The Best Damn Sports Show Period
Encyclopedia
The Best Damn Sports Show Period is an American sports television show on Fox Sports Net
and Comcast SportsNet
. The show regularly featured irreverent and opinionated interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities, and entertainers. It also aired Top 50 countdown
shows and other sports specialty shows. Since its debut on July 23, 2001, BDSSP has welcomed thousands of guests and has aired more than 1,300 episodes. The last original show aired June 30, 2009, however, FSN will tape a handful of Top 50 specials.
The show aired weeknights at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time, usually after FSN Final Score
, or later if there was a local live sporting event that ran longer than expected, depending on the region and telecast schedule.
's nightly sports news show - Fox Sports News
and what was later re-named the National Sports Report
- was losing ratings ground to ESPN
's SportsCenter
. The executives at FSN wanted a 2-3 hour show that could provide consistent, original programming on nights when there were no local basketball, baseball, or hockey games being broadcast in FSN regions
.
The decision was made to do a sports roundtable type of show with the same camaraderie and energy as the Fox NFL Sunday
pregame show. Fox NFL Sunday, which debuted in 1994 on FSN's network brother - Fox Sports
, quickly became the top-rated NFL
pregame show thanks to the dynamic personalities of NFL veterans Terry Bradshaw
and Howie Long
. However, the new show on FSN would focus on not just football, but every sport. And it would uniquely marry the merging worlds of sports and entertainment together in which anyone from a common fan to an athlete could identify with. Fox Sports' president David Hill modeled many aspects of the show from The Footy Show
, a sports talk show which covered the Australian Football League
in Australia (Hill's home country).
The preliminary idea for the format of the new show for FSN would have one main host, and different ex-athletes as hosts for each major sport. It would interweave sports talk with comedic sports-related content.
was one of the celebrities called to try out as the "comedian" of the show. At first, he says he was reluctant to do it, and "didn't know what expect", but he wasn't doing much at the time because he was just waiting for True Lies 2 to be green-lit. So he was a part of one of the last test-runs of the panel and it was an instant success, as he soon would be dubbed "the voice of the fan" on the show. One week before the show was to launch, National Sports Report
sports anchor Chris Rose
was called to help sit-in and host one of the show test runs. What was a temporary rehearsal turned into a permanent gig, as Rose was named main host.
, Tom Arnold
, former NBA
guard Reggie Theus, former NFL
Defensive End
Deacon Jones
, and former Philadelphia Phillies
1st baseman John Kruk
. The show debuted quietly at midnight on July 23, 2001 as a one-hour weeknight show on Fox Sports Net with former NFL great Jim Brown
as its very first guest. The network deliberately launched the show without much fanfare and hype, in what was called a "soft launch", knowing that there still might be adjustments and changes after the show made its TV debut. Within 2 months, former Detroit Piston John Salley
replaced Reggie Theus and St. Louis Rams
' lineman D'Marco Farr
replaced an aging Deacon Jones. Lisa Guerrero
sat behind the anchor desk and reported on sports updates highlights.
However, it was very apparent that FSN hit upon an untouched niche for sports TV viewers, and like it or not, it was earning a growing status among viewers and building name recognition within the sports world. A review in the Los Angeles Times
gave a rebuttal to all the naysayers who cried "it's not the best damn show on TV", by writing: "It's certainly not the worst either, and it's getting a lot better."
A growing amount of high-profile athletes and celebrities started to watch and attend the show. Chris Rose attributed this to the fact that BDSSP allowed athletes to be comfortable on the show without grilling them about statistics and on-the-field "X's and O's" like other sports shows. They were more prone to open up because they were on the set with other ex-athletes. And one of the most appealing parts of the show was the fact that you didn't have to be a die-hard sports fan to watch it, because it showed there's more to athletes than "just stats, because athletes are entertainers", and BDSSP was a perfect forum.
The show quickly gained more credibility in its first few months with big-name guests on-set such as Arnold Schwarzenegger
, Sammy Sosa
, Shaquille O'Neal
, and Terrell Owens
. A main part of the show's set was "The Cage", where guests performed varying athletic challenges with the hosts. Some of the initial memorable "Cage" moments were Terrell Owens in a touchdown celebration competition, Shaq donning a blond wig and recreating famous movie scenes from Casablanca
and Jerry Maguire
, and Gary Payton
leading a trash-talking competition. The competitions that were too large in size were brought outside the Best Damn set into the Fox back lot. Such an example was a tricycle race between the hosts and Lance Armstrong
. By November 2001, the show was expanded to 90 minutes, and by mid-December it jumped to a 2-hour format.
