Jim Nantz’s ugly divorce trial reveals intimate details about CBS sportscaster
Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz’s ugly divorce trial last week in Bridgeport, Conn., revealed intimate details about CBS’ premier sportscaster, including the fact he has a 29-year-old girlfriend and earns almost $8 million a year from CBS.
Nantz, 50, is claiming his 26-year marriage is over because of his wife’s lack of support for his career and her excessive spending.
According to reports in newsblues.com and connpost.com, Nantz said he started dating the 29-year-old girlfriend only because his marriage had “died” more than 10 years ago. That, apparently, was news to his wife, Lorrie, who later testified she was still going to counseling until 2008, trying to save their marriage, when Nantz told her he wanted a divorce.
In 2007, according to Jim Nantz, he was offered $7 million to host the CBS “Early Show” but turned it down because his wife opposed it. He says his wife, who early on accompanied him to major sporting events, now stays at home and spends vast sums of money on shopping sprees.
According to connpost.com, Nantz testified that early in their marriage his wife would accompany him to all the major sporting events he worked. But after that ended, he complained she showed no support for his career.
“In 2004, I got the Man of the Year award from the New York Athletic Club. Rudy Giuliani had been the previous year’s winner and it really meant a lot to me,” he said. “My mother flew in from Houston, but Lorrie wasn’t there.”
In 2007, Nantz became the first TV broadcaster to host a Super Bowl, the NCAA men’s basketball championship and the Master’s golf tournament in the same year.
“It was the triple crown. People told me I should write down my remembrances of the events, it was that big, but Lorrie didn’t care,” he said.
Testimony concluded Friday afternoon. Superior Court Judge Howard Owens says he will file a written decision on who gets what and how much. But, he promised, “No one is leaving this courtroom with zero.”
Nantz is hoping to protect much of his earning of nearly $8 million a year. His wife wants alimony and child support for their 15-year-old daughter in excess of $1.5 million a year. She also wants to keep their six-bedroom, six-bath house in Westport, Conn.
According to court records, Nantz earns $3.9 million a year from CBS and another $4 million in deferred compensation.
Top 10 college football telecasts: OU-Miami tops weekend
Miami quarterback Jacory Harris
The OU-Miami game tops the weekend. ABC will carry the 7 p.m. game to 81 percent of the nation. Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Lisa Salters will be the announcers.
Games are Saturday unless noted with Wednesday’s Latest Line:
1. No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 17 Miami, 7 p.m., ABC (OU by 7)
2. No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia, 2:30 p.m., CBS (Georgia by 2)
3. Auburn at Tennessee, 6:45 p.m., ESPN. (Tenn. by 2)
4. Texas A&M vs. Arkansas from Cowboys Stadium, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2 (Ark. by 1)
5. Pittsburgh at Louisville, 7 p.m. Friday, ESPN. (Pitt by 6)
6. No. 3 Alabama at Kentucky, 11:21 a.m., SEC (KSBI-52.) (Ala. By 17)
7. Florida State at Boston College, 2:30 p.m., ESPN. (FSU by 5).
8. No. 15 Penn State at Illinois, 2:30 p.m., ABC. (Penn St. by 6)
9. Colorado at West Virginia, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, ESPN. (W.Va. by 17)
10. No. 21 Mississippi at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m., ESPNU (Ole Miss by 9)
Also worth a look:
Washington at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m., NBC (N.D. by 13)
New Mexico at Texas Tech, 2:30 p.m., FSOK (Tech by 36).
Clemson at Maryland, 11 a.m., ESPNU (Clemson by 13)
N.C. State at Wake Forest, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU (NCS by 1)
DirecTV in search of displaced NFL fans
For the second year in a row, DirectTV is giving diehard NFL displaced fans around the country the chance to earn the distinction as America’s Ultimate Displaced Fan. One winner will win a Super Bowl experience, including a trip to Miami, Fla., and tickets to the game. The winner also will rub elbows with NFL stars and celebrities when they get to participate in the DirecTV Beach Bowl celebrity flag football game and do their own media tour at the Super Bowl media center.
Last year DirecTV had some amazing entrants, including a man from Alaska who was such a diehard Carolina Panthers fan he created an online petition to get the Panthers’ logo on the two 25 yard lines at Bank of America Stadium. Another women in New Orleans paddled her way through Hurricane Katrina on a canoe and hooked up her satellite to a receiver to watch her beloved Washington Redskins play.
There also was a couple who were actually married in Raiders’ silver and gold. In the end, Ron Lawrence, of Chesapeake, Va., was named No. 1 displaced fan. Lawrence, a diehard Dallas Cowboys’ fan, created the ultimate “Man Cave” by building an exact-scaled replica of the old Texas Stadium in his two-car garage.
