Sports Forum Interviews - John Buccigross

[bigmike]

I was reading one of John Buccigross' columns on ESPN when I thought of Caleb's idea of sports forum interviews. I figured what the hell and emailed Buccigross and he said that he'd do an email interview.

If anyone has any questions, or suggestions of interviews, leave them in here.

[CarlMonday]

you > caleb

[thejetstolehome]

was sportscasting something you always wanted to do? is it as hard as it may seem to break into that business?

[CarlMonday]

have you ever taken a production assistant to outback?

[thejetstolehome]

where did your pretty vast knowledge of music come from?

[xearlynovemberx]

would he sleep with me? im a pretty big deal ya know

[CarlMonday]

will you make sure no scumbag fucks my ex girlfriend when she works at espn this summer?

[xearlynovemberx]

ask him if hes ever weirded out by stuart scotts lazy eye

[get high]

keep it up with the music references. who is you favorite co-anchor to work with?

[get high]

ask him if hes ever weirded out by stuart scotts lazy eye

apparently he got hit in the eye with a football during an espn bbq or something

[xearlynovemberx]

apparently he got hit in the eye with a football during an espn bbq or something

wow haha

[xearlynovemberx]

but in all seriousness..does he have a topic he perfers to cover?

womens mudwrestling :perv:

[crit]

He always mentions bands...I'd like to know who his favorites are.

[livethesounds]

wow, good job bigmike

hm..I've met some big guys in the sports media but not guys that were on television on a regular basis.

Like matt said, ask him how hard it is to get in the door with ESPN, what kind of things did he have to do, if he got in through knowing someone or just plain hard work.

Ask him how much free time he gets with doing sportscenter and other gigs for ESPN.

Also ask him if people really hate hockey as much as they act like they do on sportscenter.

[startBBtoday]

where did he work before espn?
where did he go to school?
is he content with working on sportscenter or would he like to move on like keith olberman and craig kilborn?

[livethesounds]

does he wish to host some sort of music show with all the musical references he throws in sportscenter.

[bigmike]

where did he work before espn?
where did he go to school?
is he content with working on sportscenter or would he like to move on like keith olberman and craig kilborn?
He said in one of his columns that he went to college somewhere in Ohio, I forget where exactly.

And before ESPN, his wikipedia page says he worked in Providence, and Cape Cod.

[FondestMemory]

ask who his favorite sportscenter anchor was before he got the job at espn.

[thejetstolehome]

this is kind of related to my first question but, did he work his way up through the company or was he hired from outside?

[JezisHChrist]

I love John Buccigross. Ask him what his take is on the coverage the NHL's been getting from the Ottawa/Buffalo incident, and the coverage they've been getting in general in the American public.

[shOcktreAtmEnt]

Who's his favorite anchor to work with

[sayyes]

great idea

[startBBtoday]

i don't want this question to come off assholish, but how much work does he actually do as a sportscenter anchor? is most of the work done by writers and people behind the scenes, or by the anchors themselves.

[xbrokendownx]

ask him what his predictions are for the rest of the year, like trophy winners, cup winners, etc


what teams in the NHL does he see as the toughest out

[Smithers]

is he content with working on sportscenter or would he like to move on like keith olberman and craig kilborn?

this is a great question. do they make shit money? because i would love being an SC anchor my entire life. bob ley and berman didn't stray from this. what made those two do that?

[startBBtoday]

i guess a follow up to the would he be content with working at sportscenter would be would he rather move on to being a big espn personality like stuart scott and chris berman have become or would he rather move on to non-sports related material like kilborn and olberman.

[falloutboy.]

how often or has he ever had to improvise his set because of technological problems with the teleprompter in a live set? from that show a year/two ago trying to be an espn anchor (name of show?)

[Smithers]

how often or has he ever had to improvise his set because of technological problems with the teleprompter in a live set? from that show a year/two ago trying to be an espn anchor (name of show?)

dream job.

[Spicoli hey bud]

wow great fucking job man.

ask him why the fuck he always says winner, winner, chicken dinner.

[falloutboy.]

dream job.
thank you. brain fart.

[bigmike]

this is a great question. do they make shit money? because i would love being an SC anchor my entire life. bob ley and berman didn't stray from this. what made those two do that?
Tony Reali's wikipedia page reports that he makes $920,000. So I'm sure ESPN doesn't pay it's actual anchors shit money.

Also, Steve Levy and Barry Melrose co-owned/founded a United Hockey League franchise but wound up folding because of bad attendance, the coach hung himself while jerking off in the bathroom of the motel like 10 minutes from me as they were in town to play the kalamazoo wings (true fucking story, too) and other things.

