OT Howard Cossell, MNF, and Howard's Drinking Probs...!

[Mattingly23NY]

http://deadspin.com/5860103/howard-...with-al-michaels-and-the-rise-of-tim-mccarver

(snipped from above link-and there's more to read besides this)

During the 1984 American League Championship Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals, Cosell and play-by-play man Al Michaels took to sniping at each other, though what viewers didn't know was that Cosell had been drinking during the game. After Michaels disagreed with a point he made, believing Cosell's explanation of a baseball strategy "made no sense," Cosell waited until after the game before telling the even then respected announcer that he would never be a good broadcaster until he "learned to take a stand," implying the latter was too soft on tough issues and on players and owners. Michaels, who personally liked Cosell, snapped back, "You're drunk . . . You're ruining the fucking telecast," adding, "You ever come in like that again, I'm not gonna work with you." Needing a good stiff belt himself, he then went into the press room and asked for a large vodka. The apologetic bartender poured the glass only a quarter full—all Cosell had left him.

 

[Mattingly23NY]

http://nypost.com/2014/11/16/al-michaels-on-howard-cosells-drinking-and-ojs-guilt/

(snip of Al Michaels book: "You Can't Make This Up")

In the fall of 1981, a white stretch limo carrying sportscasters Al Michaels and Howard Cosell was driving through a “gritty, inner-city” neighborhood in Kansas City when, from their window, they saw two teenage boys slugging it out, with a cheering crowded “egging them on.”

Cosell, braced by vodka, could not abide the violence. He left the limo and walked toward the boys, resisting Michaels’ attempt to hold him back.

At the sight of the broadcasting legend, who was chomping on his trademark cigar and wearing his bright yellow ABC blazer, the fight stopped and everyone stared in disbelief.

Then, as Michaels tells us in his new memoir, “You Can’t Make This Up,” Cosell addressed the crowd with his signature off-rhythm patter, as if opining about amateur boxers not quite set for the big time.


“Now LISTEN,” said Cosell. “It’s quite apparent to this TRAINED observer that the young southpaw does NOT have a jab REQUISITE for the continuation of this fray. Furthermore, his opponent is a man of INFERIOR and DIMINISHING skills. This confrontation is halted POSTHASTE!”

Within seconds, the shocked kids — their beef now forgotten — had found a pen, and Cosell was signing autographs.

 

[Mattingly23NY]

On rule changes, for the safety of the QB:

 

[yankeesince59]

...good stuff matts !

 

[blgridesagain]

I enjoyed Cosell and Al Michaels is great,he makes the game/event better just by being there.......terrific announcer.

 

[Mattingly23NY]

...good stuff matts !

thanks 59, I thought you'd get a kick out of this trip down nostalgia lane....

The story of Howard that cracks me up the most, is of Cossell puking on "Dandy Don" Meredith's Cowboy Boots during a MNF telecast.....we all know how Don loved his Cowboy boots, and at times, I think Don had a drink to many, especially in the final minutes of a blowout game, "turn out the lights, the party's over"....

tho' I believe Don, overplayed that tune a few too many times, when times was running short, yet a close game was at hand....

 

[Mattingly23NY]

I enjoyed Cosell and Al Michaels is great,he makes the game/event better just by being there.......terrific announcer.

Yep, Michaels with His smooth delivery, has the perfect voice for any sport incl. Olympics, MNF, World Series, Super Bowls, (I'm not sure if he's ever done a NBA Championship tho')?

Much like Bob Costas, who also has a smooth delivery, tho' Bob can get a bit over rated; to some.....I just read or watched something the other day, where Costas made a controversial remark, during either A World Series, I believe, and damn it, now I forgot what the hell he said, that got a crowd of Sports Personnel in an uproar.....

The last week has been a daze, we finished up our old house, and closed Escrow a week ago, while moving 3,000 sq feet of decades worth of collecting shit (overall word for too many possessions)....now the real task begins***, unpacking all of those boxes. My house looks like a fkng warehouse full of boxes....

