When CBS Sports officials decided to open the network`s second season of baseball from the new Comiskey Park, they knew there might be a few problems. Due to the schedule, CBS producer Ric LaCivita`s crew didn`t have the usual rehearsal game to work with, since the White Sox had a day off Friday.
But the lack of preparation certainly didn`t show. The camera work was nearly flawless, from the shots of prankster Ozzie Guillen keeping the Sox dugout loose to umpire Rich Garcia getting knocked down by Scott Fletcher in a rundown.
Besides covering the game, CBS also gave viewers a look around the majors` newest park.
And broadcasters Jack Buck and Tim McCarver were back trading barbs, from Buck describing Tigers manager Sparky Anderson`s signals (”He just touched everything he owns”) to McCarver discussing the disastrous opener (”It`s kind of like having a housewarming and burning the brownies”).
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McCarver, happy to get back to his baseball chores after a winter spent preparing for the Albertville Olympics, said he prefers situations like Saturday.
”Spontaneity is one of the great things about broadcasting,” McCarver said. ”You prepare yourself enough to be spontaneous at the right time. That`s what you strive for. You try not to overprepare. I mean, it`s a baseball game, and you want to give people the impression that you`re carrying on a conversation.”
Sometimes, however, last year`s telecasts seemed as if McCarver and Buck were holding conversations with only themselves.
”A lot of people are under the impression all you have to do is take two talents and put them in a two-man booth and they`re expected to mesh immediately,” said McCarver. ”It`s simply not that easy. It wasn`t easy in `76-the first year ABC did the game-it wasn`t easy when (NBC`s) Tony Kubek and Curt Gowdy began working together. The longer you`re together, the smoother things become.
”Did we have some problems last year? Of course, we did. But none we didn`t expect. There were no major surprises last year. It was just a matter of putting two different styles together.”
The styles of Buck and McCarver started to mesh by midseason.
”After the All-Star Game, we hit a clip where we started to relax,”
McCarver said. ”Which is what we wanted to do. I`m very satisfied with the first year. If nothing else, the comparisons are over. People can make those comparisons (with the other networks` coverage) if they like, but as far as I`m concerned, that`s over. We proved we could do major-league baseball, and do it well.”
The only noticeable change Saturday was the lack of a studio show, forcing Buck and McCarver to do their own pre-game and preventing cut-ins from other games, such as the Mets-Expos backup contest. CBS, which will be telecasting 16 regular-season games, the All-Star Game, the playoffs and the World Series again, eventually plans a wraparound show, hosted by Pat O`Brien. – Saturday was a bad day for golf fans, as rain all but washed out NBC`s coverage of the PGA Seniors tournament and the length of the Sox-Tigers game left CBS with less than half an hour of the Heritage Classic. Sunday was better, although NBC pre-empted the conclusion of the PGA Seniors-with Jack Nicklaus holding a commanding lead with one hole to go-for its NBA pre-game show.
– A special hustle award to ABC for keeping tabs during ”Wide World of Sports” on Cahill Road, the colt who pulled up lame after winning the Wood Memorial. The anguished look on trainer Scotty Schulhofer`s face during his interview with Dave Johnson said it all. . . . And to the same network for running a scrawl during Sunday`s WLAF game with the NFL draft picks.
– Grumblings: When you hear Canon is the ”official camcorder of Little League baseball,” don`t you worry about the youth of America? . . . With all the signage around the field, why don`t they just call it the World League of Advertising Football?
– Best lines of the weekend: NBC`s Johnny Miller on Senior Tour rules that prevent both golfers and caddies from using carts: ”They`d leave their galleries in the dust.” . . . ABC`s Brent Musburger on beleaguered Birmingham Fire QB Brent Pease: ”Folks, you`ve got to give Pease a chance.” . . . NBC`s Marv Albert after colleague Ahmad Rashad used a little profanity in a report: ”How come we never hear that kind of language on `Inside Stuff?` ”
– Best shots: Michael Jordan`s free throw with his eyes closed. . . . Rocket Ismail in Kings owner Bruce McNall`s box at the Forum just hours before signing a CFL deal with McNall. . . . Pirates infielders Jay Bell and Jose Lind keeping their hands warm inside their uniform shirts.
– Best features: NBC`s Gayle Gardner on the Bulls-Pistons rivalry, including Horace Grant saying, ”If I have the opportunity to take a cheap shot (at the Pistons), I`ll take it if it gives the Bulls an advantage.” . . . CBS` Ben Wright on the history of the Ryder Cup. . . . ABC`s Dan Dierdorf on the background of heavyweight boxer Riddick Bowe.
– Best prediction: ESPN`s Fred Edelstein tabbing Ismail for the CFL and Russell Maryland as the Cowboys` first draft pick.
– Worst prediction: WGN-Ch. 9`s Harry Caray: ”That puts this game away”
after Andre Dawson`s 11th-inning grand slam Sunday gave the Cubs a 12-7 lead.