NFL Broadcasters Boot Camp a Hit with the Former and Current Players
June 25, 2009 – 7:45 am by Lance Zimmerman
Most people think of boot camp as being serious physical labor, meant to train soldiers for battle. The NFL has their own version of Boot Camp for wannabe broadcasters. I’m assuming that the rope climb is replaced with tongue twisters like “how many chucks could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood”.
The camp, which takes place at the NFL Films Studio in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, is a four day intense mental and vocal conditioning for former and current NFL players to see if they have what it takes to make it in the world of broadcasting. Current attendees include Maurice Jones Drew, Priest Holmes, Joe Jurevicius, and J.J. Stokes.
Over 60 current and former players applied to be involved in this years camp, and the number of attendees was increased from 20 to 24 participants. Hopefully with continued efforts by the NFL, we’ll see less stumbling and bumbling Emmitt Smith’s in the commentary world, and more Steve Young’s.
Curt Menefee joined ESPN Radio in Philadelphiato discuss the camp and what he sees in the players thus far. Below, Joe Jurevicius joined ESPN Radio in Philadelphia as well to comment on the camp thus far.
Menefee was asked the surprises thus far into boot camp:
“The surprising thing for the players, in talking to a lot of them, and we’ve been able to in addition to teaching them is going over what it takes to be a broadcaster. You have lunch and dinner with the guys and you get to chat with them. I think a lot of their eyes have been opened collectively. A lot of them thought you just sit down and talk, talk about football and what you know and that’s it. I think they’ve learned a lot. I think it’s been surprisingly overwhelming to a lot of them. You see a lot of note taking, a lot of white eyed guys. I think of the 24 players they have there are all guys that truly interesting in doing this as a career and not just ‘ah that might be cool’, at least interested in finding out what it takes to do it. This isn’t just something you show up and do. You had to apply and go through a process. Some of these guys have applied for two or three years to be selected. They raised it up to 24 players this year. In the past it’s only been 20. So these are the guys that are truly committed to this. I think you’re going to see some guys come out of this, and its not because yeah they can speak well and because they understand the game but its because you’ve got guys who are committed to doing it the right way and learning the process and who want to be in it for the long term, not just someone who gets thrown on the air and then a year or two later they’re out of the business.”
Joe Jurevicius joined ESPN Radio in Philadelphia to discuss the broadcasting camp and if he sees a future in television or radio.
On if broadcasting is something he’s aspiring to do:
“I think this is something that all of us are entertaining, at least mentally and its tough work. I think the average person, including myself, did not realize the amount of work that went into being a broadcaster whether its on radio or television. There’s a lot of studying. There’s a lot of film study, a lot of statistics that go into it and in order to report live, not only are you reporting to one television camera, you’re reporting to millions of people and that’s what’s been the toughest.”
Listen to Curt Menefee on ESPN Radio Philly with Mac and Mayes
Listen to Joe Jurevicius on ESPN Radio Philly with Mac and Mayes
Tags: Curt Menefee, Joe Jurevicius, NFL Broadcaster Boot Camp, NFL Films