": "Hey, Ewing, don't worry about the swelling on your fingers. It's not like you have any rings to put on them!"
Former Dallas Cowboys
wide receiver Michael Irvin
joined the roundtable as the main football analyst and was known for his outlandish and eccentric wardrobe on the set. Former Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Stephen A. Smith
made his first TV debut on the set and via satellite as an NBA insider for the show. Model Leeann Tweeden
came on board to report on features and be a correspondent on the road. In addition to athletes, the show drew many hot celebrities to the guest chairs such as Adam Sandler
, Matt Damon
, and Ben Affleck
.
Many critics argue that this time period was the strongest for the show's cast with Rose, Tom Arnold, John Salley, Michael Irvin, and John Kruk presenting an "irreverent mix of entertainment and insight in sports that you cannot find anywhere else on TV."
In June 2002, FSN launched its biggest advertising and promotional blitz for the show with the "Best Damn All-Star Summer", with superstar athletes and celebrities appearing on the show, along with a barrage on newspaper, billboard
, and radio advertising to help garner more recognition just before the show's one-year anniversary.
Part of the campaign included a Best Damn celebrity roast for Tom Arnold, a Best Damn awards show entitled the "Best Dammies", special guest appearances by Will Smith
, Tony Hawk
, and Charles Barkley
, and Counting Crows
performing a summer concert outside the Best Damn set on the 20th Century Fox
Lot in Los Angeles.
and Michael Irvin
to ESPN
. They experimented with numerous guest hosts to a varying degree of success. Among just a few of the names to sit in the Best Damn chairs alongside Rose and Salley as part-time hosts were Bryan Cox
, Ray Crockett
, Ron Darling
, Rocket Ismail, Kevin Kennedy
, Brian Bosworth
, Eric Dickerson
, Herschel Walker
, Jason Sehorn
, Steve Lyons
, and Tony Bruno
.
At times, the show would struggle to find its camaraderie among its cast because of the frequent changes to its main panel. Different themes and specialty weeks were tried for the show. One example was "Best Damn Decades Week", in which every day of the week represented a different decade in sports. Jim Brown
, Terry Bradshaw
, Joe Montana
, and Phil Jackson
appeared on the show on separate days to represent the respective decades they dominated. Bob Eubanks
even appeared to host a "Best Damn Newlywed Game" for "1970s day", in which the Best Damn hosts brought in their actual wives for a real game show on air. Rick Springfield
brought his entire band on the set to perform the classic hit "Jessie's Girl
" for "1980s day". In October, Best Damn did a "Date the Pros" contest, where girls entered a competition to win a date with former wide receiver Johnnie Morton
.
In late October, all the hosts dressed up in costume for the entire show to celebrate Halloween
. All guests on set and on satellite also dressed up in costume. Since then, it has been a yearly Halloween tradition on the Best Damn set, along with a custom-carved Best Damn pumpkin for each of the Best Damn hosts.
In January 2005, following the Christmas
/New Year's break, the program was revamped to appear like a late-night talk show
. Original host Rose was dropped, and Arnold was made the headlining star with Salley as his sidekick. Sitting behind a desk, Arnold did comedy bits and an opening monologue, similar to other late night shows such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien
and Late Show with David Letterman
.
In February 2005, with the new format, the show traveled to Jacksonville, Florida
to tape a special episode of the show aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company
, as a part of Fox Sports' pregame coverage of Super Bowl XXXIX
. The special's title was changed to The Best Darn Super Bowl Road Show, Period ("Darn" being substituted for "Damn") so it would not offend network executives or viewers. (A similar temporary change was later made to the show's name for the duration of one show so that Kansas City Chiefs
head coach Herm Edwards, who disapproves of profanity, would appear as a guest.)
With the new direction, they would feature either Top 50 or 100 moments related to sports such as bloopers, dangerous mishaps, or historic moments. Because of the witty tone, sometimes videos indirectly related to sports would appear in the Honorable Mention segments such as Fidel Castro
infamously falling hard after his speech.
