Just The Facts

Last night I had the honor of speaking at Hank Dickenson's Sports Broadcasting class at the University of North Texas...this is the class I took under Bill Mercer that set me on the path of becoming a play-by-play announcer...it's always great to see those future broadcasters and offer advice and encouragement to the next generation...the following is something that I have developed over the years that has helped my play-by-play and helped me to work with partners who were not experienced broadcasters...I shared this with the class last night.

The “Just the Facts” Approach to Play-by-Play

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

-Ruyard Kipling (Just So Stories, 1902)

In journalism and in police reporting there is a maxim known as “The Maxim of the five W’s (and one H)”. Play-by-play is as much about story telling as anything, so by answering these six questions, you should be able to tell a complete story. I have found this maxim useful as a play-by-play announcer and in working with color commentators who were not experienced broadcasters.

Play-by-Play
1) Who? Player identification. Who has the ball? Who made the tackle? Who is open downfield? Who applies to any player that is involved in the action. Also “Who won the game?

2) What? The Action. What is the person who has the ball doing with it? What are those around him doing? What are the circumstances surrounding the game? What does a win mean? A loss? Most important what: What is the Score?

3) When? Time Elements. How much time is left in the quarter, or the game? Time left on the play clock, the shot clock, etc. In baseball, the inning, the count, the outs left.

4) Where? Location. (Painting the Picture) Where applies to the location of the action on the field of play. Yard line, Left or Right sideline, Left or Right hash mark. Basketball: 3 point line, Left or Right wing or elbow. Baseball: shallow center field or deep center field, etc.

“Smith (who) takes the snap (what), looks downfield (where), flings it (what) down the right sideline (where), Johnson (who) makes a diving catch (what) at the 25 yard line (where). First down Mean Green with 2:30 left in the first quarter (when).

Analysis

5) Why? Question of Strategy (Motive). Why applies to the decisions made in the game and also applies to the success or failure of those decisions. What did they go for it on fourth down? Why did it work? Why didn’t it work?

6) How? Execution. How is the x’s and o’s. How did the receiver gain separation from the defensive back? How did the double team force the point guard to turn the ball over?