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James Brown, Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth to Host 'INSIDE THE NFL' as Series Launches on Showtime September 10
NEW YORK, July 7 -- James Brown, Phil Simms and Cris
Collinsworth will host INSIDE THE NFL when the series launches this
September on SHOWTIME. The announcement was made today by Matthew C. Blank,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks, Inc. and Sean
McManus, President, CBS News and Sports and Executive Producer, THE NFL ON
CBS.
INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 10 (9:00
PM, ET/PT). The show, produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films, will air each
Wednesday during the NFL season through February 11, 2009.
"It's a great catch for us to get JB, Cris and Phil to anchor the
show," said Blank. "They are the top football analysts in the game and
their collective expertise will give the show the kind of perspective and
insight that will add to INSIDE THE NFL's tradition as the best football
show on television. We're thrilled to have it on SHOWTIME."
"Bringing together the best NFL studio host in the business in James
Brown and two of the most colorful and talented analysts in football in
Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth to anchor INSIDE THE NFL solidifies our
original game plan to continue to carry on the great tradition and style
that has made this show so popular for more than 30 years," said McManus.
Brown returned to CBS Sports as host for the CBS Television Network's
NFL pre-game show, THE NFL TODAY, and as play-by-play announcer for the
Network's coverage of college basketball including the NCAA tournament in
2006. He will continue anchoring THE NFL TODAY along with analysts Dan
Marino, Shannon Sharpe, Boomer Esiason and Bill Cowher. Brown hosted the
Network's Super Bowl pre-game show in 2007 for its coverage of Super Bowl
XLI in Miami. He served as host of "FOX NFL Sunday" for 12 years prior to
returning to CBS Sports. Brown joined FOX Sports in June 1994 after a
decade with CBS Sports. He hosts "Hang Time with James Brown," daily
commentaries on Sporting News Radio, and is a reporter/correspondent for
HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," as well as a boxing host for HBO
pay-per-view. Brown first joined CBS Sports in 1984 where he served as
play-by-play announcer for the network's NFL and college basketball
coverage, as well as reporter for the NBA Finals. He also was host of the
afternoon show from the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France and the
1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. While at CBS he also was
co-host of "CBS Sports Saturday/Sunday," a weekend anthology series.
Throughout his career Brown has earned numerous awards including the 1998,
1999 and 2007 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Studio Host for "FOX NFL Sunday"
and THE NFL TODAY.
Simms, Super Bowl XXI MVP and 15-year NFL veteran, joined CBS Sports in
January 1998 as lead analyst for the CBS Television Network's coverage of
the NFL. This season, he and Jim Nantz will be paired for their fifth
season as the Network's lead NFL announce team. During his 10 seasons with
THE NFL ON CBS, Simms has called Super Bowl XXXV (2001), Super Bowl XXXVIII
(2004) and Super Bowl XLI (2007) for the network. Prior to joining CBS
Sports, Simms served as a game analyst on NBC's top broadcast team, along
with Dick Enberg and Paul Maguire (1995-98). He called Super Bowls XXX and
XXXII, announced weightlifting events for NBC Sports' coverage of the 1996
Olympic Summer Games, served as a sideline reporter on "The NBA on NBC" and
worked on the "NFL Quarterback Challenge" and "Run to Daylight." He also
served as a studio analyst for ESPN. As an All-Pro quarterback, Simms led
the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles. He completed 22 of 25 passes
in Super Bowl XXI as the Giants defeated the Denver Broncos, 39-20, to win
their first Super Bowl title. He was the Giants' first selection in the
1979 NFL Draft, was selected for the 1985 and 1993 Pro Bowls and was the
1985 Pro Bowl MVP. He was named All-Pro in 1986.
Collinsworth was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his eight-year
NFL career as wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals (1981-88). Upon
retiring from the NFL, Collinsworth transitioned smoothly into broadcasting
as a reporter for HBO's "Inside the NFL" in 1989. The following season he
graduated to the show's studio cast where he served as co-host until the
show ended on HBO following the 2007 NFL season. In 1990, Collinsworth
joined NBC Sports as a game analyst for the network's NFL coverage and
select college football broadcasts. He was assigned to the "NFL on NBC"
pre-game show in 1996, and served as track and field reporter during the
1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. He joined Fox Sports in 1998 as a
studio analyst before moving back to the booth to team up with Joe Buck and
Troy Aikman to form the network's lead NFL broadcast team. Collinsworth
returned to NBC Sports in 2006 as a studio analyst and co-host of "Sunday
Night Football," where he will continue for his third season. He also
returns for his third season as game analyst for the NFL Network's Thursday
Night Football. Collinsworth has earned eight Emmy Awards, including a
record seven for Outstanding Sports Studio Analyst, and is the most honored
studio analyst in sports television.
Past hosts throughout 31 years of the award-winning INSIDE THE NFL have
included Chuck Bednarik, Nick Buoniconti, Cris Carter, Collinsworth, Bob
Costas, Len Dawson, Jerry Glanville, Merle Harmon, Jimmy Johnson, Peter
King, Dan Marino and Al Meltzer.
Sean McManus and Steve Sabol of NFL Films serve as Executive Producers
of INSIDE THE NFL.
ABOUT SHOWTIME NETWORKS
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS
Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R),
THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels
SHOWTIME 2(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME
BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE(R) and
THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE
CHANNEL(R) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) ON DEMAND.
SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the
Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby
Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events
for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME
PPV(R).
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