, Dennis Rodman
, Bob Knight, Chris Rock
, Derek Jeter
, and even former president Jimmy Carter
; many loyal long-time viewers were confused and left abandoned by the new format. The show had taken a big step away from what had always been its sense of purpose - a group of athletes sitting around and talking sports as an ensemble-cast.
By March 2005, the show was quickly formatted back to its original concept, with Chris Rose returning as the main host. John Salley would stay aboard. Two weeks later, former NFL QB Rodney Peete
and former MLB closer Rob Dibble
were named as permanent hosts alongside Rose and Salley. Tom Arnold left the show as a host, and would return occasionally only for special events and/or segments. The show also stopped running many of its pre-produced comedy bits and segments. The show was now back down to an hour long, which remained that length for the remainder of its run.
and Tom Arnold
came back to the set to help celebrate the achievement, along with some of Best Damn's favorite guests such as Jerry Rice
, Pam Anderson, Michael Strahan
, and Deion Sanders
.
March 1, 2006 was officially The Best Damn Sports Show Periods 1,000th show. It was proclaimed "Best Damn Sports Show Period Day" by the Mayor of Hollywood (who was a guest on the broadcast).
prank with a fight between Tom Arnold
and Michael Strahan
, that not only fooled viewers but also cast members and producers. On Friday, March 31, 2006 Tom Arnold returned to the show to promote his "new tell-all book", which blasted his former BDSSP hosts and colleagues as well as many notable athletes, including many New York Giants
. Strahan became heated at Tom Arnold after an uncomfortable two-segment interview. He became so angry, he started wrestling Arnold, and Arnold retaliated by tackling him to the ground. Strahan pretended to be very hurt by screaming and clutching his shoulder as the cameras cut to black. It fooled cast members Rodney Peete and Rob Dibble enough to have them intervene in the fight. Rodney Peete went so far as to give Tom rabbit punches while he broke up what he thought was a real fight. The next day, the New York Giants' media relations reported that they received several calls about the injury status of their star defensive end. It also worked enough to fool the popular internet sports site Deadspin
into reporting it as a real event immediately after it was broadcast.
Gold Medalist Amanda Beard
to their TV roster. Amanda would serve as a correspondent for the show and also give reports and an behind-the-scenes look at her preparations for her appearance in the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing. Charissa Thompson
also was added as one of the main hosts for the show.
In May 2008, Rodney Peete and Rob Dibble left the show after over three years of service on the Best Damn set. FSN decided to replace the duo with rotating guest hosts to work with regulars Chris Rose, John Salley and Charissa Thompson.
After the change, some of the guest hosts included former running back Eddie George
, former New York Giants
defensive end Michael Strahan
, University of Kentucky
and former University of Memphis
men's basketball coach John Calipari
, Arizona Diamondbacks
left fielder Eric Byrnes
, former NBA guard Gary Payton
, Baltimore Ravens
linebacker Ray Lewis and Fox MLB analyst Mark Grace.
At the same time, the network noted that the use of rotating guest hosts is keeping the show fresh and allows viewers to take a glimpse at the current and ex-athletes who shine in front of the TV camera.
In July 2008, Best Damn celebrated its seven-year anniversary. Up to that date, it had aired over 1600 original shows and had welcomed over 3000 guests.
By then, it had spawned a specialty show on the Internet, as it broadcasts new 30-minute podcasts every week through iTunes and its FoxSports.com Best Damn home page.
.
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
and Comcast SportsNet
Comcast SportsNet
Comcast SportsNet is a group of regional sports networks in the United States primarily owned by the Comcast cable television company....
. The show regularly featured irreverent and opinionated interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities, and entertainers. It also aired Top 50 countdown
Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of counting backward to indicate the seconds, days, or other time units remaining before an event occurs or a deadline expires. Typical events for which a countdown is used include the launch of a rocket or spacecraft, the detonation of a bomb, the start of a race, and the...
shows and other sports specialty shows. Since its debut on July 23, 2001, BDSSP has welcomed thousands of guests and has aired more than 1,300 episodes. The last original show aired June 30, 2009, however, FSN will tape a handful of Top 50 specials.
The show aired weeknights at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time, usually after FSN Final Score
FSN Final Score
Final Score was the nightly sports news program that aired across the United States on Fox Sports Net....
