So now former Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden has a new gig as an analyst on Monday Night Football. Not that he asked us, but we do have some advice for him on how to be successful, even if he isn't in for the long haul. Actually, these tips work for any color analyst in any sport. Here are our Do's and Don'ts for a sports analyst.
-- Don't be afraid to criticize
The best analysts consider broadcasting to be their end job, or are not looking to get back into the game. Think of golf's Johnny Miller, tennis' John McEnroe or basketball's Charles Barkley. They don't care if they offend because they aren't worried about their next job. The flaw of many ex-coaches who hope to coach again someday (like Gruden) is that they don't want to anger a possible future employer. In the end, your abilities as a coach and not what you say as a broadcaster will determine whether you get another coaching job.
-- Do respect your audience
Okay, we don't know as much about the game as you do. We know that. You know that. But don't treat us like aliens who have never seen an athletic event before. The quickest way to lose an audience, the quickest way to anger an audience, is to talk down to it. It's Joe Morgan's biggest flaw on ESPN baseball. He spends so much time convincing you how smart he is and reminding us that he played the game that it comes across as if we're dumb and not to be respected. Give us a little credit. Sports fans are smarter than you think.
-- Don't stop working
Gruden is famous for going to work hours before the sun does. Broadcasting isn't nearly as time consuming as coaching or playing, but it doesn't mean one can act as if it's time to kick back and simply show up five minutes before the broadcast and start talking. It's still a job. The best analysts are prepared, like Gruden's new partner Ron Jaworski and basketball's Jeff Van Gundy. These guys look at game film, they talk to players and coaches, they read newspapers, they report.
-- Do be yourself
You got the job because of who you are. Now don't go changing. Too many new analysts try to be like someone else. Whenever I see football's Tony Siragusa, I don't know if he's being himself or trying to imitate John Madden. Others try to sound like, suddenly, they earned a degree from the Joe Pro School of Broadcasting, turning their voices into a caricature of some hack announcer. When it comes to the good analysts, you get the feeling they are the same off the air as they are on the air, like Barkley, Madden and Mike Ditka.
Don't be controversial just to be controversial
Remember Rush Limbaugh's short stint on ESPN? He was brought in for his strong opinions, but then he arrogantly got lost in his on-air persona and eventually said something really stupid. Remember, whatever you say is going out to millions of people and once you say it, you can't take it back. If something outrageous pops into your head, think about it twice before saying it. If you have to think about it twice, you probably shouldn't say it. Better to let 10 good lines pass than to say one really bad line that costs you your job and turns you into a national joke.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
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