Al Michaels
Al Michaels | |
---|---|
FedExField in September 2017 | |
Born | Alan Richard Michaels November 12, 1944 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
Alma mater | Arizona State University |
Occupation | Sports commentator |
Years active | 1964–present |
Spouse |
Linda Anne Stamaton (m. 1966) |
Children | 2 |
Sports commentary career | |
Play-by-play | |
Sports | |
Employer | Amazon Prime Video (2022–present) NBC Sports (1971–74, 2006–present) |
Alan Richard Michaels (born November 12, 1944)
Outside the venue of sports journalism, Michaels is also known for being traded in 2006 from ESPN, owned by The Walt Disney Company to NBCUniversal for the rights to the animated character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, an unusual business transaction Michaels accepted with good humor.
Early life and education
Michaels was born to a
Early career
Michaels's first job in television was with
He resumed his broadcasting career in 1968 after moving to
In
In December 1973, after Bill Enis, an NBC sports announcer and sportscaster for KPRC-TV in Houston had died from a heart attack at the age of 39 two days before he was to call the regular-season NFL finale between the Houston Oilers and Cincinnati Bengals, Michaels was brought in to replace Enis in the booth with Dave Kocourek.
In 1974, he left the Reds for a similar position with the San Francisco Giants and also covered basketball for UCLA, replacing Dick Enberg on the Bruins' tape delayed telecasts of their home games, during a period when UCLA was in the midst of an 88-game winning streak. He left NBC that year and announced regional NFL games for CBS Sports in 1975. In 1976 he joined ABC Sports part-time to call the network's backup Monday Night Baseball games. That year, he called two no-hitters: by the Pirates' John Candelaria vs. Los Angeles on August 9 (for ABC) and the Giants' John Montefusco at Atlanta on September 29, 1976 (for Giants radio).
ABC Sports (1977–2006)
In January 1977, Michaels signed with ABC Sports on a full-time basis.[7] In 1983, he became the network's lead baseball announcer, replacing Keith Jackson. Up until that point, Michaels and Jackson would split play–by–play duties for ABC's coverage of the World Series beginning in 1979, with Michaels assigned to call the games from the National League park and Jackson calling games from the American League park.
Over the next three decades, Michaels covered a wide variety of sports for ABC, including
Other prominent events that Michaels covered for ABC included serving as the studio host for the Stanley Cup Finals from 2000–2002. Also, he served as host for the yearly Tiger Woods Monday night specials that aired in July or August.
Episodes of
The Miracle on Ice
Two of Michaels's more famous broadcasts were of the 1980 Winter Olympics ice hockey medal round match between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the attempted third game of the 1989 World Series.
In 1980, an unheralded group of college ice hockey players from the United States won the gold medal at the
Most assume that the game was broadcast live (indeed,
Michaels, along with broadcasting partner
Michaels later recalled, "When I look back, obviously Lake Placid would be the highlight of my career. I can't think of anything that would ever top it. I can't dream up a scenario."
Michaels was only on this particular assignment because he had done one hockey game, eight years prior.
Two days later, Michaels would broadcast the gold medal game, in which the U.S. defeated Finland, closing the game out by declaring "This impossible dream comes true!"
Al Michaels continued serving as ABC's lead play-by-play announcer for their ice hockey coverage for their next two Winter Olympics, both with Dryden, the lead color commentator. In 1984 from Sarajevo, Mike Eruzione, who was the captain of the gold medal-winning United States ice hockey team from 1980, primarily worked with Don Chevrier. For ABC's final Winter Olympics four years later, Eruzione was this time, paired with Jiggs McDonald.
Michaels along with
Memorable baseball moments
1972 National League Championship Series
Even though the events of October 17, 1989, in San Francisco are widely considered to be the most dramatic baseball-related moment of Michaels's career, he had several others that were memorable.
In the
As previously mentioned, later that October, Michaels participated in his first ever World Series as a broadcaster, where he assisted NBC's Curt Gowdy for Games 1–2, 6, and 7 in Cincinnati.[20][21] Michaels was a product of the then broadcasting policy of announcers who represented the participating teams (a process that ended following the 1976 World Series) being invited to do televised network play–by–play for the World Series. As such, Games 3–5 of the 1972 World Series instead, featured Oakland Athletics broadcaster Monte Moore working for NBC alongside Curt Gowdy.
1983 World Series
On June 6, 1983, Michaels officially succeeded
1986 American League Championship Series
In 1986, Michaels was also on hand for what he says was "the greatest of all the thousands of games I've done."
