Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 7, 1994 TAG: 9409070103
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Dick Vitale
(Let's pause for a needed moment of silence.)
``SportsCenter,'' about 15,000 times.
John Saunders, who has made sense of Vitale, Valvano and Digger.
The America's Cup, Stanley Cup, Davis Cup, World Cup and Winston Cup.
Bristol, Conn.
Chris Berman. (He doesn't do ``Body Shaping.'')
The NFL draft.
A Robin Roberts for a new generation.
Back-back-back-back-back-back-back ...
The Sun Belt Conference.
Mel Kiper Jr.
Da-da-dah, da-da-dah.
A Gumbel besides Bryant.
The Deuce.
Gayle Gardner, the network's first Fabulous Sports Babe.
Tony Bruno, and raucous radio.
Did You Know?
Big Monday.
The USFL.
Keith Olbermann, before and after his leather-jacketed Deuce's wild nights.
Jimmy V, making us laugh and cry.
March Madness.
Jeff ``Brown Paper'' Bagwell.
Bill Clement, necktie around head, analyzing the fourth overtime of the Islanders-Capitals Stanley Cup playoff game in April 1987.
What really happens in Cooperstown and Canton.
Championship Week.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s hair.
``He ... could ... go ... all ... the ... way.''
Bill Raftery and ``the Kiss.''
A bunch of words run together, like ``GameDay,'' ``SpeedWorld,'' ``PrimeTime,'' BOBLEY, CHARLEYSTEINER and LINDACOHN.
Dan Patrick, Mike Patrick and Bill Patrick, no relation and not their real last names, either.
``Outside the Lines.''
The Big East.
PTPer.
Denise Austin, getting fit.
Jim Rome, getting hit.
Was that a SportSmash?
Mel Kiper Jr.'s hair-raising remarks.
``Wowww!'' from Chris Myers.
Beach volleyball.
Bay-bee.
Todd ``Good Housekeeping'' Zeile.
The ESPYs.
Karie Ross, Alan Massengale and newer bobbing-head dolls.
``The Whiff!''
The ACC-Big East Challenge.
BaseCam.
The CFL, CBA, MISL, NPSL and seemingly 20,000 other leagues under the satellites.
Galaxy 5, Transponder 14.
The Professional Slowpitch World Series ... the Kentucky Bourbons vs. the Milwaukee Schlitzes, uncomfortably brought to you by Anheuser-Busch (the first ESPN event).
Australian Rules Football.
The Great Eight.
The not-so-great Fred Edelstein.
The even-less-great ACC ``Season Ticket.''
Whatever happened to Sharon Smith, Larry Burnett, Eric Clemons, George Grande, Pat McInally and Mike Gorman?
Lee Corso and Craig James agreeing to disagree.
Whip-around live cut-ins.
Jon Miller and Joe Morgan, the wit and wisdom of ``Sunday Night Baseball.''
``Top Rank Boxing.''
Dr.Jerry Punch, who doesn't do boxing.
Al Bernstein, who does.
Georgetown 50, Princeton 49.
The College World Series.
Formula One racing.
Bert ``Be Home'' Blyleven.
``Up Close.''
Dick Fick.
JockeyCam.
The NCAA Tournament first round, shown over 48 consecutive hours. (Gone but not forgotten.)
Will Tom Jackson ever tackle Joe Theismann, please?
``Happiness is seeing Bristol in the rear-view mirror.'' - Sal Marchiano.
Irish hurling.
Ron Franklin's great voice. Brad Nessler's smooth style.
Get a T.O.
The Sunday Night Conversation.
Norm Hitzges.
James Madison vs. George Washington on Presidents' Day.
``Baseball Tonight.''
The 28/58 Update.
Tom Mees.
GoalieCam.
John ``I Am Not a'' Kruk.
``Argentina invaded the Falklands because they had ESPN, and the Argentines wanted to get the late scores.'' - Beano Cook.
The Senior PGA Tour.
John Kernan in a fire suit.
The V Foundation.
Diamond Notes, with Peter Gammons.
Richard Petty's 200th and last victory.
YachtCam.
Gimme the rock.
The National Spelling Bee.
Don Wager.
``The General, Robert Montgomery Knight.''
``Max Out.''
``American Shooter.''
Plays of the Week.
Jim Simpson ... again.
A baseball expansion draft.
Karl Kilborn, Craig Levy, Steve Edwards, Jack Haber, Brett Ravech, or whoever those guys are.
So, maybe one day Chris Berman will try to fit a nickname with my last name, then give me half of his paycheck. That's my ``SportsCenter'' highlight.
by CNB