Up Close with the Pittsburgh Sports Report
ESPN's Erin Andrews

Erin Andrews joined ESPN in May 2004 and currently works as a sideline reporter for college football, college basketball and Major League Baseball. Prior to joining ESPN, Andrews-voted "America's Sexiest Sportscaster" by Playboy Magazine-worked as a studio host for Tuner Sports. Born in New England, Andrews graduated from the University of Florida, where she was a member of the Gator basketball dance team from 1997-00. PSR Editor Tony DeFazio caught up with Andrews last month.

TD: What's the most challenging aspect of being sideline reporter? Does it very from sport to sport?

Erin: Absolutely it does. First of all, college football I find to be very difficult because when you think about how big the football field is, and you've got one person down on the sideline and just one set of eyes… I mean, I can be over looking at what the offensive coaches are saying on one side of the field and completely miss breaking news, or a coordinator ripping the defense on the other side. Plus, you have to notice what's happening on the field while you are gathering your information on the sideline. People just don't realize that you really do only have one set of eyes.

I give the guys in the booth such a hard time because there are typically three announcers up there and they all have spotters. It's just me down there on the football field, so that's one thing that is really, really difficult.

The biggest thing for a sideline reporter is that you can prepare so much-get so much background and attend so many practices-but if something happens on the field or on the court that you didn't see coming, all of sudden that's the focus of what you're doing for the next two or three hours.

What I had to go through these last couple of days was very difficult as a sideline reporter. I was caught in the eye of the storm with the Kelvin Sampson stuff (Indiana basketball coach Kelvin Sampson was being investigated for recruiting violations and ultimately lost his job). I work Big 10 during the week and I've become very close with those coaches, players and programs because we're around them so much. They learn to trust you and you trust them. Friday we go in and do our stuff, and Kelvin allows me to go in and talk to the players - I was the first one to talk to the players about what was going on with the NCAA allegations. And then I turn around on Saturday during the game and I've got to ask him those tough questions. So you build these relationships because you have good friendships, but when it's time to get down to the nitty gritty, you've got to bone up and do it. And it's very exhausting and it takes a lot out of you.

The good thing is, the coaches know, and the players know, that I've got a job to do. So I've got to set that aside, and it is my job to ask the tough questions. So I was giving Brent Musburger and Steve Lavin a hard time - they got to do the Purdue-Indiana match-up; I didn't get to do it. I've got to worry about what the AD is saying, what the President was saying, can I get an interview with the old President… I don't even know what happened in that game, I was just so ticked off. So that's another hard part.

TD: So after working a tough situation like that, is it refreshing to be able inject a little fun and ask Rick Pitino about his suit?

EA: Yeah! That was a game (Georgetown at Louisville) where the atmosphere was one of the top 10 atmospheres I've been involved with in any sport. The crowd is going bananas, everybody's into it, Rick is in this Godfather white suit looking like the man. It turned out to be a great atmosphere and yeah, after the game he's having some fun with me. So that was a night I walked away saying, "I love my job. This is so fun." Whereas after the Indiana stuff, I walked away with my head in my hands, saying, "This sucks."

TD: You get a lot of attention when you are on campuses across the country - is that a fun part of the job or does it make your job more difficult?

EA: It's flattering. On college campuses, you're right, but I'm getting ready for Major League Baseball in a few weeks, and no one gives a crap who I am in a Major League Baseball park. But yeah, it's really nice and it's very flattering, but who the heck am I? I never played, I didn't coach, I never won a championship. I'm just there spitting out information and telling my observations on national television, so it's very nice and flattering.

But I think I'm very humble about the whole thing because I think there's only a small period of time for a sideline reporter to have this kind of fame or admiration. I know the next best young thing is going to be walking through the door to take my job at some point, so I definitely am enjoying it, but at the same time staying level-headed about it.

TD: Any Suzy Kolber-Joe Namath moments from the sidelines?

EA: Hmm… I never went through anything like Suzy had to go through, and that was very unfortunate, but it was also a great lesson on how to handle it. She handled that like a champ. If anything, that kind of taught me to make sure the person is sober, or with it, before you do a sideline interview. Because there have been situations where I've walked up to somebody to do an interview, got their breath in my face and said to my producer, "I'm not doing this."

You don't want to put yourself in that situation, and Suzy's incident was a good lesson on how to handle those things in the future.

TD: Ever get injured on the job?

EA: I've fallen down a couple of times. Doing Major League Baseball, you're walking in and out of the stands a lot, or into the dugout to grab a player, so little things can happen. During Barry Bonds' chase of the home run record, I followed him for a week and a half, and we were running after him trying to get an interview, and I was following a guy with three cameras hanging around his neck, and one of the lenses just slammed into my thigh. At the time, I was like, "Oh my God that hurt!" Well the next day, I had this huge blood-clot type thing on my leg, and I was like, "Wow this looks bad!" Not to mention it could have been dangerous since I was sitting on a plane for hours.

Oh! Here's one - you'll probably love this. I was doing Louisville's last home game last year and it was absolutely freezing. They had those heaters on the sideline, and one of my feet was just frozen. So I was talking to a player, and I tried to casually stick my foot by the heater… and I actually caught my pant leg on fire. It was that classic cartoon thing, where I literally was talking to the player thinking, "My leg is hot."

