Macdonald’s Cameo Becomes Memorable
A few weeks ago, Tom Feuer, the new executive producer at FSN West, assigned Bill Macdonald to fill in for play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers and call the Laker-Toronto Raptor game scheduled for Jan. 22.
That was last Sunday. And it was memorable.
It was Macdonald’s first Laker game as the play-by-play announcer. But that’s not why it was memorable. That night Kobe Bryant scored 81 points.
“If it is the only Laker game I ever call, I can say I was fortunate to sit in on history,” said Macdonald, who did an outstanding job. “It was a thrill to sit in the same seat Chick Hearn used to occupy. But I felt badly for Joel because it is his gig.”
Said Meyers: “The game was not about me or Billy Mac. It was about Kobe.”
Meyers missed the game because he was working Sunday’s NFC championship game in Seattle. Meyers has been doing football for CBS Radio/Westwood One since 1985 and said he does it out of loyalty.
“I’ve been under contract with these people for a lot of years and the Lakers knew that,” Meyers said. “I will just be as loyal to the Lakers for my many more life-long years.”
It was Meyers’ third and final scheduling conflict this season. Steve Physioc filled in on a Laker-Clipper telecast on Channel 9 on Jan. 7 and Greg Papa filled in for a game at Golden State a week later.
Macdonald was a natural choice as the fill-in for the one FSN West Laker game Meyers would miss. Feuer is well aware of Macdonald’s versatility. The two have known each other since 1985, when both joined a then-new regional sports network known as Prime Ticket. Feuer was Prime Ticket’s first publicity director. Macdonald was then a budding sportscaster.
In 1988, Feuer went elsewhere. Then, about a month ago, he came to FSN West.
With Macdonald, normally the sideline reporter, handling the play-by-play, Patrick O’Neal was given the task of being the first to interview Bryant after Sunday’s game. O’Neal also interviewed Bryant after he scored 62 against Dallas in three quarters on Dec. 20.
“Hopefully, I’ll be there when he drops 101,” O’Neal said.
Right Place, Right Time
Sometimes, for no apparent reason, things fall into place.
Sacramento King owners Joe and Gavin Maloof just happened to be at the NBA Entertainment headquarters in Secaucus, N.J., on Tuesday for a press luncheon.
The Maloofs were there to help promote a new NBA-produced reality show, “NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad,” which makes its debut Saturday on ABC at 3 p.m. After a luncheon, the Maloofs had another project to worry about -- acquiring Ron Artest from the Indiana Pacers. The Maloofs got on their phones right there at the NBA Entertainment studios.
Far from camera shy, they allowed “NBA Access” film crews to capture their emotional rollercoaster as the trade appeared to be falling apart. Talk about total access. Viewers will be able to see how this major deal ultimately went down.
No secondhand reporting here. This is a case of real reality television.