Pam Oliver shows us how to be a legend

Pam Oliver on her award-winning career in sports media, the percentage of NFL media members she thinks she could burn in a footrace, and how she thinks I did on this interview.

Pam Oliver has been a staple in sports for decades now. She was one of the first women on NFL sidelines when she joined the Fox Sports broadcasting team of Pat Summerall and John Madden in 1995, and she’d become a regular next to NBA courts, too. Though she won’t be working Sunday’s game (CBS has the broadcast), she has worked eight Super Bowls in her career.

On Thursday, Oliver will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Atlanta Women In Sports, an organization representing women who are coaches, doctors, professional athletes, marketers, media members, entrepreneurs, students working to enter professional sports, and more. Oliver was chosen because of her outstanding work, and how it helped show a pathway for others to follow in her footsteps.

SB Nation sat down with her in Atlanta to reminisce about her career. She opened up about her desire to burn Charles Davis in a footrace, her alternate-universe life as an interior designer, trying to cut through Bill Belichick’s gruff exterior, and the challenges she faced throughout a storied career in sports media.

This interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.

You’re getting a lifetime achievement award. What’s that like?

PO: Well, getting it from the mayor [Keisha Lance Bottoms] who I adore. When I heard that I got nervous instantly. But it’s exciting, you’ve been in this business for so long, and then these things start coming your way. I hope it’s just not like, “OK, here’s your lifetime achievement, time to go.” I don’t feel that way at all. I’m flattered, and I’m honored. It’s going to be a great night.

Is it kinda weird? Because I’m sure in your mind you’re going to be doing this for many many more years.

Pam Oliver: Yeah! Yeah, but I decided to look at it differently, because I thought that same thought. It’s like wow, lifetime achievement, and I want to have a Barbara Walters career almost. She went as long as she wanted to go. Age and all of those things, that does factor into it for women in this profession, I think, more than men. So as these things come up and they come along, I’ve just decided to take a different view of it. People want to say that they appreciate all the work that you’ve done. I’m excited about the next chapter, whatever that next chapter is. So I’ll take the awards.

So you mention the uncertainty of the next chapter, is this what you envisioned yourself doing when you were younger?

PO: Oh my gosh, yes. I was very specific in my imagination as well too. When I was eight or nine years old, that’s when I knew it was solidified. Everybody knew it, everybody in my family, “It’s six o’clock, Pam wants to watch the news.” They just sort of scattered. My sisters even relinquished the TV for me, and they’re older. Because I loved the whole news process.

It wasn’t sports at that point, it was just news news news. I just have specific memories of leaving my activities outside or whatever my friends were doing, and I just wanted to go and sit in front of the TV and watch the news. I thought the reporters — what an exciting life they must have. I was just kind of curious about things anyway, things that were going on in the world even at that time — the Civil Rights movement, the assassinations, all things that sort of engrossed the nation — for whatever reason. Through osmosis, probably, because I had no real understanding of it. I said, “That’s pretty much what I think I want to do.”

What are some of the obstacles that you faced along the way? Because you’re kind of a pioneer in this game, not just for black folks, but also women.

PO: I embrace that as well. You’re going to have to run into challenges. You’ve probably had some challenges, everybody does. It wouldn’t be life and living and growing if you had not had some sort of challenges. But throughout the whole process, I just said I’m going to be true to my craft. You can take it, or you can leave it. Or you can like me, or not like me, or appreciate what I do or not.

You can’t get involved too much with people’s opinions. I have a job to do, I’m given an assignment, and that’s my focus. You guys can trip — whoever wants to trip, go trip, you know? I’m just gonna be about whatever it is my job requires, and I want to represent myself well.

So challenges, yeah. I worked in some markets — my early year markets — right out of college, you’re moving somewhere, and my beat was agriculture. Right? You can understand that, right? [Laughing]

Yeah! [Laughing]

PO: Like, what the hell is that!? [Laughing] They’re like, “They’re peanuts!” I’d never seen a peanut other than in a Planters jar. So that was challenging, just embracing the material. But that’s what makes it exciting. You’re learning something, and you’re putting yourself out there.

So who were some of the allies you made along the way whether it was somebody you could just go to, or a mentor?

PO: It’s typically the other reporters, you know? Maybe some senior reporters and things like that. I was always looking to learn and trying to get people to look at my tape and give me some critiques. Even your news directors will do that. I’ll go to my bosses in a minute. They’ll usually have some helpful things to offer. So as each market went, I tried to form relationships and friendships that are still lasting from some of the senior people who gave me a lot of guidance.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Getting into some of the fun stuff here ...

PO: OK, here we go.

You were an All-American track athlete, you played tennis and basketball in high school as well. I have two questions for you.

PO: Oh gosh.

