Legendary CBS/ESPN-ABC Sports Broadcaster Brent Musburger Part I | Tell Me A Story I Don't Know

On the latest feature interview on the Announcer Schedules Podcast, co-hosts Mike Gill and Phil de Montmollin catch up with Zora Stephenson of NBC Sports.  Stephenson called several of Caitlin Clark's games this season for Peacock, including when Clark broke the NCAA D1 women's basketball all-time scoring record. 

 Learn about Stephenson's journey as a reporter and a play-by-play announcer, along with what it has been like to call women's basketball during this history-making season. Zora Stephenson serves as the play-by-play voice for Peacock’s exclusive slate of Big Ten Women’s Basketball and as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ coverage of Notre Dame Football and Big Ten Football.

Stephenson, who joined NBC Sports in July 2021, worked as an NBC Olympics social media host during the Beijing Winter Games.In addition, Stephenson served as the play-by-play voice of the ‘Citi Shamrock Classic’ women’s college basketball games in 2022 and 2023 and was the sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ USFL coverage, multiple gymnastics events, and select HBCU college football games. She has also hosted NBC Sports Audio’s Hardwood HERstory podcast.

Previously, Stephenson served as a sideline and digital reporter for the Milwaukee Bucks on Bally Sports/Fox Wisconsin (2019-2023). In April 2021, she became the first woman to handle play-by-play for a Bucks game.Stephenson has been an on-air contributor for WTMJ-Radio, The Truth, and ESPN Radio in Milwaukee. Before her career in Milwaukee, Stephenson was an Emmy Award-winning news anchor and reporter at local television stations in Denver, Colorado, and Greenville, North Carolina.

Stephenson is a 2015 graduate of Elon University in North Carolina, where she was a four-year member of the basketball team. A three-year starter, Stephenson set a school record for single-season, three-point field goal percentage in the 2011-12 season (42.3%).

Hear more from her on this edition of the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" as part of the Last Word on Sports Media podcast feed. And, make sure to follow/subscrbie on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, etc.!

This week on Episode 89 of the Announcer Schedules Podcast, Mike Gill and Phil de Montmollin pay tribute to Chris Mortensen and analyze the next possible move for Jason Kelce. A deep look into the upcoming college basketball, while the latest from the NBA, NHL and MLB are also detailed. Finally, a new report on Bill Belichick and his next home is also discussed. A multitude of announcers from past and present are mentioned throughout the show with an array of topics discussed including:

*** Rest in Peace Chris Mortensen
*** Mortensen's impact *** Jason Kelce retirement *** What shoe fits for Kelce in media*** Upcoming college hoops*** Return of Bill Walton with Dave Pasch*** Champ games on Westwood One *** Gus Johnson covering WBB
*** Women's basketball conference tourneys *** Upcoming NBA action *** Breen, Burke and Redick chemistry *** Four games in four nights for Dave Pasch*** Kathryn Tappen rejoins NHL Network
*** Upcoming NHL action
*** Spring Training baseball
*** Bill Belichick and Omaha Productions report

Hear it all on the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" as part of the Last Word on Sports Media podcast feed and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.!

We have flipped the calendar to March and there's plenty of college hoops coverage and more, including the passing of one of the original "NFL Insiders" in the media is all part of the newest "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast!"

Host T.J. Rives returns with thoughts on Iowa women's basketball sensation Caitlin Clark continuing to bring massive audience to the NCAA contests, but believes it's too much to start comparing her scoring stats to men's scoring leader, the late "Pistol Pete" Maravich from 50 years ago.

Then, he brings aboard Jonathan Grella, former V.P. of Communications for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL and recently, the LIV Golf Series, to give his thoughts on the Clark vs. men's records debate. Jonathan also has insight on the passing of Chris Mortensen, who became immensely prominent in the 90s and 2000s for his NFL information gathering for ESPN. Grella dealt directly with Chris, who died of complications from cancer this past weekend at 72 and he has thoughts on the impact Mortensen had on his colleagues, the profession and more.

It's all part of the latest "Last Word On Sports Media Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, etc.!

This week on Episode 88 of the Announcer Schedules Podcast, Mike Gill and Phil de Montmollin discuss the retirements of Peter King and Bill Hillgrove as well as the recent discussion of court storming in college basketball. The latest from the NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR and Formula One are also detailed.A multitude of announcers from past and present are mentioned throughout the show with an array of topics discussed including:
*** Peter King's retirement
*** King on the television side
*** Bill Hillgrove retiring from Steelers
*** Hillgrove to stay on at Pitt
*** Court Storming discussion ongoing
*** ESPN's coverage of Duke-Wake
*** Upcoming college hoops
*** Explosion of women's college basketball
*** JJ Redick debut with ESPN's lead NBA team
*** Jeff Van Gundy now a Boston Celtic *** Cavs buzzer beater over Mavs
*** Upcoming NBA and NHL
*** Spring Training baseball
*** Dale Earnhardt Jr. to TNT and Amazon
*** NASCAR's fast start
*** Formula One season opener

Hear it all on the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" as part of the Last Word on Sports Media podcast feed. And, make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, etc.!

Lots of subjects from the dangerous excitement of "court storming" in college basketball, to the NFL finding magic with it's off season coverage of their scouting combine before the draft and more to be discussed on the newest "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is back with his takes and is joined by Mike Gill, host of "The Sports Bash" five days a week on Atlantic City's ESPN Radio affiliate and also the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" with Phil de Montmollin for his insight, too.