, or later if there was a local live sporting event that ran longer than expected, depending on the region and telecast schedule.
Conception
In 1999, FSNFox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
's nightly sports news show - Fox Sports News
National Sports Report
The National Sports Report was a "sportscast" that aired on United States television channel Fox Sports Net.-Brief history:The program began in 1996, when FSN was launched, as Fox Sports News. The show aired twice a night, at 6 and 10 p.m. It was the national network's equivalent to SportsCenter...
and what was later re-named the National Sports Report
National Sports Report
The National Sports Report was a "sportscast" that aired on United States television channel Fox Sports Net.-Brief history:The program began in 1996, when FSN was launched, as Fox Sports News. The show aired twice a night, at 6 and 10 p.m. It was the national network's equivalent to SportsCenter...
- was losing ratings ground to ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
. The executives at FSN wanted a 2-3 hour show that could provide consistent, original programming on nights when there were no local basketball, baseball, or hockey games being broadcast in FSN regions
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
.
The decision was made to do a sports roundtable type of show with the same camaraderie and energy as the Fox NFL Sunday
FOX NFL Sunday
Fox NFL Sunday is the pregame show for the TV show NFL on Fox. The program is broadcast on Fox television affiliates nationwide. The audio portion of the show is broadcast over the Fox Sports Radio network, distributed by Premiere Radio Networks...
pregame show. Fox NFL Sunday, which debuted in 1994 on FSN's network brother - Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
, quickly became the top-rated NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
pregame show thanks to the dynamic personalities of NFL veterans Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
and Howie Long
Howie Long
Howard "Howie" Matthew Moses Long is an American former National Football League defensive end and actor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000...
. However, the new show on FSN would focus on not just football, but every sport. And it would uniquely marry the merging worlds of sports and entertainment together in which anyone from a common fan to an athlete could identify with. Fox Sports' president David Hill modeled many aspects of the show from The Footy Show
The AFL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award winning Australian sports television program, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates.This show, which is dedicated to the AFL and Australian rules football, made its debut on 24 March 1994 at the same time as the other version which relates to the NRL and rugby...
, a sports talk show which covered the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
in Australia (Hill's home country).
The preliminary idea for the format of the new show for FSN would have one main host, and different ex-athletes as hosts for each major sport. It would interweave sports talk with comedic sports-related content.
Test run
In June 2001, the producers started doing screen tests with over 30 different TV hosts and former athletes. Tom ArnoldTom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
was one of the celebrities called to try out as the "comedian" of the show. At first, he says he was reluctant to do it, and "didn't know what expect", but he wasn't doing much at the time because he was just waiting for True Lies 2 to be green-lit. So he was a part of one of the last test-runs of the panel and it was an instant success, as he soon would be dubbed "the voice of the fan" on the show. One week before the show was to launch, National Sports Report
National Sports Report
The National Sports Report was a "sportscast" that aired on United States television channel Fox Sports Net.-Brief history:The program began in 1996, when FSN was launched, as Fox Sports News. The show aired twice a night, at 6 and 10 p.m. It was the national network's equivalent to SportsCenter...
sports anchor Chris Rose
Chris Rose
Christopher Rose is an American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Rose attended University School in Hunting Valley during high school. Rose attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1993...
was called to help sit-in and host one of the show test runs. What was a temporary rehearsal turned into a permanent gig, as Rose was named main host.
Show debut
The original cast was set: Chris RoseChris Rose
Christopher Rose is an American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Rose attended University School in Hunting Valley during high school. Rose attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1993...
, Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
, former NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
guard Reggie Theus, former NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Defensive End
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
David D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
, and former Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
1st baseman John Kruk
John Kruk
John Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
. The show debuted quietly at midnight on July 23, 2001 as a one-hour weeknight show on Fox Sports Net with former NFL great Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
as its very first guest. The network deliberately launched the show without much fanfare and hype, in what was called a "soft launch", knowing that there still might be adjustments and changes after the show made its TV debut. Within 2 months, former Detroit Piston John Salley
John Salley
John Thomas "Spider" Salley is a retired American professional basketball player, actor and talk show host. He was the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises....
replaced Reggie Theus and St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
' lineman D'Marco Farr
D'Marco Farr
D'Marco Farr is a former American football player with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams in the National Football League. Farr played defensive tackle for the Rams from 1994–2000 and recorded 36.5 career sacks. He was a member of the Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV...
replaced an aging Deacon Jones. Lisa Guerrero
Lisa Guerrero
Lisa Coles Guerrero is an American sportscaster, actress, host and model. The Los Angeles Times has called Guerrero the 'hardest working sports reporter'. The Hispanic Business Journal named her one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in America. President George W...
sat behind the anchor desk and reported on sports updates highlights.
