The Big Pod Machine: Can the Reds make it to the playoffs?
Reds Beat Reporter Gordon Wittenmyer and Sports Reporter Pat Brennan discuss the current state of the Cincinnati Reds.
Amazon Prime Video broadcasters Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit were talking during the broadcast of the Green Bay Packers‘ game against the Washington Commanders about how Bart Starr, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers all won championships at age 27.
That unexpectedly led to 30 seconds or so of Cincinnati Reds discussion.
“What were you doing at 27? Were you (play-by-play announcing for) the Reds?” Herbstreit asked Michaels.
“I was doing the Cincinnati Reds. We won the pennant,” Michaels responded. “If you were the team announcer, you got to do the World Series with Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek. All downhill from there, baby. Thank you Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Sparky Anderson …”
“What year was that?” Herbstreit asked.
“1972,” Michaels said. “Lost the World Series in seven (games) to Oakland. … We cover the earth here on Thursday Night Football.”
“Yeah,” Herbstreit said. “Well that led to ’75 and ’76 (to back-to-back world championships). You missed out on that.”
“I was gone,” Michaels replied. “Marty Brennaman took over. I went to the Giants for the money. What else is new?”
Michaels came to Cincinnati in 1971 and was replaced in the Reds’ broadcast booth in 1974 by Brennaman.