NBC Sports announcer Dick Enberg is "on the verge of
joining" CBS, according to Richard Sandomir of the N.Y.
TIMES. Enberg: "My agent's working on a deal. It looks
like something's going to happen" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/10).
MCDONOUGH OUT: In Philadelphia, Bill Fleischman reports
that CBS Sports' lead college football announcer Sean
McDonough "won't be returning" to the network. McDonough
was told this week by CBS Sports President Sean McManus that
his ten-year run at the network will end with CBS' telecast
of the December 31 Sun Bowl. McDonough terms his parting as
"bizarre": "Sean McManus said, 'We like you very much, we
think you're a terrific announcer, but unfortunately you're
the one whose contract is up. We have longer commitments to
all these guys we brought in to do the NFL.'" McDonough
said he "is considering" leaving broadcasting for good:
"This has left me with a really bad taste in my mouth. It's
not a great feeling to knock yourself out for 10 years for
people and be discarded because you happen to be the guy
who's expendable at the moment" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS,
12/10). In Boston, Jim Baker writes that a formal
announcement on the hiring of Enberg is "anticipated any
day," and Enberg will "likely be paired on NFL games with
Dan Dierdorf next year and Verne Lundquist may take
McDonough's role as lead college caller" (BOSTON HERALD,
12/10). USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke writes that Enberg's CBS
work would include NFL, NCAA men's basketball tournament,
and "anchor of tennis' U.S. Open" (USA TODAY, 12/10).
MUSHNICK SAYS EYE IS OFF THE BALL: In N.Y., Phil
Mushnick writes that CBS "is in the process of making a big
mistake" in dropping McDonough, who is a "practicing, highly
credible journalist ... unafraid to speak measured but hard
truths to his audiences" (N.Y. POST, 12/10).
