No Need to Coach Fratello for TV

There was ongoing speculation that the Clippers might hire Mike Fratello as their next coach, but they went instead with Larry Brown.

The Clippers’ loss is the viewers’ gain.

Fratello, the former Atlanta Hawk coach who does the NBA for NBC and the Clippers for Channel 13, is a broadcasting natural.

He is knowledgeable, of course, but more importantly, he communicates that knowledge smoothly and concisely.

Fratello is a combination of Hubie Brown and Rick Barry, but he has more personality.

Dick Enberg and Fratello, who worked together last Sunday on the Laker-Chicago game, will announce Sunday’s All-Star game.

Fratello’s regular partner is Marv Albert, but because it is Enberg’s turn to work the All-Star game, Enberg and Fratello were paired last Sunday to give them a chance to get used to each other.

Magic Johnson, who served as a third commentator, was a fine addition.

Johnson, considering his lack of experience, was tremendous.

He, too, was smooth and concise. And he wasn’t afraid to criticize his former teammates.

Maybe instead of playing Sunday, Johnson should have again worked with Enberg and Fratello.

One thing for sure, it would have avoided a lot of controversy.

Enberg is among those who say Johnson should play. For one thing, Enberg said, the fans voted him in.

Also, Enberg said, “Unlike Dr. J and Kareem, there’s no goodby tour for Magic. I think he sees this as a chance to wave goodby.”

After last Sunday’s telecast, Enberg did a 45-minute interview with Johnson, which will be edited and televised Sunday.

Johnson, upbeat as ever, told Enberg he believes he has 12 to 15 years to live, and that hopefully a cure for AIDS will be found before then.

Enberg said about the only times Johnson showed emotion was when he talked about playing against Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.

Part of the interview will be shown at halftime of the Michigan-Notre Dame game, which precedes the All-Star telecast, but most of it will be aired on the All-Star pregame show.

Bill Walton, another outstanding basketball commentator, pulled off an unusual double this week. He worked Tuesday night’s Clipper game against the Mavericks for Dallas television and he worked Wednesday night’s Clipper game against the Lakers for Channel 13.

Walton, among other things, is the Mavericks’ television commentator.

The Clippers, who need all the friends they can get, upset a lot of reporters by having General Manager Elgin Baylor announce Brown’s signing on Channel 13 during halftime of Wednesday’s game at the Forum.

It didn’t make any sense. Even though it was a foregone conclusion, Baylor was not made available to anyone else. At least the Clippers didn’t allow Channel 13 to interview Brown as well.

Recommended viewing: Students and parents should both watch the “NBA All-Star Stay in School JAM” Saturday at 9 a.m.

This show carries such an important message that it is being carried by four networks--NBC, TNT, Black Entertainment Network and Nickelodeon.

Besides its message, the show, with Ahmad Rashad and Willow Bay serving as co-hosts, offers plenty of entertainment. Guests include Hammer, Wil Smith (“The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”), Kid ‘N Play, and many more.

Boxing beat: Larry Holmes has defeated four opponents since making a comeback, but tonight he faces a real test. He takes on unbeaten Ray Mercer, an Olympic gold medalist, in the TVKO fight of the month at 7 p.m.

On the undercard of the $19.95 show are two attractive matchups--super middleweights Doug DeWitt and Tyrone Frazier and lightweights Todd Foster and Jimmy Paul.

Add boxing: The networks haven’t dropped the sport completely. ABC gets back into it this weekend with the first installment of the “Fruit of the Loom Boxing Series.”

Yes, that’s what they call it.

Saturday at 4:30 p.m., a delay of three hours, James Toney, who beat Michael Nunn, defends his International Boxing Federation lightweight title against Dave Tiberi.

Next Saturday, unbeaten Michael Carbajal faces Marcos Pacheco at Phoenix and then on Saturday, Feb. 22, Terry Norris fights unbeaten Carl Daniels at San Diego.

TV-Radio Notes

The Southern California Sports Broadcasters Assn. will hold its first Tom Harmon Awards luncheon next Thursday at Lakeside Golf Club. Sportscaster of the year nominees include Chick Hearn, Vin Scully, Bob Miller and Tom Kelly. Tom Kelly? Nominees for best sports anchor are Jim Hill, Keith Olbermann and Stu Nahan. No Fred Roggin? Wonder if Nahan, the group’s president, had a say in the nominations. Nahan and Roggin, rivals when they worked together at Channel 4, aren’t exactly the best of friends. The broadcasters are giving awards in eight categories, plus four special awards: (1) the first Hall of Fame enshrinement to the late Tom Harmon; (2) the good-guy award to long-time radio engineer Monty Bancroft; (3) the special achievement award to Ross Porter for his 1989 solo broadcast of a 22-inning Dodger game, and (4) the high-five award to the Dodgers. The luncheon will be emceed by Dick Enberg. Details: 818 799-3700.

Bill Ward, KMPC general manager, showed class by going on the Scott St. James show to take calls about the station’s new all-sports format, to go into effect in April. Most callers were upset the station was dropping music. . . . Ward also went on the Robert W. Morgan morning show Monday to clarify that Morgan’s show, although it will become more sports-oriented, will remain basically the same. Ward admitted it was his fault that there was some misunderstanding there. . . . San Bernardino station KMEN (1290) went to an all-sports format last Friday.

Channel 2 has taken out ads promoting the fact that it has assigned Jim Lampley to cover the Winter Olympics, even though Lampley was recently dropped as a news anchor. . . . Lampley’s New York agent, Art Kaminsky, said he will fly to Albertville, France, to speak with his client about his future. The station has asked Lampley, whom they have under contract, to return to sports.

The new Upper Deck overhead camera will be used by NBC at the NBA All-Star game. It will also be used by TNT to cover Saturday’s slam-dunk contest, which will be part of a three-hour show that begins at 4 p.m. . . . TNT will use Magic Johnson as a commentator on the slam-dunk competition and three-point shooting contest and will have a microphone on Doug Collins, a participant in the legends game. . . . KLAC will carry the NBA Radio Network’s coverage of Sunday’s All-Star game, and will carry other NBA broadcasts on Sundays for the remainder of the season.

Dodgers Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis each year return to their old neighborhood in South-Central Los Angeles to work out at the Harvard Recreation Center and spread the word of hope and inspiration. Prime Ticket’s Randi Hall caught up with the two recently, and her feature will be shown on “Press Box” Monday night.

NBC will televise the Pepsi All-Star softball game live from Angel Stadium in Palm Springs Saturday at 1 p.m., with Joel Meyers and Tom Lasorda announcing. This game has raised more than $600,000 for the National Assn. for Sickle Cell Disease. . . . After the softball game, “SportsWorld” features the “Sudafed Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular,” formerly titled “Symphony of Sports.” The show has skaters and gymnasts performing side by side. . . . Super Police Bowl III, pitting Los Angeles’ Centurions against Miami’s Magnum Force, will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Coliseum and will be taped by Prime Ticket and shown in about two weeks. The football game is a benefit for children’s charities.

Keith Gretzky, Wayne’s younger brother, will be spotlighted on “Power Stick Hockey Week” on Prime Ticket tonight at 6:30. The show will be repeated Saturday at 4 p.m. . . . SportsChannel will televise Sunday’s Charles H. Strub Stakes from Santa Anita. Sharon Smith has been hired to work the race with Trevor Denman. . . . Channel 9 has hired Deborah Vogel, formerly a news producer for Channel 11, as its lead sports producer.

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