So I look down at my snow pants, which have that thermal lining to keep your legs warm-I don't joke around about my thermal underwear, by the way-and literally my pant leg was on fire. All the trainers started patting it down and my pant leg had actually melted. So we went to break and when we came back I showed Flutie and James and everyone started laughing. These jerks are up there in the booth where it's nice and warm!

TD: Is the line between sports and entertainment becoming blurred, or are the two still separate?

EA: I think there are times that it is still separate and there are times when it is one and the same. I mean, let's be honest, we are entertainment. We're a release from all the hard news that goes on day in and day out. It is entertainment. We're not brain surgeons, we're not solving anything or creating world peace.

I think there are times when sports is hard news. We have a guy who is accused of five NCAA violations and is facing allegations and questions, will he coach his team in the postseason. We had a pitcher who won the World Series last year after he head beaten cancer. I think those are what makes sports news - it's not entertainment anymore, it's real life. It is news.

But there are times when we're talking about Terrell Owens and popcorn, and those kids of things, and it does become very much about entertainment. But there are still times when the two remain separate.

TD: Have you faced any special challenges related to working in what was at one time a male dominated industry?

EA: It's still predominantly male, but I don't think it's weird to see a female on the sidelines anymore. I notice when there isn't one because you're so used to seeing a female with a crew. It's absolutely changing. It has to change.

I think at the beginning everybody has faced those challenged, but keep in mind Lesley Visser, Linda Cohn, Pam Oliver - those women started way before me, so they broke down a lot of barriers, doors, stereotypes and prejudice thoughts that people had about women. But those are going to be there regardless.

This is my fourth year with ESPN, and people see that I can be well-rounded-I can do college football, basketball, baseball, hockey-and while they may have this perception about the way I look, they also should be able to see that I work my butt off. And I can talk about what's going on at USC with Pete Carroll and Reggie Bush, or what's going on with Memphis and Tennessee basketball.

So I think I always have it in my head that I'm going to ask the questions. Even if it's something that I may be a little insecure about because I've never played or coached a sport, but the thing that always drives me, and makes me continue to work my butt off, is that someone is always going to second-guess me, so I think that's what motivates me to go to an extra practice, to study a little bit more. And if my male broadcasters aren't asking a coach the tough question, then I'll step up and ask it. Because I need to know - if I don't, someone will be the first to point it out on the Internet that I don't know.

TD: Has the Internet and sports blogs had a big effect on what you do on a day-to-day basis?

EA: Well…yeah. It has a big effect on how you act in public. I had a cold two weeks ago, and I was blowing my nose left and right. But you don't blow your nose anymore in public. You walk out of the arena, into the concourse and you do it behind a wall. Because otherwise photos are going to be on the Internet and there's Erin Andrews, picking her nose.

It's gotten crazy with me recently as far as photos. Every day someone is emailing me, asking if I've seen this or that, but it's more common with the college sports. Major league sports nobody cares - they are taking pictures of the players, no one's taking pictures of me. But the kids are just so into, "What is she doing, what is she doing?"

So the Internet has really changed the way you can act in public. A lot of times when we're on the road as a crew, we'll request a private room when we go out to dinner because you just have to be smart about things.

TD: Does the sex appeal factor make your job easier or more difficult?

EA: I don't look at myself that way, so it's one of those things… I don't know. When I'm not on television and I'm not all dolled up, I'm in a sweat shirt and jeans. So I don't really see that aspect.

Look, anytime you have a female, there's going to be some of that. It opened up the door, but I think we've seen with other females in the past, even though it can open the door, it can shut it pretty darn quick anyway.

While it did give me a lot of opportunities, and it still allows me to have a lot of opportunities, it also sets up some areas where people are waiting for you to fail. So you have to be on top of everything and prepared. You've got to know your stuff, and if you don't, be prepared to hear the backlash.

At Work

Q: Who do admire in the industry?

A: Michelle Tafoya is someone that, although I don't even really know her, has always been somebody that I've always admired. She's just flawless on camera, she never really messes up and she always seems to have such a good time.

Q: Is there an interview you've always wanted to do but never have?

A: Brett Favre

Q: Best game you've seen live?

A: The most memorable was when I got to do Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno in the Orange Bowl, when Florida State and Penn State met in 2006.

At Home

Q: What's the one TV show you can't miss?

A: Grey's Anatomy

Q: What's the most recent music is on your iPod?

A: I just downloaded some 50 Cent because I sat next to him on a plane yesterday.

Q: Are you a dog or cat person?

A: I grew up with them, but I can't have any pets. I can't even have a living plant because I'm on the road so much. But I'm definitely a dog person. My parents had golden retrievers.

For Men Only

Q: Letterman or Leno?

A: Letterman

Q: Glass of wine or a bottle of beer?

A: How about a vodka tonic?

Q: Ideal guy - more like Matthew McConaughey or Will Ferrell?

A: (Pauses) Tony Romo or Tom Brady?

For Women Only

Q: Favorite Nail Polish color?

A: "Lincoln Park After Dark"

Q: Silver or gold jewelry?

A: Gold

Q: Handbags or shoes?

A: Shoes