On Oct. 8, 1921, KDKA (AM) in Pittsburgh, Pa. presented the first college football game radio broadcast between the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University.
Broadcasting and football formed a prosperous marriage that day.
According to SB Nation, National Football League teams received $322,000 in broadcasting revenue in 1962. In 2009, they collected $95.8 million.
Forty-five million people watched the Baltimore Colts play the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium according to the book The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever. Since that watershed contest, NFL games have produced other dramatic broadcast moments including “The Immaculate Reception,” “The Catch,” and “The Music City Miracle” and have made names such as Howard Cosell, Curt Gowdy and Pat Summerall famous.
In honor of the networks and individuals that present games, news and other stories about our world and culture, this week’s predictions theme is broadcasting.
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Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)-Oct. 7-1 p.m.-Fox
Buck’s son, Joe, became Fox Sports’ lead NFL announcer in 2002. Philadelphia has a 109-68-1 record since 2002. Pittsburgh is 117-61-1. But Fox holds the league’s NFC broadcasting rights and the Eagles are an NFC team.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Philadelphia
Pollock’s Pick: Pittsburgh
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Green Bay Packers (2-2) at Indianapolis Colts (1-2)-Oct. 7-1 p.m.-Fox
Fox outbid CBS, who held broadcasting rights since 1956, for NFC games in 1994. Green Bay fans should be glad. Since 1994, the Colts are 184-130. The Packers are 202-116.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Green Bay
Pollock’s Pick: Green Bay
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Cleveland Browns (0-4) at New York Giants (2-2)-Oct. 7-1 p.m.-CBS
Walter Cronkite anchored the CBS Evening News from 1962-81. The Browns were 8-11, while the Giants were 6-12-1 in Week 5 games during Cronkite’s anchoring tenure. But just because that’s the way it was doesn’t mean that’s the way it’s going to be.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: New York
Pollock’s Pick: New York
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Baltimore Ravens (3-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)-Oct. 7-1 p.m.-CBS
Dan Rather, Cronkite’s successor, resigned from CBS in 2005. Baltimore had a 6-10 record in 2005. Kansas City was 10-6. However, the two teams didn’t play each other that season.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Baltimore
Pollock’s Pick: Baltimore
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Atlanta Falcons (4-0) at Washington Redskins (2-2)-Oct. 7-1 p.m.-Fox
Mike Wallace, another CBS journalist, was a 60 Minutes correspondent from 1968-2008. The Redskins were 14-5 against the Falcons during Wallace’s 60 Minutes career. Since his retirement in 2008, the two teams have played each other once. Atlanta won 31-17.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Atlanta
Pollock’s Pick: Atlanta
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Miami Dolphins (1-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)-Oct. 7-1 p.m.-CBS
Christopher Plummer played Wallace in the 1999 Academy Award-nominated film The Insider. ABC began broadcasting the Academy Awards in 1976. As the network prepares to televise the Oscars for the 38th straight year in 2013, Miami should feel confident this week. The Dolphins are 9-8 in games in Ohio since 1976.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Miami
Pollock’s Pick: Cincinnati
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Chicago Bears (3-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)-Oct. 7-4:05 p.m.-Fox
Bill Hemmer, a Fox News Channel anchor, is a Cincinnati native. Fox News favors Jacksonville in this game like it favors conservatism. Since 1996, the year the network launched, Chicago is 33-33 against AFC teams. Jacksonville is 35-29 against NFC teams.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Jacksonville
Pollock’s Pick: Chicago
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Seattle Seahawks (2-2) at Carolina Panthers (1-3)-Oct. 7-4:05 p.m.-Fox
Fox began broadcasting Major League Baseball games in 1996. The New York Yankees won the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. In those five seasons, the Panthers had a 26-15 home record, while the Seahawks were 13-27 on the road. But it’s unknown what teams will play in this year’s World Series.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Seattle
Pollock’s Pick: Carolina
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Tennessee Titans (1-3) at Minnesota Vikings (3-1)-Oct. 7-4:25 p.m.-CBS
Peter Jennings, anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight, spent 23 hours on the air during the network’s millennium special ABC 2000 Today on Dec. 31, 1999. Since his death in 2005, two people have followed Jennings as anchor: Charles Gibson in 2006 and Diane Sawyer in 2009. In October 2006 and 2009, the Titans were a combined 2-6. The Vikings were 5-3.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Minnesota
Pollock’s Pick: Minnesota
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Buffalo Bills (2-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-1)-Oct. 7-4:25 p.m.-CBS
The International Olympic Committee awarded the 2012 Olympic Games to London in 2005. This year, NBC broadcasted the Summer Olympics for the ninth time. In those nine years, Buffalo has a 14-4 record in California games, including three wins at San Francisco.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Buffalo
Pollock’s Pick: San Francisco
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Denver Broncos (2-2) at New England Patriots (2-2)-Oct. 7-4:25 p.m.-CBS
CBS broadcasted the 1998 Winter Olympics from Nagano, Japan. Since 1998, New England is 3-2 at home against Denver. But CBS hasn’t broadcasted the Winter or Summer Olympics since 1998.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Denver
Pollock’s Pick: New England
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San Diego Chargers (3-1) at New Orleans Saints (0-4)-Oct. 7-8:20 p.m.-NBC
NBC, who lost NFL broadcasting rights in 1998, resumed airing NFL games in 2006 following a peculiar trade between networks. ABC exchanged broadcaster Al Michaels for the cartoon Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, owned by NBC. San Diego is 2-2 in road regular season NBC games called by Michaels since 2006. New Orleans is 4-0 at home.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: New Orleans
Pollock’s Pick: New Orleans
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Houston Texans (4-0) at New York Jets (2-2)-Oct. 8-8:30 p.m.-ESPN
ESPN began broadcasting Monday Night Football in 2006. Jets fans will take any piece of hope after losing 34-0 at home to San Francisco last week. Since 2006, the Texans are 52-50. The Jets are 55-50.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: New York
Pollock’s Pick: Houston
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Bryan Paul’s Week 4 record: 9-6
Bryan Paul’s season record: 38-25
Pollock’s Week 4 record: 11-4
Pollock’s season record 40-23
Head-to-head matchups in Week 4: Pollock 4-2
Head-to-head matchups this season: Pollock 14-12
Week 6 theme: College Football
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