James Brown (sportscaster)

James Talmadge Brown[1] (born February 25, 1951) is an American sportscaster known for being the studio host of The James Brown Show and The NFL Today on CBS Sports. He is also a Special Correspondent for CBS News.

James Brown
Brown in 2000.
Born
James Talmadge Brown

(1951-02-25) February 25, 1951
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Other namesJ.B.
Occupation(s)Sportscaster, sport correspondent
SpouseDorothy
Children1
Websitewww.jbjamesbrown.com

He is additionally known for serving as the former host of Fox Sports' NFL pregame show Fox NFL Sunday for eleven years.

Early life

James Brown was born on February 25, 1951, in Washington, D.C. to John and Maryann Brown. He attended DeMatha Catholic High School, and was named to the All-Metropolitan boys basketball teams in 1967 and 1968 with teammates Sid Catlett, Steve Garrett, Aubrey Nash, and Wayne Locket. The team topped the high school national rankings that year under Coach Morgan Wootten; seven players on that squad went to Division I college teams. Brown later attended Harvard University, living in Grays Hall during his freshman year, and graduated from Harvard University with a degree in American Government. He played for the basketball team, receiving All-Ivy League honors in his last three seasons and captaining the team as a senior. His roommate was future Harvard professor and activist Cornel West.[2] He was drafted 62 overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 1973.[3]

Broadcasting career

CBS (1970s–1994)

After failing to make a roster spot when he tried out for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks in the mid-1970s, Brown entered the corporate world, working for such companies as Xerox and Eastman Kodak. Brown went into sports broadcasting in 1984 when he was offered a job doing Washington Bullets television broadcasts as well as an analyst job for The NBA on CBS, paired with Frank Glieber. He later moved on to an anchor position at WDVM-TV (later WUSA) in Washington and to some work at CBS Sports.[4] Brown was rehired by CBS Sports in 1987, where he served as play-by-play announcer for the network's NFL and college basketball coverage, as well as reporter for the NBA Finals (calling games with Tom Heinsohn during the 1990 NBA Playoffs) and the 1990 National League Championship Series. He also was host of the afternoon show from the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1994 Winter Olympics. While at CBS he also was co-host of CBS Sports Saturday/Sunday.

Fox, and back to CBS (1994–present)

In 1994, Brown accepted the position of host of the NFL on Fox pregame show. He shared the set with former football players Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long and former coach Jimmy Johnson. Cris Collinsworth and Ronnie Lott have also appeared on the program during Brown's time there.

From 1994–1998, Brown was the lead studio host for NHL on Fox. He appeared in a similar capacity in the EA Sports video game NHL '97, which used full-motion video. His voice appeared in Madden NFL 2001. On August 23, 1997, Brown filled-in for Chip Caray as the studio host for Fox Saturday Baseball.[5]

James Brown worked for the joint HBO/Showtime pay-per-view boxing match involving Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.[6]

Following the 2005 NFL season, Brown left Fox in order to rejoin CBS Sports, citing a desire to remain closer to his home in Washington, D.C.[7]

Brown was removed from college basketball coverage for CBS after a one-year stint in 2007. However, he still hosts the college basketball pregame, halftime and postgame in the CBS studios in New York City while Greg Gumbel, the main host, is on assignment.

Other appearances

Brown has also hosted The World's Funniest! (the Fox network's counterpart of America's Funniest Home Videos), Coast to Coast (a syndicated radio show formerly hosted by Bob Costas), and served as a correspondent for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Brown appeared on an episode of Married... with Children in a November 24, 1996 episode titled "A Bundy Thanksgiving".

Aside from his Showtime and CBS duties, Brown hosted a weekday radio sports talk show that aired weekdays on Sporting News Radio for several years. Brown left the network in April 2006. He has since, returned to Sporting News Radio with Arnie Spanier.

In March 2009, Brown was named the Community Ambassador for AARP.[8][9]

On August 10, 2009, Brown interviewed NFL quarterback Michael Vick for a segment that aired on 60 Minutes.[10]

On March 24, 2013, Brown reported on Brian Banks in a segment titled "Blindsided: The Exoneration of Brian Banks" on 60 Minutes.[11]

On May 14, 2013, Brown appeared onstage with the co-CEO of SAP, Bill McDermott, for McDermott's keynote speech at SAPPHIRE NOW from Orlando.[12]

On February 14, July 28-August 1, 2014, December 22–23, 2014, and November 23, 2018, Brown hosted the CBS Evening News covering for Scott Pelley and later Jeff Glor. In 2023, he also substituted for Norah O'Donnell on multiple occasions.
Further, Brown has also contributed to CBS This Morning, as well as CBS Sunday Morning, over the years.

Personal life

Brown resides outside of Washington, D.C. in Bethesda, Maryland, his town of birth, with his wife Dorothy and daughter Katrina.[13] He formerly had a second residence in Century City, California, when working on FOX as their NFL program was based in Los Angeles. He was also named one of the 100 most influential student athletes by the NCAA. He has three granddaughters and one grandson, born to his daughter, Katrina and her husband John. Brown is a Christian.[14]

On May 3, 2006, Brown became a minority owner of the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team. Brown was one of a handful of investors in the group led by Washington, D.C. real estate developer Ted Lerner.[15]

Career timeline

References
  1. UPI (December 6, 1970), "Browns Spark Ivy League", Terre Haute Tribune-Star, p. 48
  2. Cornel West, "Living and Loving Out Loud", 63.
  3. Capital of Basketball by John McNamara, Georgetown University Press 2019
  4. "Showtime's "Inside the NFL" announces hosts".
  5. MLB on FOX - 1997 - Yankees vs Mariners on YouTube
  6. "Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson - HBO PPV June 8, 2002". YouTube.
  7. Stewart, Larry (4 February 2006). "Brown Leaving Fox's Pregame for CBS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  8. 'James 'J.B.' Brown Joins AARP as New Community Ambassador'
  9. 'James Brown AARP Community Ambassador'
  10. '60 Minutes' to air Michael Vick interview this Sunday - The Huddle - USATODAY.com Archived 2009-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
  11. CBS News, 60 Minutes, Blindsided: The Exoneration of Brian Banks, March 24, 2013
  12. SAP Keynote: Bill McDermott & Bob Calderoni - Orlando 2013, May 14, 2013
  13. Goldstein, Steve (9 December 2019). "Bethesda Interview: James Brown". bethesdamagazine.com. Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  14. Romano, Jason (22 January 2018). "CBS Sports host James Brown says his faith in Christ is central to everything he does". sportsspectrum.com. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  15. Wysong, David (3 February 2021). "CBS Broadcaster James 'JB' Brown Has Made So Much Money Covering the NFL That He Owns an MLB Team". sportscasting.com. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  16. NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, Fantasy Sports News - CBSSports.com Live Scores, Stats, Schedules Archived 2008-05-18 at the Wayback Machine
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