Howard Cosell Audio: Did not want to announce Lennon's death (VERY RARE)

[bailinnumberguy]

I can understand Cosell's concern w/ the context (a football game) of announcing Lennon's death. They talked it out very briefly. Gifford was on point. Cosell agreed and the famous announcement was made. I can remember exactly where I was (in a college dorm) when the announcement was made on MNF and the game instantly became completely meaningless and everyone went for the radio or turned on a news channel.

[subg88]

"This is going to shake up the world" Cosell says in the tape. I don't think he thought a football game was more important for crying out loud.

[sunsetdivingbird]

@subg8 Frank Gifford says that in the tape, not Cosell.

[kamantasb]

It was a different time the anchors on the networks were not at the call of the network that fast remember before internet etc before cnn this was before the nightly news on abc and after the evening news most of the stations affiliates of the time didn't have someone in the office probably to handle on an air announcement.

Cosell knew Lennon and from the sounds of it thought it should be handled by a regular anchor\reporter not thrown in during the middle of a football game

[Blurgle3]

@gotham61, I agree, but at this point in time they didn't break into programming - and especially not the last few seconds of MNF - for anything short of a Presidential assassination.

[stewiedog01]

I seen in a documentary that the reason they wanted Cosell to announce the news flash was because Cosell was a friend of Lennon. And that Cosell privately took the news of Lennon's death very personal and didn't want to believe it. The producers felt it was better for Cosell to make the announcement to the world rather than some other tv/radio news anchor.

[tommieparch]

cosell just lost my respect,, & frank gained mine...

[gotham61]

@tommieparch Why? Cosell felt that it was too important of an announcement to just slip it in in the middle of the play by play. I agree. If CBS felt it couldn't wait until the game was over, they should have broken away from the game for a proper news bulletin at the anchor desk. I think this casual way of doing it is pretty disrespectful.

[kurtmanerz1]

I don't hear disrespect...I hear him feeling that, by making the announcement, the actual unimportance of a football game is underlined (and before you hate, I love pro football). Notice that when Frank makes his point, Howard acquiesces and make the announcement - he could have refused, he was no shrinking violet...

[zenmachinefilms]

Amazing to hear this. Howard was the greatest commentator in sports broadcasting history.

[Cincinnatus1869]

@zenmachinefilms without a doubt

[jpcfit]

Wow. Frank Gifford was the one who realized the impact of Lennon's death in light of Cosell's hesitation to announce it during the game? Never, ever knew that. Cosell led people to believe there was no question in his mind the breaking news was more important than the football game.

[SCE2AUX]

Giff was right. Good call.

[1981fairwaring]

He or They should have Waited tell after the damn Game..Truly Horrid!

[2000toddowen]

Too bad it wasn't during Monday Night Baseball. "Guidry comes to his belt. And a throw to first to check McCrae. This just in... He looks in for a sign. A breaking story on the news service... Low and outside Word has just come over the wire... Guidry looks over at McCrae. He's obviously a little preturbed by him. He needs to focus on how to pitch to Brett instead of worrying on the runnner. John Lennon has been SHOT to DEEP RIGHT AND IT IS GONE!!!! HOME RUN!!!!"

[ELIMINATORRRR]

'this is gonna shake up the whole world' and MAN! was he right about that or what?

[wdm6480]

go here fellas....espn otl john lennon murder 30th anniversary...type that into youtube search.

[wdm6480]

"Allriggggght....I'll get in in" Howard says. I do think he was thinking of the situation of the close game at stake. He didn't see how this announcement fit in to the game being played. But, to be in total contradiction years later...is just awful!  Remember, John was in the booth with with Howard in ....what '74....'73.

[wdm6480]

This totally contradicts Howard's statement about this announcement. He would later say in an ESPN interview that he knew it should be him to make this announcement for ABC. I have the interview on VHS. I am really bummed to hear this now. He would go on to say he had a close relationship with Lennon and he was a big part of the 60's. That is why he felt he should do it. What a fraud!

[wdm6480]

@wdm6480 "he" being Cosell...that was a big part of the 60's.

[67rallysport]

Frank Gifford even confirms this on the Howard Stern Show years ago. How can Cosell not see the significance in this

[dsmscenester]

@67rallysport As @NirvanaBrian1 stated below, Cosell did see the significance of it, but was unsure whether or not to report it during the game, or after it and let ABC News do the official report. 

[petgabor]

Would be nice to have it written down for us non English speakers. It is very hard to make out what is being said. Thanks in advance.

[NirvanaBrian1]

I just saw this on ABC as a "never before heard clip." Funny that it's been here for months...

[slip39]

I always found it odd that ABC as a network would have a sports announcer do the job of ABC News. I have guessed ABC News didn't feel they could have on-air personnel available quickly enough to beat the other two networks to the story. Whatever you felt about Cosell at the time (ego), you did trust what he said, so he was the guy of those in the booth. I am thinking in this clip Cosell was thinking maybe making a news announcement wasn't his place and ABC News should do it.

[gordie225]

Howard says, "Let Giff call this play and then I'll get it in."

[JeffGR4]

@NirvanaBrian1 I think the title of this audio clip, which claims that Howard Cosell didn't want to report the newsflash of Lennon's murder, isn't quite accurate. Cosell was more uncertain about whether to report it or not. Frank Gifford has said that ABC's Monday Night Football was prone to getting calls with false reports anyway.

[NirvanaBrian1]

Thanks for the help.

[TuberOnTheLoose]

Howard: Alright, I will get it in. Let's just flim (?) this play and then I'll get it in.

He says "call," not "film."

[costellofilms]

The person he's talking to is Frank Gifford who was in the booth with him.