When
The defeat still left the Angels in a 3 games to 2 advantage, with two more games to play at Fenway Park. The Angels were not able to recover, losing both games by wide margins, 10–4 and 8–1. Game 7 of the 1986 ALCS ended with Calvin Schiraldi striking out Jerry Narron.
The Red Sox can go from last rites to the World Series...and they do!
— Al Michaels' call of Calvin Schiraldi's final strikeout in Game 7 of the 1986 ALCS.
Despite the fact that ABC Sports and ESPN have been under the same corporate umbrella (The Walt Disney Company) since 1996, Michaels never served as a regular commentator for ESPN Major League Baseball. The only time that Michaels appeared in an ESPN booth of any kind was as a guest commentator on Wednesday Night Baseball in 2003 as part of ESPN's Living Legends Series. Michaels joined Gary Thorne and Joe Morgan, whom he worked with on ABC's 1989 World Series coverage and served as ABC's #2 baseball team behind Michaels, Jim Palmer and Tim McCarver in 1989, for a game at Dodger Stadium between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.
1987 World Series
In a February 2015 interview, Michaels alleged that the
To Gaetti...for the first time ever, the Minnesota Twins are the World Champions!
1989 World Series
On October 17, 1989, Michaels was in San Francisco, preparing to cover the third game of the
According to Tim McCarver, when the earthquake hit, he, Michaels and Jim Palmer immediately grabbed hold of what they perceived to be the armrests. In reality, the announcers were clutching on each other's thighs and they were each left with bruises the next day. Years later (on a 1999 SportsCenter retrospective about the 1989 World Series earthquake), Michaels would boldly admit his strong belief that had the earthquake lasted much longer than 15 seconds, he would have been killed. Michaels added that the only time that he really had been scared during the earthquake was when he moved in a position which he perceived to be backward. The three announcers were sitting on a ledge with their backs turned and no bracing behind them.[36]
At this very moment ten days ago, we began our telecast with an aerial view of San Francisco; always a spectacular sight, and particularly so on that day because the cloudless sky of October 17 was ice blue, and the reflections of the late-day sun sparkled like a thousand jewels.
That picture was very much a mirror of the feel and the mood that had enveloped the Bay Area and indeed most of Northern California. Their baseball teams, the Giants and the Athletics, had won pennants, and the people of this region were still basking in the afterglow of each team's success. And this great American sporting classic, the World Series, was, for the time being, exclusively theirs.
Then, of course, that feeling of pure radiance was transformed into horror and grief and despair in fifteen seconds. And now on October 27, like a fighter who's taken a vicious blow to the stomach and has groggily arisen, this region moves on and moves ahead.[37]
And one part of that scenario is the resumption of the World Series. No one in
Oakland. The pictures are embedded in our minds.And while the mourning and the agonizing and the aftereffects continue, in about thirty minutes the plate umpire, Vic Voltaggio will say 'Play Ball', and the players will play, the vendors will sell, the crowd will exhort, the announcers will announce. And for many of the six million people in this region, it will be like revisiting Fantasyland.
But Fantasyland is where baseball comes from anyway, and maybe, right about now, that's the perfect place for a three-hour rest.[38]
— Al Michaels at the beginning of ABC's telecast of the resumption of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series.
There was later speculation that if Michaels won an arbitration case involving ABC, he would join CBS Sports as its lead baseball announcer.[39][40] ABC following the 1989 World Series, had lost its baseball package to CBS for the next four years. Michaels had been feuding with the network over an alleged violation of company policy.[41] Michaels' contract with ABC was originally set to expire in late 1992. Ultimately however, ABC announced a contract extension that sources said would keep Michaels at ABC through at least the end of 1995 and would pay him at least $2.2 million annually with the potential to earn more. That would make Michaels the highest-paid sports announcer in television.
The Baseball Network (1994–1995)
In 1994, ABC resumed their relationship with Major League Baseball for the first time since 1989 with a broadcasting joint-venture with NBC dubbed The Baseball Network. Michaels was once again paired with Jim Palmer and Tim McCarver, for whom he had broadcast three World Series (1985, 1987, and 1989), two All-Star Games (1986 and 1988), and the 1988 National League Championship Series with. On the subject of Michaels returning to baseball for the first time since the Loma Prieta earthquake interrupted the World Series, Jim Palmer said, "Here Al is, having done five games since 1989, and steps right in. It's hard to comprehend how one guy could so amaze."
Hi everyone, and welcome to Baseball Night in America, I'm Al Michaels. And those of us at
A player's strike in August 1994 would however, force the cancellation of that season's postseason, including the World Series. Then in June 1995, both ABC and NBC announced that they would be dissolving The Baseball Network at the end of the 1995 season. The following month, Michaels along with Jim Palmer and Tim McCarver, called the All-Star Game from Arlington, Texas. Come that October, Michaels, Palmer, and McCarver could call Games 1–2 of the National League Division Series between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Game 4 of the NLDS between the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies, Games 1–2 of the National League Championship Series between Atlanta and Cincinnati, and Games 1, 4–5 of the World Series between Atlanta and the Cleveland Indians.