One is what’s your favorite sport to play, and the second question is what percentage of NFL media members can you just burn in a race?

PO: Oh my gosh. Oh I can even now. Let’s see. 20-something years later — I think I can definitely take Charles Davis. I can take him, because I think he’s got that slow-twitch muscle group going on. [Laughing]

That’s important, especially if we’re doing short distance!

PO: That’s right! I really would like to challenge him. Thank you for putting that idea in my head. I want it filmed, and we can run it, thanks to you.

That’s awesome, I love that! So track was your favorite sport?

PO: It was, it was my favorite sport. I was all into every sport. I remember the day I felt like I was finally good at something — I wasn’t horrible at a lot of things. So I entered all these races — I think this was the 8th grade — and I won everything. Long jump, 400, I mean it was ridiculous. Maybe it was the competition, but I was like, “You know what, I kind of dig this track stuff.” And it was just one of my favorite things to do, was run. In Texas at some of the Air Force bases we lived on, we would have these relay races around, I mean a huge relay race, and I was always barefoot. I would run barefoot. I was smokin’ some people too.

What’s the baddest you beat somebody? You ever make anybody cry?

PO: No, I wasn’t really all that, trust me. I used to train sometimes — if I got my group of mile relay girls, I don’t know if we were mad at each other or something so I went and ran with the guys. And they were killin’ themselves just to make sure I didn’t pass them. All I wanted to do was keep up with them, and that was embarrassment enough for them, but I’ve never made anybody cry. I wasn’t all that.

You’ll make Charles Davis cry though.

PO: Yeah I’m going to make him cry like a baby. [Laughs]

That would be spectacular. Now with some of your work, what’s the biggest event or game — it doesn’t even have to be sports — that you’ve covered?

PO: I did a couple of NBA Finals when I just started at ESPN, with Hakeem Olajuwon, that group. Those were exciting — not that football isn’t. Football is still my favorite sport. But at that point, I was doing all the sports when I was working with ESPN. I wasn’t just this one-trick pony that I’ve become. And so it was just fun, it was a back and forth, and that was exciting. That was probably one of the highlights.

What to you is the difference in covering those two sports that makes one more fun than the other?

PO: Well basketball is just go, go, go. You travel, you got a game, and football is a week to get prepared for another game. But the thing about football that still excites me and amazes me is all that work that those players and coaches put in for those three hours on Sunday — I appreciate it. I respect them for what they do. People talk about, “Oh, these millionaires ...” I think they deserve every single penny. The thing that makes me crazy, and I just don’t know how it’s not as common as it is in the NBA. Like so many players you know who can only rely on that guaranteed money. Always look at the guaranteed money, I don’t know if a lot of people do that.

The next CBA negotiation is going to be fun.

PO: Oh yeah, that will be pleasant. [Laughing]

Now, outside of that NBA Finals you covered, what’s the one thing you’re the most proud of, whether it’s a piece of reporting, a single interview, or how you handled a situation?

PO: I’ve done a piece on Marcus Dixon, the kid from here, you may remember. I was able to sell a piece for the pregame show because he went from all of this tragedy in Atlanta, and being falsely accused, and losing his scholarship at Vandy. He was able to fight his way back and made it to the Cowboys practice squad.

Now that’s one of those stories I think is hiding in plain sight almost, because he had to be convinced to do it. I had to make sure that they understood I was going to take care of him. We weren’t trying a case here. And I was really proud of that story and the way it turned out. And that I was given the ability to do that story where the producer was just really open minded about giving us something else.

I feel like with some of these pregame shows, you give them the same diet of the same stuff every year. Every year we’re going to do the same story on this guy, or that guy. Find something else, you know? It’s like, “Well the audience may not want to see that.” Give them an opportunity to decide. So that was one of those stories when people ask me that, that pops into my head immediately.

I also sat down with Leon Lett one time after the infamous snow bowl and all of that. It’s like Scott Norwood. You know, whenever they talk about a Thanksgiving game, they’re going to talk about Leon Lett and his gaffe. But he’s such a gentle giant, he’s just a quiet guy and something just came over him.

But I had to convince the Cowboys to — because he didn’t do any kind of media stuff. But I thought it was another way to show the audience that this a guy who was vilified, who doesn’t do media. We had to stop almost every three minutes so he could towel off, because he was just so nervous. I thought he was interesting and I sold it to the producer, and it worked out. We have so much access to players in our production meetings, and a lot of things we talk to them about don’t get on the air. So you’re building these relationships and you have these little nuggets. I always keep a running list of stories.

Speaking of interviewing players or subjects, what’s an interview you went into with a certain mentality, and you walked out and said, “That was different.”

