Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 25, 1992 TAG: 9201250023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS LENGTH: Medium
VIRGINIA MAN DOES A SUPER BEHIND-THE-SCENES JOB
There are many roads to the Super Bowl. One started in Norfolk, Va.That's where John Kollmansperger began his drive toward the No. 1 NFL team for CBS Sports. Kollmansperger is the broadcast associate for the Super Bowl XXVI crew fronted by Pat Summerall and John Madden.
Kollmansperger's title doesn't accurately describe his job. Actually, there may not be enough words to explain his role.
"I do anything from making sure hotel rooms are ready to preloading graphics for the telecast to doing research," said Kollmansperger, whose first Super Bowl comes Sunday (6 p.m., WDBJ Channel 7). "It's an interesting job and I enjoy it, but it's not as glamorous as people think."
When you check out the new graphics on Sunday's Super Bowl telecast, Kollmansperger was likely the one who told a technician which facts or figures to punch up. That's just another part of the job.
This is Kollmansperger's second season with the CBS first team headed by producer Bob Stenner and director Sandy Grossman. Kollmansperger's intensity in his job earned him the nickname "Slappy," a throw-back to a moniker for stand-up comedians in the days of vaudeville.
"Somebody said it, and it stuck," Stenner said. "Slappy is unbelievable. He can't work enough. Sometimes, we have to slow him down because he can get out of control.
"He lives on McDonald's and Big Gulps, but you can count on him. He does so much before an event, and then he's down there during the game, uncovering stuff during the event. He works with us because he's earned it."
Kollmansperger attended Norfolk Catholic High and Old Dominion University. He was working at the Norfolk YMCA when he checked out a job tip from an aunt who worked on Capitol Hill.
"A friend of my aunt who did a lot of work for CBS in Washington said they needed somebody to work with them on games at RFK Stadium as a runner," said Kollmansperger, 28. "I went up and did it. It was $50 a day. That's how I started, and one thing just seemed to lead to another."
Kollmansperger has been with CBS for 3 1/2 years. He started with the Summerall-Madden team on the 1990 all-Madden Team telecast. Now, he speaks several times a week with Madden, preparing for Sunday afternoons.
"The Slapola. To describe him in one word? Intense," Madden said earlier this week. "He's a very valuable person. Instant energy. In everything we do, we can rely on Slappy. He knows how to get things done.
"Another thing: You can ask him or tell him to do something once, and it's done. You can count on it. Sure, he's an All-Madden kind of guy."
Kollmansperger said he "tries to convince my friends that what I do is not all that big a deal. Then they see Madden and Summerall are my buddies, and there's no convincing them."
He admires the professionalism of the duo.
"Pat's very down to earth," Kollmansperger said. "He just kind of shows up at our hotels. I don't know how he gets there, but you don't have to worry about him. All of a sudden he'll be there in the lobby.
"I remember as a kid, watching him do games. He's a legend as far as I'm concerned.
"Coach Madden, with him, what you see is what you get. He doesn't bull----, and his memory is incredible. Not only does he remember conversations, but he can tell you verbatim how a conversation went.
"He pushes you. That's why he's considered the best."
Kollmansperger, who's single and lives in a New York apartment, said the only part of his job that can be tedious is the constant travel. Still, he's at the Super Bowl with no regrets.
"The most important thing, the reason John's so good at what he does is that he gets along with people," Stenner said. "It's impossible not to like him.
"His job can be a thankless one. He doesn't approach it that way at all. He's a bright guy."