Original format and reaction
The show led off with all the hosts talking about three to four current sports issues and topics. The perspective was unique considering the mix of the former athletes along with Tom Arnold's off-the wall humor. The sports media was quick to pan the show, as it was completely different than most run-of-the-mill sports roundtable shows that were on radio and television at the time. One sports columnist wrote:However, it was very apparent that FSN hit upon an untouched niche for sports TV viewers, and like it or not, it was earning a growing status among viewers and building name recognition within the sports world. A review in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
gave a rebuttal to all the naysayers who cried "it's not the best damn show on TV", by writing: "It's certainly not the worst either, and it's getting a lot better."
A growing amount of high-profile athletes and celebrities started to watch and attend the show. Chris Rose attributed this to the fact that BDSSP allowed athletes to be comfortable on the show without grilling them about statistics and on-the-field "X's and O's" like other sports shows. They were more prone to open up because they were on the set with other ex-athletes. And one of the most appealing parts of the show was the fact that you didn't have to be a die-hard sports fan to watch it, because it showed there's more to athletes than "just stats, because athletes are entertainers", and BDSSP was a perfect forum.
The show quickly gained more credibility in its first few months with big-name guests on-set such as Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
, Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, and Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
. A main part of the show's set was "The Cage", where guests performed varying athletic challenges with the hosts. Some of the initial memorable "Cage" moments were Terrell Owens in a touchdown celebration competition, Shaq donning a blond wig and recreating famous movie scenes from Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
and Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. It was written, co-produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe...
, and Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
leading a trash-talking competition. The competitions that were too large in size were brought outside the Best Damn set into the Fox back lot. Such an example was a tricycle race between the hosts and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
. By November 2001, the show was expanded to 90 minutes, and by mid-December it jumped to a 2-hour format.
Original comedy segments
The sports talk in the show was mixed in with different pre-produced comedy bits and features which many times lead the show to commercial break. One of the first comedy segments within the show was the "Nightly/Daily Sports Report", a Daily Show-type satirical look at the latest sports news reported at an anchor desk, which soon became a daily staple in the show for its first year. The show would end with Tom Arnold's "Things You Would Never Say To…" A different athlete was highlighted each day, and Tom Arnold would belt out around 10 different lines you would never say to that athlete. One example was "Things You Would Never Say to Patrick EwingPatrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
": "Hey, Ewing, don't worry about the swelling on your fingers. It's not like you have any rings to put on them!"
2002
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
wide receiver Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
joined the roundtable as the main football analyst and was known for his outlandish and eccentric wardrobe on the set. Former Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith
-Early years:Smith was raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. He lived with his parents and four older sisters.He attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
made his first TV debut on the set and via satellite as an NBA insider for the show. Model Leeann Tweeden
Leeann Tweeden
Leeann Velez Tweeden is an American model.Tweeden was born in Manassas, Virginia. She graduated from Osbourn Park High School in 1991. Tweeden skipped college altogether and instead pursued a career in modeling...
came on board to report on features and be a correspondent on the road. In addition to athletes, the show drew many hot celebrities to the guest chairs such as Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
, Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
, and Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
.
Many critics argue that this time period was the strongest for the show's cast with Rose, Tom Arnold, John Salley, Michael Irvin, and John Kruk presenting an "irreverent mix of entertainment and insight in sports that you cannot find anywhere else on TV."
In June 2002, FSN launched its biggest advertising and promotional blitz for the show with the "Best Damn All-Star Summer", with superstar athletes and celebrities appearing on the show, along with a barrage on newspaper, billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, and radio advertising to help garner more recognition just before the show's one-year anniversary.
Part of the campaign included a Best Damn celebrity roast for Tom Arnold, a Best Damn awards show entitled the "Best Dammies", special guest appearances by Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk , nicknamed "The Birdman" is an American retired professional skateboarder and actor. Hawk gained significant fame for completing the first 900 as well as his licensed video game titles distributed by Activision...
