Al Michaels Fun Facts

* Al Michaels broadcast SF Giants games on KSFO in the 1970's.

*Al Michaels is close friends with Art Spander and Eddie DeBartolo.

*Al Michaels and Al Davis were bitter enemies. The Raiders hierarchy practically tried to blackball Michaels and Michaels himself lampooned the Raiders.

*Al Michaels uttered the most famous sports-on-TV words, "Do you believe in miracles?" on ABC during the 1980 Olympics US men's hockey victory over the Russians.

*Al Michaels is not Bob Costas.

*Bob Costas tries to be like Al Michaels a lot.

*Al Michaels had a BIG mansion in Hillsborough.

*Al Michaels makes $10M a year and is the #1-announcer on the #1-rated TV program in the country--Sunday "Football Night in America."

*Al Michaels wears $5000 Gucci suits.

*Al Michaels breaks a lot of bread with John Madden on Madden's bus.

*Al Michaels is happily married but likes to glance at beautiful women.

*Al Michaels can tell a good joke.

*Al Michaels preferred wine: 1990 Kendall Jackson cab.

*Al Michaels post-game 49ers-Bears destination: Boulevard, 9: 30. Party of Two.

*Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf and me did an interview with Larry King on his radio show back in 1985 direct from the Clift hotel after a 49ers MNF game.

*Al Michaels is a nice man, thank you and have a nice day.

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KRON And the Raiders Sunday Night Special Makes For Compelling Sports TV in Bay Area

  KRON went big-time Sunday night and for the most part, pulled it off. Like the good old days. If you like pro football, that is.

1001 Van Ness picked up the Raiders-San Diego Chargers game, (from the NFL Network), that began at the ungodly 8: 35 PM, (11: 35 on the East Coast). Granted, it was primetime but it was also a Sunday night. Don't tell that to KRON.

They pulled out the old guard. The star weeknight players, including Pam Moore, Gary Radnich, and suddenly-emerging Justine Waldman straight from the Coliseum mosh pit. (Waldman in black--hot!).

All of this, of course, had to do with the A's playoff schedule. The Raiders game was an original 1 PM starter but the late A's contest on Saturday necessitated the 8: 35 Raiders special. How many times have you seen this?

KRON began its Sunday night newscast at 8 as a prelude to the upcoming game and although it looked and sounded kind of loopy at the start, I commend KRON for making the most of it. I mean, when you have a piece of content that is the most valuable TV commodity in the biz, you might as well take advantage of it. I'm sure this oddity was KRON's biggest-watched event in its post-NBC-affiliate history.

Moore looked excited and carried the proceedings well. Radnich looked a bit annoyed but carried the ship. Even the weekday weather lady had a more noticeable bounce to her. My oh my.

Then there was the game --the Raiders looked so good and Terrelle Pryor so gargantuan that Twitter began begging for more Sunday night late NFL football games and the evolution of a strange alliance had its origin: the Raiders and KRON, (huh? --how unlikely and utterly giggly).

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