In Al Ackerman's Time, 'Sports Anchors Were Professional Journalists' -- Blogger

"He doesn't play favorites" is a style Detroit Sports Rag blogger Jeff Moss misses from local TV sports anchors.

Detroit Sports Rag, a smashmouth blog known for commentary without borders, sees this week's death of local broadcaster Al Ackerman as a reminder of how "the sports TV anchor position has changed so dramatically in the last four decades."

Ackerman, who was on WXYZ and WDIV during the 1970s and 1980s, died Monday in Florida at age 90.  

Al Ackerman in 1979, when "sports anchors actually were professional journalists," Jeff Moss writes. (WDIV photo)

DSR blogger Jeff Moss, a West Bloomfield insurance adjuster who watched Ackerman as a young sports fan, delivers a then-and-now primer because "many of my readers are millennials and . . .have no memory of Ackerman," he explains Wednesday.

Before the talking head sports gig devolved . . . sports anchors actually were professional journalists.

In an era when Bill Bonds was the king of the market, the sports anchors actually did more than slop up the local team’s jizzum. Ackerman would often rip the Detroit franchises during his broadcasts or offer an actual commentary on the Lions’ latest woes. . . .

It wouldn’t be uncommon for Ackerman to absolutely trash Lions GM Russ Thomas on the air for his latest horrendous transaction or a prolonged rookie contract holdout -- something you would NEVER see today. . . .

God damn, I miss that era.

With customary directness nastiness, Moss contrasts Ackerman with two current anchors -- Brad Galli of WXYZ ("a fanboy child") and Bernie Smilovitz of WDIV (host of a "masturbatorial 'Weekend at Bernie’s' blooper segment.")

He laments "the unfortunate turn of events where actual criticism of the teams during the '70s and '80s has morphed into glorified propaganda this century."