[DeltAlum]

There is a difference between "heat of the moment" kind of things and planned or ongoing questionable content.

The question is, will the Powell FCC see it and walk away.

A couple of thoughts.

Even in the "heat of the moment," folks like a major athlete should think before they speak. Or, they shouldn't agree to be interviewed.

Post game news conferences don't start in a timely enough fashion to wait until then -- the TV post game shows generally run between five and thirty minutes. By the time the coach talks to the team, the athlete showers and dresses -- it's too late. Also, unless it's a very important game, the network won't spend the money for a live camera in a locker/interview room. Most of the sound bites you see from them are from the local affilliates.

I've had several instances over the course of my career -- much of which was producing or directing live sports -- where either an errant word or "lip read" was embarassing.

Since I didn't see the telecast in question, I would just say that the announcers certainly shouldn't "trash" the QB. Just appologize and move on. As I used to tell the sports production class I taught at Colorado, by the time the "truck" reacts to a mistake -- it's already out past Venus somewhere and there's not much you can do about it.

When you speak of the heat of the moment, consider what's going on in the production truck as well. Depending on the style of the producer, director and others -- it can be absolutely nuts. (I was always quiet and laid back -- but I'm not in the majority). Between Producer, Director, AD, multiple cameras, a number of slo-mo playbacks, graphics and the control point (probably NBC BOC (Sorry, Broadcast Operations Control) in NY trying to outyell each other, it can be pretty chaotic -- particularly at games end when the post game folks are trying to integrate all of the highlights and a few live interviews and get the hell off the air on time. It's exciting, but it's nuts, too.

In the end, though, you can't shoot the messenger. The kid should know better than to swear on TV.