Menudo Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Cowher signs up for CBS TV duty Will be in studio throughout season Friday, February 16, 2007 By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Bill Cowher: New talking head. Although his previous television gig -- at noon Tuesdays during the Steelers' season -- never got rave reviews, Bill Cowher has landed a big-time TV contract with CBS that will make him part of the network's pre- and postgame shows. He will share the set with Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, James Brown and Shannon Sharpe. Instead of answering media questions at his weekly Steelers news conference, Cowher will be offering opinions and insights to a national audience. Cowher, who resigned Jan. 5 after 15 years as Steelers coach saying he wanted to spend more time with his family, had his agent let the television networks know he was interested. He did a brief stint with CBS, which televises AFC games, during the Super Bowl, although negotiations for his current job were under way before that game. "Being an AFC coach, I've seen CBS work through the years," Cowher said. "It seemed like a natural fit. Hopefully, I can add some insight to their group, which already is a very good group." CBS is not dropping anyone, just adding Cowher, who spoke via a conference call yesterday from his Raleigh, N.C., home. Tony Petitti, executive vice president of CBS sports, said: "We feel this is a great addition. When we had the chance to add Bill, we jumped at it. We haven't had a coach in our lineup for some time. We think that perspective is important to the fans." Cowher, who will work out of the network's New York studio every Sunday, looked upon his new job as the perfect fit. "To me it's still a way of being a part of [the NFL] but not having it consume your life. That's what I'm excited about. I've got a sophomore in high school down here in Raleigh, and this will give me the opportunity to be part of her life and at the same time be part of what's been a big part of my life, and that's the NFL." Although there has been much speculation that Cowher would return to coaching for the 2008 season, when he could have his pick of almost any available job, he indicated his television career could be more than one season. "I've walked back into my daughter's life," he said, "I don't want to walk back out again. I plan to do this for a couple of years. "I didn't get out of the game to get back into it. I got out of it to spend more time with my family. This opportunity came along, and I'm looking forward to it as my next challenge." Cowher, known as a players' coach, was asked if he'd be able to deliver criticism. "I think as long as you do it in a very objective way [it can be done]," he said. "I will give my opinion as to what I think should be done in certain situations based on my experience. It won't be judgmental, I'll be giving an opinion." Cowher commented for the first time about the process the Steelers used to name Mike Tomlin as his successor. The hiring surprised many because Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt, key members of Cowher's staff, were the favorites. "I don't know if I was surprised," he said. "Whis got his job in Arizona. It seemed like it came down to Russ and Mike Tomlin, and they picked Mike. It wasn't an indictment of Russ. They picked the guy who they thought fit the profile they were looking for." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 does this mean that the " I want to spend all my time with my family" actually stands for " I gotta get out of here, do something else for a year or two and coach somewhere else"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 does this mean that the " I want to spend all my time with my family" actually stands for " I gotta get out of here, do something else for a year or two and coach somewhere else"? Doubt it... a job like this won't have anywhere near the preparation time that it takes to be a Head Coach... I mean most of those guys are pretty much away from home for the entire football season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoMan Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Nice av Menudo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 Nice av Menudo. Thanks. He is finally big enough to get into one of his Steelers outfits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 does this mean that the " I want to spend all my time with my family" actually stands for " I gotta get out of here, do something else for a year or two and coach somewhere else"? Read the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I imagine this will give all the Cowher haters out there a chance to change their mind about him. I'm a hater. His sideline demeanor just ticks me off. And there's that chin! But I will be interested to learn more about the guy, and maybe change my mind. Truth is, even as a hater he's one of the few guys I would really want if Belichick were to move on from NE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 yet one more reason to avoid the CBS show... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Hopefully the cameras come with windshield wipers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Read the article. I did. He's gonna work in NY every Sunday. So I don't know about him but my kids are in school all week, I spend time with them on the weekends. Looks like he's gonna be out of state every weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 (edited) I did. He's gonna work in NY every Sunday. So I don't know about him but my kids are in school all week, I spend time with them on the weekends. Looks like he's gonna be out of state every weekend. You're also at work when your kids get out of school at 2:30 every day. He won't be, and will be able to go to his kids events/activities, and generally just be around to see his kids every day, which wasn't true when he was working 18 hour days for the Steelers. Edited February 16, 2007 by Caveman_Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REZ Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Can't stand the CBS pregame show. Sharpe and Marino are disasters and Esiason isn't a heckuva lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 You're also at work when your kids get out of school at 2:30 every day. He won't be, and will be able to go to his kids events/activities, and generally just be around to see his kids every day, which wasn't true when he was working 18 hour days for the Steelers. fair enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackshi17 Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Maybe his wife and daughter don't want him around the house every day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjpro11 Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 it was weird enough watching the bus as an analysist this year.. gonna be even stranger seeing the chin doing the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjpro11 Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Kind of strange both of these two landed tv jobs. Neither of them can speak well. Cowher is particularly challenged. His use of the english language makes GW look like Bill Clinton. i hope they sit him right next to boomer on the set.. all that spit flying at him will be classic karma for picking against the steelers all those years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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