Let’s forego the usual introductions – where we reference the really big awards like the Emmys, the Oscars and the ESPYs (well, not them, really) – and get right to NYP TV Sports’ second-annual, internationally coveted Golden Clickers.
The envelopes, please …
THE JIM McKAY: Our Sportscaster of the Year is ESPN’s Chris Fowler. Fowler doesn’t do nicknames, nor poetry, nor pretty much any of the other nonsense that often makes ESPN The Worldwide Leader in Shtick.
Fowler does sports. He shows personality, but doesn’t lead with it. On College Gameday, he allows Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso to shine – but the spotlight here shines on Fowler because he is as well-prepared as any sportscaster.
THE HERVE VILLECHAIZE: To Al Michaels. “Deh Plane! Deh Plane!” Michaels takes The Herve because, as part of his negotiations with ESPN’s Monday Night Football and NBC’s Sunday Night Football, Michaels, the NFL’s best play-by-player, wanted a private jet to continue to take him to and from games.
While NBC said no, executives at ESPN were told by their Disney superiors to give Michaels everything he had in his ABC MNF deal, according to sources. That meant private jet travel.
Though Michaels later had second thoughts, he stayed with ESPN/ABC (he does the NBA for ABC, though not very well). So it is a daily double for Michaels. He got his private jet and picked up The Herve.
THE CUM LAUDE AWARD: To Ian Eagle, for showing a lot of class in a tough spot. After a decade as the TV voice of the Nets, Eagle took the high road even though Marv Albert swiped his No. 1 position on YES. Eagle has looked better because of it.
As great as Albert is as an NBA play-by-player, when Eagle is on the call there is little to no dropoff. Marv is still an NBA classic, but Eagle provides more information.
THE JAYSON BLAIR: To Mitch Albom. The author, columnist and TV commentator wrote a Detroit Free Press column in which he detailed how NBA players Jason Richardson and Mateen Cleaves were cheering their alma mater, Michigan State, at this year’s Final Four. There was one problem – they weren’t there! Oops.
Here is a little known fact. Two months earlier, when then-Piston coach Larry Brown famously told The Post’s Marc Berman that the Knicks were his “dream job,” Albom followed Berman’s story by talking with Brown and adding stenographer to his multi-media resume.
Without getting Berman’s side, Albom blatantly wrote that Brown was “misrepresented,” while also saying “that reporter should be fired” if Brown, as he claimed to Albom, was so emphatic about not leaving Detroit.When Albom returned from his suspension for actually misrepresenting the Final Four events, the audacious Albom complained about “mistakes” made by the media that wronged him. You couldn’t make it up. Well, we guess you could.
THE CAPTAIN STUBING: To Mark Shapiro. The former ESPN head honcho was offered the presidency of ABC, according to the amazingly good book, Disney War. Shapiro didn’t think he would be given enough control, so he told Michael Eisner and Bob Iger – the heads of Disney – that they were just “rearranging the deck chairs,” which earned Shapiro The Stubing, named for the former captain of the Love Boat.
After Eisner and Iger decided not to go with Shapiro, Eisner – who reportedly took offense to Shapiro’s brashness – said, according to Disney War, “Shapiro! He’s dead [at ABC.]”
Shapiro, though, stayed alive pretty well, landing a multi-million deal with Redskin owner Dan Snyder and becoming the CEO of Six Flags, which has designs on being a mini-Disney.
THE CHANNING FRYE: To SportsNet NY. They are off to a fast rookie start in the broadcast booth with Gary Cohen already in and Keith Hernandez to be announced after the New Year.
The QVC: To Tracy Dolgin. Since Dolgin came to YES as CEO, every second of the network’s telecasts has been for sale.
Next Week: The Matchup of the Year