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'Sunday Night' success for Collinsworth
2010-02-08

'Sunday Night' success for Collinsworth

By Joe Reedy
Cincinnati.com
February 8, 2010
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100208/SPT/2090366/+Sunday+Night++success+for+ex-Bengal


Cris Collinsworth is headed to Vancouver for NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics, which begins on Friday, as a roving correspondent. If it goes as well as this past football season, it should be a successful couple of weeks.

Collinsworth, who had the same role for the Beijing Games in 2008, knew that there would be an adjustment when he replaced John Madden on NBC's "Sunday Night Football," but feels that things worked well this season.

"I have to say it went a little better than I thought," Collinsworth said. "I knew replacing John Madden, the best that you could hope for is a tie. I was considering it a big win when there wasn't that much written or said and it just happened. But then some really nice things that came out (in the press).

"I think people have acknowledged that John left on his own terms (he retired at the end of last season). We all wanted him to stay and people accepted my role with Al (Michaels), which was fun."

Collinsworth and Michaels were able to build a quick rapport with each other. The two worked together for two games in 2008, a regular-season contest at Tampa Bay and the Pro Bowl.

They also frequently talk about Cincinnati. While Collinsworth played for the Bengals, Michaels rose to national prominence as the Reds announcer for two seasons (1972-73).
"It's gone much better than I could have ever anticipated," Collinsworth said. "You never know going in because there are so many big egos in broadcasting so I didn't know what to expect. He's the happiest guy I know, unbelievably giving and talented."

Michaels returns the admiration. He felt going into the season that Collinsworth would be a seamless fit into the booth. As Michaels likes to point out, Collinsworth was part of Fox's No. 1 team with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman for four seasons before returning to NBC.

"He's very quick in analyzing a play in depth," said Michaels.

"John elevated the art of analyzing a game and Cris has the potential to have just as successful a career."

During the week of a game, Collinsworth usually spends six hours looking at tapes from four games, three hours each for offense and defense.

"I really try to treat it like I'm coaching. I study the tapes and I study our own games to see that we've done and what I can do better," Collinsworth said.

Overall ratings for the Sunday night games were up 15 percent over last year.
Even though he gave up analyst duties for NFL Network's "Thursday Night Football," it was still a busy five months for Collinsworth. In addition to his NBC duties, Collinsworth was on Showtime's "Inside the NFL," which taped on Wednesdays, while watching game tapes for the Sunday night games.

Around all of that, he made time to attend football and soccer games for three children. And on top of that, there were college recruiters making visits for his son Austin, who signed to play for Brian Kelly at Notre Dame. Daughter Ashley played soccer and son, Jack, was on Highlands' freshman football team.

"We all had an unbelievable year," Collinsworth said.

Proud Father Of Notre Dame-Bound Austin

Collinsworth has a better appreciation of what kids go through in choosing a college after seeing the recruiting process for his son.

Austin helped lead Highlands to a state title last season.

Although Harvard, Stanford, Cincinnati, Kentucky and Vanderbilt were in the mix, Collinsworth had the feeling when Kelly was hired at Notre Dame that it was going to be over.

"A couple days later (after Kelly was hired), he offered him a scholarship," Collinsworth said. "We went up there and academically, socially and the whole atmosphere with the Jesuits, a light went on and it was over."

What really clinched it though was walking out of the tunnel on to the field at Notre Dame Stadium.

"Football is so important for Austin that his eyes lit up and I saw that it was over," Collinsworth said. "We're all excited about it."
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