TELEVISION; NBC takes a bow
Flushed with the success of its Super Bowl coverage, NBC has run a full-page ad in the New York Times congratulating itself. Actually, the praise is left to others, with excerpts from newspaper reviews under the massive headline "SUPER COVERAGE."
What really made the telecast was the professionalism of Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen. In the opinion of many, they are football's best broadcasting tandem. Both guard against overkill, Enberg with his precise play-by-play, Olsen with his timely insights. In some ways they are reminiscent of Curt Gowdy and Paul Christman, the pair that made American Football League telecasts fun and informative during the 1960s.
The Enberg-Olsen team is a natural one, Enberg having done Los Angeles Ram games for many years on radio while Olsen toiled for the club at defensive tackle. Their educational backgrounds are perhaps what really set them apart. A former assistant professor, Enberg has a doctorate in health sciences; Olsen graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young and has a master's degree in economics.
Merlin will soon be less of a fixture on Sunday afternoons. Beginning in September he is slated to star in his own TV western. A serious dramatic actor, he already is a regular on "Little House on the Prairie" and someday may enjoy a successful movi e career.
