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Griffith hits ground running at Channel 9
And it’s not always the most comfortable topic for that sports reporter to discuss.
“I can honestly say it never came up during my interview, thankfully,” said Channel 9’s Nick Griffith, who was hired last month.
“Obviously it’s something you think about in terms of your future. You hope that can be the case. But you have to worry about right now. Just do your job right now.”
Griffith, 27, knows that in this town, Dawson’s shoes are pretty big to fill.
“You think?” Griffith said, laughing. “But fortunately, Lenny has been so great to work with. I want to say the word ‘mentor.’ He’s just been fantastic.
“And the way he moves around…he is Lenny the Cool. He still has it.”
Griffith, who came here from Topeka’s ABC affiliate KTKA, also feels fortunate that having worked this close to Kansas City has allowed him to hit the ground running.
“Knowing KU and Kansas State and knowing the people around those programs helps,” he said. “It’s made for a pretty seamless transition. Moving and starting a new job can be a scary process. But it hasn’t been that way for me.”
Griffith, originally from Madison, Ind., is getting his shot at sports anchoring on Friday and Saturday nights. The rest of the time he is…
“Paying some dues and working behind the scenes,” he said. “That’s what you should be doing in this position.”
Best of Tynes
There are reports out of New York that former Chiefs kicker Lawrence Tynes is closing in on a five-year, $7 million deal with the Giants.
That is truly amazing. If Brett Favre doesn’t throw a pick in overtime and instead leads Green Bay to a winning field goal in the NFC title game, Tynes doesn’t get a shot at his game-winner in OT. And because Tynes had missed two short field goals during regulation of that game, he probably would have been cut by the Giants.
Sideline silence?
For those of you fed up with all the senseless sideline “reporting” during football games, cheer up: There is speculation that Michele Tafoya and Suzy Kolber will do much less of it next season on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
Survey time
Now that the Royals have signed Mike Maroth, it immediately made me think: Which Royals pitcher in recent memory delivered the best room-service fastball?
Albie Lopez? Odalis Perez? Joe Mays? Scott Elarton? Or will it be Maroth?