Football: Portrait of CBS Sports media announcer and reporter on The NFL Today show Jimmy The Greek Snyder at CBS Studios. New York, NY 6/22/1980 CREDIT: Lane Stewart (Photo by Lane Stewart /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X24637 TK1 )
DOG ASIDE:
James George Snyder Sr. (born Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos, September 9, 1918 – April 21, 1996), better known as Jimmy the Greek, was an American sports commentator and Las Vegas bookmaker. The sports line eventually led to a 12-year stint on the CBS Sunday morning show, The NFL Today, a pregame show for National Football League (NFL) games. Known simply as “Jimmy the Greek”…. he would appear in segments with sportscaster Brent Musburger and predict the results of that week’s NFL games….as seen in this video herewith….and while already famous in gambling circles…..his rough charm made him into a notable celebrity….however, he had fairly contentious relationship with Musburger….whom he once punched in the face at a bar when the show anchor insulted his intelligence….along with Phyllis George ….whom he once brought to tears before a show by making a comment about her husband….which lead to Jimmy the Greek taping his segments with Musburger in advance….so that he and George were not on the set at the same time….but the core group was able to overcome themselves and continue CBS’ massive Sunday ratings success for several years after these incidents.
