I was working on another post when a news alert flashed across the top of my computer screen informing me of the passing of Phyllis George at age 70. A Miss America winner, she was best known for her work on The NFL Today with Brent Musburger, Irv Cross, and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder.
You think about the aspects of sports broadcasting that are commonplace today–the breakdown of every matchup and factors to consider going into the game, which can be useful for placing bets–those came to be during the Musburger/George era of the CBS pregame show. But more than that, what George’s presence on The NFL Today showed was that women could co-exist in a male-dominated field, paving the way for the likes of Lesley Visser, Hannah Storm, Michele Tafoya, Beth Mowins, and so many more. For that, Phyllis George is a true pioneer in the world of sports media.
Here are a couple of videos to show you: a 1977 broadcast with Musburger, George, and Cross, then Musburger recalling the show’s first few years to Rich Eisen.
(original footage from CBS Sports)