Rich Podolsky – författare

You Are Looking Live! is about the genesis, success and magic of a live television show that in 1975 captured the excitement of the country, and launched four magnetic personalities to stardom: Brent Musburger, Phyllis George, Irv Cross and Jimmy The Greek Snyder. It was truly a piece of Americana. It was the first NFL studio show to go live and the first to have both a Black and female co-host. Those four personalities battled each other and the competition, and America loved them for it. This is the story of how Brent, Phyllis, Irv and Jimmy got there, their drama and front-page headlines, and what happened to them after the magic ended. Those headlines included Brent and The Greek’s famous fight at Peartrees, Phyllis first marrying the man who produced The Godfather, then dropping him after two months for the next governor of Kentucky, and the shocking firing of Musburger on April Fool’s Day, 1990. America had never seen a show like this before. On the East Coast and the Midwest, people would literally rush home from church to hear what they had to say, and on the West Coast fans loved waking up to it. The NFL Today became so popular that it not only dominated the ratings, but also won its timeslot 18 straight years, from 1975 to 1993, until CBS lost its NFL package to Fox. And today, looking back, these four personalities, like any family, had their own battles, and became even more famous for them.

Madden & Summerall tells the inside story of how two unlikely partners became the greatest broadcast duo in NFL history.This is the story of how John Madden and Pat Summerall got to CBS and, although very different, how they became the greatest broadcast team of all time. It is told by Rich Podolsky, who worked alongside them both at CBS. Separately, they were great. Together, they were the greatest ever. Madden & Summerall is about two stalwarts of the game, but their story is not without controversy. Summerall was a five-sport star who became a broadcaster by accident. Uncharacteristically, he was a morning drive-time radio host before he found his path on TV. Madden was a bigger-than-life Super Bowl-winning coach, and he easily could have been a stand-up comedian. We all remember the great story-telling John Madden, who won sixteen Emmy Awards, but we don't remember how much he struggled his first two years on the air to find his way. In fact, he was almost fired after his first season. It wasn't until he was paired with Summerall that it all clicked. They were so different, yet so perfect together-like peanut butter meeting jelly for the first time. The book follows the intimate stories of their lives from childhood to death: before and during their great twenty-one-year partnership. Never-before-told insider stories (some fun, some scathing) from friends, family members, and dozens of ex-colleagues pepper these chapters.   

Madden & Summerall tells the inside story of how two unlikely partners became the greatest broadcast duo in NFL history.This is the story of how John Madden and Pat Summerall got to CBS and, although very different, how they became the greatest broadcast team of all time. It is told by Rich Podolsky, who worked alongside them both at CBS. Separately, they were great. Together, they were the greatest ever. Madden & Summerall is about two stalwarts of the game, but their story is not without controversy. Summerall was a five-sport star who became a broadcaster by accident. Uncharacteristically, he was a morning drive-time radio host before he found his path on TV. Madden was a bigger-than-life Super Bowl-winning coach, and he easily could have been a stand-up comedian. We all remember the great story-telling John Madden, who won sixteen Emmy Awards, but we don’t remember how much he struggled his first two years on the air to find his way. In fact, he was almost fired after his first season. It wasn’t until he was paired with Summerall that it all clicked. They were so different, yet so perfect together—like peanut butter meeting jelly for the first time. The book follows the intimate stories of their lives from childhood to death: before and during their great twenty-one-year partnership. Never-before-told insider stories (some fun, some scathing) from friends, family members, and dozens of ex-colleagues pepper these chapters.  Summerall was the Voice of Autumn, the Voice of the NFL. Madden was America’s nutty football professor—both goofy and brilliant. Together they were loved by millions, for twenty-one beautiful years. Of Madden and Summerall Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Michaels has written: “Pat and John provided the soundtrack on so many of the most memorable games of the 80’s and 90’s. Rich Podolsky takes us on a terrific trip down memory lane that brings to life what so many of us remember so vividly in our mind’s eyes and ears.”