Espn Announcer Goes Public With An Apology To Wisconsin’s Alvarez
The “Wisconsin Fumble Incident” just won’t go away.
ESPN’s Brad Nessler apologized Tuesday to Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez for critical remarks made during Saturday’s telecast of the Badgers’ 34-30 loss to Northwestern.
“Anything we did that caused the Wisconsin coaching staff any undue criticism, on behalf of ESPN, if we blew it, we apologize, or at least I do,” Nessler told Alvarez during the weekly Big Ten coaches’ conference call. “… because I am part of that team and that’s why you’re coaching and we’re in the booth.”
The brouhaha began when the Badgers’ Ron Dayne, with his team leading 30-27 and only 49 seconds left, fumbled a handoff.
The Wildcats recovered and scored in two plays, prompting Nessler and partner Gary Danielson to question why Alvarez didn’t have his quarterback kneel three times and run out the clock.
Alvarez said his team would have had to punt with about 10 seconds left if it ran three plays.
After the game, the controversy was fueled when ESPN switched to the studio show, where Lee Corso tore into Alvarez.
“Alvarez lost the game. Alvarez should quit like Dickerson should. All the guy had to do was take the snap, kneel and you’re out,” Corso said, a reference to Temple coach Ron Dickerson, who announced he was quitting after a loss to Pitt but changed his mind the next day.
Studio host Chris Fowler then asked Corso: “You’re not serious about Alvarez stepping down?”
Replied Corso: “Oh, I’m not serious about anything. But that staff blew a game that they should have won, and their kids deserve better than that.”
ESPN said it was unaware Nessler planned an apology, but pointed out Nessler was speaking for himself, not ESPN.
“Brad did this on his own. He does a Big Ten game every week and felt a need to do this,” ESPN spokesman Dean Diltz said. “He was not speaking for ESPN.”
When Nessler finished his apology, Alvarez said: “I appreciate that Brad. We all make mistakes. I certainly do. I appreciate you bringing that up.”