Al Bernstein On Boxing: "Don't Shoot...I'm A Producer!"

[Saddo]

"This Is Not Time For Humor!"

Imagine, if you will, this scene. In a slightly run down urban neighborhood, a huge truck with an ESPN logo on it is parked behind a concert venue.

Several police cars surround the truck and officers exit their vehicles and approach the truck very carefully. They have already called for back up because they believe a robbery might be in progress.... Full Boxing Article here...

[boozeboxer]

Good read Al. The whole ESPN growth and how it has changed the nation could be a whole good book in itself it sounds like!


I hope some of you all bought into the company back then, it looks like it was quite a lucrative investment from such humble beginnings!

[Howlin Mad Missy]

If boxing wasn't dangerous enough you have to run the risk of the cops coming at you Wako style.

But seriously imaging a time before names like ESPN feels weird even for me over the pond...like when mobile phones came out

[OumaFan]

nice article, I don't go back this far but I vaguely remember ESPN back in the mid to late 80's when they were already pretty big but still had to fill some time slots with classic stuff like lumberjack events. When they would do that thing where they balanced on the log in the water I always rooted for them to fall off. Good stuff.

[Kel]

That's a pretty amazing read, how it all started and to what ESPN has become is quite a story. I would have always assumed it was put together with big investors and such. Must be so satisfying to have been a part of such a thing.

[El Kabong]

Thankfully ESPN still shows boxing....man, we'd be lost without it, I know it comes on Versus but back in the day boxing was on NBC and there were RARELY PPV events, now it's every single JC Jr. fight and half a dozen other fights with really crappy undercards.

Thank the good lord for ESPN, true it may have spawned Satan Incarnate Keith Olberman, but I like to remember the good old days, when he was just a sports guy and not some angry "news" anchor type guy.

[Andre]

Thanks Al nice read once again and educational.
Just as well that tyre blow out didnt happen with the first truck episode you mentioned or all your guys would of been drawn on by those cops.
Was it doughnuts? I have to know.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Nice to get a little background info on the sports giant....

[Saddo]

Great read Al, must have been some very happy times being involved in all that

i'm gonna steal this quote...

Well, the figure was probably somewhere in between the number of children Evander Holyfield has fathered out of wedlock and the number of lawsuits annually filed against Don King.

[killersheep]

Great read Al, quite an amazing thing all in all. I love ESPN FNF's and I really miss WNF.

[Spicoli]

Thats outstanding stuff Al.Quite the flashback into a legendary weekly shows inception.Early ESPN was rough stuff but we did learn a bit about the struggles within the Professional handball circuit and German shuffle board .

What we enjoy today is the result of tireless dedication and belief in this awesome sport given by yourself and many others.Thanks for the memories chief.

[El Kabong]

Word is ESPN Classic might pick up the Wladimir Klitschko-Ruslan Chagaev fight...hopefully that is true

[bcollins]

nice article, I don't go back this far but I vaguely remember ESPN back in the mid to late 80's when they were already pretty big but still had to fill some time slots with classic stuff like lumberjack events. When they would do that thing where they balanced on the log in the water I always rooted for them to fall off. Good stuff.

I love the lumberjack events, but not as much as boxing.

Great article - interesting to hear how the giant of ESPN got its start in guerrilla television.

[SalTheButcher]

al bernstein writes for this site now?

how long has this been going on?


im oblivious to everything it seems, al bernstein is the man

[brucelee]

Nice reminiscing of the past.