Get to know Mike Tirico

Subject:

Comments:
: Mike Tirico talks Bears, Bulls and ESPN : Posted by Ed Sherman : at 12/19/2008 8:00 AM CST on Chicago Business : I've known Mike Tirico for a long time. Back in the early 90s, when he was anchoring "SportsCenter," I told him he was going to be a big star. : I'm often wrong in my predictions, but not about Mr. Tirico. He's everywhere as the voice of ESPN's "Monday Night Football"; a play-by-play man for the NBA; and co-host of a national radio show, which airs on WMVP-AM 1000. : Mr. Tirico will be on the call Monday for the Bears-Green Bay game on ESPN. First, he had to answer our questions. : Q: The Bears could be eliminated from the playoff race prior to Monday's game. How important is it for ESPN to still have them in the hunt? : Mr. Tirico: Oh, sure I'm rooting for the Bears to be alive. That's no disrespect to Atlanta, Minnesota. If we're going to stay out in 9 degree weather on the Monday before Christmas, I want it to matter. : : Q. How important is it for the NFL for the Bears to be a contending team? : Mr. Tirico: When the old standards are good, the whole picture is a lot stronger. That means the New York teams, the Dolphins and certainly the Steelers, the Bears, Packers, and Cowboys. When the Bears are good, it attracts more national interest than if the Jaguars are good. Carolina has had a really good run, but if you put their game on TV, it doesn't sound as good as Bears-Packers. There's a comfort food feature. When the Bears-Packers are just OK, it still is better than something that's really good. : : Q. In the same vain, you also cover NBA games. How important is it for the NBA to have a strong Bulls team? : Mr. Tirico: I think it is very important. You still have that generation of spenders, the 18-49 male, who all grew up watching Michael Jordan on Sundays. That Bulls success, there's something that still has a familiarity, and the desire to see it again. You can't minimize the sheer number of people who come to the TV in New York, Chicago, LA, when those teams are good. When those teams are strong, you're guaranteed millions of people will watch those games. That's why a strong Chicago would help. : : Q. How do you think the Monday Night telecast is coming together with you, Tony Kornheiser and Ron Jaworski? : Mr. Tirico: I think it's fine. I know we do a pretty intelligent broadcast. We do not bury issues. When you have a national game, it is different than if your team is on at noon Sunday. Tony brings a different quality to the booth than anyone else out there. Jaws' breakdowns are as good as anybody in the league. If you put those factors together, I'm proud of what we do. : : Q: Your network, ESPN, recently landed the BCS. Everyone believes it will be the start of major sporting events such as the Final Four moving exclusively to cable. What's your take? : Mr. Tirico: I think back to even 15 years ago when people scoffed at the model. "Well, it's cable" was the catch phrase. Now the notion that cable can't produce the product the same way (as the over-the-air networks) is gone. : The business model is over my head. But we understand the revenue streams allow cable to be a player on the same level, if not a superior level, as broadcast. There are a lot of executives 20 years ago who scoffed at (big events going to cable). Now the event doesn't take a turn down if it goes to cable TV. It still will be seen by a lot of people, and you could make the argument the promotion is better on cable. : : Q: The long-range forecast calls for single-digit temperatures Monday night. Will Tony survive? : Mr. Tirico: We're into December, so my Kornheiser weather paranoia fatigue has maxed out. Just show up and let's get on with it. : : (Crain's)

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

Enter verification code: