Cohn: Last year, I get a message from Matthew McConaughey asking
for a favor, leaving me his home number. Of course, I go tell some
colleagues and my little fantasy mind is going, "Okay, I'm ready to
leave my husband [laughs]. If that's the favor he wants, then I
think I can make some adjustments!" When I call him, he has a
friend who wants to be what I am. He … asked if I could show her
around ESPN. How could I say no? Who knew that Matthew was a fan?
It's just one of those stories that show ESPN's impact.
Berman: I'm going way back to 1982 - those Wonderbread
years. I was covering the Royals, and
Hall of Famer George Brett
asks me how come I don't have as many nicknames for the Royals as
other teams. I explain that's just the way it is, not that I don't
like them. He then asks me my nickname - I didn't have one. So he
tells me to visit the clubhouse at game's end and he'd have one.
So, he has the big winning hit, all the cameras are around him, and
while describing it, he sees me and says, "Ethel Merman Berman."
He's been working on this all game, during the heat of a pennant
race. Man!
Sports anchors have effectively become stars in their own right
- how has the role evolved?
Berman: When we started SportsCenter there was nothing more
than three minutes of sports on your local news. When we're on for
30 or 90 minutes, then you're with us every night. So we've become
stars, but we're a product of a unique new situation.
Cohn: For me, the celebrity has been the icing on the cake.
Sometimes I do feel like a rock star when I walk into a sports
venue. Hey, I can't lie, that's a great feeling, especially when
they're males, 18 to 34, coming up and expressing their love for
what I do. It's always funny when my husband is there and that
happens. Also, the athletes recognize you, and that's a high
because I'm still a huge sports fan.
What's been SportsCenter's impact on athletes - does the
possibility of being on a highlight reel prompt going for the moon
shot and showboating?