In Oklahoma City, Erik Horne notes the Thunder hired Chris Fisher as their "new television play-by-play announcer," and he will be the "lead voice" for the team's 70 game broadcasts on FS Oklahoma this season. Brian Davis, the Thunder’s play-by-play announcer since they arrived in Oklahoma City in '08, did "not have his contract renewed this offseason" after being "suspended for the first game of the playoffs" over a controversial comment about Russell Westbrook. Fisher will be "joined by Michael Cage, Lesley McCaslin, Nick Gallo, Antonio Daniels and John Rhadigan" on Thunder broadcasts this season (OKLAHOMAN, 9/25).
VIEW FROM THE TOP: THE ATHLETIC's John Walters noted ESPN’s Todd McShay on Saturday took sideline reporting to "new heights when he scaled a 125-foot crane located behind the south end zone of Faurot Field during the second half of the Georgia-Missouri contest." After a 15-minute instruction seminar, McShay was "permitted to clamber up the crane," accompanied by two Mortenson Construction employees. McShay: "Once you’re 40 or so feet up in the air, you’re on your own. If you fall, you die.” The "most difficult aspect of the climb" was an "ascent through the cab used by the crane operator." McShay: "Picture climbing through the sunroof of a car but 120 feet high. ... For me, it was like being in an airplane without being inside the airplane" (THEATHLETIC.com, 9/24).
DOING HIS HOMEWORK: In Cleveland, Marc Bona notes SportsTime Ohio's Jensen Lewis parlayed a four-year MLB career into an "ability to coherently break down the game as a broadcaster." Jensen is a regular on the "Indians Live" postgame show and also "hosts 'Beer Money,'" a sports-trivia game show. Lewis typically gets to Progressive Field by 3:00pm ET, "visits the clubhouse" and "chats with a player who might be featured on the show." He "maybe asks a question or two to manager Terry Francona" and "reads reporters' stories." He will "gather as much information as possible for the 24 to 26 minutes he is on the air" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/25).
REMEMBER THE NAME: In Milwaukee, James Nelson wrote first-year sideline and digital reporter Katie George, 24, has "national-level ambitions and knows the Bucks just gave her a big career break." Bucks President Peter Feigin said George is "going to blow people out of the water." He added, "She's the Instagram generation, the Snapchat generation. She's grown up in the short-form world. ... She's got limitless potential." A former Miss Kentucky USA, George "worked in local television" in Louisville for two years "before landing the Bucks gig" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/24).
