The Dolphins named Pro Football HOFer and former ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese to their three-man radio team, taking the spot of longtime analyst Jim Mandich, "who died in April," according to Brad Biggane of the PALM BEACH POST. Griese will join fellow former Dolphins players Jimmy Cefalo and Joe Rose in the radio booth "when Miami opens the regular season at New England on Sept. 12." Griese will "remain on the TV broadcast crew for the remainder" of the preseason. Griese, a close friend of Mandich's, said, "I’m not going to try to replace him, and I’m not going to do the things that he did.” Biggane noted "two other former Dolphins also will join the radio broadcast." Kim Bokamper will “work the post-game locker room and, at road games, report from the sideline,” while Keith Sims “will be the sideline reporter at home” (PALM BEACH POST, 8/20). In Ft. Lauderdale, Mike Berardino wrote Griese "hasn’t always been at his sharpest on Dolphins preseason TV broadcasts over the years, but he sounds energized by the chance to be a regular part of the Dolphins’ regular season.” After 29 years calling college football for ESPN, Griese said, "I've always had to prepare for both teams. This is going to be a little bit easier and a little bit nicer. You can even cheer some. You can even say, ‘Attaboy.’” Meanwhile, Berardino reported Dick Stockton "will not reprise his role of radio play-by-play man on the Dolphins’ prime-time games this year.” After replacing Cefalo in the booth for several night games last year, Stockton “wasn’t comfortable with continuing in that role because he didn’t feel it was fair to Cefalo” (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 8/19).
