Your NFL Announcer in focus this week: Spero Dedes!
Spero has risen up the ranks quite quickly, as far as announcers go. In a world of Verne Lundquist and Dick Stockton, Spero could easily have 50-60 years in the announcing business if he so chose. He started early with the NBA and is now one of the staples of the CBS roster of play by play announcers. He currently is on the #6 NFL team with Adam Archuleta - so that means someone like Jay (a Patriots fan) will never see him, but Browns fans will probably have him 4-5 times a year.
He was born in 1979 in New Jersey, and at 22 started working for the New Jersey Gladiators of the Arena Football league. I didn't realize they had full time play by play announcers! Can't even imagine what channel those were televised on.
Fun fact - the Gladiators moved in 2002 to Las Vegas, and then in 2008 to Cleveland. What a connection for this blog!
Somehow, in 2005, Dedes got the break of his life by being named as the main play by play announcer for the Lakers. The Lakers! At 26! Can you even imagine being 26 and on the road with the Lakers traveling to all those cities with the team....wow.... he started working for CBS in 2009 part-time around his Lakers' duties; that's when he started appearing on random NFL games and the final #8 pairing for the NCAA tournament.
In 2011, he left the Lakers and now is the main radio voice for the Knicks. He wanted to work both NBA and become a staple on the national CBS broadcasts, and this move to New York allowed him to do that. He's still with the Knicks as they toil through their season. The one moment of notoriety - a negative one -was a slip up when calling a Jeremy Lin game. Here's Spero's radio call.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oanBaRDkTMc
Spero got reprimanded for this, but not fired; I think it was unfair that the ESPN guy got fired for this error. On both parts, it seemed completed unintentional.
Spero has been doing the NCAA tournament for a few years now - the best call I could find was in 2016 - a game that ended late (past 1 am) and it's amazing people nationally don't talk about this more. In fact, that year (2016) had some of the greatest finishes in the first two rounds - think Northern Iowa vs Texas, Northern Iowa vs. Texas A&M, and Layup's favorite - the Wisconsin/Xavier game.
I'm sure many of you forgot this game. Watch this live and try to make a decision. Then watch the replay 10 times and make a decision. It's sooooo close.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ORb2OwkWA
Football-wise, Spero's picture has been on my basement wall for 351 days now - since he is the last play by play announcer of a Browns win! Yes, he was on the call on Dec 24, 2016 last year for the Browns' 20-17 win over the Chargers. I was in a car driving everyone up to Columbus for Christmas eve, so I did not see this live....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMEGuWcHtKY
I think it's in Spero's contract to call Browns-Chargers games. He did last week as well, and he also called a game in 2013 where the Browns won a classic, 7-6, over San Diego.
He also called the Arizona-Jacksonville game 2 weeks ago when our favorite Browns kicker from the past, Phil Dawson, hit a 57 yarder at the gun to win. Arizona was one of my picks in the Supercontest, and this caused a 2 minute dance on the patio by yours truly....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC-W5ZZ5Cww
Will Spero be on the call again Christmas eve when the Ravens visit - and maybe we can find a win this year? Only Les Moonves knows!
On to the games....
Buf 24, Ind 17. Can't imagine the motivation the Colts have here, going to cold Buffalo. Their lack of D should be the key in a Bills win.
Car 24, Min 16. A desperate Panthers team; a third road game in a r
ow for the Vikes, and I don't think the Vikes have an explosive offense to run away from the Panthers. Carolina will find a way.
Cin 23, Chi 16. Yes, the Bengals may have a letdown after the loss to the Steelers - but jees, have you seen the Bears offense?
Hou 27, SF 17. Talking about the Bears and SF- let's not go crazy over Jimmy G's win last week. The Bears had less than 40 plays. Of course the Bears D would be tired and Jimmy G would look good...
KC 30, Oak 13. I know KC sucks right now - but I'm believing in Reid to get just a half of a defensive effort. The Chiefs will move the ball vs. the Raiders, and Oak's offense is struggling too.
Det 31, TB 20. Det struggles when pressure is put on their O line - and that is exactly what Tampa does not have.
NYG 23, Dal 20. Dallas's D is awful; the Skins shot themselves in the foot last week. A re-energized Giants team with Eli will move the ball.
Az 27, Ten 20. I continue to believe that Tennessee is a fraud; they have no pass D (so Gabbert and Az should move) and their offense is all based on the run, which Az can stop.
Den 23, NYJ 19. Eight straight losses against the spread for Denver! This has to stop, right? By principle, if the Jets are favored on the road, go against them.
LAC 24, Was 17. Should be a lot of running on both sides given that each team has little run defense.
Jax 24, Sea 13. The only thing Seattle can do is pass, which is matched up against Jax #1 pass defense. The concern here is Bortles vs. the Sea defense.....
Phi 27, LAR 23. Last week, I saw that the Rams run D is vulnerable. If Philly can get the run game going, setting up play action - look out!
Pit 20, Bal 17. Back to the days of a tight 3 point game between these 2.
NE 27, Mia 13. The only question here - how motivated is NE to score in this game? Going up against Miami, they can name their score.
Best bets: 16 of them. Last week: 6-7; overall: 94-79-4
Buf -3
Car +2.5
Hou -2.5
KC -4
Oak/KC under 48.5
Det -2.5
Det/TB over 45
NYG +3.5
Az +2.5
Ten/Az over 43
Den +1
Was/LAC under 46.5
Jax -2.5
Phi pk
Bal/Pit under 43.5
NE/Mia under 47.5
Supercontest picks: Last week: 3-2; overall: 39-24-2
Car +2.5
KC -4
Az +3
Jax -2.5
Phi +2
Spero has risen up the ranks quite quickly, as far as announcers go. In a world of Verne Lundquist and Dick Stockton, Spero could easily have 50-60 years in the announcing business if he so chose. He started early with the NBA and is now one of the staples of the CBS roster of play by play announcers. He currently is on the #6 NFL team with Adam Archuleta - so that means someone like Jay (a Patriots fan) will never see him, but Browns fans will probably have him 4-5 times a year.
