Published in SBJ November 15, 2007
Marv Albert got broadcast training at a very early age as the self-employed play-by-play man and studio engineer of his own fanciful radio station in his boyhood bedroom in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, New York. Further education and more formal experience came later in the office of the Brooklyn Dodgers, at Syracuse University and NYU, and from working with broadcast legend Marty Glickman. The radio voice for many years of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, Albert served as the primary play-by-play voice for the NBA on NBC and announced college basketball, boxing, NFL, NHL All-Star games, baseball studio and pre-game shows. He was also the play-by-play voice for TNT’s NBA coverage, for CBS Radio/Westwood One’s Monday Night Football, and for the Nets on YES Network.
Q. I just read your book I’d Love To, but I Have a Game…
Albert: Where did you find a copy? Funny, but about 10 minutes ago I had a message from Rick Reilly, who wrote the book. He has a new book out and is making some appearances in Manhattan. He’s pleading that I show up just to laugh at his jokes.
Q. Anyway, I’m glad we caught you at a rare moment in your schedule when you have no game.
Albert: Our last [NBA] series, Cleveland/Detroit, surprisingly—because our expectations for the compelling nature of it were not great—turned out to be a wonderful series. But now that it’s over, it’s nice to be off for a little while. I just finished up an NBA video game, and we’re heading on vacation.
Q. You’ve covered sports for over 40 years and seem to enjoy it thoroughly. Has it been all games and fun?
Albert: I feel very fortunate that I’m doing what I wanted to do from the third grade on. I became very interested in the sports broadcasting aspect even at that early age. I’d turn down the sound on the TV and do games in my house—and probably get everybody looking for me to go into a room and lock the door so they didn’t have to hear it at the time. But, yeah, it’s something that I’ve always loved doing.
Q. Back then, you did it from what you called the second-floor broadcast-booth bedroom in your home in Brooklyn.
Albert: I think most people who are on the air doing play-by-play probably started in some way in that fashion: by turning the sound down and either doing it for themselves or doing it on a tape recorder. It was really a great experience, because even when I started doing games in college at Syracuse, I had felt that there weren’t that many things that were going to surprise me because even though it wasn’t done professionally, I was experienced just from doing it on my own fictitious radio station.
Q. You had access to pro games at an early age.
Albert: I was fortunate to be ball boy for the Knicks, which allowed me access to the press box for college games, and I was able to bring my recorder. I worked for the Brooklyn Dodgers as an office boy and gofer. Part of that, the perk was to be able to get a seat in one of those overhanging press boxes near home plate. It was all very good experience.
Q. Yet there were not nearly so many broadcasting outlets then as there are now, nor could it have seemed as attractive then as it probably is now. Was there a defining moment for you?
Albert: The defining moment was at age 9 when my dad and mom bought me one of these huge, reel-to-reel tape recorders. It was kind of unnerving to hear my voice at first in those early times because you never sound the way you think you do. And obviously I’m a kid with a high-pitched voice. So, you’re saying, where’s this going?
Q. Do you still have those tapes?
Albert: I have early tapes, but not that far back. I do have some from high school, where I would take my recorder to games—just for my own purposes. And I have early tapes from college. My kids got a kick out of them, particularly my rock ’n’ roll disk jockey days up in Syracuse.
Q. You wrote that your mother finally became resigned to the fact that you were not going to become Leonard Bernstein.
Albert: (laughing) Exactly.
Q. Was there ever any consideration given to using your voice to sing?
Albert: My mother and father were both extremely encouraging. At the time when I first showed this interest, I think they thought I was going through a phase. I played the piano for about 11 years. Had to practice for an hour or so a day, and actually performed in some concerts. But I always preferred being outside, playing stickball or roller hockey or basketball in the schoolyard. I realized eventually that it helped me in terms of memorizing because that’s basically what I did when I was playing the piano. And it was good for typing fast, for dexterity.
Q. Marty Glickman had a profound influence on you, did he not?
Albert: Tremendous. Marty was wonderful in the way he dealt with young broadcasters. Even after he retired, he was always very encouraging. But with me, he really turned things around. I met him from my ball boy days, and I ended up working for Marty as a researcher and producer and then eventually—after I left Syracuse and transferred to NYU—at WCBS radio. At the time, he was the voice of the Giants and the Knicks—he was the voice of New York sports. And to have that kind of exposure to someone I admired.… He was my favorite broadcaster growing up, and I got to know him very well. We became very close friends.
Q. You have talked about the break you got when you filled in for him one night.
Albert: I ended up sitting in for him when I was still going to college. When he couldn’t do Knick games, I subbed for him. It was a great experience. And over the years, as I moved on and went to WHN radio to do the Knicks and the Rangers and even in later years, in my NBC and TNT days, he’d be one person who might point something out to me from time to time. And he’d be right on.
