Michael Crouch

“In reflecting on this, three things come to mind. First, quarterbacks have to have vision. Their ability to scan the field is essential on the field and in the broadcast booth. (Clearly John Madden’s ability to do this means this trait isn’t the exclusive domain of quarterbacks.) Second, as far as networks are concerned, recruiting quarterbacks makes sense. They are names, known quantities among fans, and therefore may bring more eyeballs. Lastly, the quarterbacks I worked with were used to thinking on their feet, communicating succinctly, and had a better understanding of the big picture and little pictures in the game. I don’t want to paint with too broad a brush here because I worked with Matt Millen and Dan Dierdorf, two outstanding nonquarterbacks who had the skills, if not the name recognition factor, that I listed above. Maybe this is somewhat like the belief that catchers in baseball, because they are the only players looking out on the whole field, make better managers and even broadcasters—think Tim McCarver, for example.”
― Verne Lundquist, Play by Play:: Calling the Wildest Games in Sports—From SEC Football to College Basketball, The Masters, and More

“I was in Charlotte, North Carolina. Still I was pretty thrilled to be doing my first tournament games with Al McGuire. Al had coached the Marquette Warriors for a number of years. He led them to the NCAA title in 1977 in his final year as head coach. He went into broadcasting with NBC and was courtside in 1997 for the famous Indiana State/Larry Bird versus Michigan State/Magic Johnson title game, which many say launched the NCAA tournament into the stratosphere.”
― Verne Lundquist, Play by Play:: Calling the Wildest Games in Sports—From SEC Football to College Basketball, The Masters, and More

“Barry had done some negotiations on my behalf and he agreed that I would go to Columbia, South Carolina, the first week of March to do a Gamecocks contest against University of Nevada–Las Vegas (UNLV). This was a limited regional broadcast through six affiliates—four in South Carolina and one in Reno and one in Vegas. He sounded very pleased with himself. My guts roiled. “But I’m still at ABC. My contract with them doesn’t end until after that game is long gone and in the history books. Now you want me to put on a blue blazer and do a basketball game?”
― Verne Lundquist, Play by Play:: Calling the Wildest Games in Sports—From SEC Football to College Basketball, The Masters, and More

“happens in these cases. One of the most glaring instances was that in which the Volturno on fire in mid-Atlantic”
― Charles Herbert Lightoller, Titanic & Other Ships