Joel Klatt also has been involved in a few controversies during his quarterbacking career at Pomona High School and Colorado.
But there should be little controversy surrounding his Saturday analysis during Root Sports’ coverage of the CSU-CU game — particularly regarding the play of quarterbacks Tyler Hansen and Pete Thomas. Klatt praised and criticized the play of both, keeping the ebb and flow of their performances in focus.
He never hesitated to tell viewers when — and why — both teams’ offenses were out of sync. One nit to pick: Early in the game on two occasions, Klatt claimed wide receiver Paul Richardson was the best athlete to play football at CU during the last 15 years. Wasn’t Klatt’s anointment a bit premature?
Meanwhile, Root’s production team did a professional job of disguising the obvious — the game was far from a sellout. The cameras and sideline commentary concentrated on acrobatic cheerleaders and rabid student supporters in the lower sections of Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Fox Sports Net viewers across the country might have presumed the game was a standing-room-only sellout, something akin to the Michigan- Ohio State rivalry.
Root Sports’ pregame show was, well, a typical pregame show except for one colorful segment.
Tom Helmer, in a relaxed, taped interview in a bar, sat with Gary Barnett and Sonny Lubick as the two former coaches, often in humorous fashion, relived their memories coaching against one another during the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
