People & Personalities: Carillo Begins Role At Tennis Channel This Weekend

Carillo will begin her role with Tennis Channel this weekend

In Albany, Pete Dougherty writes about tennis analyst Mary Carillo under the header, "Carillo Natural Fit For Tennis Channel." The veteran analyst will begin her role at Tennis Channel this weekend during the opening round of the French Open, and Dougherty writes, "It would be hard to imagine a tennis major without her presence." Carillo said, "I love the sport of tennis, but I also really like the sport of television. ... I am really hoping that if this goes well, I get to hang around and do all kinds of things for Tennis Channel." She added, "I hope I have the freedom to really make Tennis Channel an even better address for the sport." Carillo indicated that she "hopes to raise the bar" at the channel. Dougherty noted she "suggested at a recent production meeting that each announcer take a part of Novak Djokovic's game and break it down with isolated camera shots and analysis" (Albany TIMES UNION, 5/20).

HOMETOWN CALL: In Baltimore, Kevin Cowherd noted new NBC Sports announcer Larry Collmus will be calling the 136th Preakness Stakes Saturday for NBC after making his Triple Crown debut two weeks ago at the Kentucky Derby, and "calling Triple Crown races is something he dreamed of doing since he was a kid in Ellicott City." Collmus: "Everybody in this business wants to do this. And I'm one of the few lucky guys who has been given the opportunity." He added, "I think getting the Derby out of the way is going to help. But you're still going to be nervous. If you're not nervous, you're not doing your job properly. Because this is the middle jewel of racing's triple Crown, a big, big deal. And you really want to be on edge for a race like this. There will be nerves. There's no doubt about that" (Baltimore SUN, 5/19).

EXCHANGE PROGRAM: In L.A., Mike DiGiovanna noted as part of the Angels' 50th anniversary celebration, the team invited Braves radio broadcaster Don Sutton, who played for the Angels from '85-87, to “do two innings of play by play for the Angels’ radio network” for Sunday’s game against the Braves. Sutton will “call the third and fourth innings” for KLAA-AM, and Angels broadcaster Terry Smith will call the same innings for the Braves’ radio network (L.A. TIMES, 5/19).

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE: The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin wrote Blue Jays broadcaster Alan Ashby is “so unique,” and he “may be just as good on TV as he is working” with Jerry Howarth on radio. Ashby during last Friday’s Rogers Sportsnet broadcast “was terrific.” Dowbiggin: “He doesn’t have screaming fit when a Toronto hitter finds a gap in the outfield, he paces the game properly, and he can tell a fly ball from a home run off the hitter’s bat” (GLOBESPORTS.com, 5/18).