Sportscenter Old School Comments

[korme]

Kilborn and Dan tonight. First thoughts - the set and graphics. ARE BETTER AND MORE ENJOYABLE than the current flashy shit on there now. I like the plain background, the squared off names/info/pictures.. classy.

At the very end Kilborn closes out going.. Thanks Dan, thanks ESPN, Keith.. get well soon buddy, I'm proud of ya!

zing

[Pumpy Tudors]

Whoops. Forgot to watch it. The Kilborn one was the only one I was interested in seeing. Oh well.

[JeffNights]

Simply awesome, loved it.

[Neuqua]

I don't get the Keith comment.

explain?

[The Un-Ghosted Chubby]

I don't get the Keith comment.

explain?
I thought he had a serious ailment but I'm not positive.

[korme]

Wow, really? I thought Kilborn was just joking about 'get well soon' since he's obviously MIA from these Old School bits when he should be there for the reunion week..

[The Un-Ghosted Chubby]

Wow, really? I thought Kilborn was just joking about 'get well soon' since he's obviously MIA from these Old School bits when he should be there for the reunion week..

Well I know he was on horrible terms with ESPN so I wouldn't expect him on Old School week even if he was in tip top shape but I thought i heard he was ill.

[bigbadraidersfan]

Dammit. Knew I missed something tonight. I never realized Craig Kilborn worked for ESPN.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, that was a joke. Olbermann would have come back, but was not asked. Although, he was on Dan's radio show last week, but I missed it. I don't know is that was Dan's way of apologizing - or whether Dan had any say in it at all.

I thought Kilborn looked uncomfortable. A couple of times, Dan had to help him with names.

I want to see Charley Steiner tonight. He was always one of my favorites.

[Ksyrup]

I never realized Craig Kilborn worked for ESPN.
Realization #4764 that I am getting old.

[jaygr]

I only caught some of it. Anyone know if the set was the outdoors set? I live in Bristol and saw them building the set yesterday. Its right by the stoplight and I got stopped at a red and had the sportscenter set literally 10 feet or less away from me. Now I am not a giddy fanboy or anything but it was pretty cool to see something up so close that would soon be shown around the world.

Anyway, the set I saw in person didn't last night didn't really look like the one I saw on tv so they might not have been outdoors last night, but they did close the road its on (which is a pretty busy area) from 8pm last night to 5 am this morning, which they will do again tonight and tomorrow night. So who knows.

[RPI-Fan]

The graphics and stuff were so much better than the current stuff.

[Ksyrup]

I didn't like the graphics. The set was OK, but when I see graphics like that, I'm reminded of when NBA players wore short-shorts, and that's never a good thing.

With that set and graphics, the ticker rolling at the bottom seemed WAY out of place.

[hhiipp]

Kilborn was stuttering and stumbling over himself as he talked, I realize he hasn't been on SC for (8?) years but he is still on television so it's not like he this is totally new to him.

[cthomer5000]

I have always been 100% neutral on Charlie Steiner.

[Ksyrup]

Steiner was hilarious doing play-by-play on college football a few years ago. I think it might have been Div. II or III, maybe. He was so offbeat and entertaining that I ended up watching a game I would ordinarily have had no interest in, just to listen to him. Too bad he joined the Evil Empire.

[Crapshoot]

Meh- I liked Kilborn- made it at least somewhat entertaining. Kilborn >>>>>>> Stewart Scott.

[VPI97]

Steiner always calls us the Virginia Tech Huskies :(

[ISiddiqui]

Kilborn >>>>>>> Stewart Scott.

Yep. It was good fun to see Kilborn back in the studio. I'll take him over the new catch-phrase crowd anyday!

[Ksyrup]

After the top 10 highlight portion, where they played music, didn't it seem like Kilborn's comments were forced? He mentioned that they were playing music, attracting a younger crowd, and he said he liked what was going on here, or something like that. When he said that, my immediate thought was, "I wish he had been honest and said all of the things the rest of us think."

