Jim Nantz encyclopedia topics

Biography

Early life

Nantz grew up in Colts Neck Township, New Jersey and attended Marlboro High School. In high school, he was co-captain of the basketball team and co-captain and number one player on the golf team. He was a member of Bamm Hollow Country Club.

Nantz then went to the University of Houston in Texas, where he majored in broadcasting and played on the Houston Cougars men's golf team, rooming with future professional golfers Fred Couples and Blaine McCallister.

Before CBS Sports

After his 1981 graduation, Nantz broadcast for several local radio and television stations in Houston and Salt Lake City, then became a play-by-play announcer for the Brigham Young University football team and the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association.

At CBS

In 1985, Nantz was hired by CBS, for which he served as a play-by-play announcer and/or studio anchor for a number of events including the NFL, the NBA, college football and basketball, the Masters and PGA Championship golf tournaments, the US Open tennis championship, and the Winter Olympic Games.

Nantz has teamed with Billy Packer to call the NCAA Final Four men's basketball finals continuously since 1991. However, beginning with the 2008-09 season, Clark Kellogg will be his analyst/

The NFL on CBS

After hosting CBS's pre-game program The NFL Today from 1998-2003, he became The NFL on CBS's top play-by-play announcer in 2004. That move sent Greg Gumbel to the studio, and Nantz to the stadium booth with Phil Simms.

On February 4, 2007, Nantz called the play-by-play of Super Bowl XLI. He joins Curt Gowdy and Dick Enberg as the only play-by-play announcers to ever call both a Super Bowl and an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game. (Greg Gumbel called CBS' previous Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXXVIII.)

Nantz is also one of two men to host a Super Bowl, announce an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game, and host coverage of the Masters from Butler Cabin with Brent Musburger being the other. Musburger also accomplished all three feats with CBS.

Career timeline

1985–1988; 1997–1998: NCAA Football on CBS - Studio host
1985–present: Golf on CBS (since 1994 as host)
1986–1990: NCAA Basketball on CBS - Studio host
1986–1989: NBA on CBS - Play-by-play
1988–present: The Masters host
1989–1991; 1996–1997: NCAA Football on CBS - Lead play-by-play
1990–present: NCAA Basketball on CBS - Lead play-by-play
1991–1993: NFL on CBS - Play-by-play (1993 as #2)
1992 and 1994: Winter Olympics - Weekend daytime co-host
1994 and 1996: Ryder Cup host
1994–1995; 2000–2001: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1998–2003: The NFL Today host
1998: Olympic Winter Games - Primetime host
2004–present: NFL on CBS - Lead play-by-play

Personal

Nantz's first book, Always By My Side – A Father’s Grace and a Sports Journey Unlike Any Other, hit bookstores in May 2008. Nantz tells personal stories from football, basketball and golf and how he has met people along the way who remind him of the virtues his father instilled in him. The foreword to the book was written by one of his father figures, friend and frequent golf partner, former President George H.W. Bush.

Nantz received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Houston in 2001. The veteran NCAA announcer is also one of the youngest recipients of the Basketball Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy award for broadcasting.

In a radio interview with KTCK The Ticket in Dallas, Nantz announced that he would like to announce 50 Masters before he retires.

He teamed with Gary McCord to provide extensive commentary in the 1990s PC golf classic Jack Nicklaus 6 - Golden Bear Challenge.

Nantz's commentary is featured in the Golden Tee golf arcade game series.

Nantz lives with his wife, Lorrie, and daughter in Westport, Connecticut.

Near the end of a live radio interview on the syndicated Rush Limbaugh radio show on May 16, 2008, Nantz told the conservative talk host that he would like to talk about politics and his possible involvement in politics someday. The interview ended before the subject could be pursued.

Quotes

Hello, friends! (Nantz's usual opening line on broadcasts)

1980's

The Bear...has come out of hibernation. (final round of 1986 Masters, referring to Jack Nicklaus)

1990's

There was a wizard in the stands and some magic on the floor - Nantz after UCLA won the 1995 National title in basketball. He was of course referring to the one and only John Wooden, the legendary coach of UCLA for so many years.

There it is, a win for the ages! (1997 Masters, referring to Tiger Woods)

I don’t want to hear about bumpy greens, I don’t want to hear about six-hour rounds. This is the showpiece for the PGA Tour. Get out here and play. (prior to the final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, talking about the Tiger Woods no-show)

Just when everybody says you can't, you can, and U-CONN has won its first national title! (1999 NCAA Basketball Championship Game, Connecticut vs. Duke)

2000's

Yes you May. (2000 PGA Championship)

There it is -- as grand as it gets! (2001 Masters)

The mecca of college basketball is in Storrs, Connecticut! (2004 NCAA Tournament, as Emeka Okafor and the UCONN men joined the UCONN women as NCAA Champs)

Is it his time?...Yes!..At long last! (2004 Masters, as Phil Mickelson made the tournament-winning shot for his first major)

Watch his life change right here. (2004 Masters, while watching Mickelson's reaction to his winning putt on videotape)

It started in March, ended in April, and belonged to May (2005 NCAA Tournament)

I'm blessed to have great friends, and there's a lot of men in my life who've been more than just friends. If you know what I mean. (Golf Digest, April 2005)

Gators... as good as it gets (2006 NCAA Tournament)

INTERCEPTED! Colts are going to the Super Bowl. (_Indianapolis_Colts_38.2C_New_England_Patriots_34)

Florida takes its place in history, back-to-back and unforgettable! (2007 NCAA Tournament)

A tradition unlike any other, The Masters on CBS.(Used annually during promos for and coverage of the tournament, although not always by Nantz)

...and now Luke Donald trying to solve this piece of geometry. This quote doesn't even make sense." (Donald reading a putt at The 2007 PGA

David versus Goliath? I submit to you Davidson College." -- Nantz, as the clock hit 0:00 in Davidson's thrilling upset in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tourney.