But UHL Franchises aren't cheap. The couple that founded the Kalamazoo Wings who started in the IHL just sold the franchise for over $2 million or something. For shitty minor league hockey.
wow great fucking job man.

ask him why the fuck he always says winner, winner, chicken dinner.
I don't know why he says it, but I say it too every so often.

And there's some great questions in this thread.

[startBBtoday]

He said in one of his columns that he went to college somewhere in Ohio, I forget where exactly.

And before ESPN, his wikipedia page says he worked in Providence, and Cape Cod.

i was more interested in what kind of jobs he worked before espn (local news? newspaper?) more so than where locationwise.

[StuGrimson]

Why does ESPN Not give a shit about hockey and only really cover sports they have a financial investment in? ESPN is to sports what MTV is to music.

[CarlMonday]

i heard that sportscenter anchors make in the high 90's from someone inside the business, they could be lying.

[startBBtoday]

Why does ESPN Not give a shit about hockey and only really cover sports they have a financial investment in? ESPN is to sports what MTV is to music.

i'm gonna go with no on this one as i can't think of a show on espn that doesn't have to do with sports and i can't think of a show on mtv that has to do with music.

[Markus1186]

Why does ESPN Not give a shit about hockey and only really cover sports they have a financial investment in? ESPN is to sports what MTV is to music.


I read in one of his columns that he claims that the NHL gets the same coverage now (as in highlight times and other things) as they did when they had the actual rights to the NHL broadcasts.

[deadstar]

I read in one of his columns that he claims that the NHL gets the same coverage now (as in highlight times and other things) as they did when they had the actual rights to the NHL broadcasts.
Thats a load of bs. Theres no NHL2nite and the NHL is only competing with the NBA and NASCAR right now.

[Markus1186]

I know, Im sure hes probally just trying to cover himself. He wouldnt actually speak against ESPN in that situation.

[deadstar]

I know, Im sure hes probally just trying to cover himself. He wouldnt actually speak against ESPN in that situation.
Yea probably not. I would want to ask how it feel to cover a sport that the company that employs him hates.

[bigmike]

Why does ESPN Not give a shit about hockey and only really cover sports they have a financial investment in? ESPN is to sports what MTV is to music.
Whats in it for them to cover it? it rates terribly in the US so there's not a demande for it. No demand, no highlights.
Yea probably not. I would want to ask how it feel to cover a sport that the company that employs him hates.
I don't think ESPN hates it. But why, again, spend the time away from cash cows like the NFL and NBA talking about a sport that most of America doesn't give two shits about?

They're smart about what they cover.

[StuGrimson]

Its one of those things....the sport wont grow if you wont cover...and you wont cover it because its not popular. I guess up here on some stations its similar, other than the Raptors people generally dont give 2 shits about basketball so it gets buried behind even curling and other sports.

[deadstar]

Whats in it for them to cover it? it rates terribly in the US so there's not a demande for it. No demand, no highlights.

I don't think ESPN hates it. But why, again, spend the time away from cash cows like the NFL and NBA talking about a sport that most of America doesn't give two shits about?

They're smart about what they cover.
I'm pretty sure if they picked up the rights to the NHL post-lockout they would be advertising the shit out of it. You honestly think anyone north of the mason dickson line gives 2 shits about NASCAR?

[bigmike]

Its one of those things....the sport wont grow if you wont cover...and you wont cover it because its not popular. I guess up here on some stations its similar, other than the Raptors people generally dont give 2 shits about basketball so it gets buried behind even curling and other sports.
Yeah, pretty much.
I'm pretty sure if they picked up the rights to the NHL post-lockout they would be advertising the shit out of it. You honestly think anyone north of the mason dickson line gives 2 shits about NASCAR?
Uhh, yeah. Have you seen attendance and ratings of Nascar? Please. It's the fastest growing 'sport' in America. Not to mention the fact that racing is huge world wide (though, not nascar).

Also, how can they pick up the rights when the offer a contract to the NHL and they turn it down for a "better offer" on a shittier station? The NHL has fucked up, not ESPN.

[startBBtoday]

also, people in new hampshire care about nascar

[Broken Parachute]

Just tell him that I love him and that his "because he's myyyy butler" Seinfeld reference was one of the best references in all of Sportscenter highlights history.

In all seriousness though, ask him if he has any good advice for those looking to break into the broadcast journalism field.

[kbauer]

Tony Reali's wikipedia page reports that he makes $920,000. So I'm sure ESPN doesn't pay it's actual anchors shit money.

