Tagged: ‘Brent Musburger’

posted by on May 23, 2013 8:00 AM

Aura of Indy 500 moves SportsCenter anchor Lindsay Czarniak, new host for ABC race telecast

INDIANAPOLIS — SportsCenter anchor Lindsay Czarniak will host ABC’s live telecast of the 97th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race (ABC, Sunday, pre-race coverage beginning at 11 a.m. ET, green flag at 12:15 p.m.). Taking on a role most recently filled by Brent Musburger and in past years by such luminaries of sports television as Jim McKay, Bill Fleming and Chris Schenkel, Czarniak will be the first woman to host the telecast of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Mike Greenberg’s
Indy 500 Lap

ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” co-host Mike Greenberg did a lap around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Scott Sharp in May 2002. Sharp had raced in the American Le Mans Series, and in the Indy Racing League, where he won the pole for the Indy 500 in 2001. His experience was recorded for posterity — and for future use in poking fun at the good-natured Greenberg.

Sound clip: Greenberg at Indy

Czarniak spent this past weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, reporting on Indy 500 qualifying for SportsCenter and preparing for this weekend’s race telecast. While she had covered the NASCAR Brickyard 400 at the track, she’d never been there during Indy 500 time. As part of her immersion, she took a ride around the track in a two-seater Indy Car with racing legend Mario Andretti, reaching speeds close to 200 miles per hour. Front Row caught up with Czarniak to talk about her first Indy 500: continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Indy 500

posted by on January 7, 2013 9:08 AM

Tweetback: ESPN Deportes telecasts BCS tonight; Wild Card weekend; OJ Brigance piece resonates

Front Row knows you have better things to do all weekend than check your social media feeds, so we do it for you.

Here, from the ESPN PR universe, are some of the Tweets, posts and other commentary you may have missed.

You can thank us later!

But first, a look at ESPN Deportes plans for tonight’s big game (Spanish translation following “Weekend Tweetback”):

Over the last few years, ESPN has televised college football across Latin America and for the first time this year, ESPN Deportes has delivered coverage of the each of the Bowl Championship Series games in the United States.

Front Row caught up with two of ESPN Deportes’ college sports experts, Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega, who will be calling tonight’s Championship in Spanish. They shared their perspectives about college sports and the growth among Latino fans in the U.S.

How long have you been covering college football in Spanish for ESPN? How many Championships?
Varela: 78 Bowls starting in 1994 (including) eight Rose, seven Orange, seven Fiesta and five Sugar (10 National Championship Games)
Viruega: I started calling college games in 1999, back in Mexico, and have covered all championship games since 2008.

What is your favorite part of covering this sport?
Varela: My favorite part is the intensity and level of competition of both the athletes and the fans. I love the sound of 100,000 fans screaming at the top of their lungs during 3rd and 3, even if it’s through the TV.
Viruega: The passion and devotion for the school’s colors in college sports overall. They battle for their colors and the common goal of representing their school, which you don’t (always) see in professional sports.

What is your perspective on the growth of college sports among U.S. Hispanics? continue reading…

Filed in: Weekend Tweetback

posted by on December 24, 2012 8:49 AM

Tweetback: SportsNation off to LA after Colin Cowherd farewell today; Bowls deliver drama; Megatron and Jerry Rice

Front Row knows you have better things to do all weekend than check your social media feeds, so we do it for you.

Here, from the ESPN PR universe, are some of the Tweets, posts and other commentary you may have missed.

You can thank us later!

continue reading…

Filed in: Weekend Tweetback

posted by on November 2, 2011 4:53 PM

Fast Break: Musburger on appearing in ABC sitcom ‘Happy Endings’

ESPN and ABC sportscaster Brent Musburger has made acting cameos in everything from Rocky II to The Waterboy to the animated Cars 2.

Wednesday night at 9:30 ET on ABC, Musburger co-stars on the ABC sitcom Happy Endings.

The show — which airs after comedy powerhouse Modern Family — depicts the lives of six young friends in a big city.

In fact, Endings is like Friends — only funnier.

Musburger is involved in this episode that the show’s official Facebook page describes this way: “Have you ever lied to avoid hanging out with your significant other’s friends? What about getting a hotel room in town for a little staycation to avoid spending time with her sorority sister? Can Brad pull it off. . . ?”

In the interview below, Musburger tells Front Row what working on Endings was like.”

FR: Usually when you make movie cameos you’re asked to be Brent Musburger, sportscaster. After your first scene, did Happy Endings give you a chance to break out of sportscaster mode?

Musberger: It was much more laidback circumstance. We were in a mock hotel sitting at the bar and just chilling out – a nice place to be.

FR: How familiar were you with this sitcom?

Musburger: With my travel schedule, I can’t say I’ve seen all that many shows other than sports so not really familiar with it but I became familiar with it after the two-day shoot.

FR: The Happy Endings cast is known for its improv. How much did you participate in that? continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on August 18, 2011 8:00 AM

Hershiser: Seems like old times

ESPN baseball analyst Orel Hershiser often says calling Little League World Series games is the most fun he has all year.

“Those two weeks are a slice of Americana,” said Hershiser. “There’s baseball, hot dogs, family time and smiles on the faces of all the kids.”

Hershiser will provide commentary throughout the 65th Little League World Series. ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to present all 32 games of the event held in Williamsport, Pa., beginning Thursday and ending Aug. 28.

Hershiser has fond memories of spending much of his youth at the Little League park.

The oldest of four children, he remembers playing baseball at the same complex as his brother with his mother working the concession stand, his father (a volunteer district administrator for Little League Baseball) coaching or umpiring and his sister watching from the stands. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on June 24, 2011 8:00 AM

Musburger animates Cars 2

When Disney Pixar’s new animated film Cars 2 hits theatres today, sports fans will recognize the voice of one of the characters as ESPN’s Brent Musburger.

Making his first “appearance” in an animated film, Musburger is essentially playing himself as sportscaster Brent Mustangburger.

Not only does Musburger deliver his signature “you are looking live …” line during the film, he calls a race involving the film’s lead character, Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson).

While he has appeared in movies before, including Rocky II, The Main Event and The Waterboy, he ranks his role in Cars 2 at the top of the list.

“This one is the highlight of my movie career,” he said with a laugh. “It’s head and shoulders above all the other experiences.”

Musburger said he didn’t hesitate when his agent called with the opportunity to do a voiceover for the film.

“Pixar has such a reputation for excellence with their animated films, and nobody is their equal,” he said.

He received quite a surprise when he arrived at the Pixar animation studio in Emeryville, Calif., to record his lines. Expecting to work with a sound crew and perhaps one of the film’s associate directors, he was instead greeted by John Lasseter, the film’s director.

“And then this nice man says ‘hey, let’s go have a cup of coffee before we record,’” Musburger said.

“We went in, and the conversation did not turn to Cars 2 — he wanted to talk about college football. For about 30 or 45 minutes, all we did was discuss one of his passions.”

After talking football, the two went into the studio and Musburger said he realized quickly that Lasseter was going to be hands-on through the entire process.

In a room with a microphone and a script, Musburger went to work. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes