Beloved NBC announcer shares behind-the-scenes footage

When it comes to Olympics announcers, Rowdy Gaines is one of the voices we hear every four years that has to go at or near the top of the list. The three-time gold medalist has been calling Olympic swimming for NBC for almost thirty years now, since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and he still has the energy and excitement of someone who is literally watching human beings swim competitively for the first time.

There’s never a doubt that Rowdy’s enthusiasm is authentic. But if you ever wanted to see what his commentary is like behind the scenes as he is describing the action, NBC recorded an entire race with a Rowdy Cam to join in on the fun.

Watch as Gaines calls the 4×100 mixed medley relay that was won by the USA in thrilling fashion as they beat China to the wall by just 12 hundredths of a second. The race was also unique in that men and women in the pool at the same time made for fascinating strategies as the event unfolded.

Gaines is a fantastic analyst not just for his excitement and energy, but also for the amazing knowledge and insights that he is able to provide. He has an intimate knowledge of the sport and everyone in the pool and given that most Olympics fans are showing up to watch swimming every four years, the way he is able to instantly form a connection between the viewers and the races is truly a unique skill.

Rowdy Gaines and broadcast partner Dan Hicks have delighted viewers for years. Their call of the famous 2008 4×100 freestyle relay anchored by Jason Lezak is one of the greats of all time. And hopefully we will have them to treasure for many more Olympics to come.

The post The energy of Rowdy Gaines is everything in this behind-the-scenes Olympics video appeared first on Awful Announcing .