Yes, it's rare that I include FOX announcers on here, since we have so few games on FOX. But there was one game in the past that sticks out with Rosen on the call - it was so good, Rosen is my favorite FOX announcer. Those readers out there that are Giants, Redskins, or Cowboys fans may disagree vehemently.
Rosen was born in Germany in 1947 and moved to Brooklyn when he was 2. He started following the Rangers early, and going to several Rangers games when he was young. It sounds like from youth he knew what he wanted to do - be a sports broadcaster for a New York team. He went to CCNY for college and started at ESPN in 1979.
It says he broadcasted college baseball, college wrestling, ping pong, Australian Rules football, and the NASL. Remember those days? ESPN would have 10 hours of Australian Rules Football programming from 1979 until about 1985. I always wanted that white suit with the hat to signal a partially good or fully good try. One hand or two?
Rosen became the Rangers' full time play-by-play announcer for the New York Rangers in 1984. He's still on the job there after 33 years, and (I guess) is still considered an icon in New York. For the first 20 years or so, he was paired in the booth with John Davidson, the ex-goalie for the Rangers. Davidson left the booth to go into the front offices for the Blues and then to America's favorite team, the Blue Jackets.
Rosen has his signature call when the Rangers score on the power play - "It's a power play goal!" The inflection makes the signature; here's a link of all his power play goal calls from a recent season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHp6hBE5E4M
For any Rangers fan, the highlight of their history is 1994, when they won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 54 years. I was a big NHL fan at that time - even going to a NHL game in Cleveland that season. (Thanks, Steve!). Here's his call of the final 2 seconds of Game 7, when the Rangers won the Cup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzq2AhbXSeY
(An even bigger moment was in Game 4, when Richter stopped Pavel Bure on a penalty shot in the finals....)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulUFtK2xLnY
Rosen has been used by FOX for NFL games since the 90s, and he has consistently been on the 3rd or 4th string broadcast team. The list of color announcers he has worked with - wow, this is a cornucopia of B-list NFL players/coaches..... ready?Ray Bentley
Jerry Glanville
Brady Quinn
Bill Maas
Brian Billick
Chad Pennington
Yikes!
There was a game during that magical 2007 Browns season that no one remembers....the Browns, 4-4, were hosting the Seahawks, 5-3 and the favorites in the NFC. This was at 4 pm; No one watched this games because the CBS game at the same time was the Patriots-Colts, where the undefeated Patriots went to Indy to play Manning; that game was a classic, with the Pats keeping their perfect season alive with a comeback vs. the Colts.
Our game was a good one; we ended up winning 33-30 in overtime to start our push in the second half. Rosen was on the call and he was into the flow of the game perfectly. If there was a FOX announcer to do a Browns game, it was him.
Sadly, I can't find his calls for the game (it used to be there on YouTube), but here's a recap of that game.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSLa4dott3s&t=3s
Hopefully Rosen will get a more steady partner for his last few years at FOX. Well hell, if Dick Stockton is still doing games now, maybe Rosen has a good 15 years left....
On to the games....
Atl 31, TB 20. I think Fitzpatrick has brought the Bucs offense to life a bit; it would not surprise me to see the Falcons lose this game after that dramatic win last week.
Ind 27, Ten 20. Ind off bye, Ten off extra rest. I think the Colts play much better in the dome, and the Titans' D does not scare me. The Titans are overrated.
KC 27, Buf 13. Just don't think the Bills have enough firepower to take advantage of the Chiefs bad D. And who knows how their locker room is after last week.
NE 27, Mia 10. Who knows. Have to believe that Miami will be somewhat shut down, and don't think the Pats will run up the score.
Car 23, NYJ 13. The Panthers need every game they can get to stay alive in the NFC, and Olsen is back. The Jets may be sliding downward after their surprising start. 10 pts. vs Tampa???
Phi 31, Chi 16. When will the Eagles have a week off? So impressed by the Eagles D as well; I can't trust Chicago right now, and still can't back the Eagles on that large spread.
Sea 28, SF 13. What's the Seahawks weakness? The secondary. I don't see the Niners taking advantage of that. Seattle is desperate and knws they can't take SF for granted.
NO 20, LAR 17. This game will be a run fest; both teams have great pass D. I just think the Saints are a more complete team right now.
Az 16, Jax 13. Yes, I know, Gabbert. But the offense for the Jaguars is soooooo conservative, and Arizona's run D is decent. If the Cards just don't turn the ball over.......
Den 24, Oak 20. The Raiders are in free fall, and I think the firing of the offensive coordinator (McCoy) by Denver will re-energize the offense. But Jesus, Brock, you are bad.
Pit 27, GB 10. Should be a snoozefest; Pit won't show much and do just the minimal things to win. And I can't see Hundley taking that much advantage of it.
Bal 23, Hou 10. How many points will the Ravens score on D? 10? 14? Look what they did in Lambeau....now Savage comes to Baltimore in a prime time game?
Best bets: 14 of them. Last week: 6-6; overall: 80-65-3
TB/Atl over 47.5
Ind +3
KC -9.5
KC/Buf under 46.5
Mia/NE under 48
Car -5.5
Sea +6.5
NO +2
NO/LAR under 53.5
Az +4.5
Az/Jax under 38
Den +4.5
GB/Pit under 43
Bal -7
Supercontest: last week: 2-3; overall: 33-21-1
Ind +3
Car -4.5
Sea -6.5
Az +5.5
Bal -7
e 90s; Gumbel became the studio host for the most-watched Winter Olympics ever in 1994....in Lillehammer, Norway. Here's the opening - Gumbel co-hosted with Andrea Joyce; love the theme song; however, Joyce's comments around the 1:00 mark are a little creepy given today's environment.....
