The broadcasting "Merry-Go-Ron" has brought nice-guy sportscaster Ron Burke back to Comcast SportsNet for the second time.

By LAURA NACHMAN
Courier Times
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The broadcasting "Merry-Go-Ron" has brought nice-guy sportscaster Ron Burke back to Comcast SportsNet for the second time.

Burke, 38, an original hire of CSN in 1997, and former Channel 10 sportscaster (1988-1997), spent the last 14 months at NBA TV.com, a league owned-and-operated network seen only on digital cable or Direct TV. Burke left CSN in 1999 when he couldn't come to contract terms with the network.

However, he never left the Delaware Valley, commuting to the NBA Entertainment headquarters in Secaucus, N.J., four days a week.

In the fall, Comcast SportsNet approached him with another offer, thus Burke is back.

"In this business, it is very unusual to be asked back," he said. "I am very pleased."

Burke is reunited with his former Channel 10 sports director Al Meltzer, who hosts "Spotlite" on CSN. A native of Richmond, Va., and graduate of James Madison University, Burke arrived in Philly in 1988 as the weekend sports anchor on Channel 10. (He should be commended for replacing one of the worst sportscasters in city history, Joe Fowler).

Burke was promoted to the weekday 11 p.m. show in 1990, then was demoted to weekends to make way for Vai Sikahema in 1996. Now it's back to Philadelphia's Comcast SportsNet, which gives Burke more time to spend with his wife, Gloria, and daughters, Spencer, 8, and Madison, 5. (Spencer and Madison were part of the Renee Chenault-Chaka Fattah wedding in April).

And where's Joe Fowler today?

"I caught him on an infomercial for some kind of kitchen product," Burke noted.

Bird watching

There will be plenty of Bird watching on the local stations for the Eagles-Bears playoff game tomorrow.

The day kicks off with "The Andy Reid Show" at 2 p.m. on WB17. Fox-Philadelphia will air "Eagles Game Day Live" from 2:30-3:30 p.m., followed by the network pre-game show. Dick Stockton, Troy Aikman and Daryl Johnston will call the Eagles game for Fox, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Then Fox-Philadelphia will air an "Eagles Post Game Report" immediately following the game until 8:30 p.m. Fox-Philadelphia and the other broadcast stations regularly aired post-game shows in the past, but that stopped a few years ago when Comcast SportsNet came into the picture.

CSN will air "Eagles Post Game Live" with Derrick Gunn in Chicago. KYW-3 is dispatching Beasley Reece and Garry Cobb to Chicago. Vai Sikahema and Bill Baldini will fight the elements of the "Windy City" for NBC 10 (Watch your hair, Bill!). And "Live from Chicago - It's Eagles Total Access With Gary Papa" airs on 6ABC at 11:35 p.m.

Laura Nachman writes about television and radio sports for the Courier Times. Write her in care of the Courier Times, 8400 Route 13, Levittown, PA 19057, fax 215-949-6939 or email [email protected]

Thursday, January 17, 2002