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On The Air The Comcast SportsNet slogan “Every Day is Game Day” is especially
true for “Post Game Live” host Michael Barkann, 42, who has presided
over every Eagles, Sixers, and Flyers game since the network began in
October, 1997. “It is
amazing to be in this building (The First Union Center) to cover an
event. There is always such
a buzz. I never get sick of
it,” said the CSN host who estimates he’s covered over 500 games in
that period. Barkann has spent so much
time in arenas, it’s not surprising that he met his wife Ellen at the
Spectrum. Married 10-years,
the Barkanns have two children: Emily,
6, and Matthew 2 ½. The well-dressed Barkann also hosts the weekday 90-minute “Daily News
Live” with his polar opposites, the fashion-challenged sportswriters
from 5-6:30 p.m.
Not many would have guessed that the former number three sports
guy behind Lou Tilley and Ukee Washington at KYW (1987-1992) would end
up being the “go-to” guy for the 24-hour cable sports channel.
After leaving KYW in 1992, Barkann worked for Boston’s WB
affiliate’s 10 O’clock news until his former producer at KYW, Tom
Stathakes, who was then the executive producer at the fledgling sports
network came calling. Barkann,
who grew up in East Brunswick, New Jersey jumped at the chance to return
to town.
Barkann was one of the original hires, along with Neil Hartman,
Leslie Gudel, Derrick Gunn, and Dei Lynam.
The 1982 graduate of Syracuse University spent four years at the New
Jersey Network, where he started on-air as a weatherman.
He eventually moved into sports and got his break into
Philadelphia when his old news director from NJN moved to KYW.
Though he’s had network exposure as a reporter for the
Albertville Winter Olympics on CBS in 1992 and for the USA Network
coverage of the U.S. Open (since 1991), Barkann is happy right here.
“I love what I’m doing right now!”
Note to rookie CSN “Phillies Post Game Live” analyst Rico
Brogna: stop saying “You
Know.” I counted at least
10 “you knows” in a five minute span the other night. Also to Ron Burke: cut
out the “fist shake thing” with Brogna at the end of the show.
If viewers are expected to accept him as an analyst, treat him
like one, not a player.
Merrill Reese and Harry Gamble will do a predraft show on WBCB
1490-AM, Thursday at 6 p.m. Last week, many of the Syracuse University sportscasters were named. To give time to another excellent communications school, Temple University, here are some of the local Temple sportscasters: Sixers announcer Marc Zumoff, Eagles announcer Merrill Reese, WCAU weekend anchor John Clark, and WIP 610-AM’s Rhea Hughes.
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