Sanford Morton "Sandy" Grossman (June 12, 1935 â€" April 2, 2014) was
an American sports television director. He directed television
broadcasts of 10 Super Bowls, 18 NBA Finals, 5 Stanley Cup finals and
Olympic hockey matches. He won eight Emmy Awards for his directing.He
was born on June 12, 1935, in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating
from Weequahic High School, he studied broadcasting at the University
of Alabama, where he called football games for the school radio
station. He graduated in 1957 and wanted to pursue a career in the
communication industry, but believed he did not have the right voice
to be a broadcaster. Grossman worked as an usher for the Ed Sullivan
Theater for several years before obtaining employment at the local CBS
station, Channel 2. In 1963, he became a production assistant for CBS
Sports. He was the chief director of broadcasting NBA games during the
early 1970s and soon became the main N.F.L. director. Grossmann
innovated using music at the break of basketball games, and after he
played The Hustle by Van McCoy, McCoy sent him a gold record in thanks
of his promotion.Grossman began working alongside John Madden and Pat
Summerall on CBS in 1981, and their partnership lasted 21 seasons.
Madden insisted that Grossman and producer Bob Stenner watch
coaches’ films of the NFL teams, which helped Grossman choose the
best shots to pair with Madden's commentary. Madden credits him for
being the first director to widen the camera shot to incorporate
footage of outside linebackers. He created these broadcasts out of a
production truck crammed with television monitors that formed a screen
shot. During a Giants-Bengals game in 1991, Stenner and Grossman made
1,100 decisions about camera angles and the like.Summerall and Madden
decided to move to Fox Sports after that network acquired broadcasting
rights to NFL games in 1994, and Grossman followed suit. He retired in
2012. That year, the Elite Football League of India hired Grossman to
teach its camera crews how to cover the American sport. “There were
some guys who couldn’t follow the players,†he said. “I said,
‘Get the kicker,’ and some of them didn’t know where to find
him.†.
an American sports television director. He directed television
broadcasts of 10 Super Bowls, 18 NBA Finals, 5 Stanley Cup finals and
Olympic hockey matches. He won eight Emmy Awards for his directing.He
was born on June 12, 1935, in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating
from Weequahic High School, he studied broadcasting at the University
of Alabama, where he called football games for the school radio
station. He graduated in 1957 and wanted to pursue a career in the
communication industry, but believed he did not have the right voice
to be a broadcaster. Grossman worked as an usher for the Ed Sullivan
Theater for several years before obtaining employment at the local CBS
station, Channel 2. In 1963, he became a production assistant for CBS
Sports. He was the chief director of broadcasting NBA games during the
early 1970s and soon became the main N.F.L. director. Grossmann
innovated using music at the break of basketball games, and after he
played The Hustle by Van McCoy, McCoy sent him a gold record in thanks
of his promotion.Grossman began working alongside John Madden and Pat
Summerall on CBS in 1981, and their partnership lasted 21 seasons.
Madden insisted that Grossman and producer Bob Stenner watch
coaches’ films of the NFL teams, which helped Grossman choose the
best shots to pair with Madden's commentary. Madden credits him for
being the first director to widen the camera shot to incorporate
footage of outside linebackers. He created these broadcasts out of a
production truck crammed with television monitors that formed a screen
shot. During a Giants-Bengals game in 1991, Stenner and Grossman made
1,100 decisions about camera angles and the like.Summerall and Madden
decided to move to Fox Sports after that network acquired broadcasting
rights to NFL games in 1994, and Grossman followed suit. He retired in
2012. That year, the Elite Football League of India hired Grossman to
teach its camera crews how to cover the American sport. “There were
some guys who couldn’t follow the players,†he said. “I said,
‘Get the kicker,’ and some of them didn’t know where to find
him.†.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.