In what would be the final out that he would call for a baseball broadcast on ABC, Michaels yelled "Back to
Michaels would later write in his 2014 autobiography You Can't Make This Up: Miracles, Memories, and the Perfect Marriage of Sports and Television[44] that the competition between the two networks could be so juvenile that neither ABC nor NBC wanted to promote each other's telecasts during the 1995 World Series.[45] To give you a better idea, in the middle of Game 1, Michaels was handed a promo that read "Join us here on ABC for Game 4 in Cleveland on Wednesday night and for Game 5 if necessary, Thursday." Michaels however, would soon follow this up by saying "By the way, if you're wondering about Games 2 and 3, I can't tell you exactly where you can see them, but here's a hint: Last night, Bob Costas, Bob Uecker, and Joe Morgan[46] [NBC's broadcast crew] were spotted in Underground Atlanta."
Monday Night Football
Michaels's longest-running assignment was that of the lead play-by-play announcer on ABC's Monday Night Football telecasts, a position he held for 20 seasons beginning in 1986. Before that, his most notable NFL assignment for ABC was hosting (along with Jim Lampley) the pre-game coverage of Super Bowl XIX at the end of the 1984 season. In 1988, he called his first Super Bowl. Three years later, he was on hand to call the thrilling Super Bowl between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills.
The trio of Michaels, Dan Dierdorf (who joined MNF the year after Michaels's first), and Frank Gifford lasted until the 1997 season when Gifford was replaced following disclosure of an extramarital affair. During the 1980s, Gifford would fill-in for Michaels on play-by-play whenever he went on baseball assignments for the League Championship Series (1986 and 1988) or World Series (1987 and 1989).
Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason (who left after the 1999 season) replaced Gifford in 1998, and Dierdorf was dropped after that season. Unexpectedly, comedian Dennis Miller joined the cast in 2000 along with Dan Fouts. In 2002, following Miller and Fouts' departure, John Madden joined Michaels in a well-received pairing.
NBA on ABC
After disastrous ratings in the 2003 NBA Finals, ABC decided to revamp their lead NBA broadcast team. Brad Nessler was reassigned to the second broadcast team, where he was joined by Sean Elliott and Dan Majerle. Michaels was hired to replace Nessler as lead broadcaster of the NBA.[47]
For the first several weeks of the
Early in the 2004–2005 season, ABC found a new partner for Al Michaels.
Replacing him on
Besides his inconsistent work, Michaels (despite being initially seen as adding credibility to ABC's NBA broadcasts in contrast to his predecessor, Brad Nessler) was criticized for apparently lacking the kind of enthusiasm and confidence (for instance, Michaels initally reacted to
Another criticism that he received was that he too often found himself making tediously long-winded explanations. In return, he would tend to talk over two or three possessions in a row (which Michaels seemed to be better suited for football and baseball broadcasts, for which he's better known). The result was that he would hardly have time to comment on the action viewers were seeing because he was so hung up on a prior subplot or storyline that he felt the audience just had to know about.[50]
Move from ABC to NBC
ABC loses NFL rights
In 2003, Michaels was quoted as saying, "ABC Sports has been my professional home for the last 26 years, and I am delighted that will continue to be for several more..." after signing a long-term contract extension.[51]
In 2005, it was announced that Monday Night Football would be moving from ABC to ESPN beginning with the 2006 season, and partner John Madden announced he would be joining NBC Sports, which had acquired the rights to Sunday Night Football games. Despite speculation that Michaels might be joining NBC as well, Michaels stated that he would continue as the MNF play-by-play announcer, stating, "I feel like I'm a creature of Monday night. I'm home and I'm staying home." Plans were for Michaels to be teamed with Joe Theismann (who would be coming over from Sunday Night Football) on the Monday night telecasts.[52]
At the time, then-ABC Television President Alex Wallau said, "For 26 years Al has played a pivotal role here at ABC Sports, and for 17 of those years he's been the face and voice synonymous with television's most successful sports franchise, Monday Night Football... It's Al's outstanding play-by-play coverage, coupled with his breadth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm, that keep MNF fans invigorated, excited and coming back for more." also, "Al Michaels has been invaluable to the Network and we are thrilled to have him remain in our family. [...] Al is the consummate professional and makes everyone around him better" said then-ABC Sports President Howard Katz; however, in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL, it was widely speculated that Michaels was attempting to get out of his contract with ESPN to join Madden at NBC. By this time, it was clear that NBC's Sunday Night Football would be the NFL's premier prime-time package, with ESPN's Monday Night Football relegated to secondary match-ups similar to that network's previous Sunday night telecasts. Michaels added fuel to the fire by refusing to state his future plans, and he couldn't "respond to rumors ... because that would become a distraction."[53]
On February 8, 2006, ESPN announced that its Monday Night Football team would consist of Mike Tirico on play-by-play, with Theismann and Tony Kornheiser as analysts.[54] ESPN explicitly stated that Michaels would not return to either Monday Night Football broadcasts or ABC's NBA broadcasts (on which Michaels had been lead NBA play-by-play man).
