It was the closing moments of the Browns’ 17-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football over 40 years ago, on a hot, humid late-summer evening on Sept. 16, 1985.
Veteran defensive tackle Carl “Big Daddy” Hairston, in his first year with the Browns after coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles, was flat on his back on the dirt portion of the baseball infield at Cleveland Stadium as the team’s medical personnel attended to him.
Longtime Browns radio play-by-play announcer Gib Shanley had retired, and the club had unveiled a three-man broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Nev Chandler and a pair of color analysts in Jim Mueller, who had served that role under Shanley for 13 years, and Doug Dieken, who had retired after spending 14 seasons as Cleveland’s left tackle.
Mueller speculated as to what might be wrong with Hairston, mentioning a variety of possible ailments to his ankle, knee or hip, and the severity.
Finally, Dieken chipped in and said, with a snicker, “Nah, it’s just that Big Daddy’s tank is on E.”
Dieken was right on point. Hairston was simlly gassed, having used every ounce of energy in the steamy conditions, and shortly thereafter, he was helped to his feet and walked off under his own power.
Because of all his football experience, he gained over the years, Dieken was able to explain what happened in short form, using a scarcity of words, often with a humorous twinge. That’s what you need a color analyst to do, get in and out quickly and let the play-by-play announcer be the headliner.
I recalled all this the other day when I heard Mike Tomlin, who just resigned as a head coach of the Steelers, mentioned as a perfect TV guy because of his ability to do the same thing as Dieken, saying something really interesting and not taking long to do it.
Too many color analysts go on and on and on, messing up the broadcast or telecast.
Steve King
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