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Weightier Issues Like Race, Player Safety Make Way Onto Super Bowl Pregame Shows

The hours of pregame coverage leading up to Super Bowl 50 were "filled with the usual, predictable fluff, but racial, safety and quality of the game issues surprisingly saw the light of day," according to Bob Raissman of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. It was a "surprise" that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell went sat for an interview with CBS' James Brown early in the net's pregame show. While the timing of the segment did not "expose it to the largest possible audience," Brown "asked the right questions, with little time to follow up." Goodell "offered answers he has recited before" on race, the HGH investigation into Broncos QB Peyton Manning and concussions. The most powerful pregame moment "came on ESPN's 'Countdown' when racist tweets" about Panthers QB Cam Newton were presented. The six tweets ESPN aired, "heavy with the N-word, drew an emotional reaction from the panel" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/8). In Miami, Barry Jackson ranked Bill Cowher's interview with Manning on CBS' pregame as the best interview of the day, followed by Brown "discussing race and other topics with Newton." However, Brown's interview with Goodell was the "most underwhelming interview." Jackson: "No hardball questions. So it was odd that Brown ended the conversation by thanking him for 'answering tough questions'" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 2/7).

OTHER PREGAME HIGHLIGHTS: In Houston, David Barron notes CBS, NFL Network and ESPN "probably produced enough top-notch material among them to fill four hours rather than the 16 they programmed Sunday -- eight on NFL Network, four each on ESPN and CBS." One memorable segment was NFL Network's "One Play" collection, a "highlight reel of one play to remember from each of the first 49 Super Bowls." CBS had an "updated look for its pregame show, shifting between sets and locations manned by hosts" Brown, Greg Gumbel and Ian Eagle. CBS' most memorable segment "was the tale of a Knoxville, Tenn., high school player who was killed while shielding three young girls from gunfire" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/8). In Tampa, Tom Jones writes CBS "turned in a nice feature about the six living broadcasters who have called play-by-play for the Super Bowl." It is too bad that CBS' Jim Nantz, in an interview after the feature with Brown, "turned a wonderful feature about some of the greatest announcers in the business into a five-minute speech about how all things revolve around him, including the recent birth of his son" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/8).

BALANCING ACT: SI.com's Richard Deitsch notes Brown's interview with Newton "was revealing," while his short Q&A with Goodell "wasn't a back rub but revealed no news and likely pleased the league." Deitsch writes that Tony Gonzalez' interview with Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and DE Demarcus Ware "was so overproduced that I was left wondering what it could have been given that Phillips and Ware are excellent interview subjects." The best part of CBS' entire production "was the first 15 minutes of the 'Kickoff Show.'" The feature on the Bills "winning four straight Super Bowls didn't quite work" (SI.com, 2/8). In Buffalo, Alan Pergament writes the Bills feature "was cute, but some of my followers thought it was corny, a waste of time and worse and even wondered why some of the retired Bills agreed to the silliness" (BUFFALONEWS.com, 2/7).

PRESIDENTIAL PARDON
: The MIAMI HERALD's Jackson noted the most creative idea was CBS "taking a light-and-lively approach with its chat" with President Obama. The interview "worked, because Gayle King asked outside-the-box questions and Barack and Michelle Obama were relaxed and jovial" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 2/7). The TAMPA BAY TIMES' Jones writes the interview with the President "was a little too relaxed, but that was the plan." It is "never easy deciding how to handle the presidential interview for the Super Bowl show," and because of that, the networks "need to think about getting rid" of it. Jones: "Seems as if the only reason they do them anymore is because they can, and that's not really a good enough reason" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/8).

HIGHLIGHT FROM RADIO: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick notes Jim Gray conducted a "good" interview with Patriots QB Tom Brady during the Westwood One pregame show, as Gray "politely insisted that Brady answer if he's rooting" for Manning. Brady finally "admitted that he is -- sort of -- as both a friend and a competitor who has 'as much love for the game as I do.'" Brady said if the Broncos "win the Super Bowl, I'll be jealous of him" (N.Y POST, 2/8).

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