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit "trade"
On February 9, 2006, NBC confirmed that Michaels would be joining Madden at the network to broadcast football on Sunday nights, thus ending Michaels's 20-year run on Monday Night Football and almost 30 years of service with ABC.[55] In exchange for letting Michaels out of his contract with ABC and ESPN, NBCUniversal sold ESPN cable rights to Friday coverage of the next four Ryder Cups, granted ESPN increased usage of Olympic highlights, and sold to parent company Disney the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a cartoon character developed by Walt Disney himself (which he lost in 1928) but previously owned by Universal Pictures (now NBCUniversal).[56] NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol explained, "We earn nothing from those rights; they've had no value in the United States."
Michaels had a bemused take on the "trade". After it was noted to Michaels that the
NBC Sports (2006–present)
Sunday Night Football
Michaels and Madden began their new NBC tenure on August 6, 2006, with the network's telecast of the preseason
.Michaels usually ate his dinner while doing play-by-play commentary during a typical broadcast of Sunday Night Football.[58] Michaels would have cookies and grapes during the first half and a light dinner during the second half, having his bites during commercial breaks.[59]
On May 24, 2022, NBC announced that despite his official departure from Sunday Night Football following the 2021 season, Michaels would still call at least one NFL playoff game for NBC under an "emeritus" role.[60] Though in December 2023 it was reported that he was cut from postseason coverage on NBC beginning with the 2023–24 NFL playoffs.[61][62]
NBC Olympic Daytime host
In March 2009, it was announced that Michaels would be serving as the daytime host for
According to Michaels,[65] ABC was in the running to purchase the broadcasting rights for the 1996 Summer Games from Atlanta. As a provision in his contract renewal with ABC back in 1992, in the event that ABC were to broadcast the Olympics again, Michaels would get to become the prime time anchor while Jim McKay would instead play an emeritus role. Ultimately though, NBC bought the rights to the Atlanta Games for $456 million, edging out ABC by $6 million.
Premier Boxing Champions
In January 2015, NBC announced that Michaels would be at ringside along with Marv Albert[66] and Sugar Ray Leonard for the PBC on NBC Saturday night bouts.[67] In partnership with Haymon Boxing,[68] NBC would televise 20 PBC on NBC events,[69] including five shown in prime time on Saturday nights.
MLB Network (2011)
On July 8, 2011, Michaels teamed up with Bob Costas (with the two announcers alternating between play-by-play and color commentary) to call a game between the
Thursday Night Football (2016, 2022–present)
Michaels first called Thursday Night Football in 2016, as part of a deal which would see NBC produce several Thursday night games for broadcast on NFL Network with simulcasts on selected games on NBC.[71] The following year, NBC confirmed that Mike Tirico would take over as the voice of NBC-produced Thursday night games.[72]
On March 23, 2022, the NFL and Amazon announced that Michaels would become the full-time play-by-play announcer for Thursday Night Football, alongside Kirk Herbstreit, for the first year of the package airing exclusively on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch.[73]
Throughout his tenure as the play-by-play announcer for Amazon Prime, viewers have repeatedly criticized Michaels for a perceived lack of enthusiasm during games.[74][75][76] When asked about his experience calling Thursday night games, Michaels hinted at the suboptimal quality of the games and said, "I mean, you just can't oversell something. Do you want me to sell you a 20-year-old Mazda? That's what you're asking me to do. I can't sell you a used car."[77]
Awards and honors
Sportscasting
- Five-time Sports Emmy Award winner – Outstanding Sports Personality, Play-by-Play
- Three-time NSMA National Sportscaster of the Year
- Sportscaster of the Year – American Sportscasters Association (ASA)
- Sportscaster of the Year – Washington Journalism Review
- ASA Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time.[78]
- Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism (2002).[79]
- Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters "Art Gilmore Career Achievement Award" June 16, 2017
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- NSMA Hall of Fame inductee (class of 1998)
- Television Academy Hall of Fameinductee (class of 2013)
- 2013 Pete Rozelle Radio & Television Award – Pro Football Hall of Fame[80]
- 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame[81]
State/local
- Football stadium at Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles (Michaels's alma mater) named Al Michaels Field.
