On Sports Media | Ex-Phils announcer lands on feet

For so many years, Scott Graham has been known for his announcing talents. Now he is branching out.

Graham, a member of the Phillies' announcing team from 1991 through last year, started his own production company, Wipe Out Productions, after his contract wasn't renewed after last season.

He has remained active in broadcasting, but his company just produced its first show, a highlight tape of the Drexel men's basketball team.

Dawn of the Dragon, a half-hour show that is actually 23 minutes, 54 seconds in length, will be shown on CN8 at 5 p.m. May 26. It will also be shown at 4:30 p.m. June 16.

Even if you're not a fan of Drexel, this entertaining show is worth viewing. It's not only the story of a Drexel team that was 23-9 last season, but also of one that just missed an NCAA tournament bid, received a berth in the National Invitation Tournament, and beat Villanova, Syracuse, Temple, St. Joseph's and Creighton.

What Graham captures is the excitement Drexel generated throughout its campus and the Philadelphia sports community.

"It became something different than a highlight tape," Graham, 41, said this week in a telephone interview. "While the season was great, there was a story about the campus getting totally behind the team."

The star of the show was coach Bruiser Flint. He is portrayed as passionate, tough and personable.

One amusing sequence depicts his players and fellow coaches describing Flint in one word. Most who were asked smiled before choosing their words carefully.

Flint was shown talking (sometimes loudly) to his players in the huddle, and one sequence showed the thing that angered him most - having players beaten on backdoor cuts.

None of this would have been possible without Flint's providing Graham access. The coach agreed several times to have a microphone on in games.

"I don't remember seeing a lot of college coaches miked, and it was intriguing," Graham said.

In addition to the show for CN8, there will be a DVD of Drexel's season that includes extra scenes that aren't part of the original show.

Besides being the producer, director, writer and, yes, narrator, Graham was aided by Brian Murray, a fellow worker at NFL Films, who lent his experience as a cinematographer and editor. Ken Rodgers, an NFL Films producer, also offered his expertise.

While Graham said his company was pitching television shows and hoped to produce other highlight tapes, he planned to remain involved as an announcer.

During the winter, Graham was busy serving as a play-by-play basketball announcer for CN8, ESPN and ESPNU.

Since 2003, he has worked for NFL Films. Graham is a narrator, and also a play-by-play broadcaster for NFL Europe games. He recently completed work as a narrator on highlight tapes for the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots.

When the football season begins, he will be the voice of the NFL Network's Game of the Week.

"NFL Films has been great to me," he said.

Invariably, people ask Graham about his former job with the Phillies. He won't dwell on the past. "I really miss it, but I have to move on," he said.

While it's probably no consolation to Graham, the Phillies' announcing teams haven't flourished in his absence. But that's another story for another day.

Graham was a finalist for the San Diego Padres' radio job this winter. He plans to continue working as an announcer.

But his first production will always be a source of pride.

"This will be, in part, what we do, and it was something that was great to envision and watch it come to fruition," Graham said. "There is a tremendous sense of accomplishment."