Requiem For A Touchstone: Stuart Scott Passes At 49

When you look up the word in the dictionary, the word is listed like this- and, for the sake of argument, we'll focus on the second and third definitions from Merriam-Webster:

2: a test or criterion for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing

3: a fundamental or quintessential part or feature : basis

Stuart Scott was a touchstone... on a few levels- as an anchor and as a father...

The HQ will admit that, at first, we didn't "get" him. We didn't get his "schtick" on the air. It took a while and it took the reinforcement of a quote we saw that reminded us why he was what he was- as a person and as an anchor.

From Steve Wulf's piece on ESPN.com this morning:

And one of his best moments off the air came when a producer suggested he change a reference on his NBA show from Omega Psi Phi, the fraternity of Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal, to something more universal, like Animal House.

"I have friends who have no idea what that movie is about," Stuart told him. "That movie was made two decades ago, and black fraternities have been around since 1906."

And, with that, we are reminded that our styles are our own- and they should be always...

Emulation should always be encouraged, but not to the point of repetition and carbon-copy. Unfortunately, we see that a lot these days on television. People, instead of being themselves, try to be someone they're obviously not and end up being caricatures.

Stuart was never a caricature and he came at us all from a different place with a different look, approach, angle, and output. And, for that, we all should be thankful and grateful for widening our perspectives on story-telling.

Now, for the fighter...

We have seen his public battle and, in the end, we lose the physical representation. But we get to hang on to the memories, the style, and the impact that someone has had on our lives- lost to us too soon at 49.

I think it occurs every generation or so... there are people who cross your path that you remember for one reason or another. When our comtemporaries were half the age we are now, it was the Jim Valvano speech at the ESPY awards that reminded us never to give up and also reminded what the value of a full day should be.
((HT: ESPN))


Now, this time around as some of us get a little gray in the temples, we are reminded of what Valvano and his approach meant through a sports anchor that will now live on through far different and just as important means...
((HT: ESPN))


For those who fight and those who have fought...
For those who remember and are remembered...
For those who love and are loved...
The words are simple: Be yourself and make your mark your way...
Don't stop loving. Don't stop fighting.
Don't stop and don't give up...
#StuStrong

It's The End Of Movember, So The Stache Goes On Air...

((HT: Sportenet/Awful Announcing))

Sportsnet West's Gene Principe knew the calendar had turned to December 1st, so the recognition associated with the causes was at a head. Which meant that Gene had to get rid of the evidence...

David Amber has the toss... Gene has the razor...

That's the way to use the razor...

Live on camera...

They Found Most Of The Eisen Truck

((HT: WSVN-TV))

Okay, the crime is 80-percent solved...

The production end of the production truck has been found- now, all Miami-Dade police have to do is figure out the who, the why, and the where of the cab...

Nicole Linsalata has reaction from NEP and Rich Eisen from Dolphins Stadium
WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

The HQ has never seen a Crime Stoppers segment around a TV production truck before, but there's always a first...

Try And Sell One Of Those On The Black Market

((HT:WSVN-TV))

It's not very day the HQ does a story like this one...

For those of us who work in live event television, we need to function with one of those 40 to 50 feet long that has a lot of cameras, bells and other associated whistles, and the folks that go with it.

The NFL Network is in Miami getting ready to do the Dolphins-Bills game and all the other ancillary programs that go with Thursday Night Football.

But, the folks at NEP are responsible for the television production truck. The only problem is that the truck that was doing all the lion's share of the work was lifted from a gated hotel.

Nicole Linsalata is outside the hotel with the story of something you can't hide or hock.
WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

Michael Kay Drops Pipe Bomb On Francesa

((HT: Tony Smith/YES))

It appears that Michael Kay has all he can stands and can't stands no more...

Apparently, Mike Francesa has been making the intimation that the main reason he left his simulcast on the YES Network was because he claimed that the network only would want him to give Yankee-positive viewpoints. And that's the reason that Michael Kay and Don LaGreca are on there now.

A few issues with that: LaGreca is an unabashed Mets fan and says it on the air. Kay has been critical of the Yanks over the air and isn't afraid to hold back in his opinions.

So, Francesa kept hammering on the point and Kay has officially had enough

Here's the rant-and-a-half


Now, how will Francesa respond...??? In between on-air naps, that's the big question...

25 Years Ago: The World Series Got Really Unimportant

((HT: ABC Sports/News 10/KGO-TV/ESPN))

It was one of those moments where you remember where you were as a sports fan...

And we agree with Al Michaels when a simple pre-game took a big turn...


Then, sports guys turned news guys in a hurry...and did an amazing job


And they went for a while...


And kept going


And kept going...


Okay, faithful reader/watcher...

What do you remember about this day 25 years ago...???

Just want to have you share your thoughts here...

Your Daily Keith Olbermann Rant On AP And The Vikes

((HT: ESPN/Olbermann))

This opening rant was so incisive that the network cut it in two...
Both parts are electric...


And the HQ reminds everyone that KO hasn't been this fired up since he was on Bush 43's daily messes...


He's on a roll and we'll keep posting as long as he is on fire...

Your Daily Vin Scully Storytime

((HT: MLB.com))

This next few minutes should be a lesson for all broadcasters as to how to do your job properly

It was Vin Scully in a 4-run game filling time telling a tremendous story...


Full disclosure...

The HQ makes a point to listen to the first three innings of Dodger home games all the way from the other end of the country...

