ESPN2 was on this morning with Mike & Mike providing some background as I prepared for the day. The guys turned it over to SportsCenter for a news update and it stopped me cold. A graphic with Robin Roberts' picture. I thought the worst. The news was terrible. Robin announced this morning that she has breast cancer.
The first person written report on GMA's web site noted that she caught it at a very early stage, thank God.
Robin is the best. Period.
I am lucky enough to know her, mainly through the relationship that my sister-in-law enjoyed as Robin's producer for GMA. Some high pressure times, but great days that will always bring a smile to my face when I think of the 2000 Olympics.
Robin was assigned to do reports for GMA at the Sydney Olympics and had to deal with the fact that NBC was the rights holder for the event. That made the assignment pretty difficult to carry out for the GMA production team. No access, no stories.
However, as a part of the USA Basketball PR team, we always found a way - totally within the IOC and Olympic rules, to help out the non-rights holders. We lived for it, quite frankly, Help the 'little guy' as much as the main guy. And, ABC, ESPN and GMA fell into that category in Sydney.
Plus, Robin was so great. So professional. And, she is such a part of the USA Basketball women's team success story.
So, to the news of the day. I urge anyone who reads this to figure out a way to support Robin and the battle she will put forth. The fight she WILL win. Robin has the support of the entire sports world behind her, trust me on that. She also will see how strong her impact has been on all of. And, that means every single ESPN, ABC, GMA viewer that has enjoyed her wonderful presentation and professional viewpoint.
In Robin we trust.
Now, it's our turn to return the favor to her and get behind her and the fight against cancer.
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