Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508280046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: ANN ARBOR, MICH. LENGTH: Medium
``I'm a Detroit policeman,'' he said. ``I heard you talking and I said to my wife, `I recognize that voice. I know that voice.'''
It remains rich and distinctive. The cop was looking live at Brent Musburger two days before he would begin his sixth season of play-by-play on college football for ABC Sports.
In an Ann Arbor hotel, he was talking about where he's been. Some folks are surprised at the places Musburger has appeared. He's as busy as ever, he just isn't overexposed.
For more than a decade on CBS, he grew into that network's signature sports voice. He seemed to be everywhere. Then on April Fool's Day 1990, he was fired - at the Final Four.
Musburger didn't disappear, he just changed networks. He still delivered the quality work and the versatility he had before. However, he wasn't the No.1 guy. And he was glad to be out of the studio, where Musburger built a name and reputation on ``The NFL Today.''
Six years ago this weekend, Musburger's first work for ABC was to call the championship game of the Little League World Series. Today, he and analyst Dick Vermeil will start the football season with the Virginia-Michigan game in the Pigskin Classic (noon, WSET).
``What I have going for me is that I've always been interested in and could do a variety of things,'' Musburger said. ``ABC has put me here or there. In some ways I'm a utility player.''
Some say that's different than being a star. Musburger, 56, is the No.2 college football voice, behind Keith Jackson. He's the network's No.2 baseball game-caller, behind Al Michaels. His halftime segments on ``Monday Night Football'' leave him with few minutes to fill.
``I'm plenty busy,'' said Musburger, who recently returned from two weekends in Sweden at the World Championships of track and field. ``I looked back and last year I worked 35 weeks. It was a full load.''
Musburger has survived more arrows in recent years after becoming ABC's golf voice. He'll work postseason baseball with Jim Kaat. He also has become the network's top college basketball play-by-play man, meaning he works with Dick Vitale.
``Basketball has been really interesting,'' Musburger said. ``People told me about Dick, but I'm not bothered by him. OK, let me put an asterisk on that. There are Monday or Tuesday nights I'll be sitting in my living room watching him and I'll say, `Oh, shut up.'
``However, he cares a lot. He works hard. He's well liked as a person and he is a good person. Kids love him. I worked a couple of games with Jimmy Valvano, before he died, and Dick. My ears were ringing after that, but it was fun. We still miss Jimmy.''
The play-by-play work has seemed to somewhat alter Musburger's persona, too. He grasped that long ago.
``I always wanted to be out, but it's not the kind of thing where you can raise your hand and get out of the studio,'' he said. ``Most people in this business who are in the studio, to tell the truth, would rather be out of the studio.
``That's why my buddy Chris Berman (on ESPN) runs out to do a ballgame. You can tell he really enjoys it, even though he's great in the studio.
``In the studio you get a lot of attention. It's a high-profile thing. Your personality and face are out there all of the time, but it's not always a satisfying thing.
``The games, they energize you. I like what I do. Who wouldn't like coming to Michigan, with 100,000 people in the stands and the band, and the atmosphere? Who wouldn't like that?''
Really, Musburger hasn't survived. He's prospered.
STATE SHOW: WSLS begins the college season today, too, with its first ``Pigskin Preview.'' Channel 10 sports director Greg Roberts hosts the show at 1 p.m.
The half-hour show previews UVa, Virginia Tech and the state's six Division I-AA programs, based on the premise that ``Division I football in the state is fast becoming to a national presence,'' Roberts said. ``Tech and Virginia go to bowls and are Top 25 teams, and several of the I-AA teams are predicted to do well, too.''
Roberts said not only did the show sell in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market, but stations in Richmond, Norfolk and Bristol also will air the preview.
TELE-VOTE: WSLS has begun its ``Name the Game'' voting, the toll-free telephone selection process for NFL Sunday regional games.
The Sept.3 opening week choice is between Cleveland-New England and Houston-Jacksonville. Viewers vote by calling 1-800-VOTETEN (868-3836).
by CNB