*** not to under play the hardest part of all, was hauling tons of baseball cards, memorabilia, and my Son's 30 year collection of Comic Books. I wanted to start a bon-fire with those comic books, but half of them are rare old gems....My 3 car garage will only have room for 1 car by the time were done. Moving is a bitch, and takes months. How I miss the 3 decades of having Northrop and Rockwell & Lockheed Skunk Works; move every belonging I had, then driving it cross country, and putting everything back wherever I told them to put the shit. They even unpacked boxes, just like they packed them. If you so much as left an ashtray out, with butts in it, they'd pack that up too, just as it was.....Not this time, and I haven't had to move myself, without a Corporation doing as much for me, since I was in my early 20s...

This IS the last move I will make in this lifetime, other than to a furnace to get cremated....!

 

[Rick2583]

I was never a fan of Cossell's & always wished that Clay (Ali) would have pulled his toupee off during there interviews.

 

[yankeesince59]

...we would probably have never heard of Cosell if not for his connection to Ali...Ali made Cosell.

 

[Rick2583]

Very true.

 

[Mattingly23NY]

No doubt if Not for Cassius Clay, there would be NO Howard Cossell.....

I enjoyed the shit out of Clay knocking Sonny Liston out, not once, but twice, with the re-match lasting 1 round. To this day, my Favorite Ali/Clay Heavyweight fights:

Oct. 1, 1975 "Thrilla IN Manila", vs G. Frazier
Mar. 8, 1971 "The Fight of the Century" vs G. Frazier
Jan. 28, 1974 vs Joe Frazier, the 2nd of 3 Frazier-Ali fights
Oct. 30, 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" vs G. Foreman (aka "The Rope A Dope Fight") classic strategy...

Not saying Clay/Ali's other fights weren't some of the greatest, they were....

3 Matches with Ken Norton a classic series of fights, Norton was built like a shit brick house. Norton must of used a cement block wall in lieu of a body punching bag, to prepare for his fights....

 

[Rick2583]

I thought the guy was a major asshole but he was & still is IMO the best fighter I ever saw.

 

[yankeesince59]

^^^ditto...Ali and Roberto Duran were my favs.

...ones of the things that amazed me about Ali aside from his amazing left jab was his ability to take a punch. He took a ton of hard shots to the head and body over his career...and it shows. His diminished mental capacity due to taking too many blows to the head along with Parkinson's Disease is sad to witness.

...I consider Ali to be one of the most influential people of the 20th century.

 

[Rick2583]

Roberto (No mas) Duran.

 

[stampedehero]

Cosell and Dandy Don Meredith Like Plato and Jetho from Beverly Hillbillies.

 

[stampedehero]

Bring along Tim McCarver and you can have a farm report . I disliked his baseball broadcast work and always hoped for his retirement day.

 

[Rick2583]

Cosell and Dandy Don Meredith Like Plato and Jetho from Beverly Hillbillies.

Jethro I remember from the Beverly Hillbillies but I don't recall a character named Plato.

 

[stampedehero]

Jethro I remember from the Beverly Hillbillies but I don't recall a character named Plato.

+> He's an old Greek dude known for his philosophy

 

[stampedehero]

^^^ditto...Ali and Roberto Duran were my favs.

...ones of the things that amazed me about Ali aside from his amazing left jab was his ability to take a punch. He took a ton of hard shots to the head and body over his career...and it shows. His diminished mental capacity due to taking too many blows to the head along with Parkinson's Disease is sad to witness.

...I consider Ali to be one of the most influential people of the 20th century.

+> Survivor of the Vietnam war draft and turns himself to Islam. We could say in sports thats a bold move

 

[Rick2583]

+> Survivor of the Vietnam war draft and turns himself to Islam. We could say in sports thats a bold move[/QUOTE]


Or as most veterans call him........................a coward.

 

[yankeesince59]

...at the time, the way blacks were treated in this country, Ali had absolutely no reason to fight in Viet Nam....I don't blame him one bit.

...and yes, because of Ali as well as others, people began to not only question that stupid war, but the government as well.

 

[Rick2583]

...at the time, the way blacks were treated in this country, Ali had absolutely no reason to fight in Viet Nam....I don't blame him one bit.

...and yes, because of Ali as well as others, people began to not only question that stupid war, but the government as well.