[Pumpy Tudors]

After the top 10 highlight portion, where they played music, didn't it seem like Kilborn's comments were forced? He mentioned that they were playing music, attracting a younger crowd, and he said he liked what was going on here, or something like that. When he said that, my immediate thought was, "I wish he had been honest and said all of the things the rest of us think."

As I mentioned earlier, I didn't see the show, but considering the content of Kilborn's own program, I would think that he'd like the new SportsCenter. IMHO, SportsCenter and The Late Late Show are both garbage.

[Crapshoot]

it Should note however that My left Nut >>>>> Stewart Scott

[condors]

he seemed rusty to me but i watched because i was curious, back in the day they had much better timing with each other

[Swaggs]

The best part of the Kilborn show was showing the blooper clips of Charlie Steiner covering Kerry Wood's public urination arrest and Tonya Harding's separation. :)

Kilborn was never a favorite of mine and I didn't really enjoy him last night. He is kind of like Kenny Mayne. You just always get the feeling that they are more interested in self-promotion than doing the show.

[panerd]

Yeah for me it was always the big show with Keith & Dan. I kind of thought of Kilborn back then the way most people think of Stuart Scott now. Just catch phrases and self promotion. I personally don't understand all of the fanfare about Kilborn coming back. I dunno though. Maybe some people from the Berman era thought Oberman and Patrick were too flashy and over the top and maybe I am just out of touch with the current sportscenter. (I think I realized how old I am getting when I found myself sitting with my grandma at my cousin's wedding commenting on how bad the music was :( )

[lynchjm24]

(I think I realized how old I am getting when I found myself sitting with my grandma at my cousin's wedding commenting on how bad the music was :( )

If your grandmother is still alive you aren't that old.

[Cringer]

Tonight was the first Oldschool Sportscenter i got to see. I never realized I missed Charlie Steiner nd Bob Ley until now...... odd.

And a question for those who have seen it, since I only cuaght a few of the baseball highlights on it. Have they all avoided using the phrase "Walk off" homer, single, double, etc.? I hate that saying now, every game seems to finish on a "walk off" something. Any kind of hit to win a game at the end is now "walk off," and it is driving me nuts. I am seriously going insane in the membrane,insane in the brain, went insane got no brain.............

[korme]

Tomorrow: Gayle Somebody (a woman) and Stu Scott!

Lowest ratings ever?

[Ksyrup]

Steiner and Lee were much better together than Kilborn and Patrick. In fact, comparing the two, Kilborn/Patrick was uncomfortable to watch.

That Gayle woman...I remember her, but don't remember the name. That's one to skip.

[Samdari]

Steiner and Lee were much better together than Kilborn and Patrick. In fact, comparing the two, Kilborn/Patrick was uncomfortable to watch.

That Gayle woman...I remember her, but don't remember the name. That's one to skip.

Steiner and Ley probably did more shows as a pair than anyone (with the possible exception of Dan and Keith). It was good to see them together again.

Really though, there was no point in doing this "old school", bring back former anchors for nostalgia's sake, unless they were going to have Keith and Dan together at 11 pm on an NFL Sunday.

[Flasch186]

any thought on if the ratings are good them possibly making changes to go back to "old" form? the better form.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I kinda liked Gayle Gardner... 15 years ago. Where the hell did they did her up from?

[Samdari]

any thought on if the ratings are good them possibly making changes to go back to "old" form? the better form.

Well, promoting this as a special thing, where old anchors stop by, will make people tune in just to see that because it is special. I don't think that this will necesarily get them thinking "wow, lots of people watched during old school week. they must like the old graphics - lets go back to them."

I, for one, hated that aspect of it since they have not been in HD the past couple nights.

[judicial clerk]

Bob Ley and Charlie Steiner were definitely more polished than Kilborn. I think Kilborn was trying too hard to be funny and coll like when he was on roiginally. It was nice to see him come out and give the effort. He was one of my favorites.

I think his comment "get well soon keith" was probably just a joke that, back in the day, Kilborn would only be doing SportsCenter with Patrick if olbermann was sick.

The only old-schooler I don't remember was the guy Grande? Who is that guy?

The old commercials are also good.

