| Brian Williams | |
|---|---|
Williams (right), with Lloyd Robertson. |
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| Born | 1946 (age 65–66) Winnipeg, Manitoba[1] |
| Occupation | sportscaster |
| Known for | coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics |
Brian Williams, OC (born 1946) is a Canadian sportscaster who is best known for his coverage of the Olympic Games.
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Williams' father was a very successful doctor. His father's profession had Williams constantly relocating to such places as Invermere, British Columbia, New Haven, Connecticut, Edmonton, Alberta, Hamilton, Ontario (where he graduated from Westdale Secondary School),[2] Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Michigan (where he graduated from Aquinas College with a B.A. in history & political science in 1969). After graduating, he spent a year as a teacher at a Grand Rapids school.
Williams was long associated with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's sports coverage since joining the network in 1974, after radio employment at Toronto's CFRB and CHUM.
Williams served as the studio host for the CBC's coverage of the CFL, Formula 1 and horse racing[3] and was the play-by-play announcer for the network's coverage of the Toronto Blue Jays. Along with Terry Leibel and Ron MacLean, he was a regular studio anchor for CBC's Olympic Games coverage. Williams also headed the CTV broadcasting team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and will continue to do so for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Williams also covered the 2002 FIFA World Cup for CBC. Williams has criticized the International Olympic Committee at least once for never properly honouring the Israeli delegates who were slain during the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Williams also worked with Peter Mansbridge during CBC 2000 Today, CBC's coverage of the millennium. He also currently co-hosts Don Cherry's Grapeline, along with Don Cherry.
His unique voice and quirks such as frequently announcing the time, sometimes in several different time zones at once, has made him one of Canada's most distinctive broadcasters. He is a frequent subject of parody on Canadian comedy shows such as Royal Canadian Air Farce.
On June 5, 2006, he announced plans to move in December 2006 to rival CTV, and its sports network TSN. However, on June 8, 2006, the CBC fired Williams, thereby causing him to join CTV/TSN effective immediately as on-site host of TSN's Canadian Football League coverage. (This position should not be confused with the "studio host" position that remains held by Dave Randorf.)[4]
Williams was chosen to head the CTV broadcasting team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.[5]
On February 22, 2010, while providing coverage of the Winter Olympics, Williams did a skit with Brian Williams, the anchor of NBC Nightly News, at CTV's Olympic set.[6][7] Some in the media dubbed this the new "Battle of the Brians," as NBC's Williams compared his own modest set to CTV's expensive Olympic studio.[8]
In 2011, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his contributions to sports broadcasting, notably that of amateur sports, and for his community involvement".[9]
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