Marv's
Back By George Stahl NEW YORK (AQB)--NBC completed the circle of atonement and restored the once-disgraced Marv Albert as its top basketball broadcaster, beginning in the 2000-01 season. Bob Costas, who took over as NBC's lead voice on NBA games two years ago when Albert was fired by the network after pleading guilty in a sexual assault case, said he will gladly surrender his seat to Albert. "I've been happy to do it and not slighted to give it back," Costas said in an Associated Press story. "I've always felt basketball was Marv's signature sport. Marv and the NBA is the way it should be." The expected move was made as much to help Costas as it was to restore Albert to his most recognizable role. Costas will host NBC's Olympic coverage, beginning with Sydney next summer and Salt Lake City in February 2002. He also is going to host a Nightline-like sports magazine show on HBO for three months, beginning in February 2001. "There is no way with Sydney and Salt Lake that close that he could do the NBA, too," NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol said in an AP story. "Winter sports is not an area of great knowledge for Bob or anybody else. And with the HBO series in 2001 running 12 straight weeks right in the NBA's time, there was no way he could do it." Costas, though, will remain part of NBC's NBA programming after this season. Costas, who is in his third season on NBC's No. 1 team with Doug Collins, will contribute interview pieces but will not do play-by-play. Albert's comeback began when he hosted a nightly sports show on MSG Network in New York on Sept. 14, 1998, exactly one year after his final broadcast on NBC, a Baltimore Raven-New York Giant football game. On Feb. 7, he returned courtside to do the radio play-by-play of the New York Knicks' home opener, his first NBA game in nearly 20 months. Albert's Turner debut came on TNT's broadcast of the Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns on April 2. This past summer, NBC rehired him. Now, beginning next season, Albert is back where he was when his scandal began less than two years ago. "I'm fortunate the way things have worked out," Albert said in the AP story. "I'm thrilled." The Associated Press contributed to this story. |
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