Also, Steve Levy and Barry Melrose co-owned/founded a United Hockey League franchise but wound up folding because of bad attendance, the coach hung himself while jerking off in the bathroom of the motel like 10 minutes from me as they were in town to play the kalamazoo wings (true fucking story, too) and other things.

But UHL Franchises aren't cheap. The couple that founded the Kalamazoo Wings who started in the IHL just sold the franchise for over $2 million or something. For shitty minor league hockey.

I don't know why he says it, but I say it too every so often.

And there's some great questions in this thread.

What team was that can you recall? I miss the Mechanics, they played like 5 minutes from my house and the UHL isnt bad for what it is.

And hearing that Tony Reali makes 920,000, just may had ruined my year, god I hate him.

Does he believe that ESPN will eventually carry hockey again within the next 10 years? I know thats not a good question but I was reaching.

Ask him if he'll drop a "is...to the...what Ace Enders is to The Early November haha or however that goes. Im not expecting you to do that, its just a really dorky dream of mine.

[bigmike]

What team was that can you recall? I miss the Mechanics, they played like 5 minutes from my house and the UHL isnt bad for what it is.

And hearing that Tony Reali makes 920,000, just may had ruined my year, god I hate him.

Does he believe that ESPN will eventually carry hockey again within the next 10 years? I know thats not a good question but I was reaching.

Ask him if he'll drop a "is...to the...what Ace Enders is to The Early November haha or however that goes. Im not expecting you to do that, its just a really dorky dream of mine.
It was the Adirondack Frostbite.

You don't like Tony Reali? Why?

The NHL is signed with Versus until like 2011 or something ridiculous like that. So I wouldn't expect them to carry hockey anytime soon.

[Broken Parachute]

I like Tony Reali, maybe because he likes to say the word squaddddooosh instead of nothing or zero, and I think that's a funny word.

[kbauer]

It was the Adirondack Frostbite.

You don't like Tony Reali? Why?

The NHL is signed with Versus until like 2011 or something ridiculous like that. So I wouldn't expect them to carry hockey anytime soon.

Maybe its because Ive never liked Around The Horn even though I watched every day for like 3 years straight, but he seems really really arrogant and full of himself, idk he comes off like a jerk to me, I didnt like Max Kellerman either, so maybe its an Around The Horn thing because I felt indifferent when he was just stat boy but then whats to hate there hes on for like 30 seconds.

Yay for Versus! Until 2011!?!?!?! Oh god no, why?!!! :gunhead:

It takes a lot for me to use a smiley.

[nfggc10]

Maybe its because Ive never liked Around The Horn even though I watched every day for like 3 years straight, but he seems really really arrogant and full of himself, idk he comes off like a jerk to me, I didnt like Max Kellerman either, so maybe its an Around The Horn thing because I felt indifferent when he was just stat boy but then whats to hate there hes on for like 30 seconds.Hmm I don't get that feeling from him at all. He's very knowledgeable and has to mediate very ego-driven sports writers so he's in a tough spot. Kellerman is/was awful. Dan Patrick was on vacation from his radio show a while back and Max sat in for him and it only reminded me of how ignorant he is about every sport outside of boxing. He fails to realize that his expertise in a dead sport that no one gives a shit about regardless of how much he over hypes it. I actually remember him saying that Lance Armstrong wasn't an athlete and that for him to named/considered for AP athlete of the year was absurd. Thankfully his bloated ego wanted too much money from ESPN and they let him go.

[we are cured]

Yay for Versus! Until 2011!?!?!?! Oh god no, why?!!! :gunhead:

because people are getting paid

and heres a hint: it's not us, and it's not the players

[Badgers08]

go here http://sports.espn.go.com/espntv/espnBio?type=name and you can find his bio along with everyone else's who works there.

[falloutboy.]

Hmm I don't get that feeling from him at all. He's very knowledgeable and has to mediate very ego-driven sports writers so he's in a tough spot. Kellerman is/was awful. Dan Patrick was on vacation from his radio show a while back and Max sat in for him and it only reminded me of how ignorant he is about every sport outside of boxing. He fails to realize that his expertise in a dead sport that no one gives a shit about regardless of how much he over hypes it. I actually remember him saying that Lance Armstrong wasn't an athlete and that for him to named/considered for AP athlete of the year was absurd. Thankfully his bloated ego wanted too much money from ESPN and they let him go.
ya but 920,000 isnt too much money for Tony? I actually prefered Max to Tony, Max had an arrogant opinion to everything, but I liked his camera presence, Tony is just way too laid back IMO, and I hate how he effing gives points on that show, a stupid unintelligent argument gets a writer 5 points and has me yelling at the tv, damn you around the horn.

[JezisHChrist]

When's this interview happening?