Personal life
Michaels is the eldest child of Jay and Lila Michaels. Michaels has a younger brother, David Michaels, and a younger sister, Susan.[4]
Al Michaels currently[when?] resides in Los Angeles. He was 21 years old when he married his wife Linda on August 27, 1966. Al and Linda have two children together, Jennifer and Steven. Steven Michaels serves as president and CEO of independent film company Asylum Entertainment in Los Angeles. Michaels is also a Los Angeles Kings season ticket holder.[7][82]
Al's younger brother David is a television producer. David Michaels has produced such programs as
Michaels was arrested and charged for driving under the influence on April 21, 2013. He was released after about five hours.[83] He eventually pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to 80 hours of community service plus probation.[84]
In 2014, Michaels released his autobiography titled You Can't Make This Up: Memories and the Perfect Marriage of Sports and Television, which reached The New York Times Best Seller list for nonfiction.[85]
Michaels has claimed that he has never knowingly eaten a vegetable in his lifetime.[86]
In popular culture
Michaels had an acting role in a
Brian d'Arcy James portrayed Michaels in the 2002 television movie Monday Night Mayhem. Michaels has also been lampooned on several occasions by noted impressionists, Frank Caliendo and Billy West as well as in the Family Guy episode "Mother Tucker".
Michaels was also the featured voice in HardBall III, a popular computer baseball game for PC. He was also featured, along with John Madden, in the Madden NFL series from Madden NFL 2003 to Madden NFL 09.
Michaels also appeared in two episodes of Arliss, portraying the older cousin of sports agent Arliss Michaels.
Notable broadcasts
Michaels was the play-by-play announcer for all notable events unless otherwise noted.
- 1972 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey
- 1972 National League Championship Series
- 1972 World Series[87]
- 1977 NAPA National 500
- 1978 Atlanta 500
- 1979 Gabriel 400
- 1979 World Series (Games 3–5)
- 1980 Atlanta 500
- 1980 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey ("Miracle on Ice")[87]
- 1981 World Series (Games 3–5)
- 1982 Coca-Cola 500
- 1982 CRC Chemicals Rebel 500
- 1983 World Series
- 1984 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey
- Super Bowl XIX (1985, co-host with Jim Lampley)
- 1984 Summer Olympics athletics and road bicycle racing
- 1985 World Series
- 112th Kentucky Derby(1986, host)
- 111th Preakness Stakes (1986, host)
- 123rd Belmont Stakes (1986, host)
- 1986 American League Championship Series
- 113th Kentucky Derby(1987, host)
- 112th Preakness Stakes (1987, host)
- 124th Belmont Stakes (1987, host)
- 1987 World Series
- Super Bowl XXII (1988)
- 1988 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey
- 114th Kentucky Derby(1988, host)
- 113th Preakness Stakes (1988, host)
- 125th Belmont Stakes (1988, host)
- 1988 NLCS
- 1989 Sugar Bowl
- 115th Kentucky Derby(1989, host)
- 114th Preakness Stakes (1989, host)
- 126th Belmont Stakes (1989, host)
- 1989 World Series[87]
- 1990 Sugar Bowl
- 116th Kentucky Derby(1990, host)
- 115th Preakness Stakes (1990, host)
- 127th Belmont Stakes (1990, host)
- 1991 Sugar Bowl
- Super Bowl XXV (1991)
- 117th Kentucky Derby(1991, host)
- 116th Preakness Stakes (1991, host)
- 128th Belmont Stakes (1991, host)
- 1992 Sugar Bowl
- 118th Kentucky Derby(1992, host)
- 117th Preakness Stakes (1992, host)
- 129th Belmont Stakes (1992, host)
- 119th Kentucky Derby(1993, host)
- 118th Preakness Stakes (1993, host)
- 1993 Stanley Cup Finals (host)[87]
- 130th Belmont Stakes (1993, host)
- 120th Kentucky Derby(1994, host)
- 119th Preakness Stakes (1994, host)
- 131st Belmont Stakes (1994, host)
- Super Bowl XXIX (1995)
- 121st Kentucky Derby(1995, host)
