Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel Continues to Sponsor Sunshine Network's Florida Sports News

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 05 Jan 2003 22:41:42 -0500

Nextel Continues to Sponsor Sunshine Network's Florida Sports News

Haden would like to toss BCS
Source: Florida Times Union
Publication date: 2002-12-27
Arrival time: 2003-01-03

Pat Haden never figured it would work out this way.

He was supposed to be a broadcaster for only a year or two, then move into
another career, possibly as a lawyer, maybe in investments. He even had a
passing thought about coaching.

But the desire to continue as a game analyst has stayed with the former
Southern California quarterback for 21 years. As he prepares for his eighth
Gator Bowl game as an analyst -- he has worked for three different networks
since 1986 -- Haden reflected on the changes that have taken place in the
bowl system since his playing days at USC in the 1970s.

"Call me a bowl snob if you will, but I've always felt that if USC teams can't
go to the Rose Bowl, I'd just as soon they not go to a bowl game at all that
year," Haden said. "Of course I was fortunate to play in three straight Rose
Bowl games in 1973, '74 and '75. I know for a fact that USC players don't
care as much about the bowl game they're in and have a tendency to lose
bowl games unless it's a Jan. 1 BCS game."

The Trojans will face that test Thursday when they meet Iowa in the Orange
Bowl. The matchup between Pac-10 and Big Ten Conference teams
normally takes place in the Rose Bowl, but a strange twist of BCS fate this
year resulted in the two teams playing in Miami instead of Pasadena, Calif.
That doesn't sit well with a lot of Rose Bowl area residents, including
Hayden.

"I know the people of Pasadena would have loved to have the Iowa fans and
team out here this year," said Haden, a 20-year resident of the Los Angeles
suburb that has played host to the Rose Bowl since the late '40s. "You
could always count on the consistency of that Big Ten team and the style of
play that mirrored the weather they play in. As a football traditionalist, I'll
miss having the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl."

The BCS system has placed Big 12 champion Oklahoma and Pac-10
champ Washington State in the Rose Bowl this season.

"I'm just not in favor of the current BCS format," Haden said. "I've always
thought we should have a national championship playoff where the champion
is decided on the field. Now, this year, with teams playing 13, 14, 15
games, the idea of not having a playoff system due to missed class time
can be rebutted. I mean kids missing school? Who are we kidding? Look
what goes on in the NCAA Basketball Tournament."

Haden, who serves as the analyst on NBC's telecasts of all Notre Dame
home games, calls this year's Toyota Gator Bowl matchup between North
Carolina State and the Irish "a quality game, one that fans, players and NBC
are eagerly looking forward to."

"This is really a big game for North Carolina State," said Haden, who will
work with Mike Breen (play-by-play) and Dave Burns and Marty Snider
(sideline reporters) on the NBC national telecast. "Sure N.C. State has
played the likes of Florida State and others, but it's the first time they've
taken on the Irish, and I think they want to make a good showing."

AROUND THE DIAL -- The Gator Bowl is NBC's only postseason bowl game
telecast, which means quality promotional time for Jacksonville and the
game during the network's sporting events leading to Wednesday's game
(12:30 p.m.). . . . CBS TV-47 will show the Jaguars- Colts game at 4 p.m.
Sunday, but no early game because Fox has the doubleheader. That means
the Dolphins-Patriots 1 p.m. game will not air locally. . . . HBO Sports'
year-end show On the Record with Bob Costas (8 p.m. today) examines
in-depth some of the year's biggest sports stories and newsmakers. . . .
FSU followers will want to turn to ESPN on New Year's Eve (5 p.m.) for The
Season: Seminoles Football. It's a 60-minute behind-the-scenes look at
coaches' strategy meetings, practice sessions, team meetings and the
controversy surrounding the FSU program this year. . . . Starting with three
bowl games today, ESPN/ESPN2 will televise 13 bowl games through five of
the next six days (skipping Sunday), concluding with the Outback Bowl
between Florida and Michigan on ESPN (11 a.m., Wednesday). . . .
Following two successful years, Nextel announced it will renew its
sponsorship of Sunshine Network's Florida Sports News, the 10-11 p.m.
state-wide show covering regional sports news and highlights with an
emphasis on Florida college and professional teams.

Jeff Elliott's TV-radio column appears each Friday. He can be reached at
(904) 359-4292 or via e-mail at [email-masked].

http://cnniw.yellowbrix.com/pages/cnniw/Story.nsp?story_id=35616480&ID=cnniw&scategory=Business+and+Finance&

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