Everett: ‘Jump off a Iarge rock and it’s terrifying until you hit the water, and then it’s exhilarating. That’s where I am right now”
Neil Everett made his final appearance in ESPN’s SportsCenter on June 16. Next, he hopes, is an expanded role with Blazer Broadcasting.
It was the end of an era on June 23 at the ESPN studio in Los Angeles.
Neil Everett worked his final shift as anchor on the network’s “SportsCenter” show.
Everett’s appearance was the grand finale of a 23-year career at ESPN, the last 14 as a SportsCenter anchor in L.A. He did his last show with Stan Verrett, his regular partner through most his time working in L.A. The pair worked more SportsCenters together than anyone in ESPN’s four decades of operation.
Everett, 61, leaves ESPN amid cost-cutting measures at the network and parent company Disney that included 7,000 layoffs.
“I went out on my own terms,” Everett told me this week. “They’re not renewing my contract, but I wasn’t prepared to do that, anyway. My contract runs out on July 9. I don’t know what (ESPN) wanted to do; I just know what I wanted to do. I wanted to move on and get the freedom to pursue other things, beginning with the Trail Blazers.”
For the past two years, Everett has served as studio host for pregame, halftime and postgame shows on Blazer road games. During that time, the broadcaster has had a reduced work schedule at ESPN.
On June 16, Everett’s send-off show lasted a little more than an hour.
“I was pleased with it,” he said afterward. “Mostly, I just wanted to get through it. We had fun with it. The montage at the end was well-done and reminded me of a lot of the cool people I’d met and things I’d done.”
The tribute began with an epic SportsCenter commercial involving Everett with Roger Federer.
Neil: “If they ranked SportsCenter anchors, what do you think I’d be ranked?”
Federer (sitting on a desk alongside Everett): “I don’t know.”
Neil: “C’mon.”
Federer (looking uneasy): “I don’t want to get into it.”
Neil: “C’mon, pick a number between one and 10.”
Federer (eyebrows raised): “Well … I’m not sure you’d be in the top 10.”
Neil (after a pause, looking offended): “I’m in the top 10.”
The cameras then went live, and they panned to Verrett, who began the show with, “No doubt about that. Along with Neil Everett, I’m Stan Verrett. It’s been great to say that for the past 14 years. I’m glad I get to say that one more time.”
Next to Verrett was Everett (say those names together five times quickly), wearing a green lei around his neck, a nod to his 15 years in sports information and broadcasting in Hawaii before he moved to Bristol in 2000.
“It’s the Aloha show,” Everett said with his ever-present smile. “Howzit, one last time.”
Following is an edited transcript of Everett’s comments to video clips through the next hour. There are many references to relatives, to his hometown, Spokane, and his adopted home state, Oregon. Everett was born in Portland, attended Willamette and the University of Oregon and married a Portland girl, the former Stephanie Krohn (an-ex Rose Festival princess from Madison High). Also, some of his pet phrases.
“Shout-out to Tim McHugh (a former co-worker in Bristol) … turn up the lemon juice … there’s a triple to get Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz his cycle. Elly, no relation to Ellie May Clampett … just learned that Bruce Bochy’s first managerial gig was in Spokane. He has the biggest head in baseball … shout-out to all the Spokane boys. … Vandersloot leads the way — the pride of Gonzaga … The Phillies’ Brandon Marsh looks like Jeremiah Johnson … shout-out to Shane Victorino (the ex-MLB outfielder and Hawaii native had texted Neil that day and said he’d be watching)… Seattle catcher Tom Murphy blasts a three-run homer. Shoutout to Don Murphy and his crew at Murphy’s on Merchant Street (a bar in Honolulu). … The pitcher’s name is Logan Keith Gilbert. You know what his nickname is? Walter … bartender, Jack! This shot’s in the gap. My wife Stephanie worked at the Gap, OK? Eleven to seven was the best shift (Steph was in-studio in the audience).
“At the Special Olympics World Games, Wonho Kong squats 584 pounds. Stan, that’s you, me and Doc Rivers combined. That’s like lifting two full massage chairs or an electric golf cart. That’s gold medal stuff. (Neil had looked up weights for such a comparison) … let’s keep Portland weird, huh? Sophia Smith and the Portland Thorns hosting the Washington Spirits. Named to the U.S. World Cup roster yesterday. She scores from outside the box. A solo goal with her left foot. She has both a left foot and a right foot. Later, Smith again outside the box, this time a right-footed shot for the goal. (Neil said he “was kicking myself afterward. I should have mentioned the Blazers”). … A nephew of mine calls that a ‘golonzo.’ Nephew Spencer (Carle, a Jesuit High grad), I know you’re watching. … I’ve seen some kicks like that from the Gonzaga soccer teams … this dog surfing competition is what L.A. SportsCenter is all about. … she’s a beauty, that No. 9 (wife Steph wore No. 9 in softball at Madison).”
Following was a montage of clips featuring Everett with the likes of Joe Namath, Vin Scully, Kobe Bryant, Sue Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Then a sit-down with actor/singer Jim Belushi, of whom Neil asks: “If you could talk to your late brother John, what would you say?” Belushi’s quick response was classic: “You missed the Cubs!”
(Less than a month after his interview with Belushi, Everett was in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for a fund-raising event, with the Blues Brothers as the musical entertainment. Everett was introduced to Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. “I know you, don’t I?” Belushi said. “Yeah — I just interviewed you for SportsCenter,” Neil replied.)
During his SportsCenter swan song, Everett had a short, understated final few words, borrowing from Tom Petty in concluding, “Love is a long road. I’ll see you down it.”
Neil looks back at his time at ESPN with fondness.
“I had a blast,” he said. “I could tell you stories for an hour and not even scratch the surface of all the fun stuff I did and the people I met and the family that came through ESPN and the friendships. I know Bill Walton considers himself the luckiest guy in the world. I feel the same way.
“I feel great about what the future holds. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I have a lump in my throat, because I’ve really enjoyed the (ESPN) gig. But this is the right move for my wife and me. I need to turn the page and start a new chapter.”
A little R&R comes first. Neil and Stephanie will celebrate their 10th anniversary on July 18 at their vacation home in Seaside — her mother is an Astoria native. Soon enough, he will nail down what he hopes is an expanded role with Blazer Broadcasting for next season.
“Neil is incredibly talented and has done a great job for us the past two years,” said Dewayne Hankins, the Blazers’ president/business operations. “We are hiring a new broadcasting director in the next few weeks. We will see what he wants to do and what can be worked out with Neil.”
Everett is looking at the glass as half full.
“Hopefully, there is more room for me on that team,” he said. “If not, I’ll take what I had in the past. There are stories to tell out there. There are so many avenues to explore.
“I’m fired up about the future. You go to a lake and jump off a Iarge rock and it’s terrifying until you hit the water, and then it’s exhilarating. That’s where I am right now.”
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