Q. There was a mutual respect early on.
Albert: I think you always need somebody—another ear, someone you respect—if you’re a writer or broadcaster to say, “Hey, wait a second.” And what used to amaze me when I was a kid working for him—and it just showed where he was coming from—here was this great broadcaster and he would ask me what I thought of a broadcast. At first, I thought, “He’s taking me seriously. I’m 22 years old.” But I had a different view of things and he wanted a contemporary thought about what he was doing.
Q. You said that “He hated clichés and hype, and I learned to hate clichés and hype.”
Albert: I feel very strongly about that. That’s always been a pet peeve for me. When I listen to athletes speak sometimes, or some broadcasters, you hear things like “On the money” or “Our backs are to the wall.” Stuff like that. I just think that’s unnecessary. I probably got that from Marty.
Q. It’s a good lesson for anybody in journalism.
Albert: Yeah. You get lazy. I always find it’s important to listen to tapes of the games that I’ve done. I would always get the DVD and check it out. You look for things like that. That’s one of the things that’s kind of a checklist in my head. Sometimes you end up repeating words. You get into bad habits. And the only way to avoid that is to listen and be aware of it.
Q. What would you say has been your best career decision?
Albert: I’ve had some amazing opportunities, and then it’s a matter of being able to take advantage of them. I would say—and I always say this to people who are interested in broadcasting—probably it was in my younger days, taking jobs that may have seemed menial but ones that people would kill for. Like working for the Brooklyn Dodgers or doing go-fer work for Marty Glickman. I always feel it’s just so important just to get there, if you’re interested in broadcasting, whether you’re behind the camera or in front of the camera. You hear so many stories of people who have succeeded who started in the mailroom or started with these menial tasks. So, that probably would be it, that I was willing to do anything in terms of being on the scene at a broadcasting station.
Q. What does your game day involve? Any regular rituals?
Albert: For NBA, we usually have a production meeting in the morning. We’ll go over pre-game, halftime, stand-up (what we’ll say at the start of the telecast) and graphics. I’m basically inside the hotel all day and then get to the arena about two hours before the game.
Q. How much individual preparation do you do?
Albert: During the day, I’m going over my notes, I’m reading all the clips and local papers, and sometimes talking to people around the NBA. I read so much. I probably overprepare, and then end up using 10 percent. But that’s O.K. If you use too much, you’re talking too much. I always feel I want to have information or anecdotes on every possible situation. The most annoying thing is after the game when I realize I had something really good and didn’t get it in.
Q. What’s different about football game day?
Albert: With basketball, I see the teams so frequently because I’m doing the Nets’ games on YES and I’m doing a TNT game of the week. In football, you’re doing teams possibly only one time all year. I do the Monday night football on CBS Radio/Westwood One. I find it’s several days of preparation. To me, it’s very important to read the local clips from each market just to see what’s going on. I might talk to an assistant coach or the head coach. Boomer Esiason, who works with me, is so plugged in. He’s living football all week, and that makes it really very compatible, very easy for me. But it’s much more work for NFL.
Q. The difference between doing TV and radio?
Albert: In radio there’s less opportunity to get things in. Basically, it’s the play, it’s what happens, and you might slide things in here and there.
Q. You refer to the geography of the court. Your radio experience was invaluable to you in television.
Albert: It was. I think the best experience for young broadcasters is to do radio first. That doesn’t always happen, but that’s where the fundamentals are. I compare it to well-established actors who understand the importance of going back to Broadway or of doing summer theater. It’s a real exercise in terms of improving your craft, no matter how good you are. And I find that with radio. I think that you are the game, in terms of broadcasting sports, and there are so many fundamentals.
Q. It’s a different approach from radio to television?
Albert: You have an understanding of not talking as much on television. To me, that’s the one thing that you should do on radio. You have to use the crowd. You have to be able to use the color commentator effectively. On TV, you can keep quiet. There are certain things that speak for themselves. It’s almost like you’re applying captions on TV than talking too much. But in some sports, you have to talk a little more. For example, hockey on TV, because people don’t really recognize the players and it’s so fast.
Q. Some broadcasters today work so hard to promote themselves, to the point where they get in the way of the game. It seems to me you have always had respect for the games and the profession without making it solemn. Is that a difficult balance?
Albert: I try to do that. I think the balance is providing information and doing it in an entertaining way and not getting in the way. But there’s a degree of drama involved and not going over the top. It’s really a mix and also involving the person you’re working with.
