Marv Albert
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Marv Albert (born Marv Philip Aufrichtig on June 12, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American television and radio sportscaster, honored for his work as a member in the Basketball Hall of Fame. His catchphrase is an emphatic, "Yes!"
For over thirty years, Albert was the voice of the New York Knicks on radio and television before being let go by the chairman of the MSG Network and Cablevision after Albert criticized the Knicks poor play on-air in 2004. Albert continues to be a play-by-play announcer for NBA games on TNT. He is also the play-by-play voice of the Westwood One radio network's coverage of Monday Night Football. In 1992 he appeared as himself on Roger Waters' album Amused to Death, giving a mock commentary on the destruction of an oil rig on the song "Perfect Sense, part II".
He became the focus of a media frenzy in 1997 when he went on trial on felony charges of forcible sodomy. He later pled guilty to misdemeanor assault charges. [1] (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0758514.html)
As a consequence for the controversy, NBC, whom Albert worked for over 20 years fired him shortly after doing play-by-play for the 1997 NBA Finals on The NBA on NBC. Other NBC Sports duties that Albert held were play-by-play announcing for the NFL, college basketball, boxing, NHL All-Star Games, and hosting Major League Baseball studio and pre-game shows.
Fortunately for Albert, NBC brought him back less than two years later and in 2001, he was back as the main play-by-play man for NBA telecasts. Bob Costas took over for Albert on the basketball side in the 1997-1998 season before stepping down after the 2000 NBA Finals.
Marv's son, Kenny, is also a sports commentator, as he calls baseball and American football for Fox and has been NBC's commentator for women's ice hockey at the Winter Olympics.
External Link
- St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture: Marv Albert (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_bio/ai_2419200016)