Jim Williams: The different styles of 7 & 9
Jim Williams, The Examiner
Aug 24, 2006 5:00 AM (2 hrs 14 mins ago)
Current rank: # 2 of 16,270 articles

WASHINGTON - Tim Brant is the local boy done good. ABC 7’s Brant is a Maryland grad and has spent the majority of his long and distinguished broadcasting career here in Washington.


Brant is about to start his 24th year as member of ESPN on ABC (previously known as ABC Sports) calling college football games with a new partner, Dan Fouts. They will do mostly Pac-10 Conference games.

Since Brant returned to ABC 7, the quality of its sportscasts have gone off the charts. Brant is well connected both locally and nationally which gives him an advantage when doing reports from a major site on football game day or courtside as the voice of ACC basketball for Jefferson Pilot Sports.

His sportscasts are home spun with some humor and a real good grasp on both the local and national sports scene.

The suits at ABC 7 made the right choice when they hired Brant. He has not let them — and most of all, the viewers — down.

Brant and ABC 7 have two big specials coming up. One is a college football preview that will look at all the local teams as well as national angles. It will air on Sept. 1 and will feature a rare interview with legendary sportscaster Keith Jackson, Brant’s former partner. Then on Sept. 4, Brant and ABC 7 have an NFL preview special on the docket.

At CBS 9, we have the best-kept secret in Washington in Sports Director Brett Haber.

He gets more on-air time than any of his counterparts and has the total backing of management when he breaks a story — as was the case with the Lerner family’s purchase of the Nationals.

Haber is a smart, savvy journalist who was part of the ESPN class that brought us Keith Olbermann and Craig Kilborn. If you have not seen Haber’s sportscast, it is worth the time.

Haber will be back this season with Brian Mitchell for their Sunday night Redskins show at 11:30 that has become quite popular. The two talk football in a fun, informative fashion and pull no punches.

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer.
Examiner