The Races Were Great, Telecast Not So Good

There were many memorable moments during the Breeders’ Cup races last Saturday, but Stan Isaacs of Newsday thinks NBC could have done a better job of televising them.

Isaacs writes: “There were too many voices, no real focus. Frequent hesitations by host Dick Enberg seemed to reflect confusion in the production truck, and we occasionally heard instructions from the truck on the air. Synchronization between commentary and taped action was spotty. Reporter Trevor Denman (of Santa Anita) was all too effusive most of the time.

“Exultant winning jockey Angel Cordero lit up the screen dismounting after the first race, but we never heard from him. Reporters Jenny Ornsteen and Sharon Smith frequently interviewed people of no particular news value--losing jockeys and trainers--only because they were available.

“There were few sustained replays of any of the races before the Classic. Tom Hammond did an excellent analysis of the Classic in a replay, but they showed only snatches of reruns in the other races. With 4 1/2 hours of air time, the reruns rated more air time.

“Oddly, jockey Gregg McCarron, not the most articulate or commanding presence, wound up with the most significant role in pre-race analysis. Hammond’s questioning astutely set up McCarron, who was astride a pony in the post parades, yet Hammond might well have provided keener answers than McCarron under a different scenario.”

Trivia time: Quarterbacks Dave Krieg of the Seattle Seahawks and Mark Rypien of the Washington Redskins have each fumbled 11 times this season. Who holds the NFL season record?

Baby Bull: Chicago Bull rookie B.J. Armstrong is often teased about his baby face, a feature he can hardly deny.

He recently took a friend to the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago, and the ticket-seller charged Armstrong $2.50--the rate for children 14 and under.

Add Bulls: Chicago center Will Perdue, who has the biggest feet in the NBA, hadn’t owned a pair of dress shoes in years until he was fitted with a pair of 22-AAAAs this summer.

The 7-footer flew to Nashville, Tenn., home of Johnston & Murphy Shoe Co., for a special fitting.

It’s OK, Pop: Coach Gene Murphy of Cal State Fullerton has been feeling beleaguered by the hubbub over his sending in the reserves Saturday when Mike Pringle was on the verge of setting the national single-game rushing record.

A caller to KMNY’s Titan Talk radio show Tuesday, identifying himself as Mike from Fullerton, offered his support.

“No matter what the media says, I still love you,” the caller said.

It was Murphy’s son, Michael, a Fullerton sophomore.

Murphy sent in the reserves with Pringle just five yards short of tying the record of 357 yards, took the heat for his decision Sunday, then learned Monday after a statistician’s error was corrected that Pringle had tied the record anyway.

Trivia answer: Former Houston quarterback Dan Pastorini (1973) and current Oiler quarterback Warren Moon (1984), 17 each.

Quotebook: Rep. Mike Tate (R-Ill.) on attempts to replace Chief Illiniwek as the mascot at the University of Illinois: “If Chief Illiniwek is demeaning to native Americans, then the Notre Dame symbol is demeaning to Irish-Americans--and it should be dropped, also.”