back to articles & newsCoach's Show Features Football,
Food and Entertainment.
By: Ted Mosser
The Bethesda Almanac
The weather outside was frightful. But if you happened to step into bd's mongolian barbeque on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda last Saturday evening around 7pm, you found that the food, football discussion and even musical entertainment was, presumably for most of the people who were there, quite delightful.
Channel 7 and bd's mongolian barbeque decided to team up and have a special event at the restaurant on Saturday, Jan. 2. with the Coach's Show, the last one for this featuring host Rene Knott, and Redskins' coach Norv Turner, along with the restaurant's unique and exotic food. Also, to mark the occasion, "Norvana," a rock band formed especially by Channel 7's Alex Parler, who doubled as the group's drummer, played intermittently during the show.
Entertainment and Food Abound
Along with Rene and Norv, Redskins' defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and well-known sports commentator Kevin Kiley added their observation and wit. Many of Channel 7's finest technicians were also on hand with all the equipment essential to televise a remote.
Occasional breaks in the on-air discussions not only allowed the band to play, but also gave Knott and Turner an excuse to wander over to where the food was being prepared on a large open grill in the middle of the restaurant. Knott had a cordless mike with him and appeared to be asking Turner and others about the food, which was being cooked by four enthusiastic young men armed with long chopsticks, continually tuning and re-turning what was on the grill. This is the standard preparation according to the restaurant's manager, Allen Hayden.
Show Draws Crowd
People came in off the streets to stay for a while and dine, others more briefly, to soak up the atmosphere and watch the Coach's Show and dig that crazy band, "Norvana."
Mike Kairns, one of Channel 7's sportscasters, mentioned that this final Coach's Show of the season also completed Turner's five-year contract with the station. This may or may not suggest that The Redskins will ever achieve "Norvana."
back to articles & news