Gold-Medal Performance by Announcers Marlowe, Sunderland

NBC’s coverage, or rather its lack of it, has been one of the stories of the Olympics.

The U.S. softball team’s 3-1 victory over China in the gold-medal game Tuesday night only got spotty updates, meaning it will probably be the same thing Thursday, when the U.S. women’s soccer team plays China for the gold medal.

Synchronized swimming, after one night, has already gotten more exposure in prime-time than boxing.

Volleyball has been relegated to late-night, but the sport has gotten pretty good treatment from NBC, thanks in large part to the work of announcers Chris Marlowe and Paul Sunderland.

If there were gold medals for announcers in these Games, these two would definitely be in contention.

They know the sport--they were both on the United States’ gold-medal team in 1984--and they are accomplished broadcasters. Longtime friends who have worked together for more than 10 years, they provide the proper blend of information, insight, opinions, wit and excitement.

When the U.S. men came back from an 11-4 deficit to win game three of an eventual loss to Cuba last week, Marlowe and Sunderland helped make it one of the more memorable moments of these Games.

The run for Marlowe and Sunderland pretty much ended Tuesday night, when the U.S. women lost to Cuba. The best the U.S. women can finish now is fifth. The men were eliminated the night before by Bulgaria. And beach volleyball concluded Sunday.

Actually, it’s been a pretty good run for Marlowe and Sunderland since they first met in high school.

“It was a pick-up basketball game at my high school, Notre Dame in Sherman Oaks,” Sunderland said from Atlanta.

It was in the spring of 1969, and it’s understandable that Sunderland has a better recollection of that game. He was only a sophomore, while Marlowe was a senior and a star.

Earlier that year, Marlowe had led Palisades to an 18-1 record and the Los Angeles City basketball championship. Palisades beat Reseda, 85-57, in the title game and Marlowe was named most valuable player of the city tournament.

Marlowe made the all-city team but got beat out for City Player of the Year by Greg Lee of Reseda.

Sunderland went on to become a star at Notre Dame and earned a basketball scholarship to Oregon. Marlowe had gone on to play basketball and volleyball at San Diego State.

After two years at Oregon, Sunderland transferred to Loyola Marymount to concentrate on volleyball.

“Once it became apparent I wasn’t going to make it to the NBA, I decided to concentrate on my other dream: to compete in the Olympic Games,” Sunderland said.

It was about this time, in the early 1970s on Santa Monica-area beaches, that a friendship developed between Marlowe and Sunderland. Beach volleyball was a daily ritual.

They both made the U.S. national volleyball team, but the team failed to qualify for the 1976 Olympics. In 1980, there was the U.S. boycott.

While Marlowe retired from the sport after the 1976 Olympics, Sunderland continued on, pursuing his dream.

In 1982 Marlowe, an aspiring actor, was tending bar at a restaurant in Malibu when he saw the track-and-field movie “Personal Best,” starring Mariel Hemingway.

“That movie inspired me,” Marlowe said. “I remember after the show I told my date I was going to un-retire and try to make the Olympics.”

Marlowe barely made the U.S. team. He was cut, but after another setter, Rod Wilde, suffered a broken ankle, Marlowe was back on the team. And his teammates elected him team captain.

“After the [‘84] Olympics, I had a choice to make--acting or sportscasting,” Marlowe said. “I chose sportscasting.”

Marlowe was hired by Prime Ticket in 1985, mainly to cover beach volleyball. His first partner, Keith Erickson, suffered severe sunburn at a competition in Santa Cruz and bowed out.

“I suggested to Don Corsini [then the head of programming at Prime Ticket, now Prime Sports] that he get Paul to work with me.”

Since then, both have gone on to do other things in broadcasting, but their roots remain in volleyball. And the sport is better for it.