- 120th Preakness Stakes (1995, host)
- 132nd Belmont Stakes (1995, host)
- 1995 World Series (Games 1, 4–5)
- 122nd Kentucky Derby(1996, host)
- 121st Preakness Stakes (1996, host)
- 133rd Belmont Stakes (1996, host)
- 123rd Kentucky Derby(1997, host)
- 122nd Preakness Stakes (1997, host)
- 134th Belmont Stakes (1997, host)
- 124th Kentucky Derby(1998, host)
- 123rd Preakness Stakes (1998, host)
- 135th Belmont Stakes (1998, host)
- 125th Kentucky Derby(1999, host)
- 124th Preakness Stakes (1999, Host)
- 1999 Indianapolis 500 (host)
- 136th Belmont Stakes (1999, host)
- Super Bowl XXXIV (2000)
- 126th Kentucky Derby(2000, host)
- 125th Preakness Stakes (2000, host)
- 2000 Indianapolis 500 (host)
- 2000 Stanley Cup Finals (host)
- 137th Belmont Stakes (2000, host)
- 2001 Indianapolis 500 (host)
- 2001 Stanley Cup Finals (host)
- 2002 Stanley Cup Finals (host)
- Super Bowl XXXVII (2003)
- NBA on Christmas Day 2004: Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat
- 2004 NBA Finals
- NBA on Christmas Day 2005: Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat
- 2005 NBA Finals
- Super Bowl XL (2006; last Super Bowl and NFL telecast for ABC)
- Super Bowl XLIII (2009; last telecast paired with color commentator John Madden)
- 2010 Winter Olympics (daytime host and co-host of closing ceremony)
- The "Butt Fumble"November 22, 2012
- Super Bowl XLVI (2012)
- 2012 Summer Olympics (daytime host and co-host of closing ceremony)
- 2014 Winter Olympics (weekday host for NBCSN, weekend daytime host for NBC and co-host for closing ceremony)
- Super Bowl XLIX (2015)
- 2016 Summer Olympics (daytime co-host)
- Super Bowl LII (2018)
- Super Bowl LVI (2022)
- Bluey: The Sign (2024)
Career timeline
- 1968–1970: Hawaii Islanders Play-by-play[87]
- 1971–1973: Cincinnati Reds Radio Play-by-play[87]
- 1971–1974: NFL on NBC Play-by-play
- 1972 and 1980–1988: Winter OlympicsHockey Play-by-play (NBC 1972, ABC 1980–1988)
- 1973–1975: UCLA Basketball TV Play-by-play[87]
- 1974–1976: San Francisco Giants TV & Radio Play-by-play[87]
- 1975: NFL on CBS Play-by-play
- 1976–1989, 1994–1995: Major League Baseball on ABC Play-by-play (Lead Play-by-play from 1983 to 1989 and 1994 to 1995)
- 1977–1985: College Football on ABC Play-by-play
- 1986–2005: ABC Monday Night FootballPlay-by-play
- 1986–2000: Kentucky Derby Host (ABC)
- 1986–2000: Preakness Stakes Host (ABC)
- 1986–2000: Belmont Stakes Host (ABC)
- 1987–1989: College Basketball on ABC Play-by-play
- 1989–1992: Sugar Bowl Play-by-play (ABC)
- 2000–2002: NHL on ABC Stanley Cup Finals host
- 2003–2005: NBA on ABC Play-by-play
- 2006–2021: NBC Sunday Night Football Play-by-play
- 2015: PBC on NBC Host
- 2016: Thursday Night Football on NBC/NFL Network Play-by-play
- 2022–present: Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video Play-by-play
- 2022–present: NBC Sports Emeritus role
Broadcast partners
- Hank Stram
- Hubie Brown
- Frank Broyles
- Nelson Burton, Jr.
- Norm Cash
- Cris Collinsworth
- Howard Cosell
- Heather Cox
- Dan Dierdorf
- Ken Dryden
- Don Drysdale
- Boomer Esiason
- Dan Fouts
- Bob Gibson
- Frank Gifford
- Lisa Guerrero
- Lee Grosscup
- Kaylee Hartung
- Kirk Herbstreit
- Suzy Kolber
- Andrea Kremer
- Tommy Lasorda
- John Madden
- Tim McCarver
- Dennis Miller
- Joe Nuxhall
- Jim Palmer
- Ara Parseghian
- Doc Rivers
- Lon Simmons
- Melissa Stark
- Michele Tafoya
- Kathryn Tappen
- Mike Tirico
- Bob Uecker
- Lesley Visser
- Wayne Walker
- Earl Weaver
- Bill White
References
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- ^ "Daily 49er: CSULB professor explores baseball's impact on Jewish Americans". daily49er.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ a b "Al Michaels' bio at Sports Stars USA". Sports Stars USA. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
- ^ a b Michael Hiestand (August 18, 2006). "Michaels brothers: TV destiny". USA Today.
