Not sure if to label this a FT or NFT since he was involved in both, but I just started reading this biography on him by Mark Ribowsky called 'Howard Cosell: The Man, the Myth, and the Transformation of American Sports'. I'm only 30 odd pages in so I've yet to get to the meat of his career & he's a bit before my time. I'm curious, to the BBIers who were around during his hayday, what did you think of him? I remember reading an article about him a couple of years back that some '70s poll had him as the most beloved & hated TV personality so he definitely invoked strong feelings on both sides.
Did you like him? Did you hate him? Was he as controversial as history made him out to be?
Here's Cosell in another Woody Allen movie
We believe prisoners were made to watch this as punishment. - ( New Window )
all valid Drew - all true. But he monetized that personality and in that sense was way ahead of his time. Can't argue that he drew viewers - "eyeballs" or "hits" in today's internet terms.
This post above is right on. I was pretty young when Cosell was in his prime and I loved him. He made me want to be a sports journalist/reporter. I never realized that dream and instead became a lawyer, with much regret. On Mondays my friends and I would try to predict his opening for MNF and the halftime highlights. That voice, that cadence, will never be forgotten.
Why did ABC keep him on if he was so hated? Mainly I think because he gave gravitas to sports events that they lacked previously. He covered sports more like a news reporter and made it seem like the fate of mankind hinged on this or that game. And it kept people tuned in or at least Roone Arledge thought it did.
I did know a couple colleagues who have both passed now who said Cosell was a mean, wretched person.
An angry, arrogant drunk who was driven to be in the spotlight.
I think the MNF guys have alluded to aspects of that in the past.
I did know a couple colleagues who have both passed now who said Cosell was a mean, wretched person.
An angry, arrogant drunk who was driven to be in the spotlight.
I think the MNF guys have alluded to aspects of that in the past.
colleagues in television? Nobody achieves Cosell's fame through personality without being a complete narcissist.
But beyond that he showed Ali as he was as a person and he did that for other sports figures.
He was fair and genuinely respectful to Joltin Joe and to Foreman and many of the fighters of his era. Hated Don King and turned away from the sport once Bob Arum and King got a hold of it. He was fair to the Nation of Islam and Im not sure Elijah Muhammed deserved fairness. To his credit he called out Ali for sham fights and did not promote his fights once he kept fighting past his prime and to his personal detriment. Felt he was used by Elijah Muhammed
He tore into the hypocrisy of the Olympic managers. He sided with the baseball unions stand. He took stands not to generate social media attention but because he actually believed them.
That's the positives. He was annoying and got his verbal schtick and ego in front of a lot more he could have said and turned off a lot of viewers who also turned out what he was saying.
He was the first reporter I can remember who exposed and explained the business side of sports as a topic.
Not much on baseball. Not much on basketball that I can remember outside of commenting on them as a business. Was a Kareem Abdul Jabbar fan. But mainly he covered Boxing and Football ( two biggest sports of those times) and overall sports as a part of America.
That's what I remember. Decent at allowing others to make fun of his schtick...he played along with the joke
"Bob, you ignorant purveyor of bombastic bloat..."
"Joe, you factless mountain of moldy mediocrity..."
In that sense I wonder how he would have done in the world of 24/7 sports talk and shock jock radio and ESPN as it is currently constituted?
I think he would not be able to take the many mediocre sports talking heads of the current scene
They were colleagues of mine and knew him in Manhattan. One said he was often in the same coffee shop as him and Cosell would regularly curse out people and call them "peons" and not worthy of being in his presence. I still remember the story 20 years later because I could completely hear Cosell based on the tales in his voice mocking those people, "Do you know I'm the great Howard Cosell and you are just a bunch of coffee drinking schlubs trudging off to a non-descript brick building toiling away in you land of nothingness".
It was said on here already, but the Howard, Frank and Dandy Don trio was as good as it gets. Other than Howard and Frank, I loved listening to Dan Dierdorf.
ass. Most arrogant and obnoxious individual I have ever met or talked to
It was said on here already, but the Howard, Frank and Dandy Don trio was as good as it gets. Other than Howard and Frank, I loved listening to Dan Dierdorf.
Dandy Don, Howard, and Gifford (the straight man) were indisputably the best Monday Night Football announcing team. It's not even close. Between Dandy Don singing "Goodnight Night the lights are out", or Howard's halftime highlights, it was fascinating must see TV.
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...all of that. My uncle was a cameraman for ABCs MNF for about 30 years, and he loved Howard. Told me a story about Howard getting drunk in the booth and had to leave the broadcast booth one night after vomiting all over Don Merediths cowboy boots. Pretty sure it was public knowledge. Despite his very unique personality, Ive always been told he was a very genuine and kind person.
It was said on here already, but the Howard, Frank and Dandy Don trio was as good as it gets. Other than Howard and Frank, I loved listening to Dan Dierdorf.
Dandy Don, Howard, and Gifford (the straight man) were indisputably the best Monday Night Football announcing team. It's not even close. Between Dandy Don singing "Goodnight Night the lights are out", or Howard's halftime highlights, it was fascinating must see TV.
In those early years MNF was a real big deal. It was almost like a weekly event, a real spectacle.
Bananas - ( New Window )
Why did ABC keep him on if he was so hated? Mainly I think because he gave gravitas to sports events that they lacked previously. He covered sports more like a news reporter and made it seem like the fate of mankind hinged on this or that game. And it kept people tuned in or at least Roone Arledge thought it did.
+1 Absolutely hated him on MNF, we used to watch with the sound off, there were times it appeared he was watching a different game from what we were seeing. I don't remember anyone I knew liking him, universally despised. But when it came to boxing he had his niche.
back in the day there were only 3 Networks!
he was on of the crew of Monday night football which would attract 40% of the audience on the night .
it a media landscape of just 3 networks - Cosell stood out he was pompous odd looking with unique way of talking
he had a terrible TV variety show on ABC for a year ..
