TV-radio notebook: Fox's Johnson says next man up only works for winners
, Long ago learned to cut to the chase, which is what he did Thursday when assessing the Texans' "next man up" philosophy and their chances in the playoffs.Regarding the Texans' ability to replace injured players with productive replacements, Johnson said it isn't likely to happen unless a team already is on a roll.
"It happens if you're winning games," he said. "If you're floundering around, the next-man-up mentality doesn't work. When you're winning games, it helps the team adjust to players, and it helps them realize there's a sense of urgency. If you're floundering, there's no sense of urgency."
It sounds as if winning involves a matter of chemistry or a touch of magic, a proposition Johnson shoots down.
"There's no magic about it," he said. "If you play great defense and run the ball and don't turn it over, you're going to have a chance to win. It's simple."
Johnson, as a native of Southeast Texas, has more than a passing interest in the Texans' development, in part because of the presence of Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator and in part because Reggie Herring , who will call defensive signals in Phillips' absence Sunday against Carolina, was a member of Johnson's staff at Oklahoma State - and an outspoken member, at that.
"Fiery? Please. Is he ever," Johnson said, laughing. "If he's anything close to what he was when he worked with me, he's extremely fiery. He's the exact opposite of Wade."
The Texans make another rare appearance Sunday on Fox, where they are 11-6 in franchise history. So Houston likely will get some additional airtime on , the general manager of Fox Sports Net Southwest, doing a live shot and saying how swell it would be if only the University Interscholastic League would schedule all its championship games for the same site. Now, at long last, he has his wish.
Way will call the Cisco-Refugio and Hewitt Midway-Austin Lake Travis games Friday, with McIlvoy calling the middle game between Argyle and Wimberley. Saturday, McIlvoy will call Aledo-Manvel and Southlake Carroll-Hightower while Way works the Texas-Temple basketball game in Austin, and he will return for the Dekaney-Cibolo Steele nightcap.
Temple University Radio - News
Temple, noon. TV: ESPN. Radio: KQTM-FM (101.7) Temple University's most celebrated alumnus' lifelong passion for athletics flows unabated. The iconic comedian and actor will not attend Saturday's Gildan New Mexico Bowl, matching his Owls and the
Saturday, McIlvoy will call Aledo-Manvel and Southlake Carroll-Hightower while Way works the Texas-Temple basketball game in Austin, and he will return for the Dekaney-Cibolo Steele nightcap. Legacy Sports Network will audio stream the three games
Gordon L. Gray, 87, former chairman of Temple University's Department of Radio, Television, and Film, died of pancreatic cancer Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Bodwell Hospice in Brunswick, Maine. Born in Hampton, Iowa, Dr. Gray served
The magazine was also his way into radio — inundated with albums to review, he approached Radio Free Temple, the station at Temple University's Ambler campus, to play them on the radio instead. He eventually settled on the name "Roots and Wings
A complete schedule of games and channels appears below (All games airing on channel 84 are ESPN Radio broadcasts.) Gildan New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, NM – Temple vs. Wyoming Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise, ID – Ohio vs. Utah State R&L Carriers New