NFL on NBC – Simple Graphics – Bigger Voices and some Trickery as well.

While CBS used high-tech mega graphics packages - NBC made more small changes. They had the NFL games just long as CBS. And just like CBS, Youtube (or better yet the inept historians) have lost many a Introduction for the games.

But heres something really interesting. The Intro to Super Bowl Three. YES THAT ONE! NBC did use some high tech gfx for its time (1969) – Gowdy introduced the sponcers for the game:

Heres the SHORT! Pregame Intro. Now most pre-games are 50 hours long and promote movies and tv series (joking)

However, youtube does have a 1973 and 1978 versions of how NBC introduced there games. Note until 1981, every pre-game show was under the title of SportsWorld. Notice that in the 1978 version the song changes a bit but the 1973 song stays until 1983 at the latest for pre games.

The man you hear saying “Still Raining Here…” in that wonderful voice is the Legendary Curt Gowdy. DID everything for NBC Sports. Enberg took over later in 1981 and it started the Enberg/Olsen – Summerall/Madden years. Great times that…

Next up a interesting one from 1981, Its the other brother of Greg Gumbel…Bryant. He is joined by a man named Mike Adamle…YES, that dude – he was working for the WWE now as General Manager for RAW… wow.

Here he is for the 1980 super bowl (WE SHOULD HAVE WON) – Eagles Vs Raiders

This is how they sent you to the games from this time period. Very Interesting, but not unlike the 1982 version of the NFL on CBS

Here is the 1983 version of the Intro – Charley Jones had the call:

In 1985, NBC went with the Live Format – and the host of these pregames, Bob Costas:

(note, no full intro just advertisements)

Hint… somebody famous did the voice over for these adverts… ill tell you at the end.

By the 1988 season NBC Sports had the Olympic Games in South Korea. That season, both the NFL and the Olympics aired in the same weekend. Many of the major game callers left for the Games, while old favorites returned for the Kickoff. For two weeks Len Berman, former sports anchor for WNBC TV – hosted NFL Live. In one of his greatest moments:

He dresses down a player being a fool.

Heres a intro from one of those games:

Here is one from the 1989 Super Bowl. Miami Viceing it bois!

They Introduced the new NBC Sports Logo and a familiar guy appears… can you guess who?

By 1992 they changed the GFX package, once to the Olympics version and the back to the Pre Olympics version…but the intros changed little.

1993 and they had this intro:

Then in 1995 This Intro:

And Pregame Intro:

Nice… This is the first time hear the great theme from the AFC’s final years on NBC…

Now 1996:

In 1998, the NFL contract for AFC games went to CBS – NBC felt that it was too costly. For 8 years they didnt go after any NFL rights. NBC became a entertainment company. The sports division seem to only need Basketball and the Olympics.

But then they lost Basketball. Then Friends and Sinfeld ended there runs. The Network tried to get a new league going, but no dice. Then they tried the XFL…yeah that worked.

2006 and ABC Sports couldnt pay for Monday Night – instead, NBC got the Sunday Night Games that ESPN used to have, while ESPN got Monday Night… Bob Costas, Cris Collingsworth, Peter King and Jerome Bettis now Host Football Night In America. Keith Oberman and Tiki Barber joined the next year. Then Dan Patrick joined and did the highlights with Keith. Now Tiki and Bob will go with Al and Chris this year while Tony Dungy and Harrson will join Keith, Dan and Peter. Please dont use Skype.

The changed the intro to a low tech version with the song done by Faith Hill:

As you can see, Presentation is still key. They didnt have much, but they have great memories. It wasn’t that bad for NBC though – Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines… Nadal/Federer – Michael Phelps 8 gold medals… And they have the Superbowl last year – heres the intro:

Look how much has changed folks!

Before We end this- the guy with the raspy voice – is Jackson Beck…NOOO he is not related to Jerry Beck…but Mr Beck should know – Jackson Beck played Bluto – Popeye’s rival in the 1950’s animated series of the classic shorts.

Everything is connected back into animation. In someway and some how.

Next Up, the late great – ABC Sports.