Dan Jiggetts is one of the rising young stars in the CBS pro football stable. As such, the huge, jovial former Bears lineman recently was invited to join a select group of National Football League analysts and announcers at a symposium on the West Coast.
Jiggetts, befitting a Harvard graduate, has attended many symposiums in the past. John Madden, however, never was part of those.
”John is a guy who obviously spent a lot of time thinking about all phases of what we do,” Jiggetts said. ”John never says anything off-the-wall. Whenever he says something, you sit back and think, `Hey, that makes a lot of sense.` ”
”He said, first and foremost, we have to identify those people that we`re trying to attract. Are they new viewers or are you making sure you keep the group you`ve got?”
Among the ideas kicked around by Madden, Jiggetts and executive producer Ted Shaker was how to bring TV coverage of the NFL up to speed in the `90s. That was the purpose of the symposium.
”It`s an opportunity to bring people together to talk about how we can do things better and do things differently,” Jiggetts said. ”We talked about how football is changing in the `90s and how we`re going to have to improve and enhance our coverage so it makes the same kind of sense as it did in the
`80s.”
The changes include more teams going to four wide receivers in order to open up the offense. The Detroit Lions and Houston Oilers have started quite a trend, Jiggetts said. Even Bears coach Mike Ditka has contemplated a switch.
”Sometimes you don`t think about all the changes in the game that have been made,” Jiggetts said, ”like four wide receivers. It was interesting to hear our production people talk about how we`re going to `frame up` a game now. We got involved with the isolations. Those are the things that you see but you never think about. With two receivers on each side and you break off for an isolation, which receiver do you stay with? It was an amazing process to see all the thought that when into that.”
Where does Madden fit into the scheme? Madden suggested taking advantage of the new technology to keep the fans at home informed.
”Maybe reversing the positioning of cameras from the standard ones you`re used to seeing,” said Jiggetts. ”The cameras are usually on the 50 and one each on the 20s, and maybe one in the end zone and one minicam. With four wide receivers, you`ve got a whole different setup. So maybe you`re looking at putting minicams down on the field. John brought up the idea, and then the professionals dealt with it.
”You have to look at the game as this painting. You want to see different textures, because every year that painting is going to change somewhat.”
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Jiggetts, who also works for WBBM-Ch. 2, was off this week to help CBS cover the NCAA track and field championships, his first appearance at the collegiate championships since his playing days.
”This time I won`t have to compete,” he said. ”I did well in the weight (throw), but the hammer? Unh-unh. One turn too many.”
– Jimmy Connors makes his debut as a TV commentator this weekend on NBC`s taped coverage of the French Open. He`ll join Dick Enberg, Bud Collins and Chris Evert, who made her network bow in April.
– Don`t look for any Saturday feature races on local TV from Arlington International Racecourse this year. Arlington, which packaged a weekly half-hour show last year on WBBM-Ch. 2, has decided to spend its promotion money elsewhere. In the meantime, WBBM-AM sports director Dave Eanet is hosting a 25-minute program every Saturday, including the day`s feature race, through Oct. 6.
– Pete Pistone returns for a seventh season with the WGN Motorsports Report at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays on the Roy Leonard Show. Pistone will have features and live reports, such as one this weekend on the CART Milwaukee 200. Roy gives it four stars.
– For less coverage offered by CBS, Liberty Bowl officials recently signed a four-year contract to let ESPN televise its postseason football game. ”CBS gives us 94 percent of national coverage and ESPN gives us 62 percent of coverage,” said bowl executive director Bud Dudley. ”But ESPN does more to promote your game. And it`s been easier to negotiate dates with ESPN.” Tim Treadwell, chairman of the bowl`s selection committee, said the contract will be worth less than the $1 million-a-year contract with Raycom Sports that expired with the 1989 contest. He said the difference in the money will be made up through the sponsorships.
– Here and there: Northern Illinois women`s basketball star Carol Owens of Chicago has won a summer minority internship with WEEK-TV in Peoria. . . . Sportscaster Marv Albert has signed a new contract with NBC to go along with his new duties as play-by-play man on the network`s National Basketball Association telecasts the next four seasons. . . . Former Philadelphia 76ers General Manager John Nash is the latest name thrown into the network`s NBA hopper. Nash reportedly has auditioned for a role similar to the ”NFL insider” on the pregame show. . . . Ned Simon, an eight-time Emmy Award winner while at ABC, has been hired by TNT as coordinating producer for its NFL telecasts.