PO: I wish I could say it was Bill Belichick, but no. That went just as according to what I thought that’d go like. [Laughing] I was setting up this question, and he’s like “I know, I know, I know, I was there.” I was like, “OK!” And I just remember having to collect myself. Just collect yourself, because that threw me off a bit. But I can’t think of anybody who I went into an interview with thinking it was going to be this, and it was that. Maybe in my news days, some political figures. I did a gubernatorial race when I was in Florida, and just talking to — this is where my BS meter really came into play. I think that’s helped me later on because you have to cut through the crap and know if you’re getting an answer.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Who was somebody that was really pleasant? That just left you smiling, a nice person.

PO: I had a wonderful conversation once with Larry Brown. We were just talking, and we got lost. The cameras are rolling, and — I can’t even give you the details, but I came out that going, “Wow!” He even wrote a letter to ESPN talking about how much he enjoyed the interview. I sorta did too, but I was just, you know I felt we had just reached a point where we were just chatting, and we had some really good conversation.

Now at this point in your career, you’re a role model to a lot of people. I mean, even for me growing up ...

PO: Oh my God! Check that out!

There’s some of us out here, believe it or not.

PO: I was on the tram at the airport, and this gentleman says, “My son just wrote a research paper on you.” I just went, “What?!”

A research paper?

PO: A research paper! I was like, “Wow!”

Five pages, MLA format!

PO: [Laughing] So that always blows my mind. But that’s another one of those things — why am I surprised? You’ve grown up with me, and that’s another role I’ve had to grow into. It’s not like a Charles Barkley, “I’m not your role model.” It’s just more like, “I appreciate that,” and, “OK, I hope I can live up to it!”

So for you, who were some of your role models growing up?

PO: Well, of course my parents. You know, I admired the usual suspects I think. I was deep into presidents. I’m not saying Nixon and that sort of group. But in our household there was a picture of Jesus, Martin Luther King, and John F. Kennedy. My grandmother’s house, my aunt’s house, those were the people I grew up admiring. My role models changed as I got older, but that was the trifecta for me initially.

There’s going to be a lot of people that will read this interview, because it’s you, and they want to be like Pam Oliver. For those people, what piece of advice would you give them that you wish up-and-comer Pam Oliver had?

PO: That it’s OK to be who you are. I was emulating people when I first started. I didn’t know what else I was supposed to do. I would deliver a line the way I heard somebody on TV do it.

But there’s no substitute for working your ass off. That’s all you can do, work your ass off, and let the rest of it take care of itself. Whatever ambition you have, whatever goals you have, put those front and center, and never lose sight of them. I still have goals, I still make goals, and I’ve never felt like, “Oh, well, I’m an institution, I’ve arrived.” It’s not coming from an insecure standpoint, but if I did that, where’s the growth going to come from? Why would I just all of a sudden decide I’m just gonna chill, you know? When I’m realizing a dream that I had since I was a little girl, I’m not going to cut corners and just put my feet up with my bunny slippers and let it come to me. I wanna try to go to it.

If you weren’t doing this, what do you think that you would be doing?

PO: I would be a professional interior designer.

Tell me some more about that, because you knew that answer immediately. I need to hear this.

PO: I love to change my paint color. I love just [questions like] am I flea market girl? Or do I like modern or traditional? You know like, this decor here, it’s all over the place. That’s modern, and then you’ve got a touch of industrial, and then you’ve got library brown stuff. This isn’t aesthetically pleasing. But I’m eclectic, I have all sorts of stuff in mind.

Harry Lyles Jr.

So we need to go to management and get you to work. You had all that figured out!

PO: Oh none of this. It’s dodgy! But then you’ve got that industrial there, and you’re kind of like, “OK.” And then whatever the fuck the gas lights are. I mean, right? What’s that about? But that’s what I’d be doing.

Wow. I just walked up in here and was like “cool.”

PO: It’s definitely nice, don’t get me wrong! It probably looks better at night when it’s dim.

I could see that.

PO: Ooh, don’t get me started on the pictures on the wall!

Go ahead, get started.

PO: Spike Lee would be up in arms. “Why ain’t no black people up on the wall!?”

Oh yes! From my favorite movie! [Do The Right Thing]

PO: Yes!

Yes!

PO: [High five] “Why ain’t no black people up on the wall!?”

Rest in peace Radio Raheem. So I’ve got one more question for you. Just one. You’re usually on the other side of this thing, right? You’re interviewing people. How did I do?

PO: You did great. You’re in command, that’s my number one thing. You referred a couple of times, but you didn’t — while I’m talking you didn’t look down at your next thing. I tell kids that all the time. Part of this skill set that you need to develop is listening, so I thought you did a really nice job.

I’m putting that at the end of the interview so I can say Pam Oliver said I did a nice job.

PO: [Laughing] You’re in control, it was a pleasure!