Between Katie Couric and Rupert Murdoch and Jane Pratt, yesterday's breathless media could be forgiven for overlooking another important media moment: NBC's farewell for Boston Globe tennis journalist and longtime NBC commentator Bud Collins after 35 years at the network. As Roger Federer grand-slammed to his fifth Wimbeldon win (David Foster Wallace's mancrush, justified!), NBC was readying to formally usher Collins out with a lively three-minute tribute featuring clips from his colorful career — after formally kicking him to the curb. Turns out NBC had decided not to renew his contract, cutting the 78-year old Collins loose. According to the LAT, "he was informed last month that his services would no longer be needed." How did he find out? He arrived in London to a message from NBC Sports honcho Kevin Schanzer. Classy. Last week, NBC extended its Wimbeldon deal for another four years.
"I want to thank all of my colleagues at NBC and all of those out there who have encouraged me over the years," said Collins after the tribute. "I'm going to be moving on, but I'm going to try and stay near tennis." Said NBC's Jimmy Roberts, awkwardly conducting the post-clip interview: "Promise us you won't be a stranger!" For anyone who knew the backstory, a moment that should have felt sentimental and sweet just sounded awkward and wrong.
Here's a sampling of the Collins clip, showing the breadth of his career:
The reaction to the Collins firing has, for the most part, been negative, both in the blogosphere and the MSM. Here's Sports Illustrated's Frank DeFord:
Talk about penny-wise and pound-foolish. The guy is utterly unique. There isn't another American journalist so identified with his sport as Bud is with tennis. He is the very soul of the game -- as historian, as authority, as devotee, as enthusiast. He has been at the heart of tennis for half a century, and he holds the respect and the affection of everyone in the game. What's the point of abandoning such a rare resource?
...and here's WaPo sports columnist John Feinsten, who reminds the reader that Collins wasn't just some kooky guy in silly pants, he was a veteran journalist who helped create the niche:
It is difficult for people to completely understand how much Collins has meant to tennis and to journalism. You know all those ex-print guys now working in TV, many making serious money? The trailblazer for all of them was Collins, who began doing tennis for WGBH in Boston in 1963 when the local PBS station decided it wanted to try the unheard of experiment of tennis on TV during what was then the U.S. Pro Championships at the Longwood Tennis and Cricket Club. Collins was a real live reporter, working for The Boston Globe covering everything at the time. (He once had the honor of being called a very obscene name by Ted Williams in the Red Sox clubhouse).
Feinstein doesn't fault NBC for making difficult budgetary decisions, but the move does smack of the ageism that we've seen in network news as networks cut contracts and/or entire news legends in an effort to give the news younger face (Ed Bradley; Anderson Cooper and Aaron Brown; Bob Schieffer and Katie Couric etc.). No shame in trying to keep things fresh and vigorous, but there is a tradeoff in giving up all that wisdom and experience. In the case of NBC and Bud Collins, it looks like a real loss for the network — and, alas, for tennis fans.
Legendary Tennis Announcer Bud Collins Fired By NBC [Newsday]
Network error: NBC made a huge mistake in letting Bud Collins go [SI.com]
NBC Fires Tennis Announcing Icon Bud Collins Via Voicemail [The Big Lead]
Nice retrospective and backstory:
A Special Man Deserves A Special Sendoff [WaPo]