For information on how to enter, visit www.ultimatedisplacedfan.com.
CBS analyst Danielson brags about SEC quarterbacks
Gary Danielson
CBS college football analyst Gary Danielson, who has turned into one of the SEC’s most-outspoken cheerleaders, now is bragging about the conference’s quarterbacks. He will be in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday to broadcast the Arkansas-Alabama game at 2:30 p.m.
In a press release from CBS, Danielson said, “When I came to this conference there was a lack of quarterbacks. The Big 12 gets a lot of notoriety for their quarterbacks because of their stats. I am going to make a prediction that the three quarterbacks in the SEC, Tim Tebow, Jevon Snead and now (Ryan) Mallett eventually will be drafted higher than any three quarterbacks now playing in any other conference. Snead may go No. 1 in the draft this year if the team drafting needs a quarterback. He will be the first quarterback taken in the draft and Tebow will go in the first round. Mallet next year, or the year after, will be the first quarterback taken.”
On other topics:
On Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett: Mallett who has transferred from Michigan, has gone from the Bluest of Blue to the Reddest of Red. He is one of the cockiest people I have come around in my 15 years of doing this. And I love him for it. He is really going to be an interesting player for us to watch in the conference.
On Arkansas-Alabama: This game really crystallizes why this conference has exploded and gotten tougher and tougher every year that I have been covering the SEC. Now with the league has another coach, Bobby Petrino, who is a national expert in the passing game. If you talk to anyone in the country about who knows how to throw the ball, if you are going to name two guys, he’s one of the two. He is going to go against the No. 1 guy in defending the pass in Nick Saban. Again, this game crystallizes why this conference has become must see TV. It’s become almost a mini NFL. Arkansas is not as good, but they are so good at what they do.
On Tennessee winning in loss to Florida: I don’t know if I have ever seen a team lose a game and gain more out of it than Tennessee’s program did. Lane Kiffin, in one game, has gained the respect of his players, the fans and the coaches around this conference that he is the guy that will turn Tennessee around. That team was almost down on themselves. They now look at themselves in the mirror and actually see something good. Tennessee was really down on themselves last year and the same goes for Tennessee fans.
On Florida coach Urban Meyer gaining the attention of his players: Urban Meyer got something out of the win that he needed. That team was flying so high, no one was saying anything bad about his team. It was almost as if they were unbeatable. He now has something to sell to his team, that they are not all that everybody has been telling them. So he got a win out of it, but he also got something he can grind his team with. It almost took losing to Mississippi last year before he gained their attention. He gets to gain their attention with a win.
Top 10 college telecasts: Miami-Va. Tech tops the weekend
Miami quarterback Jacory Harris leads the Hurricanes against Virginia Tech.
This weekend isn’t nearly as strong as last weekend, but there are a few good games. In the weekend’s best telecast, OU fans will get a preview of Miami, which the Sooners will play on Oct. 3.
All games Saturday unless noted.
Wednesday’s Latest Line in parentheses.
1. No. 9 Miami at No. 11 Virginia Tech, 2:30 p.m., KOCO-5 (Miami by 2).
2. Texas Tech at No. 17 Houston, 8:15 p.m., ESPN2 (Houston by 1).
3. No. 4 Mississippi at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, ESPN (Ole Miss by 3 1/2).
4. Iowa at No. 5 Penn State, 7 p.m., KOCO-5 (Penn St. by 9 1/2).
5. No. 1 Florida at Kentucky, 5 p.m., ESPN2. (Florida by 21 1/2).
6. Arkansas at No. 3 Alabama, 2:30 p.m., KWTV-9 (Alabama by 17).
7. Missouri at Nevada, 8 p.m. Friday, ESPN. (Missouri by 7 1/2).
8. No. 13 Ohio State vs. Illinois, 2:30 p.m., ESPN. (OSU by 14).
9. No. 7 LSU at Mississippi State, 11:20 p.m., KSBI-52 (LSU by 13 1/2).
10. UTEP at No. 2 Texas, 2:30 p.m., FSOK (Texas by 36).
ALSO WORTH A LOOK:
Michigan State at Wisconsin, 11 a.m., ESPN or ESPN2 (Wisconsin by 3).
Pittsburgh at N.C. State, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2 (NC St. by 1 1/2).
Washington State at No. 12 Southern Cal, 9:15 p.m., FSOK (USC by 45 1/2).
South Florida at No. 18 Florida State, 11 a.m., ESPNU (FSU by 14 1/2).
Southern Miss at No. 20 Kansas, 11 a.m., FSOK (KU by 13 1/2).