The guys discuss the awareness of court storming going way up with the events of Saturday, when Duke's Kyle Filipowski was caught in the middle of Wake Forest fans and students rushing the court by the hundreds. Mike, even relates a personal story on his own court storm too!

Then, the boys talk the amazing popularity of the NFL scouting combine early this week. Why is it such a media driven event now for networks and the internet?

And, what about early season Spring Training baseball on TV, what do the guys think and do they agree?

It's all part of the "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.!

This week on Episode 87 of the Announcer Schedules Podcast, Mike Gill and Phil de Montmollin provide a postscript to the 2023 NFL season and look ahead to what's next for the NFL announcing scene in 2024. The recent news of Jac Collinsworth and Eli Gold out at Notre Dame and Alabama respectively, along with the multiple roles of JJ Redick at ESPN are discussed. Also, all the latest from the MLB, NHL and college basketball. Finally, a look back at this year's Daytona 500 and an anniversary celebration of the Miracle on Ice.A multitude of announcers from past and present are mentioned throughout the show with an array of topics discussed including:

*** 2023 NFL postscripts
*** No. 1 teams at CBS and FOX for NFL
*** What's next for NFL in 2024
*** Jac Collinsworth out, Dan Hicks in for ND Football
*** Eli Gold not returning as Alabama voice
*** JJ Redick balancing of talk shows with being a game analyst
*** Breen, Redick and Burke debut
*** Another big Saturday for College Hoops
*** NHL Stadium Series leading into more action *** A fourth-generation announcer called up to MLB
*** Spring Training underway
*** Daytona 500 recap
*** Miracle on Ice anniversary

Hear it all on the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscrbie on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.!

The NBA All Star Game is floundering. Can it be saved? The Daytona 500, NASCAR's "Super Bowl," ran with a prominent racer now in the Fox Sports booth and we're ready to talk on those subjects and more on the "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is back iwth his takes and guest Tyler Jones joins him with more. Tyler hosts his own "Jones Report" podcast and is part of the NASCAR themed "Let's Go Racing with David Starr!" show and podcast.

First, T.J. and Tyler discuss the NBA All Star game suffering from a lack of audience, largely because the game (not unlike the NFL Pro Bowl or the NHL All Star Game) is now a farce. What can be done to help it?

Next, prominent driver Kevin Harvick made his official debut for Fox Sports on the call of their biggest race, the Daytona 500. The guys discuss how he did and will he be willing to criticize other drivers, etc.?

There's also discussion on ESPN's stranglehold on the College Football Playoff and will the ESPN/Warner Discovery/Fox Sports streaming idea get off the ground?

Hear it all on the "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.

This week on Episode 86 of the Announcer Schedules Podcast, Mike Gill and Phil de Montmollin provide a full breakdown of the Super Bowl from the broadcasting perspective with clips of the game-winning calls from several announcers. The news of JJ Redick joining the number one NBA team for ESPN is also discussed along with the announcing plans for the NBA All-Star Weekend. The latest from college hoops, the NHL Stadium Series, MLB and the Daytona 500 rounds out the show.A multitude of announcers from past and present are mentioned throughout the show with an array of topics discussed including:

*** Super Bowl on CBS recap
*** Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the final call
*** Final calls from Ian Eagle and Chris Fowler
*** Call from Kevin Harlan on Westwood One
*** Chiefs and 49ers radio calls
*** Future Super Bowl booths
*** JJ Redick to number one NBA team
*** NBA All-Star plans
*** Big Saturday for College Hoops
*** ABC's coverage of NHL Stadium Series*** Jenny Cavnar named voice of Oakland A's
*** ESPN's Spring Training inventory
*** Daytona 500 on FOX








Hear it all on the Announcer Schedules Podcast as part of the Last Word on Sports Media Podcast feed and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.

The Super Bowl is in the books with the Chiefs winning dramatically over the 49ers in OT and we're here to assess how CBS did broadcasting the game and more on the newest "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast."

Host T.J. Rives is back and welcomes Ken Fang of Awful Announcing to go over the "highs and lows" of the biggest game of the football season. How did the team of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo do with their call? What about the coerage from CBS with their cameras, graphics and story telling? And, will Nantz and Romo both still be in the booth for the network's next Super Bowl in four years? Ken gives his insight with T.J. adding to it.

They also discuss the apparent extension for ESPN of the College Football Playoff coverage, when it looked like another TV network might get in for some of the playoff games. Does ESPN wield too much control of the sport? And, finally, it looks like more ESPN news as analyst J.J. Reddick may be about to join Mike Breen and Doris Burke on the top team replacing Doc Rivers. Some early discussion on how Reddick will do.

And, there's some boxing, yes Boxing, with the anniverary from 1990 of Buster Douglas stunning the sports world with his knockout of Mike Tyson. T.J. replays a convo with Boxing insder/authority Dan Rafael, about the magnitude of the win, but the fact that only HBO had the footage of the bout and they didn't even show the replay until a full week later! The guys also remember where they were and how they were able to see it.



It's all on the "Last Word on Sports Media Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.!!

It's a special conversation from "Radio Row" at Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas. This, as Mike Gill talks with Fox Sports NFL Rules analyst Dean Blandino about the upcoming game and more on the "Announcer Schedules Podcast."

Blandino is the former head of officiating for the league and he discusses the level of competency and the challenges for the officials in the present NFL. And, most importantly, the role of instant replay and reviews in officiating the game.

Blandino is also used as a rules analyst on Fox's college football coverage on Saturdays, as well.

It's all on the "Announcer Schedules Podcast" as part of the Last Word on Sports Media Podcast feed and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple, Spreaker, Spotify, Google, etc.!