Actually, I'm thinking now it was Madden. Guess all things blend together over time.
You loved to hate Howard, and he played that role well, but when he announced the Lennon murder, he put it all in perspective.
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HC's call during a mid-eighties MNF game featuring the NYG.
Actually, I'm thinking now it was Madden. Guess all things blend together over time.
What Howard caught a lot of flak for for saying was "look at that little Monkey run" in reference to a Redskin (I forget who) .
Real (cosell, Madden, Jackson) vs manufactured (today)
In my opinion.
I served as chair umpire for a near-perfectly umpired match. Then, just a couple of weeks later, I (with wife & daughter) sat right next to McEnroe & Tatum in a play shown in a small theater on, I believe, west 42nd St.
Very cool. Bravo. That's a cool and unique experience
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are a big reason today's broadcasts feel so homogenized and ho hum.
Real (cosell, Madden, Jackson) vs manufactured (today)
In my opinion.
Very few are really good and unique at their job these days. It's the old 80s joke about stuffing a talking mannequin up there in front of the camera. Or, it's just a product of me being older and feeling like I've seen it all, and few stick out.
Even my crush Diana Russini needs some improvement on her field work.
Surprised nobody mentioned the little monkey comment...
Dad blamed him for coining a term he hated,"foot speed" - "The hell does that mean? What other kind of speed is there when you're talking about how fast someone runs? Just say speed"
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In comment 14571298 JonC said:
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are a big reason today's broadcasts feel so homogenized and ho hum.
Real (cosell, Madden, Jackson) vs manufactured (today)
In my opinion.
Very few are really good and unique at their job these days. It's the old 80s joke about stuffing a talking mannequin up there in front of the camera. Or, it's just a product of me being older and feeling like I've seen it all, and few stick out.
Even my crush Diana Russini needs some improvement on her field work.
👍
I served as chair umpire for a near-perfectly umpired match. Then, just a couple of weeks later, I (with wife & daughter) sat right next to McEnroe & Tatum in a play shown in a small theater on, I believe, west 42nd St.
great story
complex individuals. He could be articulate, arrogant,
condescending, compassionate, etc. A lot of layers to that
particular onion. I did enjoy his ongoing repartee with
Ali years ago. I know I read a book about him back in the
day, forget who wrote it? Maybe Dick Schapp?
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In comment 14571234 aquidneck said:
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HC's call during a mid-eighties MNF game featuring the NYG.
Actually, I'm thinking now it was Madden. Guess all things blend together over time.
What Howard caught a lot of flak for for saying was "look at that little Monkey run" in reference to a Redskin (I forget who) .
It was Art Monk.
"I said Monk! I said Monk!"
He would be rolling over in his grave seeing it today
I for one was not entertained by celebrity interviews in the middle of a fucking game. I got annoyed when MNF got bigger than the game.
The sum of that trio was greater than it's parts. Someone here said they were the best trio ever, and I concur - it was a golden age of football and they were a major part of it.
Cosell drove people nuts, but he was also a reason you tuned in.
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I hated him. I always thought he was arrogant, full of himself, and he seemed to talk down to people. I remember seeing on tv, a bar that used to have a raffle every Monday Night. The winner of the raffle used to get the honor of throwing a brick through the tv when he came on during Monday Night Football. I loved that! Was he as bad as I remember him, probably not, but since it always seemed like he was sucking up to the Cowboys, Raiders, and Steelers I found him annoying. Probably because the Giants were terrible. I also liked Frazier more than Ali.
all valid Drew - all true. But he monetized that personality and in that sense was way ahead of his time. Can't argue that he drew viewers - "eyeballs" or "hits" in today's internet terms.
That is a perfect comparison.
Probably would hate him now tho. Seems very much of his times.
First things first: he was the most professional broadcaster I've ever seen. Never utilized a script but if you asked him for 30 seconds, he gave you exactly 30 seconds and he hardly ever used a stop-watch either. He
was charming, funny and kind to those he worked with.
He was a devoted family man. When his wife passed away
he was inconsolable and his own life began to wither.
He revolutionized the art of commentary on radio and tv.
There was no "telling it like it is" before Howard.
Did he have his faults? Surely. His ego was bigger
than the Goodyear blimp. Was he a drunk. Absolutely not! However he did over-indulge one night on the air in
Philadelphia and I don't think he ever lived that one down. He was mortally embarrassed by that mistake but in true Cosell fashion he tried to bluff his way through it claiming it never happened.
Did he help boost ratings? Damn right he did. There is something called the "Q" quota which measures popularity and negativity. Howard led the league in both! Half the audience tuned in because they loved him - - - - the other half tuned in hoping he'd screw up.
His appearances as an after-dinner speaker and host for charity and sports events were unparalleled. Everybody wanted Howard to headline their affair. He gave his time and efforts as frequently as anyone in the business and he was the best. I heard him give a speech at a radio and tv luncheon about the Olympic massacre of the Jewish athletes in Munich that had the entire audience in tears.
His unique voice was dramatic beyond belief. When Howard spoke, you listened!
Did I personally like the man? I adored him! Both on-the-air and in person he was THE man.
A small personal story: One evening my Mother and Father were in a NYC restaurant and there was Howard a few tables away having dinner with an ABC executive. My Dad
had never met Cosell but was a big fan and walked over to his table and introduced himself mentioning that I was his son. Though he was interrupted from his dinner, Howard was quite gracious to my Dad and said some very nice things about me. A few minutes after returning to
my Mom and their table the waiter brought them a bottle of wine saying "Compliments of Mr. Cosell".
Howard Cosell was one helluva guy. May he rest in eternal peace.