The Football Girl Podcast: Beth Mowins on Shattering Glass This NFL Season
From the The Football Girl Podcast, hosted by Melissa Jacobs. Please subscribe in iTunes to get each episode in your feed the second we press publish!
Last Sunday play-by-play extraordinaire Beth Mowins called her THIRD regular season NFL game this year for CBS after becoming the first woman to call a nationally televised game in Week 1 for Monday Night Football. Mowins’s glass-shattering is undeniable, and as a result she has laid down the red carpet for women to join an industry that with almost no exception has been monopolized by men. I was thrilled to talk to Mowins about her journey and the magnitude of her accomplishments this season. Mowins also gets into the intricacies of the booth, including the importance of chemistry with analysts. Of, and what until you hear the strangest0 “sport” she has called.
After Mowins, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer gives us a detailed tick-tock of the odd last week in Carolina in the wake of Jerry Richardson’s workplace misconduct and subsequent announcement to sell the team. She also offers a bird’s-eye view of possible fallout that extends beyond Carolina, and reveals a little known fact about Richardson’s estate.
Also in this episode: Traits I’d like to see for the new owner of the Panthers (or any NFL team). Plus a musing on the most underappreciated 34-year-old running back in NFL history.
The rundown:
(2:40): Melissa Jacobs offers ideal criteria for the new owner of the Carolina Panthers – or any team. (Think animals!)
(9:25): Beth Mowins on how people react when they find out her profession.
(11:25): Mowins on calling a game with playoff ramifications
(15:05): Mowins on working with Rex Ryan and other newbie analysts
(19:15): Does Mowins read the comments?
(20:45): Mowins on the magnitude of her season for women
(24:35): Mowins on why an up and comer should never say no to a gig
(26:20): What’s next for Mowins?
(29:25): Rodrigue recaps the most insane 72 hours in Panthers history
(37: 45): Rodrigue on whether or not she was surprised by the allegations
(41:04): Rodrigue on a possible silver lining to the Richardson saga
(45:50): Rodrigue on why Richardson isn’t leaving the Panthers to a family member
(49:03) Who Rodrigue envisions buying Richardson’s stake
(52:58): Jacobs makes the case for Frank Gore in the Hall of Fame
(56:02): Jacobs briefly goes Christmas caroling!
Notables quotes:
Mowins on how people react when they discover she calls NFL games: “They wonder if you’re a coach or a writer or just a really big fan of the team. When I tell them what I do sometimes it goes right over their head, sometimes people put two and two together and ask ‘oh, are you the woman from Monday Night Football and are you the woman who calls the games on CBS?’ It’s kinda cool. People are so much more open to it.”
Mowins on if she pays attention to the comments: I’ll read through stuff that people send to me. I don’t search my name, that’s a recipe for disaster. You try and find people who have a legitimate question or critique or what’s on your game board and why you do this in this situation or people who will take the time to send you a note to say, ‘We enjoyed the game.’ I think that’s important because too often the negative stuff gets all the attention. Like I’ve said in the past I got no time for negative people with negative attitutes.
Mowins on a specific type of compliment she receives: “There’s usually at least one guy every time I’m on that will hop on social media and it’s sort of that backhanded compliment of ‘I wasn’t expecting much from you but I really enjoyed the game and liked listening to you.’ If you can reach one or two a day that’s really all we can ask for.”
Mowins on Tony Romo as an analyst: “ I have my play-by-play bias on but I think Jim Nantz is a huge part of the reason Tony has been so successful. Really it starts with being comfortable in that booth. And developing that chemistry with the play-by-play guy, and I think Jim has worked that masterfully. You can sense that he’s enthusiastic about sitting next to Tony as well. What has impressed me most about Romo is I love his ability to read the defense at the line of scrimmage and then tell us what the quarterback is thinking. “
Mowins on a hopeful future for women in football: “In ten years when there are other women calling games, I’m hoping I’m the old soul who can send them a note that says, ‘I really like the work you’re doing. Keep up the good work.”
Rodrigue on whether or not the Richardson allegations surprise her: “Nothing in the MeToo movement, none of it has surprised me. I don’t think it’s surprised any woman who works especially in a male dominated field. But I will say the speed at which it all happened and the detail at which they were able to get into these allegations, that was pretty shocking.
Rodrigue on a hope for the fallout: “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Across the league I think, just as we saw with the MeToo movement emboldening women who were afraid to come forward or minorities who were afraid to come forward when there was misconduct, I this will help shine a light on the lack of diversity in so many of these NFL organizations.”
