Jim Nantz talks about his new book, Always By My Side.
One of America's most visible sports commentators relives some of the most dramatic moments in football, basketball, and golf and pays tribute to his beloved father, the man who inspired him to pursue his broadcasting dream.
Includes book foreword by President George H. W. Bush- Book Passage
Bio
Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz has covered virtually every sport for the CBS Television Network since joining it in 1985.
This year marks Nantz's 23rd year covering the NCAA Men's Division I National Championship. He took over as lead play-by-play announcer for college basketball in 1990.
Teamed with Billy Packer, he has called regular-season and NCAA Men's Basketball Championship games since then. He has called the play-by-play on more network broadcasts of the Final Four and Championship game than any other announcer in the tournament's history. From 1986 to 1990, he served as host of CBS's coverage of the NCAA Tournament and Final Four.
Nantz has been the lead play-by-play voice for the NFL on CBS since the 2004 season, joining lead analyst Phil Simms on the Network's number one NFL announce team. For six years, he anchored the Network's NFL pre-game studio show, The NFL TODAY.
Last year, Nantz called play-by-play for Super Bowl XLI, and in a 63-day span starting with his call of Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007, Nantz became the first commentator in history to broadcast the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, and the Masters all in the same year.
His extensive credits include serving as host of The Super Bowl Today, CBS Sports' Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XXXVIII pre-game show; anchor of CBS's golf coverage, including the Masters and the PGA Championship; lead play-by-play announcer for college basketball, including the Final Four and Championship game; and primetime host of CBS Sports' coverage of the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
Nantz is currently writing his first book and in May 2008,Always By My Side - A Father's Grace and a Sports Journey Unlike Any Other, will hit bookstores across the country. Nantz will tell his personal stories from football, basketball and golf and how he has met people along the way who remind him of the virtues his father instilled in him. The foreword to the book is written by one of his father figures and dear friend, former President George H.W. Bush.
Nantz was named the 2007 National Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Nantz, Pat Summerall, Chris Schenkel, Ray Scott and John Madden are the only commentators to ever win the award while working at CBS Sports. He previously won the award in 2005 and 1998 and joined Schenkel and Scott as the only CBS broadcasters to win the award more than once.
Nantz also was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the youngest recipient of the Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2002.
Tom Spencer
Tom Spencer is a producer for the Jim Nantz Sportstime Radio Program on the CBS Radio Network. Tom is also a radio producer and reporter for KNBR radio in San Francisco, Calif.
Spencer has covered numerous tournaments for CBS Sports, including the Masters, PGA Championship, Tour Championship, and Ryder Cup.
He has also reported on golf for The Associated Press, Sportsfan Radio Network, USA Radio, ESPN Radio and "Ferrell on the Bench."
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Spencer has also covered the San Jose Sharks, Oakland Raiders, and Golden State Warriors.
Jim Nantz, author of Always By My Side, remembers his experience refereeing a social weekend between Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
From the "rocky shoals" of boating to the harbor "enshrouded by fog," Nantz remembers his experience with the presidents like it was directly from a "spy novel."
Jim Nantz reminisces about his golf game with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Although Bush was "awestruck" by Brady's presence, soon they fell into the camaraderie of sports - laughing about NFL, politics, and amazing golf shots.