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did not usually present commentary or criticism and focused almost purely on the highlights, and, often toward the end of the show, an in-depth story about a particular athlete. The show was also somewhat unusual in its occasional coverage of remarkable
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would end its 27-year run in March 2007. Michael reasoned that he would not want his contract renewed at the expense of WRC-TV's sports staff, which was slated to be reduced under NBC Universal's network-wide, cost-reduction initiative.
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as a contributing correspondent and substitute host, and she became the official co-host of the program in
September 2006. However, this arrangement did not last long, as Michael announced on November 16, 2006, that he would retire and
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in common parlance) or a separate program to recap Sunday football and baseball action caused many stations to either drop the program or air it later in the night—issues made even worse in 2006, when NBC acquired the rights to
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I close every show every Sunday by saying, "Thank you for letting us be a part of your weekend." Well, tonight, for the final time, we say, "thank you." Thank you for letting us be a part of your life. From everyone at the
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broadcasts as a pit reporter in addition to her duties at WRC. She left that position after the 2011 season. In 2011, Czarniak left WRC to take a position at ESPN and initially was an overnight anchor at
447:-related programs for WRC-TV and Washington-area sports talk radio stations until more production and budget cuts forced those shows to be terminated. Michael died from leukemia on December 24, 2009.
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on its set. After introducing each of the highlights, Michael would press a button which "activated" the "sports machine"—a large computer with several monitors attached to a videotape
296:
As host, George
Michael presented clips from the weekend's sporting events from across the United States and sometimes outside of the U.S. Unlike newer sports-related programming,
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coincided with the end of
Michael's contract as lead sports anchor at WRC, and he was replaced by Czarniak in that role. Michael continued to appear on sports panel shows and
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from
December 3, 2012 to January 30, 2015 and later, was the sole anchor from February 2, 2015 to mid-October 2016. In August 2017, her contract with ESPN expired.
261:. NBC concurrently began to offer the program to its affiliated stations as part of the network schedule on September 2, 1984; WRC-TV, which continued to produce
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When the show premiered nationally in the mid-1980s, the only highlights available to sports fans on Sunday nights were those on late local newscasts and the
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The last episode aired on March 25, 2007. After thanking his co-host, sponsors, syndicators and staff, Michael said this at the end of the show:
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265:, said that this was the first time that a network had carried a locally-produced sports show (albeit one with a national focus). In 1991,
237:, a local sports wrapup show on Sunday evenings, following the late newscast. After a successful four-year run in Washington, NBC's other
185:-related American television program which was launched in 1984. The show aired weekends, usually on Sunday nights, and originated from
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who became a sportscaster, hosted in
Washington beginning in 1980. Michael hosted the program for its entire run, which ended in 2007.
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220:, who was a colleague of Michael's at WRC-TV, joined the program as a substitute host in 2004 and became Michael's co-host in 2006.
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motif mainly because high technology was fast coming into the
American consciousness at the time of the show's debut.
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into wider national syndication; at the time, the program was carried on 84 of NBC's affiliates. The show moved to
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footage, and its occasional coverage of sports largely ignored by most other sports wrap-up shows, such as
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have a great weekend, everybody. We hope to see you somewhere down the road of life. Thank you.
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from 2004 until the show's final episode in 2007) began distributing the program.
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Shortly after
Michael joined WRC-TV in 1980, the station launched the program as
257:—added the program to their Sunday late-night schedules, and it was retitled as
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George
Michael to drop anchor chores, continue weekend sports panel shows.
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The show magnified highlights in order to take out the distraction of the
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however, the rise of numerous specialty cable sports channels (notably
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An idiosyncrasy of the show was the large quantity of
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American syndicated sports news TV program (1984–2007)
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Michael then walked off camera, and was heard to say
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277:in 1995; its successors, Eyemark Entertainment and
732:First-run syndicated late-night television series
654:"Weekend sports television preview (fourth item)"
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208:The show was an offshoot of a local program that
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402:Beginning in 2004, fellow WRC-TV sports anchor
345:cable networks, creating an audience niche for
467:, where she anchored the 6 PM broadcast with
454:, Czarniak became a permanent part of TNT's
712:2000s American late-night television series
707:1990s American late-night television series
702:1980s American late-night television series
599:"Group W Productions gets 'Sports Machine'"
757:American English-language television shows
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29:
742:Television series by Universal Television
394:added by the networks during the 1990s.
289:until 2001, when NBC Enterprises (later
697:2007 American television series endings
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436:as the show closed for the final time.
752:Television series by ITC Entertainment
692:1984 American television series debuts
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727:2000s American television news shows
722:1990s American television news shows
717:1980s American television news shows
568:"ITC to distribute 'Sports Machine'"
434:"Last one out, turn out the lights!"
291:NBCUniversal Television Distribution
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201:. Most of the stations that aired
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768:
737:American sports television series
672:The George Michael Sports Machine
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259:The George Michael Sports Machine
174:The George Michael Sports Machine
23:The George Michael Sports Machine
747:Television series by CBS Studios
629:Hecken, Phil (August 25, 2016).
652:Michael McCarthy (2006-09-29).
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349:to fill. By the later years of
98:WRC-TV Studios, Washington D.C.
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1:
517:. October 1, 1984. p. 73
463:before becoming a fixture on
450:Shortly after the end of the
235:George Michael's Sports Final
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7:
579:. June 24, 1991. p. 53
480:John Maynard (2006-11-17).
285:), continued to distribute
239:owned-and-operated stations
199:owned and operated stations
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610:. May 29, 1995. p. 15
392:digital on-screen graphics
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548:. May 7, 1984. p. 54
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372:affiliates even later.
333:Influence and criticism
631:"Broadcast Throwbacks"
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319:professional wrestling
279:King World Productions
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365:Sunday Night Football
205:were NBC affiliates.
137:First-run syndication
475:References and notes
95:Production locations
486:The Washington Post
445:Washington Redskins
275:Group W Productions
303:high school sports
283:CBS Media Ventures
203:The Sports Machine
111:Production company
267:ITC Entertainment
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149:September 2, 1984
71:Original language
63:Country of origin
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537:"NBC action"
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103:Running time
48:Presented by
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439:The end of
315:auto racing
247:Los Angeles
214:disc jockey
212:, a former
58:(2004–2007)
42:Sports news
686:Categories
663:2006-10-03
614:October 9,
583:October 9,
552:October 9,
521:October 9,
327:equestrian
313:and other
307:ice hockey
281:(both now
179:syndicated
163:2007-03-25
153:1984-09-02
106:30 minutes
90:Production
82:of seasons
658:USA Today
635:Uni Watch
377:machinery
251:Cleveland
229:1984–2004
193:, one of
385:computer
329:events.
317:events,
461:ESPNews
406:joined
355:ESPNews
255:Chicago
224:History
161: (
157: –
151: (
146:Release
126:Network
74:English
456:NASCAR
325:, and
311:NASCAR
253:, and
187:WRC-TV
183:sports
177:was a
115:WRC-TV
602:(PDF)
571:(PDF)
540:(PDF)
509:(PDF)
359:extra
323:rodeo
269:took
38:Genre
677:IMDb
616:2018
585:2018
554:2018
523:2018
341:and
339:ESPN
675:at
343:CNN
197:'s
195:NBC
189:in
133:NBC
80:No.
688::
656:.
633:.
604:.
573:.
542:.
511:.
497:^
321:,
309:,
249:,
245:,
181:,
85:22
666:.
637:.
618:.
587:.
556:.
525:.
489:.
165:)
155:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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