George Michael Passes Away

MJG · Post #1 » by **MJG** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 5:23 pm

http://www.sbnation.com/2009/12/24/1218 ... achine-NBC

Legendary sports ancher George Michael has passed away after battling cancer the last two years.

While Michael was a staple in the D.C. area, where he was an anchor for NBC Washington from 1980-2007, he was well known nationally for his syndicated highlight show "The George Michael Sports Machine." The show launched in 1984, and at the time was groundbreaking -- it brought local markets national sports highlights from all over the country, covering all sports (and pro wrestling). ESPN was already doing something similar with "SportsCenter," but that required cable. Anyone with a TV and rabbit ears could see "Sports Machine."

closg00 · Post #2 » by **closg00** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:06 pm

Saddened to hear about this, I grew-up on George Michael sports coverage. George worked tirelessly on covering sports. RIP George.

Zerocious · Post #3 » by **Zerocious** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:54 pm

oh that george michael....RIP

MF23 · Post #4 » by **MF23** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:20 pm

I didn't even know he was sick. He would show pro wrestling on his sportscast and it would always amuse me.

Sorry to hear that about him.

Chocolate City Jordanaire · Post #5 » by **Chocolate City Jordanaire** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:06 pm

From way back in the day, my favorite local sportscasters included Warner Wolf, Glen Brenner, and George Micheal.

Micheal was the first I ever saw bring a volume of sports from around the world. His Sports Machine was exciting. I still rememember the theme music. I also remember George had a good rapport with Jim Vance. Micheal was cool and witty, while maintaining a seriousness about his dedication to bringing all kinds of sporting events. The man was really good at what he did, and he did it many years.

RIP

Dat2U · Post #6 » by **Dat2U** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:52 pm

i definitely grew up on the guy and the Sports Machine. RIP. Man I must be getting old. :-(

dobrojim · Post #7 » by **dobrojim** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:57 pm

like others, I grew up on him

ground breaking pioneer, true; but there were also
times I didn't like him that well. Pro-wrestling is a fraud and
shouldn't be treated as serious.

RIP GM.

Post #8 » by **montestewart** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 9:57 pm

dobrojim wrote:like others, I grew up on him

ground breaking pioneer, true; but there were also
times I didn't like him that well. Pro-wrestling is a fraud and
shouldn't be treated as serious.

RIP GM.

Soap operas are a fraud too. Those people aren't really cheating on each other; they're actors. Wrestlers are actors that happen to add (varying degrees of) athletic ability to their spectacles. George Michael's Sports Machine chronicled this aspect of sports, the drama-filled spectacular moments that punctuate athletics, and he recognized that, even in its "fraud," pro-wrestling was scripting "competitive" sports to regularly arrive at these operatic moments. He had an eye for such moments.

I remember when George Michael was a DJ, and I liked him much more as a sportscaster and on Sports Machine. RIP.

Post #9 » by **Ruzious** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:31 am

MF23 wrote:I didn't even know he was sick. He would show pro wrestling on his sportscast and it would always amuse me.

Sorry to hear that about him.

Yeah, way back in the day - usually from Japan. And he'd mix in the occasional rodeo competition.
Wow, this is tough to take. He was obviously so passionate about trying to entertain us. And after Glenn Brenner passed away, he was THE local sports tv guy - not to mention national - with his innovative Sports Machine. The chemistry he had with Sonny and Riggins and Wilbon/Kornheiser/Dupree on his weekly show was special - especially with Sonny - even with the Wiz and Skins rarely giving them positive things to discuss. RIP, George. God bless.

fishercob · Post #10 » by **fishercob** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:19 pm

GM also broke new ground in up-to-the-minute (hour?) sports news. Pre-internet, pre-sports talk radio, there was the Sports Machine Hotline. 202-362-4444. "For football news and scores, press one. For baseball news and scores, press two." I remember standing with my brother at a pay phone at school as he listened to the Lenny Bias news on a loop like seven times in a row.

southnc · Post #11 » by **southnc** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:47 am

OMG, this is so sad.

I also grew up with him and the GM Sports Machine; he made stars out of plenty of obscure (and now grateful) characters.

However, the most memorable moment for me was how he handled the untimely death of his good friend, Glenn Brenner. I'll never forget that choked-up (and heroic) talk he gave live on the local news. Sadly, the cursed cancer would eventually get him too.

RIP

mohammed10 · Post #12 » by **mohammed10** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 3:03 am

Time to etch the final face for the Mount Rushmore of DC TV Sportscasting

Glenn Brenner
Warner Wolf
Frank Hertzog

and now...

George Michael

Goodbye, George. We will miss you...
:bowdown:

Dat2U · Post #13 » by **Dat2U** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:31 am

fishercob wrote:GM also broke new ground in up-to-the-minute (hour?) sports news. Pre-internet, pre-sports talk radio, there was the Sports Machine Hotline. 202-362-4444. "For football news and scores, press one. For baseball news and scores, press two." I remember standing with my brother at a pay phone at school as he listened to the Lenny Bias news on a loop like seven times in a row.

OMG. I used to call that number almost every day as a kid to find out the lastest news & scores! I really forgot how ahead of his time GM was.

To me, GM was at his best with Full Court Press and the Redskins Report. That was must see TV for me. I remembered watching the final show for FCP and having an empty feeling inside knowing it was and end to a great run.

This really makes me feel old. I've watched George as long as I could remember.

Benjammin · Post #14 » by **Benjammin** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:56 pm

Dat2U wrote:
fishercob wrote:GM also broke new ground in up-to-the-minute (hour?) sports news. Pre-internet, pre-sports talk radio, there was the Sports Machine Hotline. 202-362-4444. "For football news and scores, press one. For baseball news and scores, press two." I remember standing with my brother at a pay phone at school as he listened to the Lenny Bias news on a loop like seven times in a row.

OMG. I used to call that number almost every day as a kid to find out the lastest news & scores! I really forgot how ahead of his time GM was.

To me, GM was at his best with Full Court Press and the Redskins Report. That was must see TV for me. I remembered watching the final show for FCP and having an empty feeling inside knowing it was and end to a great run.

This really makes me feel old. I've watched George as long as I could remember.

That telephone line did come in handy sometimes, I had forgotten about that. Local DC news was truly blessed to have such talented sports guys as Warner, Glenn, Frank, and George.

southnc · Post #15 » by **southnc** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:00 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N4O0nPI ... _embedded#

Post #16 » by **Rafael122** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:06 pm

I remember calling the Sports Machine on a daily basis back in the 90s when I didn't have cable or internet.

Dr Positivity · Post #17 » by **Dr Positivity** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:33 am

Thread title made me go "holy ****..." then I opened it and went "oh ok"

mohammed10 · Post #18 » by **mohammed10** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:36 am

Dr Mufasa wrote:Thread title made me go "holy ****..." then I opened it and went "oh ok"

Nice...way to pad your thread count

TheKingOfVa360 · Post #19 » by **TheKingOfVa360** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:33 am

Rip to a Legend

Post #20 » by **jmrosenth** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:47 pm

Count me in with those who were frequent callers to the sports line. I grew up on George Michael, Glenn Brenner, Frank Herzog, and Ken Beatrice as the voices/faces of DC broadcasting. I loved watching the Sports Machine when I was away at college - all my non-DC friends knew who George Michael (and his comb over) was. The first guy to have a nationally televised network sports news show, but I believe he was also the first guy to put journalists on TV. He gave guys like Tony K and Wilbon their start. Michael was also a client of my dad's - and my dad always spoke highly of him. RIP.