, and Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, and Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
performing a summer concert outside the Best Damn set on the 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
Lot in Los Angeles.
2003-04
In mid-2003, Best Damn had to deal with the departure of the entertaining personalities of John KrukJohn Kruk
John Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
and Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
to ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. They experimented with numerous guest hosts to a varying degree of success. Among just a few of the names to sit in the Best Damn chairs alongside Rose and Salley as part-time hosts were Bryan Cox
Bryan Cox
Bryan Keith Cox is a former American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the NFL from 1991 through 2002. He was a member of the New England Patriots club that won Super Bowl XXXVI...
, Ray Crockett
Ray Crockett
Donald "Ray" Crockett is a former American football player in the National Football League. He earned two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos as a cornerback. Ray played his high school football at Duncanville High School...
, Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
, Rocket Ismail, Kevin Kennedy
Kevin Kennedy (baseball)
Kevin Curtis Kennedy is a former manager in American Major League Baseball and a former television host for Fox Sports' baseball coverage. He was given the nickname "The Skipper" by Fox Sports due to his prior managerial career...
, Brian Bosworth
Brian Bosworth
Brian Keith "The Boz" Bosworth, is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma...
, Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
, Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
, Jason Sehorn
Jason Sehorn
Jason Heath Sehorn is a former professional American football defensive back in the National Football League.-Early years:Sehorn was born in Sacramento, California...
, Steve Lyons
Steve Lyons (baseball)
Stephen John Lyons is a former Major League Baseball player and a television sportscaster. He is of French and Irish descent, and currently resides in Hermosa Beach, California....
, and Tony Bruno
Tony Bruno
For Tony Bruno, the musician, see Tony Bruno Tony Bruno is an American sports talk radio personality in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
.
At times, the show would struggle to find its camaraderie among its cast because of the frequent changes to its main panel. Different themes and specialty weeks were tried for the show. One example was "Best Damn Decades Week", in which every day of the week represented a different decade in sports. Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
, Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
, Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
, and Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
appeared on the show on separate days to represent the respective decades they dominated. Bob Eubanks
Bob Eubanks
Robert Leland "Bob" Eubanks is an American television/radio personality and game show host, best known for hosting the game show The Newlywed Game on and off since 1966, where he was known for using the catchphrase, "Makin' Whoopee"...
even appeared to host a "Best Damn Newlywed Game" for "1970s day", in which the Best Damn hosts brought in their actual wives for a real game show on air. Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield is an Australian-born singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971 and then started his solo career with his début single "Speak to the Sky" reaching the top 10 in Australia. In mid-1972, he relocated to the United States...
brought his entire band on the set to perform the classic hit "Jessie's Girl
Jessie's Girl
"Jessie's Girl" is a rock song written and performed by pop singer Rick Springfield. It was released on the album Working Class Dog. The song is about unrequited love, and centers on a young man in love with his best friend's girlfriend....
" for "1980s day". In October, Best Damn did a "Date the Pros" contest, where girls entered a competition to win a date with former wide receiver Johnnie Morton
Johnnie Morton
Johnnie James "Big Play" Morton, Jr. is a former NFL wide receiver. Originally drafted by the Lions in the 1st round in the 1994 NFL Draft, he played in Detroit until 2002. He subsequently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played for three seasons. In 2005, he signed with the San...
.
In late October, all the hosts dressed up in costume for the entire show to celebrate Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. All guests on set and on satellite also dressed up in costume. Since then, it has been a yearly Halloween tradition on the Best Damn set, along with a custom-carved Best Damn pumpkin for each of the Best Damn hosts.
2005: New direction for the show
The beginning of the year presented a crossroads for the show, as its ratings had plateaued and after being on the air for over three years, some felt it needed to be reinvented.In January 2005, following the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
/New Year's break, the program was revamped to appear like a late-night talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
. Original host Rose was dropped, and Arnold was made the headlining star with Salley as his sidekick. Sitting behind a desk, Arnold did comedy bits and an opening monologue, similar to other late night shows such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
and Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
.
