DETROIT – The Steelers and Seahawks may have been suffering from some first-half jitters and blahs in Super Bowl XL.
But savvy ABC announcers Al Michaels and John Madden had their game faces on in the broadcast booth at Ford Field, their calls crisp, informative, entertainingly to the point. And they were superbly complemented by the excellent visuals, game sounds and replays orchestrated by producer Fred Gaudelli, director Drew Esocoff and their crew.
All that and the Motor City flat-out looked fabulous in ABC’s dazzling night-time views of downtown Detroit’s Ren Cen, along with other skyscrapers all lit up amid the Winter Blast and XL festivities.
While the Steelers and Seahawks occasionally sputtered, Michaels, Madden & Co. – doing their final ABC telecast together – had no Big Game jitters at what Gaudelli has termed “very television-friendly” Ford Field.
A perfect illustration of ABC’s sharp coverage came late in the opening half when Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dove high over the goal line to score a touchdown. Or did he?
The quick and clear replay from a sideline angle along the goal line seemed to indicate that the ball in Roethlisberger’s grasp may have failed to cross the plane of the goal. But it was oh-so-close.
“This is a tough call,” noted Michaels, awaiting the NFL play review decision.
“But is the evidence clear?” chimed in Madden in perfect synchronization with his partner. And in fact, the TD stood because there was no conclusive evidence the ball had not come in contact with the goal line.
Earlier in the game, taking note of the huge majority of Steeler fans in the stands roaring and waving their bright yellow Terrible Towels, Michaels said the crowd was “about as neutral” as the when the U.S. played Russia at Lake Placid, the “miracle” hockey game that Michaels famously broadcast.
And then just moments into the second half, when Steeler runner Willie Parker busted a 75-yard TD run to set a Super Bowl record for longest TD run, Michaels nailed it with perfect pitch: “Fast Willie Parker out of North Carolina has just made it an 11-point game. In a flash!”
In a flash, some other ABC game and pre-game coverage highlights:
John Madden offering a touch of his signature quirky color as sideline cameras focused on a bag of fresh Super Bowl XL footballs, reminding viewers “they’re going to change the ball on every play,” a Super Bowl-only twist, and adding that Roethlisberger told him “a new ball is usually a slick ball.”
“A gigantic play! Here the Seahawks are just trying to hold them to a field goal and here they are right back in the game,” exclaimed Michaels after a 76-yard interception return by Seattle’s Kelly Herndon in the third quarter.
Jimmy Kimmel’s very funny pre-game key-to-the-city bit with Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, including quick cameos by Ted Nugent and the Pistons’ Rip Hamilton.
Harrison Ford’s delightful Dr. Seuss-themed filmed sequence that opened the game broadcast with a Super Bowl XL-flavored “Oh the places you will go, the things you will see.” Dazzling, witty and fun.
Best use of A-B-C for Steeler fan signage: A Bettis Championship.
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AP-NY-02-05-06 2148EST
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