Arizona State at No. 21 Georgia, 6 p.m., ESPNU (Georgia by 12 1/2).
Indiana at No. 23 Michigan, 11 a.m., ESPN or ESPN2 (Michigan by 21).
Notre Dame at Purdue, 7 p.m., ESPN (ND by 7).
OU women’s team on ESPN2’s “Big Monday” schedule
UConn coach Geno Auriemma
The OU women’s basketball team will be on ESPN2’s Big Monday women’s schedule for the upcoming season when it hosts Connecticut at 8 p.m. Feb. 15. The defending NCAA champion, Connecticut also will be on two other times — at Duke, 6 p.m. Jan. 18 and at Notre Dame, 6 p.m. March 1.
The only Big 12 teams on the schedule are Baylor and Texas A&M, when they play each other at College Station at 8 p.m. Feb 22.
New to this year’s schedule is the addition of Big Monday doubleheaders on Feb. 8, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22.
The schedule:
Jan 11, 6:30 p.m., Maryland at Virginia
Jan 18, 6 p.m., Connecticut at Duke
Jan 25, 6 p.m., Ohio State at Purdue
Feb 1, 6:30 p.m., Notre Dame at Rutgers
Feb 8, 6 p.m., North Carolina at Duke
Feb 8, 8 p.m., Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Feb 15, 6 p.m., North Carolina at Virginia
Feb 15, 8 p.m., Connecticut vs. Oklahoma
Feb 22, 6 p.m., LSU at Tennessee
Feb 22, 8 p.m., Baylor at Texas A&M
March 1, 6 p.m., Connecticut at Notre Dame
NBC excited to cover Dallas Cowboys’ home opener in new stadium
NBC play-by-play announcer Al Michaels
NBC is hyping up its New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys telecast at 7 p.m. Sunday as the Cowboys play their first regular season game in their new $1.2 billion stadium. The “Today” show even broadcast from the stadium Friday morning. Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst) and Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) will call the game.
In a conference call this week, host Bob Costas, Michaels, Collinsworth and producer Fred Gaudelli discusses the game. Here a few highlights:
Michaels on doing the first game at the new stadium: “When the schedule came out I was very excited to not only know that we were going to do the first regular season game there, but it would be the New York Giants. I was hoping it would be the Giants or the Redskins or a team that is one of the noted rivals of the Cowboys so this is perfect. I spoke to Jerry Jones about this as long ago as five or six years. His dream was that if he was ever able to get something like this built in the Metroplex it was going to be the best of the best and he’s been able to affect that even through obviously very rough economic times. He hasn’t cut any corners from what I can gather and it’s a spectacular venue.”
Gaudelli on covering punts, which in the preseason occasionally struck the huge videoboard: “We will cover our punts differently in this game than we do in a normal game. In a regular game, we’re not tracking the ball on a punt, we’re actually just moving down the field to show the coverage go after the returner, but we’re going to start initially tracking the ball live because obviously people are going to be wondering about that right away.”
Michaels on the matchup: “It doesn’t matter when you have the Giants and the Cowboys or where you have the Giants and the Cowboys it’s going to be a treat. You’ve got two major stories here one being the opening of the stadium and the other being the Giants and the Cowboys and what still figures to be the NFL’s toughest division. I’m looking forward to what should be a pretty perfect night and what should be a hell of a game.”
Collinsworth on Tony Romo: “He’s in a tough spot. There have been so many great quarterbacks with the Dallas Cowboys over the years; legendary figures there with Troy (Aikman) and (Roger) Staubach. Tony Romo really impressed me (in last week’s game) with his ability to move in the pocket. His reads were dead on, he threw the ball great, and his pump fake in the flat that ended up with the big play down the field to Crayton for the touchdown was sort of Roethlisberger-like when we saw him on Thursday night. It’s a tough standard in Dallas because of those guys that came before him, but honest to goodness I think this guy is, if he’s not top 5, he’s certainly top 7 or so and getting better, so I’m a big Romo guy.”
