Brent Musburger, the legendary former analyst for CBS Sports who now conducts a national sports radio talk show for VSin Radio from a glass-enclosed studio in the middle of the South Point casino floor in Las Vegas, went on Chicago radio last week and slammed CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus for the network’s policy that forbids on-air analysts from discussing point spreads or any other gambling information.
“It’s ridiculous,” Musburger told Dan McNeil and Danny Parkins on WSCR-AM 670. “I mean, of course they should refer to it… All you have to do is give the point spread and say that somebody’s favored by a field goal or a touchdown, and they’re expecting a game (with total points) in the 50s or the 60s, and basically you’ve covered it.
“I’ve said all along (gambling talk) is not the most important thing, but to stick your head in the sand like CBS is doing is just absolutely ridiculous. Don’t give me that holier-than-thou attitude.”
McManus responded last week during an interview with the Chicago Tribune. “Our policy has been that we don’t discuss gambling information,” he said. “We just… we don’t do that. Viewers can do whatever they want to do. I think there are a lot of people who are probably gambling on the game and a lot of people who aren’t gambling on the game, also. What people are doing is not going to dictate what our policy is.”
McManus is the son of another legendary sports broadcaster, ABC’s Jim McKay.
