By Perry Lefko, Sportsnet.ca
Chris Berman is a big fan of the Canadian Football League.
The ESPN anchor, who is famous for giving nicknames to players, made a guest appearance at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ practice on Tuesday while in town for a local sports dinner.
Bombers president Lyle Bauer presented Berman with a personalized jersey that had Milt Stegall’s number 85 and Berman’s name on the back.
“They have a big banquet here once a year and they contacted me about eight months ago,” he told Sportsnet.ca “I don’t do many of these. I’ve never been to Winnipeg before. It was a chance to come up. I met Milt Stegall. I’ve followed him for quite a whille. I’m kind of a big fan of the CFL, so I’m honoured that they gave me a jersey with his number on it.”
Berman said he has followed the CFL for more than 25 years and said he’s forced colleague Tom Jackson to watch the games. Berman tries to incorporate CFL footage into his weekly highlight reel.
“I like the game, I think it’s fun to watch,” he said. “I find it interesting.”
Berman was especially keen to promote the CFL when Warren Moon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame a few years ago. While much was made of Moon’s 17-year career in the National Football League, the former Edmonton Eskimo spoke proudly of his six years beforehand in the CFL, and Berman trumpeted that message to the American media.
Berman spoke of how the CFL is a useful way for young American players to hone their skills if they are thinking of trying to go to the NFL or for olders players who want to continue to play the game.
“It’s a good opportunity, it’s good football,” he said.
Berman pointed to the likes of Jeff Garcia and Moon as examples of players who used the CFL as a platform to go to the NFL. And he pointed to Doug Flutie as an example of a well-known U.S. college player who did well in the CFL and was able to go back to the NFL and reinvent his career in the U.S.
