Uploaded January 2012 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
On this edition of "No Holds Barred," host Eddie Goldman speaks with Mark Ribowsky, author of the new biography Howard Cosell: The Man, the Myth, and the Transformation of American Sports.
Howard Cosell was not only a "cultural icon", a highly insecure and (thus) highly pompous man, and an always controversial sportscaster, but also a pioneer in developing independent sports journalism and critiques of the powers-that-be in the world of sports. Although he eventually became a major part of the sports establishment through his decades of work for the ABC television and radio networks from the1950s through the 1980s, his main legacy is that he strove to "tell it like it is" and stand up for what he believed was right in sports.
We spoke with Mark Ribowsky by phone Monday afternoon about his important new book and the legacy of Howard Cosell. Before Cosell, he argued, sports broadcasting was "a forum for Ken dolls to parrot the company line". After Cosell, who passed away in 1995 at the age of 77, in sports, and particularly in what passes today for sports journalism, "people have gotten way too soft".
This book provides an important and critical analysis of the life of one of the pioneers of sports journalism, and is a must-read for all those, journalists or not, who stand for truth and justice in the world of sports and in the world in general.
If you are a sports journalist, please support Howard Cosell as a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame "Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award" in Canton, Ohio.
Credits: Eddie Goldman podcast. Available for free download at nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2012-01-16T15_07_21-08_00
Common searches:
howard cosell quotes
howard cosell wikipedia
howard cosell down goes frazier
howard cosell sound bites
howard cosell audio
howard cosell john lennon
howard cosell fired
howard cosell monday night football
howard cosell book
howard cosell halftime highlights
howard cosell awards
howard cosell journalist
howard cosell broadcasting
THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL, NOT-FOR-PROFIT FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY
Subject to "Fair Use" limitations found in section 107 of the copyright law (Title 17, U. S. Code).
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Under section 107, the fair use of a copyrighted work is not copyright infringement, even if such use technically violates section 106. While fair use explicitly applies to use of copyrighted work for criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research purposes, the defense is not limited to these areas.
On this edition of "No Holds Barred," host Eddie Goldman speaks with Mark Ribowsky, author of the new biography Howard Cosell: The Man, the Myth, and the Transformation of American Sports.
Howard Cosell was not only a "cultural icon", a highly insecure and (thus) highly pompous man, and an always controversial sportscaster, but also a pioneer in developing independent sports journalism and critiques of the powers-that-be in the world of sports. Although he eventually became a major part of the sports establishment through his decades of work for the ABC television and radio networks from the1950s through the 1980s, his main legacy is that he strove to "tell it like it is" and stand up for what he believed was right in sports.
We spoke with Mark Ribowsky by phone Monday afternoon about his important new book and the legacy of Howard Cosell. Before Cosell, he argued, sports broadcasting was "a forum for Ken dolls to parrot the company line". After Cosell, who passed away in 1995 at the age of 77, in sports, and particularly in what passes today for sports journalism, "people have gotten way too soft".
This book provides an important and critical analysis of the life of one of the pioneers of sports journalism, and is a must-read for all those, journalists or not, who stand for truth and justice in the world of sports and in the world in general.
If you are a sports journalist, please support Howard Cosell as a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame "Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award" in Canton, Ohio.
Credits: Eddie Goldman podcast. Available for free download at nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2012-01-16T15_07_21-08_00
Common searches:
howard cosell quotes
howard cosell wikipedia
howard cosell down goes frazier
howard cosell sound bites
howard cosell audio
howard cosell john lennon
howard cosell fired
howard cosell monday night football
howard cosell book
howard cosell halftime highlights
howard cosell awards
howard cosell journalist
howard cosell broadcasting
THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL, NOT-FOR-PROFIT FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY
Subject to "Fair Use" limitations found in section 107 of the copyright law (Title 17, U. S. Code).
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Under section 107, the fair use of a copyrighted work is not copyright infringement, even if such use technically violates section 106. While fair use explicitly applies to use of copyrighted work for criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research purposes, the defense is not limited to these areas.
