New job for Kara Lawson?

[MilfordHusky]

Phil Chenier, the sweet-shooting guard who played at Cal and for the Baltimore/Washington Bullets, was the color announcer for Bullets/Wizards games for 30 years. Phil retired this spring, at age 66. This week, it was announced that his #45 will deservedly be retired. Though Phil retired in the spring, no successor for his CSN position has been announced. The Washington Post reports than insiders say Kara Lawson is one of the leading candidates. Kara, a native of Alexandria/West Springfield, would be returning home if she gets the job. WCBB will miss her if she leaves. She is one of the best.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Good for Kara. Local TV is really where it's at for sports these days, and we all know what an absolute mess ESPN is right now. If she leaves, it would be another major talent loss for ESPN's WCBB coverage, as both O'Brien and Burke aren't coming back either. I think they would have to move Lobo down from the studio into color commentator to have any hopes at all of salvaging their coverage of the Final Four.

 

[Kaizen]

Kara, one of my favorite WBB lady.

 

[CocoHusky]

Kara deserves a national stage. Wizards are kind of a sub-mediocre franchise. If she takes this job we might never hear from her again & that would be a shame.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Kara deserves a national stage. Wizards are kind of a sub-mediocre franchise. If she takes this job we might never hear from her again & that would be a shame.

Or maybe they could figure out a way for her to do both gigs at the same time. It not like calling games for a MLB team, where they play almost every day for half the year. She'd probably still be able to work for ESPN in some significant capacity.

 

[Carnac]

Good for Kara. Local TV is really where it's at for sports these days, and we all know what an absolute mess ESPN is right now. If she leaves, it would be another major talent loss for ESPN's WCBB coverage, as both O'Brien and Burke aren't coming back either. I think they would have to move Lobo down from the studio into color commentator to have any hopes at all of salvaging their coverage of the Final Four.

ESPN hired a lot of new faces at much lower salaries this past spring when some of the long time "stalwarts" we'd gotten use to, did not have their contracts renewed (or were asked to take a pay cut). I tuned to SportsCenter this morning, and didn't see anyone I recognized. Much of ESPN's programming features new faces from different places.

No doubt they've been hired from various LOCAL stations across the country at a raise in salary from that of their former employers, but for much less than that of their predecessors. After all, who would pass up the dream of a lifetime opportunity to work for the "World Wide Leader"?

If this is an opportunity that Lawson wants, then good for her. If that position is offered, she should take it. If she does, I would wish her all the best. Kara has become an exceptionally good analyst/broadcaster. She's going to end up some where. Where ever that some where is, she will be well compensated, and no doubt happy. Everyone knows (as Dorothy told Toto), there's no place like home.

This would be a major talent loss, but when you're trying to keep the bottom-line salaries under control, you're going to lose some of your best on-air (in front of the camera) talent. Kara is always fair and knowledgeable in her assessments of women's college basketball, its games and its players. Personally, I hope she stays put doing women's college basketball games and studio analysis for ESPN, so that we can all continue to enjoy her style, experiences and observations.

 

[rugbymate]

This could turn into a great career move for Kara. It should give her the opportunity to go a bit more mainstream and diversify her work at CSN. CSN has a programming model that gives announcers a lot of exposure through talking head programs. Keep in mind , that Comcast owns NBC and has used local networks as a source of talent.
Kara is a rising star and seems to have been really good at whatever she does. I suspect her stepping back from the national stage is temporary.

 

[Dabber]

Phil Chenier, the sweet-shooting guard who played at Cal and for the Baltimore/Washington Bullets, was the color announcer for Bullets/Wizards games for 30 years. Phil retired this spring, at age 66. This week, it was announced that his #45 will deservedly be retired. Though Phil retired in the spring, no successor for his CSN position has been announced. The Washington Post reports than insiders say Kara Lawson is one of the leading candidates. Kara, a native of Alexandria/West Springfield, would be returning home if she gets the job. WCBB will miss her if she leaves. She is one of the best.

Super great news for Kar - super bad news for the broadcasting/analysis of Women's College Basketball.

 

[huskeynut]

I would hate to see Kara go, such a great broadcast talent. But if this is what she wants, then more power to her!

WCBB will be lessened with her gone.

 

[paisan]

Kara and Rebecca were always terrific together ... ESPN chose to split them up ..another bad mistake by a sinking network

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Kara deserves a national stage. Wizards are kind of a sub-mediocre franchise. If she takes this job we might never hear from her again & that would be a shame.

My first thought. She'll be very good at anything she tries in broadcast sports reporting.

 

[Vowelguy]

Confirmed. Congrats to Kara, but hard not to think that the loss of Doris & Lawson wont be a significant hit to wcbb coverage.

Wizards make Kara Lawson one of the first female primary TV analysts for an NBA team

 

[sarals24]

Guys - it says right in the article:

And Lawson will continue to be part of ESPN’s NBA and college basketball coverage, meaning CSN will reunite Buckhantz and Chenier when those duties conflict with the Wizards schedule, likely during the NCAA tournament.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Congrats to Kara! Though the Wizards are not a Superteam, they are an up and coming team with a great backcourt. I look forward to seeing more of her.

 

[Scotter]

Great news for Kara on the heels of Sarah Kustok being announced as taking over the analyst position for the Nets. Sarah played for Doug Bruno at DePaul and I really liked her work in Chicago as a sideline reporter for the pro teams. I was excited to see Sarah getting to do some WCBB studio analyst work this year and talk about the sport she played, and then I saw she was working for the Sun as well in the WNBA. I would love to see Sarah come home to Chicago as the analyst for Bulls games at some point.

 

[Bayareahusky]

I love Kara!!! Always a team player with sharp, concise. insightful commentary in an understandable well delivered fashion.

Good luck to her

 

[noirwestern]

True, wishing her good fortune is the correct thing to do but I can't help but feel as though her talents are being wasted in the wasteland of men's professional basketball. She deserves better.

 

[wallman]

I was hoping she would go into coaching but glad she will still be involved.

 

[Striper69]

Or maybe they could figure out a way for her to do both gigs at the same time. It not like calling games for a MLB team, where they play almost every day for half the year. She'd probably still be able to work for ESPN in some significant capacity.

Like Ron Darling of the Mets does...