Q. Your sense of humor doesn’t intrude on the broadcast.
Albert: I look for light moments because sometimes with subtlety you can make a point if it’s from a journalistic point of view or just to keep things normal, light. It’s not life and death. But on the other hand, some games are very important, and you don’t want to do that at the wrong time. You have to pick your spots. You’re making judgments on the fly. So, I think it’s really a combination of that.
Q. The man who made “Yes” synonymous with scoring now works for the YES Network. Is there a more perfect marriage?
Albert: I’ve asked for financial remuneration.
Q. Ha! That's the droll Marv Albert wit we know.
Albert: I got a kick out of when the YES network first came into fruition. It really struck me, and of course I got a lot of calls on that, even from people at YES. But we haven’t gone over the top with that, which his good. But, yeah, it is kind of ironic.
Q. Over the years, has there been a most memorable team for you?
Albert: I would say the Bulls of the Michael Jordan era, which actually had two parts to it, before and after Michael left to go to baseball. I found that thrilling to be able to do those games. And the 1969-70 and 1972-73 Knicks. That was just a compelling and very smart group of guys who all went on to remarkable careers even after basketball. They were the closest thing for me to the Boys of Summer—the Brooklyn Dodgers—where it was such a beloved group of guys. The style of basketball that those Knicks played was perfect for New York and it was wonderful for the NBA.
Q. Ira Berkow said that those Knicks spoiled everyone who covered them for the rest of their professional lives because they all acted like adults, had perspective, and went on to distinguish themselves after their playing days.
Albert: I couldn’t say it any better than that. That’s exactly right. What an experience to be around that group.
Q. It was a different time.
Albert: At that time, it was different, and with the writers, too. We all traveled together, and they were just a remarkable group to be around. They said interesting things and it wasn’t kept at a distance. And Red Holzman was the type of coach who wanted his players to speak. He actually was kind of self-effacing. Very shy. He was not looking to be in the forefront, and he was bailed out because all his guys were very good talkers. That was just such a good experience. Similar to what the Dodgers were in their days with Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider and Pee Wee Reese. That whole unusual group—in a positive way.
Q. You called Bill Bradley “one of the most ethical persons I have ever known.”
Albert: From what I could see. I can’t say I knew Bill extremely well, but it seemed like that. When he ran for office, I hosted some of his political events. And I always thought, boy, if there’s anybody who would have made a great president—and I know a lot of people feel that way—he would have been the guy.
Q. He did not do endorsements.
Albert: I think all along he knew what he was going to do. I know that’s what he believed. He didn’t want to take money for endorsing a product, to be paid to say something or to be involved in terms of a blatant sponsorship situation. He might have been looking ahead—not that that would have been held against him.
Q. At the other extreme, who is the most colorful trash talker?
Albert: You know, we see mouths moving but don’t hear much because we have the headsets on. But I’m told it’s Michael Jordan… You didn’t see it because he would do it under his breath, but he would say things to guys and would usually be able to follow up very effectively. Sam Cassell is very animated and kind of funny, but he’s talking all the time, and nobody takes him that seriously because he’s funny. It could be the heat of the game and everybody’s laughing because of what he said.
Q. The greatest competitor?
Albert: Jordan—one of the great competitors in any sport. Sometimes he needed things to get him motivated. It could be a fan at courtside in a road city who’s been on him. And he’ll make it a point to go over and say something. I’m sure it’s clean. And then he’ll go on a tear and he’ll direct everything at this fan. He’d look for anything to get him going. That stopped early on if another player said something in print about him that might not have been that bad, but he would turn it around to make it seem like they were challenging him.
Q. You have said that baseball players are among the most sensitive athletes you can deal with.
Albert: I found that from doing the baseball pre-game show at NBC. The forum that I had for controversial issues was the short interview, so we’d get right to the basic questions. I think that contributed to it. But I always found that there was a sensitivity, and probably is today. There are guys who will talk, but it’s not the same as other sports in terms of how the players view the media in saying things. Not that they have to lash out, but I think there’s a reluctance about having an opinion. I find the NBA, NFL, NHL guys are great. And boxers love to talk. I just find it’s a different culture.
Q. You have also said that boxers provide the best theater.
Albert: To them, television is everything. Part of their goal is to get on television so that their fights can be seen. They realize they could have a short run, so they’re usually very willing to talk.
Q. Did you work with Al McGuire?
Albert: I did. He was great to be around. One of the most interesting people that I’ve ever been exposed to. We really had a lot of fun.
Q. McGuire said, “Inside, I think, all thoroughbred athletes have uncertainty, the fear of being unsuccessful.”
Albert: I think that’s true. I think that’s what motivates them. Guys might not admit that because basically what you see is great confidence. But I would say with successful people, even in business, in broadcasting, or whatever field you select, I think for the most part the fear of failure, or something not working out well, is a great motivating factor.
