Marv Albert

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Marv Albert : biography

June 12, 1941 –

New Jersey Nets (YES)

In 2005, Albert officially became the lead play-by-play man for the New Jersey Nets franchise and started calling their games in the 2005–2006 basketball season on the YES Network, often teaming with Brooklyn native and NBA veteran, Mark Jackson. With that, the Nets employed all three Albert brothers during the franchise’s history; Al started his broadcast career with the Nets during their ABA days, while Steve called Nets games during the late 1970s and 1980s. Beginning with the 2008–09 season, Albert was also paired with his TNT broadcast colleague Mike Fratello on the YES Network. However with the Nets’ struggles in the 2009–10 season, the Nets management relegated Albert to secondary play-by-play, to avoid a similar incident while Albert was with the Knicks. Since then Ian Eagle has taken over the broadcasts. In the 2011-12 season Albert decided to leave the YES Network upon joining CBS Sports for both NFL and NCAA March Madness coverage.

Other basketball related duties

He will reportedly call about 50 games a season, with his focus remaining on duties for Westwood One and TNT. He also hosts a basketball-focused interview show on NBA TV, which also airs later on YES.

Since 2003, Albert has also been providing the play-by-play voice on the NBA Live video-game series on EA Sports, a role he fulfilled until NBA Live 10.

In 2011, Albert was named an announcer for the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship, the result of longtime tournament broadcaster CBS handing off some of its coverage to Turner Sports.

Outside of basketball

New York Giants

From 1973 to 1976 Albert called radio broadcasts of New York Giants football games, succeeding Marty Glickman after the latter’s defection to the New York Jets.

New York Rangers

In addition to the Knicks, Albert had a lengthy tenure (beginning in 1965) calling the games of another Madison Square Garden tenant, the New York Rangers. He handled the radio call of the Rangers’ Stanley Cup–clinching victory in 1994.

He also famously coined the phrase "Red Light" for radio analyst Sal Messina, a former Rangers goaltender. His signature play-by-play phrase was "kick save and a beauty."

Over his years as the Rangers broadcaster, Albert would miss a large number of games for other commitments. Many other broadcasters filled in, including several who would serve long stints for other NHL teams, including Howie Rose, Mike Emrick and John Kelly, as well as brothers Al and Steve. It was Albert’s absence from Game 7 of the Rangers–Devils Conference Championship game that led to Rose’s famed Matteau, Matteau, Matteau call.

Albert left the Rangers after the 1994–95 season at the same time Rose took the job as play-by-play announcer of the New York Islanders. Albert’s son, Kenny, replaced him, and has been the radio voice of the Rangers ever since. Kenny also announces part-time for the NBC Sports Network, mostly during Stanley Cup playoff games not involving the Rangers.

Non-NBA-related NBC and TNT duties

Other NBC Sports duties that Albert held were play-by-play announcing for the NFL, college basketball, horse racing, boxing, NHL All-Star Games, and Major League Baseball, as well as hosting baseball studio and pre-game shows. He also spent 13 years as the sports director of the network’s flagship station, WNBC-TV in New York.

From 2000 to 2002, Albert helped call TNT’s coverage of the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament.

Monday Night Football

Albert was also the lead play-by-play voice of the Westwood One radio network’s NFL coverage for several years, calling Monday Night Football as well as numerous playoff games and every Super Bowl beginning 2002. On June 4, 2010, it was announced that Albert would not be continuing his NFL on Westwood One duties beyond the 2009 season.

NFL on CBS

On June 6, 2011, it was announced that Albert was joining CBS Sports to call play-by-play for The NFL on CBS.