In February 2005, with the new format, the show traveled to Jacksonville, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to tape a special episode of the show aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, as a part of Fox Sports' pregame coverage of Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
. The special's title was changed to The Best Darn Super Bowl Road Show, Period ("Darn" being substituted for "Damn") so it would not offend network executives or viewers. (A similar temporary change was later made to the show's name for the duration of one show so that Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
head coach Herm Edwards, who disapproves of profanity, would appear as a guest.)
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
infamously falling hard after his speech.
Back to the original formula
Although the "late-night" format drew notable guests such as Snoop DoggSnoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
, Bob Knight, Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
, Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, and even former president Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
; many loyal long-time viewers were confused and left abandoned by the new format. The show had taken a big step away from what had always been its sense of purpose - a group of athletes sitting around and talking sports as an ensemble-cast.
By March 2005, the show was quickly formatted back to its original concept, with Chris Rose returning as the main host. John Salley would stay aboard. Two weeks later, former NFL QB Rodney Peete
Rodney Peete
Rodney Peete is a former American football quarterback from the University of Southern California who played in the National Football League for 16 years. He retired in 2004 and is now in broadcasting.-Early life:...
and former MLB closer Rob Dibble
Rob Dibble
Robert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...
were named as permanent hosts alongside Rose and Salley. Tom Arnold left the show as a host, and would return occasionally only for special events and/or segments. The show also stopped running many of its pre-produced comedy bits and segments. The show was now back down to an hour long, which remained that length for the remainder of its run.
2006–2007
In March 2006, BDSSP had a week-long celebration to commemorate its 1000th show. The show counted down its Top 100 moments of Best Damn history. Former hosts Michael IrvinMichael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
and Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
came back to the set to help celebrate the achievement, along with some of Best Damn's favorite guests such as Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, Pam Anderson, Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan is a former National Football League defensive end who played his entire career for the New York Giants; a career where he set the record for the most sacks in a single season and won a Super Bowl in his final year. He is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and...
, and Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...
.
March 1, 2006 was officially The Best Damn Sports Show Periods 1,000th show. It was proclaimed "Best Damn Sports Show Period Day" by the Mayor of Hollywood (who was a guest on the broadcast).
April Fools' Day 2006
The show broadcast its most memorable April Fools' DayApril Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
prank with a fight between Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
and Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan is a former National Football League defensive end who played his entire career for the New York Giants; a career where he set the record for the most sacks in a single season and won a Super Bowl in his final year. He is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and...
, that not only fooled viewers but also cast members and producers. On Friday, March 31, 2006 Tom Arnold returned to the show to promote his "new tell-all book", which blasted his former BDSSP hosts and colleagues as well as many notable athletes, including many New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Strahan became heated at Tom Arnold after an uncomfortable two-segment interview. He became so angry, he started wrestling Arnold, and Arnold retaliated by tackling him to the ground. Strahan pretended to be very hurt by screaming and clutching his shoulder as the cameras cut to black. It fooled cast members Rodney Peete and Rob Dibble enough to have them intervene in the fight. Rodney Peete went so far as to give Tom rabbit punches while he broke up what he thought was a real fight. The next day, the New York Giants' media relations reported that they received several calls about the injury status of their star defensive end. It also worked enough to fool the popular internet sports site Deadspin
Deadspin
Deadspin is a sports website owned by Gawker Media and was launched in September 2005. As of February 2010, the site had attracted over 462 million unique visitors and about 573 million page views....
into reporting it as a real event immediately after it was broadcast.
2007–2008
In Summer of 2007, Best Damn added OlympicOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Gold Medalist Amanda Beard
Amanda Beard
Amanda Ray Beard is an American swimmer and a seven-time Olympic medalist . She is a former world record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke ....
to their TV roster. Amanda would serve as a correspondent for the show and also give reports and an behind-the-scenes look at her preparations for her appearance in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing. Charissa Thompson
Charissa Thompson
Charissa Thompson is an American television host and sportscaster, currently for ESPN.-Education and early career:Thompson grew up in Seattle, Washington...
also was added as one of the main hosts for the show.
In May 2008, Rodney Peete and Rob Dibble left the show after over three years of service on the Best Damn set. FSN decided to replace the duo with rotating guest hosts to work with regulars Chris Rose, John Salley and Charissa Thompson.
After the change, some of the guest hosts included former running back Eddie George
Eddie George
Edward Nathan "Eddie" George, Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys...