[Samdari]

The only old-schooler I don't remember was the guy Grande? Who is that guy?

Did the first SC, if I remember my lore correctly.

[FBPro]

Back in the day, Gayle wasn't bad looking. Haven't seen her in awhile so don't know about now.

[vtbub]

George Grande-ESPN's first baseball guru.

[rkmsuf]

I forgot how good Bob Ley is.

[CraigSca]

If I have to hear "The Boys are Back In Town" one more time, I'm going to vomit.

[hoopsguy]

I laughed the next day over "Petra Nemcova is winning right now" ... Kilbourne always seemed to be having fun with the show more than the majority of the anchors, not taking himself too seriously while dropping a silly catchphrase.

[Ksyrup]

I'm sure someone will end up posting this in a separate thread, but I thought the timing was interesting, considering his "old school" reunion this week:



LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- After five years in late night, Craig Kilborn is exiting as host of CBS' "The Late, Late Show With Craig Kilborn."

A CBS spokesman confirmed late Thursday that Kilborn had informed the network that he would not seek a renewal of his contract, which is believed to expire this year. The spokesman declined to elaborate.

Sources familiar with the situation said the parting was amicable. One source said Kilborn's reps had sought a hefty salary increase for a new contract with CBS, but other sources discounted how much of a factor salary negotiations were in Kilborn's decision to move on.

CBS is not believed to have a replacement for Kilborn lined up for the show, which follows "Late Show With David Letterman" in the 12:35 a.m. time slot. Letterman's Worldwide Pants production banner has the right to produce the show in that time slot per Letterman's contract with CBS.

Kilborn took over "Late, Late Show" in April 1999 after Tom Snyder exited the post-Letterman slot on CBS. A former ESPN anchor, Kilborn first garnered attention for his comedy skills during his 1996-99 stint as the original host of Comedy Central's mock newscast "The Daily Show."

During Kilborn's tenure, "Late, Late Show" has been a steady performer for CBS, though it has consistently run second in the time slot to NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien." During the past 12 months, "Late, Late Show" has averaged 1.6 million viewers each night, compared with 2.5 million for NBC's "Late Night."

[Warhammer]

It is a shame that Sportscenter jumped the shark with Olbermann and Patrick. ESPN thought that it was more important to go with loud, obnoxious, pretty boy anchors, rather than focusing on the story, and tossing out a good laugh every once in a while.

The big thing with Olbermann and Patrick was their chemistry together. Most of the pairings since then, are individuals fighting for the mike. That's part of the reason I avoid Sportscenter now, and focus on stuff like Baseball Tonight and stuff.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I'm completely speculating here, but if Kilborn worked out an arrangement to return to ESPN, I may give SportsCenter another shot if he's on there. Of course, I don't think anyone can rise above the steaming pile of shit that the show has become, so I'll likely give up after an episode or two, but at least I'd tune in for a change.

[cthomer5000]

I'm completely speculating here, but if Kilborn worked out an arrangement to return to ESPN, I may give SportsCenter another shot if he's on there. Of course, I don't think anyone can rise above the steaming pile of shit that the show has become, so I'll likely give up after an episode or two, but at least I'd tune in for a change.
That's exactly how I would view it too.

[Anthony]

i watch Sportscenter. i'd love it if Kilborn came back.

question: did anyone get the feeling that he needed a terrible amount of coaxing to do this? he dropped some subtle comments regarding what Sportscenter has "evolved" into. i didn't get that sense of "glad to be back, this is great". he seemed very ho-hum. made comments that to me suggested he was saying SC is all about who can come up with the funniest catchphrase/funniest way to say a player hit a home run. i saw the same non- "i'm so glad to be here" from the fat guy in glasses who did it the day afterwards. only the older chick from thursday seemed to be genuinely happy to be doing it.

[Easy Mac]

I think Kilborn should do some acting, his 5-10 minutes in Old School was gold... he's great at the smarmy, I'm better than you type. Maybe as a foil to the comedy group thats out there (Wilson, Stiller, Black, Ferrel, Vaughn...)