http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgBm57oldpo?rel=0
When Sunday’s women’s softball game on ESPN ran long, the bartender at the Winking Lizard in Cleveland switched stations to ESPNEWS so his patrons could watch SportsCenter.
Unbeknownst to those watching, it was a calculated move. Moments later, anchor Ryan Burr [left in the video above, with anchor Kevin Negandhi], said, “Ron Brown, are you watching?”
Brown was indeed watching at his local watering hole, having been set up by The Oprah Winfrey Show and SportsCenter. Oprah’s “Harpo Hook-Up” segment encourages viewers to write-in reasons why they or their friends and families need help to fulfill a big dream. Brown can blame his best friend for the national TV shout-out.
Seems the broadcaster wannabe — he’s done some local sports TV — has a life-long dream to do a SportsCenter report. This Saturday in Indianapolis for the Bulls-Pacers playoff game, the Walgreen’s assistant manager will interview Chicago guard Derrick Rose. The next day, Brown will be in Bristol, Conn. wrapping up his report on the SportsCenter set.
Among those at the Winking Lizard, and accompanying Brown to Indianapolis and Bristol, was an Oprah camera crew. The behind-the-scenes footage can be seen in the “Hook-Up” segment on the May 5 episode of Oprah (check local listings for time and channel).
