Most will remember him for the loud and colorful suits he wore on the air as he interviewed NBA players and coaches.
Others will remember the fierce battle he fought against leukemia, the disease that ultimately took his life today at 65 years old.
For this columnist, however, I’ll simply remember a TV reporter who worked hard to get the job done. Best of all, he was a nice man, working or not.
Many will always think of Sager for his work on TNT’s NBA broadcasts. He was a wonderful sideline reporter who asked the questions most at home wanted to ask if they had the opportunity.
Maybe it’s just the baseball lover in me, but I was always most impressed that Sager was the reporter who interviewed Hank Aaron after he hit his 715th home run to surpass Babe Ruth. There’s Sager in the middle of a history-making moment in pro sports, interviewing Aaron and his mother and father at home plate. It’s classic video.
“Craig Sager was a beloved member of the Turner family for more than three decades and he has been a true inspiration to all of us,” Turner president David Levy said in a statement. “There will never be another Craig Sager. His incredible talent, tireless work ethic and commitment to his raft took him all over the world covering sports.”
So true. The same goes for the outfits he wore. Few will ever be able to rival his closet – although some thought I gave him a run for his money. Hence, I was dubbed on Twitter “The Black Craig Sager.”
I told him about it and we both laughed. Rest In Peace, Mr. Sager.