Andy Murray Crashes Will Ferrell Interview

((HT: SkySports/USTA))

Will Ferrell has been known to frequent a sporting event or two in his day...

These days, he's frequenting the tennis tournament in Flushing, New York.

He was being interviewed when one of the guys playing this week decided to drop by and make it a threesome...

Football Reporter Has Unique Use For Vanishing Spray

((HT: SkySports))

It's the end of the transfer window in football overseas at 6PM Eastern.

Sky Sports News, the 24-hour sports channel overseas goes balls-to-the-wall covering the european implications of the transcations that involve every level of the sport.

That means that they pogo from one live shot to another getting updates and gossip from each Premier League ground and it is must watch television on a bunch of different levels...

Reporter Gary Cotterill was at Queens Park Rangers HQ waiting for the standard "roll down the window live shot interview" with manager Harry Redknapp. But, he still had to do live shots...

Fans can be fans, so Cotterill employed a genius move to keep fans back so he could get work done...


Cheers to the QPR fans who played along...

This Didn't Go Over Well: Iowa Sportscaster Slams NDSU Before Iowa State Game

((HT: WHO-TV/96.5TheFox))

If anyone understands the value of the face and heel relationship, it's the HQ...

So, Week 1 is always reserved for the paycheck games mostly... and a lot of folks in the midwest stared at North Dakota State visiting Iowa State as one of those games that was supposed to be chance for the Clones to get the duke. NDSU lost their head coach Craig Bohl to Division I- even as one of the powerhouse schools in I-AA they still had a lot of losses to graduation.

And this came across the airwaves in Des Moines, courtesy of Andy Fales and WHO-TV
Fales wasn't a fan of this game being played period.


A lot of good that did as NDSU pounded Iowa State by 20.

The HQ gives Fales credit for fanning the flames and waving the flag for the home team- even if he was way off...

Greg Amsinger Is Dangerous

((HT: MLB.com))

It's that rare moment when you're doing live television, you hand off, and you look like a freaking genius...

Greg Amsinger did it again last night for the second time in two months or so...

Here's what happened last night for another round of perfect timing


Walk...Off...Wednesday...

Indeed...

Fan Loses Beer, Booth Replaces It

((HT: MLB.com))

The HQ has seen the beginning of the story before, but not the ending...

There's always the guy (or more than one) that chases after the foul ball like it is made of palladium or something. He might get the ball, but there will be collateral damage.

Could be a crying kid, could be a piece of food or clothing flying around or off an upperdeck perch, or it could be a spilt beverage.

Happened in Milwaukee...
But the broadcast crew for FS North gets a lot of props for the make good on the back end...

Matthew McConaughey Discusses Fanny Packs

((HT: MLB.com))

CSN Houston's Julia Morales got one of those assignments...

She's at Fenway where the Astros are playing the Red Sox and guess who is watching his fellow Texans...


Right on, right on, right on...

But it is good to know about the position of the fanny pack since the HQ will NEVER WEAR ONE...

Mike Redmond Throws A Nutty, Play-By-Play Agrees

((HT: MLB.com))

The land of instant replay has been a bit of a minefield this season...

But when things go wrong and they're not corrected, managers have an opportunity to express themselves appropriately
Like Marlins manager Mike Redmond did last night.

Awful Announcing led us to the play-by-play call of Rich Walz and Tommy Hutton- the latter of whom went nuts


Redmond got the chance to talk about his undressing last night for a really fun presser after the game...

You! You Got What I Need!!!

((HT: MLB.com))

By way of a first pitch...

Get your head out of the gutter...
The MLB Network broadcast the Oakland A's game with Biz Markie throwing out the first pitch...

Which caused the appropriate response...

Cliff Lee Ends An Interview The Best Way Ever

((HT: CSN Philly))

Cliff Lee had a rough outing last night in his first time back on the mound since being on the Disabled List.

The reason the HQ knows it as a rough outing was that he started for our fantasy baseball team.
Lee faced the lights after the game and ended his interview the best way ever...


It reminds us of the end of the scene in "Ted" where Joel McHale finally got to say good night to Mila Kunis after their date watching Norah Jones.

And it WAS the best exclamation point to the whole night, you know...

Chip Caray Joins Steve Levy With Bulging

((HT: SportsSouth/Blake Shoemaker's Vine))

Awful Announcing gets the credit for this one...

The Atlanta Braves Evan Gattis missed 17 games because of a problem with his back- something bulged...

But Chip Caray, calling the game, presented it a little differently...


That injury, and succeeding malaprop, always has us think of football
((HT: ESPN))

D-Backs Booth Goes All Star Wars

((HT: MLB.com))

It was "Star Wars" day in Phoenix as the Diamondbacks took on the Cubs...

And the HQ has always known the guys in the booth for Fox Sports Arizona to be good sports about, well, sports...

So there's always the introduction for the game to get the action started

Here's the intro with Berthiaume and Brenly playing their parts in the building...


Well done...

Jerry Remy Loses A Tooth On Air

((HT: MLB.com/NESN))

The HQ can't make this stuff up...

In the middle of a broadcast, Red Sox color broadcaster Jerry Remy actually lost a tooth on-air...
And what may be the funnier part is that play-by-play man Don Orsillo actually tried to encourage Remy to put it back in- while they were on the air...


The HQ has yet to lose a tooth on air and hopes never to do so...