Hell I agree that it was a war we never should have been in but VETERANS saw Ali's actions as turning his back on the country. Though if I'm being honest I did like Ali's explanation when he said, "I'll beat them up, but I won't kill them".

 

[Mattingly23NY]

^^^ditto...Ali and Roberto Duran were my favs.

...ones of the things that amazed me about Ali aside from his amazing left jab was his ability to take a punch. He took a ton of hard shots to the head and body over his career...and it shows. His diminished mental capacity due to taking too many blows to the head along with Parkinson's Disease is sad to witness.

...I consider Ali to be one of the most influential people of the 20th century.

Ah, how could I leave out Roberto Duran. I'd have to look this stat up, but it seems to me, Duran, had more title fights, before he ever lost one fight, seems approximately perhaps 75 fights, before ever losing a belt, and won several belts in various categories,

 

[Mattingly23NY]

Hell I agree that it was a war we never should have been in but VETERANS saw Ali's actions as turning his back on the country. Though if I'm being honest I did like Ali's explanation when he said, "I'll beat them up, but I won't kill them".

Me 2...!

 

[yankeesince59]

...rick, I would never badmouth our vets...they do what they are told to do. I lost friends, classmates, and relatives in Nam but I have never been able to make my head and my heart accept the fact that Nam never made any sense to me then and doesn't make any sense to me now...no way anyone can justify it for me, anymore than someone can justify why our children are still dying overseas as we speak.
...and the vets' opinion of Ali and Viet Nam in many cases has changed over the years.
...I never knew anyone who came back from Nam that wasn't scarred in some way (emotionally and/or physically)...and it's the same today. There are nearly as many military personnel dying from suicide as from combat...something is horribly wrong with this picture.

 

[yankeesince59]

Ah, how could I leave out Roberto Duran. I'd have to look this stat up, but it seems to me, Duran, had more title fights, before he ever lost one fight, seems approximately perhaps 75 fights, before ever losing a belt, and won several belts in various categories,

...I became a fan of his early in his career and although I believe he was world champ in 3 different weight classes, I think he was best as a lightweight.

 

[Mattingly23NY]

...rick, I would never badmouth our vets...they do what they are told to do. I lost friends, classmates, and relatives in Nam but I have never been able to make my head and my heart accept the fact that Nam never made any sense to me then and doesn't make any sense to me now...no way anyone can justify it for me, anymore than someone can justify why our children are still dying overseas as we speak.
...and the vets' opinion of Ali and Viet Nam in many cases has changed over the years.
...I never knew anyone who came back from Nam that wasn't scarred in some way (emotionally and/or physically)...and it's the same today. There are nearly as many military personnel dying from suicide as from combat...something is horribly wrong with this picture.

Amen 59, I couldn't of said this any better, perfecto, hole in one.....!

 

[Mattingly23NY]

...I became a fan of his early in his career and although I believe he was world champ in 3 different weight classes, I think he was best as a lightweight.

The thing I remember about Duran, was #1 no one stood a chance against Duran in His Prime.
#2- Oft referred to properly as having Fists Of Stone.....one if not THE greatest Fighter of His time, and all time.....

His no mas, with Sugar Ray Leonard, was long past his prime.....Duran would of made Sugar Ray seen double if not triple, by knocking him out early, in Duran's Prime, NO one stood a chance against Roberto....!

 

[yankeesince59]

...I remember his first fight vs Leonard. Leading up to the fight, he got inside Sugar Ray's head by saying something to the effect of "I'm going to take your title then I'm gonna take your wife"...and during the fight Duran was able to repeatedly slip most of Leonard's punches...totally frustrating him...of course, Leonard got his revenge in the second fight.

 

[stampedehero]

^^^ditto...Ali and Roberto Duran were my favs.

...ones of the things that amazed me about Ali aside from his amazing left jab was his ability to take a punch. He took a ton of hard shots to the head and body over his career...and it shows. His diminished mental capacity due to taking too many blows to the head along with Parkinson's Disease is sad to witness.

...I consider Ali to be one of the most influential people of the 20th century.

+> Survivor of the Vietnam war draft and turns himself to Islam. We could say in sports thats a bold move

+> Survivor of the Vietnam war draft and turns himself to Islam. We could say in sports thats a bold move

Thats right...!!!