, former New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
defensive end Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan is a former National Football League defensive end who played his entire career for the New York Giants; a career where he set the record for the most sacks in a single season and won a Super Bowl in his final year. He is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and...
, University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
and former University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
men's basketball coach John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
left fielder Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
, former NBA guard Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
linebacker Ray Lewis and Fox MLB analyst Mark Grace.
At the same time, the network noted that the use of rotating guest hosts is keeping the show fresh and allows viewers to take a glimpse at the current and ex-athletes who shine in front of the TV camera.
In July 2008, Best Damn celebrated its seven-year anniversary. Up to that date, it had aired over 1600 original shows and had welcomed over 3000 guests.
By then, it had spawned a specialty show on the Internet, as it broadcasts new 30-minute podcasts every week through iTunes and its FoxSports.com Best Damn home page.
Finale
On June 30, 2009, Best Damn aired its last show. While the series would continue to air first-run programs throughout the summer, Fox Sports Net announced that a small number of Top 50 specials would be taped to add to its current stable of shows. Chris Rose and Charissa Thompson hosted a retrospective introducing some of the best video clips from the past 8 seasons. At the end, former co-host Tom Arnold bid the show farewell.Hosts
- Chris RoseChris RoseChristopher Rose is an American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Rose attended University School in Hunting Valley during high school. Rose attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1993...
: Host (2001–2009) - Charissa ThompsonCharissa ThompsonCharissa Thompson is an American television host and sportscaster, currently for ESPN.-Education and early career:Thompson grew up in Seattle, Washington...
: Reporter (2006–2009) - John SalleyJohn SalleyJohn Thomas "Spider" Salley is a retired American professional basketball player, actor and talk show host. He was the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises....
: Host (2001–2009) - Rob DibbleRob DibbleRobert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...
: MLB expert (2005–2008) - Rodney PeeteRodney PeeteRodney Peete is a former American football quarterback from the University of Southern California who played in the National Football League for 16 years. He retired in 2004 and is now in broadcasting.-Early life:...
: NFL expert (2004–2008) - Tom ArnoldTom Arnold (actor)Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
: Comedian - Michelle BonnerMichelle BonnerMichelle Bonner joined ESPN in March 2005 as an ESPNEWS anchor and occasionally anchors SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship sports news program. Bonner came to ESPN from CNN in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was a sports anchor from 2003–2005....
: Reporter - Bryan CoxBryan CoxBryan Keith Cox is a former American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the NFL from 1991 through 2002. He was a member of the New England Patriots club that won Super Bowl XXXVI...
: NFL expert - Ray CrockettRay CrockettDonald "Ray" Crockett is a former American football player in the National Football League. He earned two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos as a cornerback. Ray played his high school football at Duncanville High School...
: NFL expert - D'Marco FarrD'Marco FarrD'Marco Farr is a former American football player with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams in the National Football League. Farr played defensive tackle for the Rams from 1994–2000 and recorded 36.5 career sacks. He was a member of the Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV...
: NFL expert - Lisa GuerreroLisa GuerreroLisa Coles Guerrero is an American sportscaster, actress, host and model. The Los Angeles Times has called Guerrero the 'hardest working sports reporter'. The Hispanic Business Journal named her one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in America. President George W...
: Reporter - Michael IrvinMichael IrvinMichael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
: NFL expert - Deacon JonesDeacon JonesDavid D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
: NFL expert - John KrukJohn KrukJohn Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
: MLB expert - Lauren SánchezLauren SánchezLauren Sanchez is an award-winning American news anchor, entertainment reporter, and media personality. She was the weekend anchor and special correspondent on Extra. She is also a co-host on KTTV Fox-11's Good Day LA and the station's top-rated "Ten o'clock News." Sánchez is also a regular...
: Reporter - Stephen A. SmithStephen A. Smith-Early years:Smith was raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. He lived with his parents and four older sisters.He attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
: NBA expert - Reggie Theus: NBA expert
- Leeann TweedenLeeann TweedenLeeann Velez Tweeden is an American model.Tweeden was born in Manassas, Virginia. She graduated from Osbourn Park High School in 1991. Tweeden skipped college altogether and instead pursued a career in modeling...
: Reporter (2001–2007)
Announcer
Announcer Tomm Looney was the announcer for the show's entire run and currently does sports updates and co-hosting on J. T. the Brick's show on Fox Sports RadioFox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
.