He was born in 1979 in New Jersey, and at 22 started working for the New Jersey Gladiators of the Arena Football league. I didn't realize they had full time play by play announcers! Can't even imagine what channel those were televised on.
Fun fact - the Gladiators moved in 2002 to Las Vegas, and then in 2008 to Cleveland. What a connection for this blog!
Somehow, in 2005, Dedes got the break of his life by being named as the main play by play announcer for the Lakers. The Lakers! At 26! Can you even imagine being 26 and on the road with the Lakers traveling to all those cities with the team....wow.... he started working for CBS in 2009 part-time around his Lakers' duties; that's when he started appearing on random NFL games and the final #8 pairing for the NCAA tournament.
In 2011, he left the Lakers and now is the main radio voice for the Knicks. He wanted to work both NBA and become a staple on the national CBS broadcasts, and this move to New York allowed him to do that. He's still with the Knicks as they toil through their season. The one moment of notoriety - a negative one -was a slip up when calling a Jeremy Lin game. Here's Spero's radio call.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oanBaRDkTMc
Spero got reprimanded for this, but not fired; I think it was unfair that the ESPN guy got fired for this error. On both parts, it seemed completed unintentional.
Spero has been doing the NCAA tournament for a few years now - the best call I could find was in 2016 - a game that ended late (past 1 am) and it's amazing people nationally don't talk about this more. In fact, that year (2016) had some of the greatest finishes in the first two rounds - think Northern Iowa vs Texas, Northern Iowa vs. Texas A&M, and Layup's favorite - the Wisconsin/Xavier game. I'm sure many of you forgot this game. Watch this live and try to make a decision. Then watch the replay 10 times and make a decision. It's sooooo close.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ORb2OwkWA
Football-wise, Spero's picture has been on my basement wall for 351 days now - since he is the last play by play announcer of a Browns win! Yes, he was on the call on Dec 24, 2016 last year for the Browns' 20-17 win over the Chargers. I was in a car driving everyone up to Columbus for Christmas eve, so I did not see this live....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMEGuWcHtKYI think it's in Spero's contract to call Browns-Chargers games. He did last week as well, and he also called a game in 2013 where the Browns won a classic, 7-6, over San Diego.
He also called the Arizona-Jacksonville game 2 weeks ago when our favorite Browns kicker from the past, Phil Dawson, hit a 57 yarder at the gun to win. Arizona was one of my picks in the Supercontest, and this caused a 2 minute dance on the patio by yours truly....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC-W5ZZ5Cww
Will Spero be on the call again Christmas eve when the Ravens visit - and maybe we can find a win this year? Only Les Moonves knows!
On to the games....
Buf 24, Ind 17. Can't imagine the motivation the Colts have here, going to cold Buffalo. Their lack of D should be the key in a Bills win.
Car 24, Min 16. A desperate Panthers team; a third road game in a r
ow for the Vikes, and I don't think the Vikes have an explosive offense to run away from the Panthers. Carolina will find a way.
Cin 23, Chi 16. Yes, the Bengals may have a letdown after the loss to the Steelers - but jees, have you seen the Bears offense?
Hou 27, SF 17. Talking about the Bears and SF- let's not go crazy over Jimmy G's win last week. The Bears had less than 40 plays. Of course the Bears D would be tired and Jimmy G would look good...
KC 30, Oak 13. I know KC sucks right now - but I'm believing in Reid to get just a half of a defensive effort. The Chiefs will move the ball vs. the Raiders, and Oak's offense is struggling too.
Det 31, TB 20. Det struggles when pressure is put on their O line - and that is exactly what Tampa does not have.
NYG 23, Dal 20. Dallas's D is awful; the Skins shot themselves in the foot last week. A re-energized Giants team with Eli will move the ball.
Az 27, Ten 20. I continue to believe that Tennessee is a fraud; they have no pass D (so Gabbert and Az should move) and their offense is all based on the run, which Az can stop.
Den 23, NYJ 19. Eight straight losses against the spread for Denver! This has to stop, right? By principle, if the Jets are favored on the road, go against them.
LAC 24, Was 17. Should be a lot of running on both sides given that each team has little run defense.
Jax 24, Sea 13. The only thing Seattle can do is pass, which is matched up against Jax #1 pass defense. The concern here is Bortles vs. the Sea defense.....
Phi 27, LAR 23. Last week, I saw that the Rams run D is vulnerable. If Philly can get the run game going, setting up play action - look out!
Pit 20, Bal 17. Back to the days of a tight 3 point game between these 2.
NE 27, Mia 13. The only question here - how motivated is NE to score in this game? Going up against Miami, they can name their score.
Best bets: 16 of them. Last week: 6-7; overall: 94-79-4
Buf -3
Car +2.5
Hou -2.5
KC -4
Oak/KC under 48.5
Det -2.5
Det/TB over 45
NYG +3.5
Az +2.5
Ten/Az over 43
Den +1
Was/LAC under 46.5
Jax -2.5
Phi pk
Bal/Pit under 43.5
NE/Mia under 47.5
Supercontest picks: Last week: 3-2; overall: 39-24-2
Car +2.5
KC -4
Az +3
Jax -2.5
Phi +2
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