On the Air
by Laura Nachman
March 28, 2003

    With the final Phillies season at Veterans Stadium upon us, required viewing is a salute to the Vet titled "Field of Memories," lovingly written and produced by Dan Stephenson, the team's manager of video production.  This 90-minute special captures all the big moments in the Vet's 30-plus year history and interviews everybody in the Phillies organization from the superstars such as Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton to members of the ground crew.  Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Tug McGraw, Darren Daulton, John Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, Bob Boone, and the Phanatic are just a few of the Phillies on the show.   There's only one gripe - no shots of the old "picnic area," and no updates on the whereabouts of former mascots "Phil and Phyllis?"  "Field of Memories," narrated by Phillies executive Bill Giles airs Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet.  Unlike the Eagles, the Phillies are embracing their three decades at the Vet.  Where have you gone Mary Sue Stiles?
     The Phillies opener against the Florida Marlins will air on KYW-3 Monday at 4 p.m.  According to a KYW press release, sister-station UPN 57 had a scheduling conflict, so it couldn't air the game. (What, more "That 70's Show" reruns?)    
     Could the new Wanda Sykes sitcom "Wanda at Large," which premiered Wednesday on Fox end her days as the wacky correspondent on HBO's "Inside the NFL?"  According to HBO spokesperson Raymond Stallone, even if the show gets picked up for the fall schedule, the weekly NFL show with Bob Costas wants to have her back.
     Here are more details on the sudden departure of WIP 610-AM vice president and general manager Cecil "Butch" Forster, Jr.  According to a press release sent by Inifinity Broadcasting, Forster retired after almost ten years at the station.  However, his "retirement" came days after Infinity announced that Drew Hilles was named marketing manager for the Philadelphia Infinity stations which include WPHT 1210-AM, WOGL 98.1 FM, WYSP 94.1-FM, and KYW 1060-AM.
           University of Missouri head basketball coach Quin Snyder (swoon) will join CBS as a studio analyst for the rest of the NCAA tournament.  If Snyder ever decides to give up coaching, he'll have no problem getting a television job. 
     The Bernard Hopkins/Mourade Hakkar championship middleweight boxing match from the First Union Spectrum will be on HBO Saturday at 10 p.m.  This is the first time that HBO's Saturday night boxing series has visited Philly.  Jim Lampley, George Foreman, and Larry Merchant will do the fight.
     The Sports Emmy nominations were announced and NBC led with 36 nods, mostly for the Olympics.  ESPN followed with 22.  Up for best sports personality studio host - Bob Costas (HBO), Ernie Johnson (TNT/TBS), Jim Nantz (CBS), John Saunders (ABC/ESPN), and Kenny Mayne (ESPN).  Though Nantz deserves some kind of award for putting up with Deion Sanders, Saunders who capably stepped into the big shoes of the late Dick Schaap on "The Sports Reporters" should win.  Up for best sports personality- play by play - Al Michaels (ABC), Dick Enberg (CBS), Jim Lampley (HBO), Joe Buck (Fox), Marv Albert (TNT/NBC), and Mike Breen (NBC).  I'd give it to Lampley who eats and sleeps boxing for HBO.  The awards will be given out April 21 in New York City.

     Jim Nantz is going above and beyond the call of duty for his network.  He's appearing on the silly sitcom "Yes, Dear" Monday night.