Bob, it will likely not be a surprise to you or most others to learn, but
deserves mention in response to your post anyway, that the aforementioned
duo does NOT have final say over their broadcasting assignments with ESPN or
anyone else (ABC, for instance).  I think only Keith Jackson gets to pick
his assignments, and he now calls selected college football games out
West...whoa nellie....

It is due to the loss of the NHL season this year, and then with the (no
doubt) grudging acquiescence of the media lords in Bristol and NYC, that the
college championship got American television's "A" team for hockey.  Trust
me, had there been another assignment available for Gary Thorne, we would
have been saddled with someone else doing p-b-p much less aware and
respectful of the wonderful college game.

The only other man who I think could take Gary Thorne's place in that
assignment, if they had to substitute, would have been Sean McDonough.  No
one else called out the name of the town of Cheektowaga New York like Sean
did; he and Bob Norton were the hockey equivalent of Martin and Woods in my
mind.

Dan

Bob Woodbury wrote:


>
>If there were not NHL playoff commitments, I think Gary and Bill would
>have done everything in their power to be there. They both love the
>college game.