- ^ Lidz, Franz (February 15, 1988). "This Mouth Talks Back". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ Stewart, Larry (June 4, 2004). "Michaels Has Come Full Circle". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b Stewart, Larry (January 26, 2003). "He Keeps Living Dream Come True". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Fang, Ken (December 27, 2016). "AL MICHAELS PAID HIS DUES IN BROADCASTING BEFORE MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL". Awful Announcing.
- ^ "Michaels signs contract extension with ABC". ABC Sports online. ABCSports.com. May 13, 2003. Retrieved August 14, 2009.
- ^ "Olympic final most-watched hockey game in 30 years – NHL.com – All-Access Vancouver". nhl.com. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Hirdt, Steve (July 23, 2021). "Yes, Al, We Do Believe In Miracles". The Analyst.
- ^ a b [1][dead link]
- ^ Syken, Bill (November 15, 2004), "He Missed the Call!", Sports Illustrated, vol. 101, no. 19, archived from the original on October 25, 2012
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- New York Times. p. B15. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Nidetz, Steve (April 15, 1993). "NETWORK TELECASTS GO BEYOND HAWK OPENER". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Stewart, Larry (April 16, 1993). "After Early Sampling, He Needs Spice". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Nidetz, Steve (April 15, 1993). "NETWORK TELECASTS GO BEYOND HAWK OPENER". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Nidetz, Steve (April 11, 1994). "LEAVE IT TO CABLE TO COME UP WITH A CLASSIC IDEA". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Lidz, Franz (February 15, 1988). "This Mouth Talks Back". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011.
- ^ Halberstam, David J. (December 9, 2020). "Al Michaels wins HOF's Ford Frick Award; Did 8 World Series on network TV, Also Voice of Reds and Giants". Sports Broadcast Journal.
- ^ Lidz, Frank (February 15, 1988). "THIS MOUTH TALKS BACK". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ Hirst, Steve (July 23, 2021). "Yes, Al, We Do Believe In Miracles". The Analyst.
- ^ "MEMORIES. YOU'RE TALKIN' ABOUT MEMORIES: THE FINAL OUTS OF THE 1986 ALCS". Surviving Grady. January 23, 2008.
- ^ "Screen Grabs from MLB Classics on YouTube: 1986 ALCS, Game 5 – Boston at California". Fenway Pastoral. August 12, 2013.
- ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (October 12, 2021). "The most gut-wrenching game in Angels history: 35 years later, it still haunts them". Yahoo.
- ISBN 9781785657184.
- ^ Finn, Chad (December 9, 2020). "Al Michaels wins 2021 Ford Frick Award from Baseball Hall of Fame". Boston.
- ^ Crehan, Herb (January 1, 2016). "Remembering Dave "Hendu" Henderson". Boston Baseball History.
- ^ "Al Michaels says Twins pumped fake noise into 1987 World Series". MSN. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ISBN 9781633194809.
- ^ Curtis, Bryan; Lee, Patricia (October 30, 2013). "An oral history of the 1989 World Series, which was dominated by the Oakland A's – and devastated by the Loma Prieta earthquake". Grantland.
- ^ "Earthquake". Time. Monday, October 30, 1989. Ed Magnuson. p. 2. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
- ^ News report on MLB.COM, 1:50 minutes in. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
- ^ "Earthquake". Time. Monday, October 30, 1989. Ed Magnuson. p. 3. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
- ISBN 9781633194625.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ Marquez, Donald (October 17, 2009). "Series, Interrupted". SBNation.com.
- ^ Marquez, Donald (November 9, 2009). "Scrapbook Memories: 1989 World Series, Game 3, Part 2". SBNation.com.
- ^ Asher, Mark (June 7, 1990). "ABC SIGNS MICHAELS TO RECORD DEAL". The Washington Post.
- ^ Stewart, Larry (December 30, 1988). "Show Time Started Early for Two Brothers". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Nidetz, Steve (May 3, 1990). "ABC SPORTS TUNES IN TO MUSBURGER". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Bode, Gus (July 25, 1995). "More tales of The Baseball Network. ABC lost the 1994 World Series; this was supposed to be NBC's year. Instead, they split the spoils. Who got the better of the deal? Let's see. The networks each get 6 percent of the advertising revenues; baseball gets 88 percent. Call it a draw". The Daily Egyptian.
- ^ Frager, Ray (December 17, 1993). "Enterprising Costas stays at NBC for next generation of baseball". The Baltimore Sun.
- ISBN 9780062314987.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - YouTube
- ^ Pergament, Alan (October 27, 1995). "NBC'S MORGAN EMERGES AS SERIES STAR IN BOOTH". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on February 16, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ Paulsen (December 19, 2009). "Decade in Review: 10 worst personnel moves — Sports Media Watch". Sports Media Watch.
