John Morgan (broadcaster)
Encyclopedia
John F. Morgan is an American broadcaster and television producer from Saranac Lake
, New York
.
and was a bobsled racer. He came from a family of bobsled racers; his father and brothers were all involved in bobsled racing. His brother, James "Nitro" Morgan died in a bobsled accident in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy
. He was on the US Olympic team from 1978-1979 as a bobsled racer, but did not qualify for the 1976
and 1980 Winter Olympics
. After he failed to qualify, he landed a job with ABC Sports.
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy
. His first Winter Olympics as a broadcaster was the 1984 Winter Olympics
. His most recent Olympics assignment was a color commentator
for bobsled and skeleton at the 2006 Winter Olympics
. From 2002 to 2007, he was a broadcaster for bobsled and skeleton World Cup races on Speed Channel
, working with Tim Singer. For 2007-8, the World Cup competitions could be seen online at NBC Sports
' website and live on Canadian
television.
, a film about the Jamaican bobslead team. In this film he plays opposite NBC Sports
commentator Al Trautwig
.
World Cup races, which are shown on Speed Channel
. In 2002, he was named an honorary member of the FIBT.
Saranac Lake, New York
Saranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Athletic career
Before becoming involved in broadcasting, Morgan played rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and was a bobsled racer. He came from a family of bobsled racers; his father and brothers were all involved in bobsled racing. His brother, James "Nitro" Morgan died in a bobsled accident in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was on the US Olympic team from 1978-1979 as a bobsled racer, but did not qualify for the 1976
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
and 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
. After he failed to qualify, he landed a job with ABC Sports.
Broadcasting career
Morgan's broadcasting career began in 1981 at the 1981 FIBT World ChampionshipsFIBT World Championships 1981
The FIBT World Championships 1981 took place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy for the seventh time, having hosted the event previously in 1937 , 1939 , 1950, 1954, 1960, and 1966...
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. His first Winter Olympics as a broadcaster was the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
. His most recent Olympics assignment was a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for bobsled and skeleton at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
. From 2002 to 2007, he was a broadcaster for bobsled and skeleton World Cup races on Speed Channel
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
, working with Tim Singer. For 2007-8, the World Cup competitions could be seen online at NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
' website and live on Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television.
Movie appearances
Morgan has a cameo appearance in the 1993 Disney film, Cool RunningsCool Runnings
Cool Runnings is a 1993 comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut in the bobsleigh competition of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. It stars Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, and Rawle D...
, a film about the Jamaican bobslead team. In this film he plays opposite NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
commentator Al Trautwig
Al Trautwig
Al Trautwig is a commentator with the MSG Network, NBC, Versus, and USA Network. He does the pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as fill-in play-by-play for both teams.-Early life:...
.
Television producer
Morgan founded JFM Sports, Inc. in 1982. JFM Sports produces the bobsled and skeletonSkeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
World Cup races, which are shown on Speed Channel
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
. In 2002, he was named an honorary member of the FIBT.