NBC Sports just delivered the TV equivalent of a nuclear strike on ESPN by stealing away respected play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico.
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The master stroke simultaneously strengthens NBC — and greatly weakens its rivals in Bristol.
Tirico is the most talented, versatile play-by-play talent at ESPN. That's why he gets the biggest assignments from "Monday Night Football" and the Masters to the NBA and College Football/Basketball. Although it seems like Tirico’s been on the air forever (he joined ESPN in 1991), he’s only 49 years old.