Q. During a broadcast, we get multiple camera angles, replays, graphics and statistics, promotions, and interactive and commercial elements. With all of the distractions, is there a danger of the sideshows overshadowing the main event? Of the game being overwhelmed by the technology of the game?
Albert: I think there is. Sometimes there are too many replays. I think there are too many graphics on the screen. And at times graphics cover graphics. There’s one in the lower right-hand corner, and there’s something else that goes right over it that blocks the score or blocks some other circumstance with the game. I think that’s the stage we’ve reached with all the new technology. And I think web sites contribute to this because there’s so much on the screen. You see it not only in sports but also on news channels. The feeling is that the younger generation can take all this in at the same time, but, yeah, I do think it’s a little too much. I think it should be scaled back.
Q. What in sports would you not miss if it were eliminated?
Albert: Some of the long pre-game shows where the same stuff is being discussed over and over. People are making predictions. I always feel, what do predictions mean? I realize they’re filling time, and it’s a very inexpensive way to fill time because you don’t have to spend money on production pieces. But there are so many people, particularly during the football season, making predictions. I don’t think it has any significance at all. It’s a guess. You may have all the information in the world, but it’s a time-filler. I wouldn’t miss that.
Q. Where’s the imagination in sports today?
Albert: I think in sports television, there really is imagination, despite what we just talked about with sometimes too much graphically and too many attempted innovations. But on the other hand, when you look back…I find in watching some of the games that have been done in the past be it on YES or ESPN Classic or NBA TV or NFL TV, you see the difference. It’s unbelievable, even from a few years ago, of how far they’ve come in graphics and the look, what the camera angles are. Just when you think not much more can be done, when you go back five years ago, the strides that they have made are monumental.
Q. In doing the research for this interview, I discovered some little-known facts about you. Can you confirm the following:
1. You are an honorary member of the Stoop Ball Society?
Albert: Right. That was a big game. Huge in Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn. It was full of stoops. They sent me a certificate. I get their mailings on a regular basis, so I am up on all the stoopball activities around the country.
2. Years later, you had a stoop built onto your suburban home?
Albert: I did. Very popular item. But there’s a skill to that because you have to work on it. You have to hit [the ball on the point] just right. It takes hours of preparation. And it’s worthwhile.
Q. It’s part of the house, right, not a freestanding stoop?
Albert: Yes, part of the house.
3. First on-air job was at a classical music station?
Albert: Yes. WONO-FM in Syracuse. Part of my philosophy of taking anything just to get on the air.
4. Fired on the first day for giving the listening audience more baseball box-score information than they bargained for?
Albert: I was a little overly animated when it came to sports. It was not exactly what they had in mind. It was a little too much, yeah. I don’t think it adhered to what their listeners wanted. That was not the demographic group we were hitting.
5. You later worked for a rock station under the name Lance Scott?
Albert: They didn’t like Marv Albert as a name. What a thrill that was to get on the air. It was a regular station. That was a great thing about going to Syracuse, the fact that it had a very good broadcast journalism curriculum. You had opportunities in the city. Few of us were able to get on the air, either doing news or rock-type stuff. I started as Lance Scott and then I went on to one of the bigger stations. That was a great experience being able to do that, in terms of being able to ad lib and kid around and experiment on the air.
6. Tom Brokaw wanted to trade jobs with you at certain times of the year?
Albert: Tom is an enormous sports fan. As great as he is at what he does, maybe he’s a frustrated sportscaster, I don’t know. But Tom would be at games all the time and would always come by and chat. I get a kick out of that. When you do games in New York or L.A., people I have admired will come by at halftime and just talk basketball, from Jack Nicholson to Steven Spielberg to David Kelley.
Personal
Date and Place of Birth: 6-12-45 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Education: B.A., Liberal Arts at Syracuse (3 years) and NYU
Favorites
Musicians: James Blunt, Damian Rice, Sarah McLachlan. I passed through the do-wop stage from my disk jockey days.
Vacation spot: Capri
Author: David Halberstam
Book: The Great Gatsby
Last book read: Marley and Me
Quote: John Wooden’s “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
Movies: The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby
Best sports movie: Field of Dreams
Worst sports movie: One on One
Marv Albert’s All-Interview Team
Charles Barkley
Michael Jordan
Tommy Lasorda
Warren Sapp
Phil Jackson
Q. Wait...no place for your former broadcast partner Steve Kerr? At one time, he made the NBA’s all-interview second team.
Albert: Steve would have been there somewhere. Wouldn’t be first team, though. He should know that. Might have been third team.
