jim Nantz. We break down the coverage of both events including...-Jim Nantz's position as CBS Sports' #1 announcer and his identity with the Masters.-Why sports fans don't have passionate feelings regarding Nantz.-The major headline of CBS and Turner's NCAA Tournament coverage.-Should Charles Barkley return to next year's tournament?-Which announcers were most outstanding this year?-The reverence CBS pays Augusta National and whether it's over the top.-CBS vs NBC's golf teams.-Can too much of a good thing really be a good thing with Tiger Woods?All that and more on this week's AA Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the start of the MLB season, we welcome MLB Network analyst Al Leiter to the AA Podcast. Al is a former MLB All Star and World Series winner whose work in the booth started before his playing days were done calling LCS games for Fox. Now at MLB Net, Leiter has continued to do standout work as one of the best analysts in the field. Al Leiter talks to AA about that broadcast career and the early MLB season including...-How he uses sabermetrics in his analysis and providing balance to fans.-Yu Darvish coming so close to a perfect game and his experience pitching a no-hitter.-Whether or not the broadcasters' jinx is fact or fiction.-Why the Washington Nationals are the team to beat this season.-The San Francisco Giants flying under the radar once again.-Increased parity being good for the long term health of the game.-Early season MLB storylines.Those topics and much more as we cover the opening week of the 2013 MLB season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The AA Podcast is back after a not-so-brief hiatus and to bring us out of hibernation we welcome The Gaffer, Christopher Harris, of EPL Talk. EPL Talk is one of the top independent soccer blogs on the web and The Gaffer is one of the most respected and influential voices when it comes to the soccer media and announcers. With Gus Johnson's installation as Fox's top soccer announcer looking ahead to the 2018 World Cup, we ask Chris what he makes of the decision and whether or not the experiment can work. We dive into Johnson's first month announcing as well as...-The motivation for Fox to reach a new demographic through Johnson.-Is there a need for an American soccer voice? Were there others passed over for Johnson?-The strengths and weaknesses of Gus' soccer play by play.-Why The Gaffer feels scocer fans are "being used as guinea pigs for this experiment."-The EPL's move to NBC and the end of an era for Fox Soccer.-Is Manchester United's title lead over Manchester City insurmountable?-What MLS needs to do

What better way to welcome back the AA Podcast with our first episode of 2013 than by talking to one of our most popular guests, Michelle Beadle of NBC. Michelle's new show The Crossover launches Monday January 28th from New Orleans during Super Bowl week. We chat with Beadle about The Crossover, Access Hollywood, and more including...-Her input into the format of The Crossover and the pop culture/sports mix.-Her new co-host Dave Briggs and how the two will develop on-air chemistry.-Carrot Top being the most normal person on set for promos starring Jose Canseco and Gary Busey.-Balancing her work on Access Hollywood with a full-time return to sports.-The weirdest celebrity she's interviewed for Access Hollywood.-Her impressions of the Lance Armstrong/Oprah interview.-The bizarre Manti Te'o/Lennay Kekua hoax.-The "inspirational" Ray Lewis and Super Bowl storylines.-How the Lakers are turning into the New York Jets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's that time once again for our AA Year in Review Podcast and joining us for the second year running is Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated. Richard is one of the preeminent voices on the media beat and is widely recognized as one of the best sportswriters to follow on Twitter. Yesterday, Richard gave out his 2012 Media Awards at SI.com (a must read) and we talk about some of his award winners and the biggest stories and newsmakers from the last 12 months including...-The Penn State scandal being the biggest story in the sports world for a second year running.-Sports and real life intersecting at Penn State and Newtown and the tragedies from the NFL.-NBC's tape delay Olympic policy.-The positioning of NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports 1 as challengers to ESPN.-Whether or not ESPN's brand took a hit with viewers this year.-Our favorite television show, First Take, and how it's beginning to have a negative effect on those who do great work at ESPN.-Thoughts on Joe Buck, Gus Johnson, Michelle Beadle, Erin

In the newest Awful Announcing Podcast, our guest is Deadspin media writer John Koblin. John's reporting on ESPN in the past year has been some of the finest work in the blogosphere. Last week, he was thrown into the story when an ESPN executive made a false claim about the motivations of his reporting on plagiarism at ESPN.com. We talk to John Koblin about his interaction with ESPN VP John Walsh and so much more including...-His conversation with John Walsh and reaction to being put into the story himself.-Thoughts on why it took that embarrassing episode for ESPN to finally correct the plagiarized stories.-The importance in aggressively covering ESPN and the comparison to other media beats.-The state of the Deadspin-ESPN relationship.-ESPN President John Skipper's comments about the network pulling back on its Tim Tebow coverage.-The appeal of Skip Bayless within Bristol.-Sourcing issues and controversies at ESPN.-Whether or not the journalistic questions raised in the last year will ever effect the aver

With the college football season coming to a close and conference realignment heating up again, we welcome ESPN college football reporter Brett McMurphy to the AA Podcast. Brett is the top college football reporter when it comes to realignment and has broken the news on many of college football's biggest stories in recent years working for both CBS and ESPN. In this podcast, Brett chats with AA about...-His career path leading him to ESPN.-How he developed a reputation as the preeminent force reporting on conference realignment.-The separation between ESPN's business and reporting arms.-What one move has surprised him most in the recent round of realignment.-The negative impact of conference realignment and how it's hurt college athletics.-The impact of the Big Ten Network on realignment.-Why we may not see the 4 16 team superconference system develop.-Georgia's chances against Alabama and the SEC title game.-The SEC champ being a presumptive favorite over unbeaten Notre Dame. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com