In Boston, Shanahan & Goldstein write it is "anybody’s guess when" NESN Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy "might resume his duties." NESN confirmed yesterday it will be a "while longer" before Remy returns to the broadcast booth. Initially, the "word was Remy, who has battled a host of health issues in recent years, was suffering from allergies and would miss only a few games." NESN has been "mum on the illness," but an e-mail yesterday said that Remy "won’t be back until at least next week." His replacements have included Baseball HOFers Jim Rice and Dennis Eckersley, NESN's Peter Gammons and Tom Caron, WEEI's Rob Bradford, and the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 6/18).
REAL TALK: In Salt Lake City, Scott Pierce notes MLS club Real Salt Lake announcer Brian Dunseth "doesn't talk down to fans who don't understand the game; he doesn't make it so simple he insults the intelligence of those who do." It is an "extraordinarily fine line to walk, and one that few do well in this country." He "doesn’t hesitate to point out when players make mistakes," but also "doesn’t go after players and makes an effort to point to positives." Dunseth and play-by-play man Bill Riley "stand out from the crowd because they’re not trying to be part of the crowd" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/19).
HELL OF AN ENGINEER: In Atlanta, Ken Sugiura reports Georgia Tech football and basketball announcer Wes Durham after 18 years "will step away from his microphone." Durham is leaving GT to "pursue a television opportunity." He could "not be specific about the new job, but allowed that it was play-by-play work." Durham will "continue to be the voice of the Falcons" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 6/19).
MARCH MADNESS: CBS Sports' Greg Gumbel said of hosting the net's NCAA Tournament coverage, "As long as I can continue to enjoy it and as long as CBS will have me, I will continue to do it." He added, "Hosting March Madness is the hardest I ever work. Those first few days of the tournament are murder. You're talking about 16 games the first day, 16 games the second day. You get into the studio about 8 in the morning. Production meetings. You're on the air at noon and then you go to about 12:30 or 1 in the morning. You go back to the hotel and then you do the same thing the next day" (OKLAHOMAN, 6/15).
