ESPN Releases Details Surrounding NFL Primetime Redux
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Back on August 20th I passed along the information that ESPN was bringing back an incarnation of NFL Primetime. Well today the "Leader" released all of the details surrounding the new, er....old show, including the reunion of Berman and longtime co-host John Saunders!
In his 30th season covering the NFL for ESPN, lead studio host Chris Berman – joined by his longtime partner Tom Jackson – will team with veteran ESPN anchor John Saunders to co-host the Sunday 7 p.m. edition of SportsCenter throughout the NFL season, beginning September 7. The move reunites Berman and Jackson with Saunders, the trio that worked together during the first three years (1987-89) of NFL PrimeTime, cable television’s highest-rated sports studio show for 19 years (1987-2005). The pairing also reunites Berman with Saunders, who regularly co-anchored the 11 p.m. Sunday night SportsCenter together during the late 1980s and also teamed on ESPN’s Major League Baseball and ABC’s NHL Stanley Cup coverage.Now I know all of that information isn't really THAT exciting, and that ESPN will more than likely mess it up, but it was really just an excuse to post this video they attached to the release. What's a Tuesday evening without a look back to the early 90s on the "Leader"? I give you Jimmy Johnson's first year with the Cowboys, Bobby Hebert, and a creamsicle orange jersey wearing Vinny Testaverde in action, all while a normal Berman, a joyful John Saunders and the ever-steady Tom Jackson comment on the highlights....enjoy!
While presenting all the day’s highlights, news and events from the world of sports, Sunday night editions of ESPN’s flagship program will bring an increased focus to all the day’s NFL action with highlights, discussion segments, analysis, coaches’ press conferences, interviews and post-game reports from ESPN correspondents covering games. The program will also preview the Sunday night primetime match-up.
ESPN To Bring Back "Primetime" To Counter NBC's Sunday Night Football (Kind Of) (Awful Announcing)
13 Comments:
To the full highlight package Anon. Not the exclusive rights.
Great, more unnecessary comments on John Saunders college hockey days.
If they bring back the same graphics and music, then I might watch.
Hmmm.
John saunderrs, robin roberts and tirico all had the third chair at one time.
What about eric clemmons?
Primetime had the best music; if that's back, then I'll give it a shot. I'm pretty excited about the Olbermann/Patrick reunion on NBC, though.
I used to be a PrimeTime fan, but when they stopped a few years ago, I switched to FN'IA and I don't plan on looking back. Maybe that's because I'm a Keith Olbermann fan, but I enjoy that show more than I ever enjoyed PrimeTime. And besides, I prefer the extended highlights.
i agree with jfein. there will be no turning back to the WWL. That video was great. I can't believe the Packers had a QB other than Brett.
who can name the people in the pic with saunders and berman?
the dude you see and the white guy's hand?
Got to love the fact that even back then Berman was balding pretty bad
The white hands probably belong to Pete Axthelm, who was a frequent contributor.
last year FNiA's duo of costas and olberman was superb -- light years better than jackass berman. then, nbc decided to fix something that was not broken.
This goes to prove the ESPN still has not grown up since the '80s. Berman and Jackson have been doing this since the '80s and since that time, ESPN hasn't found anyone to replace them.
Sure, I understand that these are familiar folks and if you are going through a midlife crisis, this is something that may appeal to the over 40 crowd. However, this does nothing for the 18-35 demographic that the advertisers covet.
As for Olbermann, I have never seen a guy that has seemed to be more enamored with himself. He ranks down there with Seth MacFarlane from Family Guy. IMO, they are both not as smart or witty as they seem to think they are.
In a word, IMO, Football Night in America stinks.
I thought NBC had exclusive rights to all NFL highlights at 7:00 PM.