Broadcast Review: Week 15
Tom Goodhines
Saturday July 29, 2000
There are a lot of close races for the top awards.
Individual categories for the Goody’s include: top network, play-by-play, color commentator, sideline reporter, newcomer, most improved, and most versatile. Other categories include: top introduction, pre-game, halftime, and postgame. Best feature, interview, camera shot, replay, audio, graphic, observation, and comments are also up for grabs for the first Golden Goody Awards.
The next broadcast review column will be a view from the public. Readers are encouraged to send their picks for the top winners of each category to: tom@arenafan.net.
Some of the responses will be selected to appear in the next column. So send your name, city and state with a couple of comments on why you think your selection should get the Golden Goody!
Top production: 1. Sunshine Network. Another great finish for the long-time partner of the AFL. The talent in the booth was on the money again, while the crew behind the scenes put together a great package. Sunshine is making a late charge in an attempt to grab the top network award. 2. TNN, Albany. 3. Empire Sports Network. 4. TNN, Oklahoma.
Best introduction/opening: 1. TNN, Albany. 2. Sunshine Network. 3. TNN, Oklahoma. 4. Empire Sports Network.
Top pre-game: 1. Empire Sports Network. Jim Brinson and Bob Trimble were able to set up the game well. Feeding off of the Destroyers recent success, the Empire team step up to the plate and kept pace with the standard set by the team on the field. 2. TNN, Albany. 3. Sunshine Network. 4. TNN, Oklahoma.
Top halftime: 1. TNN, Albany. 2. Sunshine Network. 3. TNN, Oklahoma. 4. Empire Sports Network.
Top post-game: 1. Sunshine Network. 2. TNN, Albany. 3. Empire Sports Network. 4. TNN, Oklahoma.
Top play-by-play: 1. Eli Gold, TNN. Gold’s unique style and enthusiasm put him up as one of the leading candidates for the “Golden Goody.” He has a good grasp on league history and shows great interest in the league while delivering great insight to the viewers with a lot of energy. The double-duty weekend was icing on the cake. 2. Rick Peckham, Sunshine Network. 3. Jim Brinson, Empire Sports Network.
Top color commentary: 1. James Bates, Sunshine Network. Reminds me of ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit (a former AFL broadcaster in 1997.) He has a lot of energy and has shown genuine interest in the league. Still has some areas to improve on in regards to delivery, but it’s not enough to keep him from the top spot this week. 2. Mark May, TNN. 3. Bob Trimble, Empire Sports Network.
Top sideline: Jill Arrington, TNN. Due to the fact that I didn’t see Comcast Network’s broadcast, Arrington wins this week by default. The race for the “Golden Goody” should be an interesting one though! CN8’s Tina Cervasio and Empire’s Bob Trimble will make this a tight race.
Top feature: 1. TNN, Arrington on Albany’s Jon Krick. One of the great stories out there and Krick is spotlighted for his efforts on and off the field.
Top interview: 1. Empire Sports Network, Trimble with AFL commissioner, David Baker. 2. TNN, Arrington with Albany’s Greg Hopkins. 3. Empire Sports Network, Trimble with Buffalo coach, Ray Bentley.
Best shot: 1. Sunshine Network, Carolina kicker, Remy Hamilton going over the boards on a two-point conversion. 2. TNN, showing Orlando coach, Jay Gruden’s reaction after the Predators last-second victory. 3. Sunshine Network, Hamilton’s last second field goal attempt that would have sent the game to overtime.
Top audio: 1. Empire Sports Network, Using a microphone on Buffalo offensive coordinator, Tony Kimbrough. 2. TNN, Inside the Orlando locker room with coach Jay Gruden. 3. TNN, Microphones on quarterbacks, Mike Pawlawski and Connell Maynor.
Oops!: 1. Empire’s Brinson calling the Destroyers – the Buffalo Sabres. 2. TNN’s Gold crediting Orlando’s Clif Dell with Damon Mason’s interception.
Tom Goodhines was a writer for ArenaFan Online during the 2000 season.
