George Michael - The King is dead

  A man ahead of his time. George Michael was an entertainer and stoyteller (NBC)

By now most fans know that former NBC4 Washington sports director George Michael died last night at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer.

Michael was one of my favorite people, a man who always took my phone call or did not hesitate to call me when he had something to say. It was my honor to be a friend of one of Washington’s great broadcasting icons.

He was a true entertainer, a former major market rock and roll disc jockey at WFIL in Philadelphia and later at WABC in New York where also was part of the Islanders broadcast team.

Michael was a master story teller with television as his perfect medium and sports his favorite subject.

Michael was worthy of the title of “King George.”

He ruled the NBC4 sports department and his ratings were staggering. His style was fast paced and his storytelling ability unmatched.

In these days when weathermen are the stars of the newscast Michael did not give up a moment of his airtime. Any producer who cut a second of his sports segment did so at their own peril.     

Michael would often beat the newspapers with the story. That in a town where the Washington Post sports section was one of the best in the country.

In 1980 George Michael Sports Machine was launched and four years later NBC launched the show on a national basis. It was an instant hit and since SportsCenter was in its infancy Michael showed highlights and did interviews with the top name sports stars of the day. His last show was done in 2007 after NBC decided cut backs were needed.

Chris Berman once told me that:”Of course we stole ideas from Sports Machine. George was one of the best ever at delivering highlights. He was SportsCenter before SportsCenter became a household name.”

Locally the pair of Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wibon was on his weekly Full Court Press show.

 It was Michael that in many was created Pardon the Interruption by pairing the duo together and giving them a chance to spar on air.

John Riggins, Stephen A. Smith, David Aldridge and Mike Wise are a few of the other writers and sports stars who were given a chance to begin their TV careers by Michael.

He covered NASCAR before it was cool to do so. The Sports Machine was always at Daytona and always had features on the drivers. He loved to find the best stories no matter what the sport.

One day he called me and told me he hired this great young talent Lindsay Czarniak:” She is a very smart and talented woman. I know that she is going to be a star here.” He was also very proud of bringing Dan Hellie to Washington and he told me that when he left NBC4:”Leaving Dan and Lindsay in charge will keep NBC4 at the top. They are as good as I thought they would be.” 

I will miss not talking to George he was a one of a kind person and he will always be King to me.