ESPN Outdoors Communications — July 14, 2004The Great Outdoor Games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC from July 14-19.
NFL commentator Merril Hoge and ABC's first female pit reporter for the Indianapolis 500, Jamie Little, are the host and co-host for the 2004 telecast of the ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.
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| Television coverage of the Great Outdoor Games is slated to being July 14. |
The pair lead a list of well-known commentators for the Games, including long-time ESPN hosts and analysts are Bill Clement (NHL), Jimmy Dykes (college basketball), Ron Franklin (college football and basketball) and Paul Page (auto racing).
Tommy Sanders — a familiar face to fans of outdoors programming over the years on ESPN and ESPN2 as co-host of "The CITGO Bassmasters" on ESPN2 — will also return for the 22½ hours of coverage from Madison, Wis., beginning at 9 p.m. ET tonight and continuing nightly at 9 p.m. through July 17, with afternoon coverage on ESPN and ABC on July 17-18 and encore airings on ESPN and ESPN2 through July 19.
Tommy is once again joined by a few faces that are familiar to fans of the Great Outdoor Games.
Sean Duffy, a Speed Climbing competitor and a district attorney, will serve as the analyst for Log Rolling and Boom Run. Justin Tackett, a professional guide and the sport organizer for Fly Fishing and Retriever Trials, will serve as the analyst for Retriever Trials. And Shari LeGate, three-time Women's National Shooting Sports champion, will be returning in her fifth year as the analyst for Target Sports.
There will be new faces, as well.
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| Host announcer Keith Alan gets all wet in a traditional dunking during the ESPN Great Outdoor Games. |
Cindy Garrison, host of "In Search of Fly Waters" on ESPN2, will host Fly Fishing; Kim Bain, a professional angler and national champion from Australia, will provide analysis of Freshwater Doubles; college basketball play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch will cover Target Sports and Big Air Dogs; Doug Gottlieb, co-host of ESPN Radio's "GameNight," will serve as analyst for Disc Drive; and the X Games' Robbie Floyd will join him for play-by-play.
ESPN NHL reporter Erin Andrews also is in her first year at the Games, serving as feature reporter.
ESPN Great Outdoor Games on-air personnel follow here:
Erin Andrews: Feature reporter … first year at the Great Outdoor Games … NHL Playoffs reporter for ESPN and ABC.
Kim Bain: Freshwater Doubles analyst … Australian national champion bass angler … popular talent on CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail … first year at Games.
Bill Clement: Fifth year at the Games, but in his third year as host of all Timber Events on land (chopping, sawing, climbing), will also do play-by-play for Timber Events on water … hosted Target Sports in 2000 and 2001 … 11-year NHL veteran and two-time Stanley Cup winner, who serves as ESPN's lead hockey analyst … a Canadian who now lives in Pennsylvania.
Sean Duffy: Analyst for Log Rolling and Boom Run … the district attorney for Ashland County in Wisconsin … competed in Log Rolling in 2000 and 2001 … Speed Climbing competitor in 2003 and 2004 … native of the timber sports mecca of Hayward, Wis. … appeared on MTV's "Real World" in 1997 and in 2002 on that network's "Battle of the Seasons," which he won … graduate of Minnesota's St. Mary's College and William Mitchell College of Law.
Jimmy Dykes: Analyst for Agility and Big Air events … first worked the Games in 2001 … college basketball analyst for ESPN since 1995 … played at Arkansas for coach Eddie Sutton … raised in Oklahoma and now lives in Arkansas.
Robbie Floyd: Disc Drive play-by-play reporter … first year at Games … Moto X reporter for X Games … tournament emcee for CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
Ron Franklin: Host of Freshwater Doubles in his fifth year at the Games … college football and basketball play-by-play commentator for ESPN since 1987 … former host of "Sportsman's Challenge" … Mississippi native now living in Texas.
Cindy Garrison: Fly Fishing host and analyst … first year at Games … fly fishing guide … host of ESPN's "In Search of Fly Water."
Doug Gottlieb: Disc Drive analyst … co-host of ESPN Radio's "GameNight" … former point guard for Eddie Sutton and the Oklahoma State Cowboys … first year at Games.
Merril Hoge: First year as host of the Great Outdoor Games … an analyst for NFL programs on television and ESPN Radio including "NFL Live," "NFL Match-Up," "The NFL on ESPN Radio," and the NFL Draft … occasionally provides reports for "Sunday NFL Countdown."
John Hughes: Fifth year as analyst on the sawing and chopping Timber Events … long-time competitor on the Stihl Timber Sports series, who has served as an analyst for the events ESPN televises for 12 years … a two-time lumberjack champion in his homeland of New Zealand … lives in Minnesota.
Shari LeGate: Target Sports analyst for a fifth year … didn't take up shooting until age 31, but became a U.S. Women's Shooting Team member (since 1991) … three-time national champion, won 1999 world championship … spokesperson for gun safety and named 2001 Person of the Year by Shooting Industry Magazine … designs and manufactures shooting apparel in Colorado.
Jamie Little: Co-host of the 2004 Great Outdoor Games … second year at the Games … X Games announcer for Winter, Summer and Global X … floor announcer and pit reporter for AMA Supercross Series … only female pit reporter for the 2004 Indy 500 on ABC.
Paul Page: Host of Agility events for dogs … fourth year … long-time auto racing host for ESPN/ABC … known as "The Voice of the Indy 500" … an "army brat" who lived in many places in the U.S. and around the world, now lives in his native Indiana.
Dave Pasch: Target sports and Big Air Dogs play-by-play announcer … play-by-play announcer for college basketball on ESPN, including 2003 and 2004 NCAA Women's Tournament … first year at Great Outdoor Games.
Tommy Sanders: Play-by-play reporter for Retriever Trials … fifth year at Games … hosted ESPN Outdoors from 1990-2002 … also co-hosts "The CITGO Bassmasters," and Stihl Timber Sports events … lifelong resident of Arkansas.
Justin Tackett: Analyst for Retriever Trials … third year on TV for the Games, but involved since they began as sport organizer for Fly Fishing and Retriever Trials … graduate of the University of Arkansas … professional guide for 13 years and proprietor of Yellow Dog Trading Co. in Stuttgart, Ark … has worked on TV in Arkansas, for the Outdoor Life Network and for ESPN in features during ESPN Outdoors.
The Games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC from July 14-19.
