He's the most-valuable person regular viewers of Channel 4 have never heard of
Working behind the scenes in the production truck, he's one of those men responsible for the station's network-quality Padres broadcasts.
But after 17 years in San Diego ---- 13 of those with Cox Communications, Channel 4's parent company ----- Nick Davis, coordinating producer for Padres baseball, is leaving to join ESPN.
"I love San Diego and I love Channel 4," Davis said. "And I'll stack our telecasts ----whether it's Padres, San Diego State, USD or the high school championships ---- up against anyone."I didn't want to leave, but ESPN pursued me. And it was an offer I just couldn't refuse."
Davis, who lives with his family in Rancho Penasquitos, will be the coordinating producer for Major League Baseball and boxing --- two sports he loves ---- for ESPN.
That requires a move to ESPN's Bristol, Conn., headquarters. But he's not going away completely.
"Are you kidding, who would leave San Diego?" Davis said. "I'll rent an apartment in Bristol, but we'll keep the home in San Diego."Part of the deal with ESPN is that I get home as often as possible. Whenever ESPN has a baseball game on the West Coast, I'll be home for two or three days before or after the game. So it's not like I'm leaving for good."
Davis was a receiver at Purdue in his college days, earning a B.A. in communications, graduating in 1983.
He moved to San Diego in 1991. In 1993, he landed a job as producer and director for programming at Dimension Cable Services in Vista.
He joined Cox Communications in 1995 when it merged with Dimension.
"There is no finer person than Nick Davis," said Dennis Morgigno, station manager at Channel 4 and the man who oversees the day-to-day operation. "This is a great deal for Nick, but we hate to lose him."He takes an awful lot of pride in his work, and it shows on the air. In a way, though, this says a lot about what we're doing. I've been saying for years that our production is on par with anyone in the country. So for ESPN to recognize Nick and what we're doing, is pretty good."
Davis said the people at ESPN are very familiar at what's going on at Channel 4."And they love it," Davis said. "I think that validates the quality of our local production, and the fact we put the same effort into everything we do."
At ESPN, Davis will have a hand in scheduling as well as working with the network's talent."My goal is to increase the presence of the West Coast baseball teams on ESPN, especially on Sunday nights," Davis said. "I want to make sure there is a West Coast presence. That's an exciting prospect."
"Still, I hate leaving Channel 4 because it has been a big part of my life. And there are so many talented people there."
"But the opportunity to work at ESPN, ABC and Disney and the long-term ramifications was just too good to pass up."
In working with ESPN's baseball announcers Davis will be reunited with Rick Sutcliffe who in addition to his ESPN gig, worked with Davis on Padres telecasts from 1997 - 2004.
You will no doubt recall a moment those two shared on May 10, 2006. Following a day of golf in San Diego with actor Bill Murray, a less than sober Sutcliffe paid a visit to announcers Matt Vasgersian and Mark Grant the Padres TV booth at Petco Field. Davis was producing in the truck as brodacasting infamy fell all around him.
LEXINGTON, KY - With 47 seconds left in the game between U. K. and Arkansas the Network switched away from the game and then switched back after 17 seconds.
The final score was 63-58. U.K. WON! WKYT-TV called CBS immediately after the mistake was made and had it switched back.
CBS is trying to find out where the error was made.
CBS New York's phone number is 1-212-975-3247. Hundreds of outraged fans have called and scores have e-mailed WKYT-TV and have been referred to the network number to register their complaints.
Kentuckians sure love their basketball and heaven help anyone who gets in the way.
(Thanks to Awful Announcing for the story)
Sports By Brooks posted a clip yesterday from Wednesday's Raycom ACC basketball game between Virginia Tech and Maryland.
Virginia Tech's Dorenzo Hudson, (far side, top of key) could be seen struggling to keep himself together from the game camera. However, Hudson's pregame meal of steak, mac 'n cheese, and mashed potatoes (mixed with Gatorade) was hurled onto the court during the second of two free throw attempts.
A lengthy and rather humorous delay ensued as the affected area was given the hazmat treatment.
Brooks though was unhappy with the camera coverage of the incident. It sounds as if he wanted something a little more graphic than what was seen from the game cam angle.
We got a chuckle as several cam & tape ops agreed that they have seen more than enough of each other throwing up so there was little incentive to put forth great effort to document anyone else doing it.
We do know of a clip that may be more to Brooks' liking. It may take a while to dig up, but we'll post it when we do.
BERMAN TAPE-GATE
There are a few video clips — nearly nine years old — circulating on various Web sites, and being e-mailed around the industry, of ESPN's Chris Berman inside the studio. The stuff on tape isn't flattering, to say the least.
One shows Berman flirting with a female colleague. Another shows him throwing a tantrum on the set. There's also a montage of Berman dropping multiple F-bombs. Bad behavior? You bet. But not as abhorrent as that of one who would actually sneak around, tape a colleague and either give the video to someone (or hold on to it himself all these years) before releasing it in order to embarrass Berman.
No, what Berman did on those videos pales — big-time — in comparison to the covert actions of the lowlife who taped him and made sure the video was widely distributed. If Berman is such a bad guy, and someone had a beef with him, they should have gotten in his face. Or taken the problem directly to ESPN management. That would have required guts. Anyone who would basically spy on a colleague is lacking in that department.
Before this creep — or creeps — decided to release the tape, then get their kicks at Berman's expense, they should have asked one question: Would they like the same thing done to them?
EMMYS SAY NO TO YES
Is there a mistake in the list of nominees for the New York Emmy Awards?
Looking at the play-by-play category, you see Gary Cohen (SNY/Mets) but no Yankees voices from YES. And looking at the analyst category, there's Ron Darling (SNY/Mets), but no Yankees voices from YES.
There must be a mistake, right?
After all, nearly the entire YES Nets broadcast crew, Marv Albert, Ian (The Bird) Eagle and Mark Jackson, was nominated for Emmys. So how the heck could YES' Yanks yackers possibly come up empty? Especially when the gang at Al Yankzeera has a cast of thousands working the Bombers' booth.
No mistake. We checked the list over and over again, shook it 100 times, and no YES Yankees voices fell out.
What a shame. Guess Al Yank really misses Jim Kaat.
No need for the YES men to whine or hang their heads. Maybe David Cone can turn things around after he stops answering questions about his name surfacing during the House Oversight Committee hearing on the Mitchell Report.
"Chris is envious of Al Michaels. He always complains about him. He complains about all his air time and anything he has to say. This time you can see how he really feels as his dislike for Al finally slips out."Unless more clips are discovered in Ampex2000's library, this is the end of the barrage.
Ampex 2000: 1300 lbs. worth of shit stirring!"Chris Berman again shows why he is so obnoxious and is disliked by so many."There is a well-known co-star in this piece that should not go uncredited. The object of Boomer's flirtation is none other than Philadelphia's own Becky Solomon. This highly regarded stage manager has spent much of her career shuttling between gigs in NYC and Philly. Becky no doubt has been the intended receiver of many passes over the years from numerous announcers covering every local and network-televised sport.
"Chris Berman again showing why he is the master."
"Chris Berman shows again how spoiled and rude he is".
(Thanks to Ballsiest.com) Who knows, maybe "Gerg" will be the next "Jacob".
This was a potentially dangerous mistake from Tuesday's PTI on ESPN:
(Thanks to With Leather via SbB)
Talk about pressure! Hit one wrong key and Al Sharpton may try to get you fired.
Let's be careful out there.
......................The Frog ......................Courageous Cat, Minute MouseDo you remember "Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse"? It was a dark cartoon that aired in the early 1960s featuring an odd pairing of cat and mouse superheroes.
Anyway, one of the big villians was "The Frog", who wore a derby, smoked a fat cigar and talked like Edward G. Robinson. No matter how devilish The Frog's schemes were, somehow, against all odds, by episodes end, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse would save the day. And The Frog would be in jail.
What's this got to do with sports, you ask?
FSN Houston has evidence from last night's Warriors - Rockets game that The Frog is on the loose.
And he's up to no good!
New England's genius head coach Brian Belichick, not satisfied with showing up the rest of the NFL, helps out the CBS crew as a utility moments after the Patriots defeated the San Diego Chargers 21- 12 in the AFC Championship Game.
