Mark Malone says the Great Outdoor Games are "right up my alley!"

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — As a youth, Mark Malone's favorite version of the great outdoors involved surfing along the beaches of Southern California.

It was not until he played quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1980s that he began to delve into what are his current passions — hunting and fishing.

Malone takes his loves to the next level as host of this year's ESPN Great Outdoor Games. From archery to bass fishing to working with sporting dogs, Malone has tried them all. Or just about all. He draws the line at tree topping, balking at the tought of ascending a 65-foot pole.

"My knees buckle just watching them," he said.

Malone credits NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert with getting him started in the great outdoors, which may be the only act of kindness Lambert was ever known to show a quarterback.

"Jack Lambert and some of the guys I played with were avid outdoorsmen," Malone said. "They initially got me involved in shooting a lot of skeet. So I got into shotgunning, and that turned into hunting, which turned into fishing.

"It's really become a passion for me, which is one of the reasons they came to me when this franchise started and asked if I would be interested in hosting."

As the event's host, Malone spends weeks interviewing athletes and reading a four-inch-thick research binder that contains information about the 335 athletes in this year's events.

He also will shoot his bow or wade into waist-high water at the site of the competitions to give viewers a feel for the events to come.

	“	This is their life and their passion, and there is a community of these people. To expose these people on major network television and to grow the sport is a wonderful opportunity. ”
		— Mark Malone, on the athletes of the Great Outdoor Games

"It's such a departure from what I normally do and from what people connect me with, but, at the same time, from a career standpoint, it shows flexibility," he said.

Malone spent 10 years in the NFL. The first six were with Pittsburgh. He also played for the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets before retiring. He moved on to the broadcast booth, and eventually would like to produce an outdoor television show — if he can ever find the time.

Malone said itıs hard for him to single out a favorite event at the outdoor games.

"I obviously love to hunt and love to shoot, not only game, but clay pigeons, so shooting and archery and things of that nature appeal to me," he said.

"But I also love to watch the dogs work. Great hunting dogs are just a joy to watch work."

This is the but second time the Great Outdoor Games have been staged, so Malone and the staff are still learning how to best present the games in a way that will attract viewers of more mainstream sports, as well as those who loyally follow the network's outdoor shows.

The best thing the games have going for them is the individual athletes, Malone said. They are down-to-earth, enthusiastic, competitive, and the best in the world at what they do, he explained. "This is their life and their passion, and there is a community of these people," he said. "To expose these people on major network television and to grow the sport is a wonderful opportunity. It's exciting."