Top 10 college telecasts: Huskers-Hokies tops weekend slate
Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee
Topped by an interesting intersectional game, it should be another good week of college football telecasts. Here are the telecast times, channels and Tuesday’s Latest Line:
1. No. 19 Nebraska (2-0) at No. 13 Virginia Tech (1-1), 2:30 p.m., KOCO-5. (Virginia Tech +3)
2. Texas Tech (2-0) at No. 2 Texas (2-0), 7 p.m., KOCO-5. (Texas +17)
3. Tulsa (2-0) at No. 12 Oklahoma (1-1), 2:30 p.m., FSOK. (Oklahoma +15)
4. No. 14 Georgia Tech (2-0) at Miami (1-0), 6:30 p.m. Thursday, ESPN. (Miami +4)
5. No. 10 Boise State (2-0) at Fresno State (1-1), 7 p.m. Friday, ESPN. (Boise State +7)
6. Arizona (2-0) at Iowa (2-0), 2:30 p.m., ESPN2. (Iowa +6)
7. Utah (2-0) at Oregon (1-1), 2:30 p.m., ESPN. (Oregon +4)
8. Louisville (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0), 11 a.m., ESPNU. (Kentucky +10)
9. Michigan State (1-1) at Notre Dame (1-1), 2:30 p.m, KFOR-4. (Notre Dame +11)
10. Kansas State (1-1) at UCLA (2-0), 9:15 p.m., FSOK. (UCLA +10)
Other games worth a look:
Tennessee (1-1) at No. 1 Florida (2-0), 2:30 p.m., KWTV-9. (Florida +28)
Duke (1-1) at Kansas (2-0), 11 a.m., Versus. (Kansas +20)
Cincinnati (2-0) at Oregon State (2-0), 5:45 p.m., FSOK (Oregon State +2)
No. 8 California (2-0) at Minnesota (2-0), 11 a.m., ESPN. (Cal +13)
East Carolina (1-1) at No. 24 North Carolina (2-0), 11 a.m., ESPN2. (UNC +6)
West Virginia (2-0) at Auburn (2-0), 5:45 p.m., ESPN. (Auburn +6)
“College GameDay” to be in Austin for Texas Tech at No. 2 Texas
"College GameDay" crew of Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” traveling road show will originate from Austin, Texas, this Saturday, site of Texas Tech at No. 2 Texas (7 p.m., KOCO-5). “College GameDay.” 9-11 a.m., is hosted by Chris Fowler with analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard.
The show started the season on Sept. 5 in Atlanta for the Alabama-Virginia Tech game and moved to Columbus, Ohio, last Saturday for USC at Ohio State. Corso has done remarkably well coming off an offseason stroke, although his speech may be slowed a bit.
ABC’s top announcing team of Brent Musburger, Herbstreit and Lisa Salters will call the Texas Tech-Texas game.
CBS’ Danielson criticizes Stoops for allowing Bradford to come back this season
CBS analyst Gary Danielson
In a CBS conference call promoting its SEC telecasts on Thursday, analyst Gary Danielson took a shot at OU coach Bob Stoops for allowing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford to return for his junior season. Bradford suffered a shoulder injury in the Sooners’ 14-13 loss to BYU in the season opener.
“I personally wish, and I know it wouldn’t happen and I almost feel funny saying it because I know Bob Stoops and he cares about his players, I really wish Bob Stoops would have said to Sam Bradford, ‘I’m sorry. I can’t let you play for my team this year. I can’t risk $70 million knowing that some guard will turn a linebacker loose and blow your arm and knee.’ I thought Sam should have been in the NFL.”
Danielson, who is in his fourth season of SEC telecasts, said he made similar comments on the air and to coach Les Miles when star defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey returned to LSU instead of going pro.
Danielson, who said he expects Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow or Bradford to win the Heisman Trophy, said he hates discussing the competition early in the season.
“I wish they wouldn’t even bring up Heisman until Week 10 or something like that. It’s just ridiculous. I gave up my vote long ago. I got mad when Peyton Manning didn’t win, and it was lobbied on air and Charles Woodson won it. I thought that was a crime that year. Not that he wasn’t a good player, but I thought that Manning deserved it.
“Last year’s voting was an embarrassment. Tim Tebow was the returning Heisman Trophy winner and out of 904 votes, 154 didn’t have him as first, second or third. Clearly people we’re trying to make their vote count twice by not voting for him and he lost by 151 votes. The whole thing is a scam.”
Danielson and former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, a new analyst for the CBS College Sports Network, said the SEC is well above the Big 12 in overall talent.
Danielson: “I actually don’t think there is any question, really. The SEC has dominated right now if you just look at their success with the national championships. This is just a snapshot and it changes. … If any SEC team went undefeated — like LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss or Florida or anybody else that could do it — they would be the No. 1 seed for the BCS and that’s because of the short history of what’s happened with the SEC and how they’ve finished off these national championship games.”
Fullmer: “You have to look at the conferences and the divisions from top to bottom and certainly the Big 12 can play with anybody at the top of the league, but the bottom half of the Southeastern Conference can certainly impact what happens in the SEC and impact from a national standpoint by upsetting people. From top to bottom, I think the Southeastern Conference is the best league.”