- ^ "Sports Media Watch: Is Buck the new Michaels?". sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com.
- ^ Paulsen (December 19, 2009). "Decade in Review: 10 worst personnel moves". Sports Media Watch.
- ^ "NBA on ABC Can't Live Up to Predecessors". OhMyNews.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007.
- ^ "Michaels signs contract extension with ABC". ESPN. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ "Michaels, Theismann, Kolber, Tafoya to crew MNF". ESPN. July 26, 2005.
- ^ Bob Raissman (January 31, 2006). "Michaels won't give play-by-play of plans". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on February 9, 2006.
- ^ "ESPN names new MNF team; Breen to call NBA games". ESPN. February 10, 2006.
- ^ "NBC acquires Michaels for cartoon bunny, golf". Associated Press. February 13, 2006. Archived from the original on February 22, 2006.
- ^ Miller, Shales, James Andrew, Tom. Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN (PDF). p. 573.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Epic (Mickey) trade: Disney swaps Al Michaels for Oswald | Joystiq". joystiq.com. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Farmer, Sam (October 10, 2005). "Monday Evening Quarterback". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Did You Know That Al Michaels Eats An Entire Meal Every Week While Calling Sunday Night Football".
- ^ "AL MICHAELS NAMED TO EMERITUS ROLE WITH NBC SPORTS". NBC Sports Group Press Box. May 24, 2022.
- ^ "Al Michaels Will Not Call Upcoming NFL Playoffs for NBC Sports amid Criticism Over His Energy". Peoplemag. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
- ^ Staff, Richard Deitsch and The Athletic. "Al Michaels left out of NBC playoff broadcasts". The Athletic. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
- ^ "Breaking News: Al Michaels to Host Winter Olympics for NBC Sports".
- ^ "Al Michaels to host NBC daytime coverage during Rio Olympics". USA Today. June 15, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ^ Sandomir, Richard (February 21, 2010). "Michaels in the Studio: Unfamiliar, but Not a First". The New York Times.
- ^ Yoder, Matt (February 9, 2015). "Marv Albert and Sugar Ray Leonard are NBC's boxing announcing team". Awful Announcing.
- ^ Casselberry, Ian (January 16, 2015). "NBC brings boxing back to prime time, hosted by Al Michaels". Awful Announcing.
- ^ Abramson, Mitch (January 14, 2015). "Al Haymon MIA as NBC announces new prime time boxing schedule". New York Daily News.
- ^ Willis, George (January 15, 2015). "Al Michaels to call top-notch boxing on NBC – who will watch?". New York Post.
- ^ Fang, Ken (June 29, 2011). "Al Michaels & Bob Costas To Call Game For MLB Network in July". Fangsbites.com. Wordpress. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
- ^ "Al Michaels, not Mike Tirico, will be calling NFL games on Thursday for NBC". New York Daily News. August 20, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "NFL Reverses Course, Will Let Mike Tirico Call "TNF" For NBC This Season". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. June 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit announced as broadcast team for 'Thursday Night Football' on Prime Video". NFL.com. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "Al Michaels addresses low energy criticism: 'You can't let things like that distress you'". USA Today. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "Al Michaels continues to draw criticism for lack of enthusiasm during TNF". Awful Announcing. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "Al Michaels responded to the criticism over his unenthusiastic performance as TNF announcer". USA Today. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "Al Michaels likens calling this season's Amazon TNF games to selling a 'used car'". Awful Announcing. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "ASA's Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time". americansportscastersonline.com. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Arizona State University (January 29, 2009). "Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
- ^ "Enshrinement – Al Michaels named winner of Rozelle Award". profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Guardado, Maria (July 25, 2021). "Michaels gets '21 Frick for 'first love, baseball'". MLB.
- ^ Moeller, Jeff (November 5, 2012). "Mic'd Up with Al Michaels". National Hockey League. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
- ^ Morgenstein, Mark; Stapleton, AnneClaire (April 20, 2013). "Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels arrested, charged for DUI". CNN. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
- ^ "Al Michaels – On Probation for the Next Two NFL Seasons". TMZ. August 10, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ "Olympic Rings and Other Things : Countdown to Korea". Olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ^ Magary, Drew (October 29, 2020). "Al Michaels And The Price Of Comfort". Defector.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Al Michaels – ABC Sports Journalist – Nationwide Speakers Bureau Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- "Al Michaels Talks TNF, John Madden, Brady, McVay, Rodgers & More with Rich Eisen," The Rich Eisen Show via YouTube.com, September 9, 2023. (Video.)