Sunday, October 17, 1999
SPORTS ON TV-RADIO
Morgan's knowledge second to none
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When Joe Morgan makes a bad prediction in calling a baseball game on NBC or ESPN, he says it's usually because a player has made a bad decision.
“I say what they should do in a certain situation,” he said. “Some players aren't smart enough to do what they're supposed to do.”
That sounds a little arrogant. But Morgan doesn't come across that way in the booth. He just lays out the options, points to the one he thinks is best, and does it all in a nice, conversational way.
But he is supremely confident in his knowledge of the game. His manner, his expertise and his gift for brevity — rare in broadcasting today — make him the best baseball analyst working.
Morgan and Bob Costas have been doing the National League Championship Series for NBC. They'll also do the World Series.
Fox's top team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver has been doing a nice job on the American League Championship Series. I'm no McCarver fan. But he was great on Boston's Game 5 clincher over Cleveland in the Division Series — “This is Little League baseball” — and he called Bernie Williams' game-winning home run in Game 1 of the ALCS.
But I'll still take Morgan and Costas.
Morgan always seems to say something that you never thought of, and I like Costas' light touch and ability to put everything into historical perspective instantly.
Costas, an NBC employee, worked three games on ESPN with Morgan to get in playoff shape.
“It helped tremendously,” Morgan said. “The last few years, the playoffs were the first game we worked together. The first game we did on ESPN this year, I didn't think we were very good.
“The second one — Atlanta-New York (in the regular season) — I thought we did very well.”
Morgan used that game to explain how he predicts things. Early in the game, Atlanta starter John Smoltz hung two curveballs that the Mets crushed.
“That tells me he's not going to throw any more change-ups,” Morgan said. “He's going to throw mostly fastballs.”
Morgan said so and explained his reasoning. Smoltz did exactly what Morgan predicted.
Morgan's approach: “I want people to feel like I'm sitting in their living room talking baseball with them. That's what I did with my father when I was a kid.”
He honed the skill on the bench with three other members of the Big Red Machine — Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez.
“We'd sit there and talk about the game,” Morgan said. “We'd try to predict what a guy was going to throw, things like that.”
Morgan's ESPN partner, Jon Miller said he thinks Morgan has a shot to make the Hall of Fame as a broadcaster. Morgan said being in the booth takes care of his baseball fix — most of the time.
“This is my favorite time of the year,” Morgan said. “The best players and best teams are playing. This and Opening Day are the only time I miss playing.”
ON THE BENGALS: Gus Johnson and Brent Jones will call the Bengals-Pittsburgh Steelers game for CBS (Channel 12) today.
CNN/SI ON ROSE: CNN/Sports Illustrated will do its take on Pete Rose and his ban from baseball Sunday. The 30-minute special airs on CNN's Page One at 7:30a.m. It will be replayed on CNN/SI at 9:30a.m. and 12:30p.m.
Sonja Steptoe did the piece, which includes interviews with Rose, John Dowd, Fay Vincent, John Franco and Jim Kaat. Why no Wildman Walker?
One nugget from Dowd, baseball's lead investigator: “It's as bad as the Black Sox scandal.”
I'm sure it's a fine piece of TV, but after seeing about 94 Rose interviews this summer around the 10th anniversary of the his banishment, the theme for them all is: That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
John Fay covers radio/TV sports for the Enquirer. He can be reached at 768-8445.
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