http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 40608.html
Dick Ebersol never likes to be caught short of resources, so chances are that by the time you read this, he’s come up with a 22nd contributor for NBC’s Super Bowl pregame show.
That, of course, will give Ebersol enough players for a full 11-on-11 game, which would offer the intriguing prospect of Andrea Kremer chop-blocking Bob Costas or Al Roker meeting the Bus, Jerome Bettis, head-on in the hole over left tackle as Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick scream “hellewwww” and “en fuego” throughout the proceedings.
But we digress. NBC’s 21-person roster may sound impressive, but it’s actually not that much larger than NFL Network’s 17-person crew and ESPN’s gang of 12.
That’s 50 talking heads, give or take, and here’s what they have in store for you today:
• 8-10 a.m. — Speaking of today, NBC’s Today begins the Peacock Network countdown to kickoff with Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry and Roker at Raymond James Stadium and Matt Lauer at the White House for an interview later in the day with President Obama.
Segments include the usual travelogue of the host city and Tiki Barber’s tour of the stadium alongside his twin brother, Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber.
• 9-10 a.m. — Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN launches four hours of rhetoric from Chris Berman, Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and Chris Mortensen, broadcasting from Tampa’s Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park (I would have opted for Bern’s Steak House or the Columbia restaurant in Ybor City, and I’m betting Berman would have agreed but for his Slim-Fast deal) and Mike Tirico, Trent Dilfer, Ron Jaworski and Steve Young from the stadium. Suzy Kolber shadows the Cardinals, and Ed Werder stalks the Steelers.
On ESPN, Sunday NFL Countdown continues with Jackson’s chat with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Jeremy Schaap’s retrospective on Joe Namath’s guarantee 40 years ago — can it really have been four decades since Super Bowl III? — plus Kenny Mayne’s The Mayne Event.
• 11 a.m.-noon — NFL Films’ Road to the Super Bowl (Ch. 2) has won 28 Emmy Awards, which means Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and 30 Rock have to sweep the boards for the next nine years to live on the same block as Steve Sabol and Co. “No interviews, no talking heads,” Sabol says of Road. “Just action.”
ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown continues with features on Roethlisberger’s pocket presence and Larry Fitzgerald’s memories of his late mother.
NFL Network’s third hour includes Whisenhunt matching wits with Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, Sanders on Fitzgerald, Sabol on the five most memorable Super Bowl plays, and this topic guaranteed to boil the blood of Dallas Cowboys fans: Are the Steelers the real America’s Team?
• 1-2 p.m. — NFL Network’s featured elements this hour are Adam Schefter’s feature on Steelers safety Tyrone Carter and his older brother Tank Carter, who is serving time in a Florida jail, and Woodson’s interview with LeBeau. Also, Eisen channels his inner Chris Farley in an interview with Bruce Springsteen.
• 2-3 p.m. — NFL Network goes to the booth with brothers Craig and Ron Wolfley talking about their jobs as broadcasters for the Steelers and Cardinals, respectively. Also, Sapp presents a Tampa travelogue.
• 3-4:30 p.m. — NFL Network heads down the stretch as Lynch interviews Tomlin, his former position coach with the Bucs, and the analysts debate Warner’s Hall of Fame credentials and offer game predictions.
• Noon-5 p.m. — Costas and his Gang of 20 (or 21) sign on from NBC’s pregame set inside the Pirate Ship at Raymond James Stadium. The show opens with Patrick and Bettis in the Steelers locker room and Tiki Barber and Olbermann in the Cardinals locker room.
NBC declined to provide an hour-by-hour breakdown — expect, however, to see Lauer’s interview with President Obama in the 4 p.m. hour — but did offer story points and a stylistic overview for the show.
Scheduled segments include Springsteen, no doubt losing a game of Bruce Springsteen trivia against the relentless Costas; Olbermann and Patrick voicing the top highlights of the season; Cris Collinsworth breaking down film on both teams with Patriots coach Bill Belichick; and Rodney Harrison opining on how the Steelers should cover Fitzgerald.
Cable synergy will be provided by Tom Colicchio of Bravo’s Top Chef, who will judge a cookoff between entrants from Phoenix and Pittsburgh; CNBC’s Darren Rovell, who has written a book about Gatorade and will explore the origins of the Gatorade shower; and the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore, who provides, well, weather updates.
Last, and least, Roker will channel his inner Ryan Seacrest at NBC’s Super Suite at the NFL Experience, interviewing every Jay, Conan, Tina, Will (Ferrell), Kevin (James) and Hayden (Panettiere) who happens by.
• 5 p.m. — The pregame show wraps up with live performances by Journey and John Legend, Faith Hill’s performance of the NBC fight song and America the Beautiful, and Jennifer Hudson singing the national anthem.
• 9 p.m. (or end of game)-11 p.m. — NFL Network’s NFL Game Day Final rehashes the evening’s outcome.
• 9:30 p.m. — ESPN’s NFL Prime Time, no doubt featuring Merril Hoge slamming both winner and loser as worthless and weak, leads into SportsCenter at 10 p.m.
I really don't disagree with anything you just said either. I guess I just hate when people's feelings are hurt. Not Arnel's, being famous puts him in that spotlight, but fellow board members.
