KOMO takes on KIRO in fierce Row-Down
SEATTLE -- They rowed, rowed and rowed their boat, but there was nothing gentle about it.
It was a cut-throat throwdown on water. Members of the KOMO News team faced off against their rivals at KIRO in what was aptly-named Media Row-Down.
It all began last month when KOMO Sports Director Mike Ferreri, a former member of the University of Iowa's crew team, was invited to face off against KIRO's Jenni Hogan, who rowed for University of Washington. Of course, he valiantly accepted the challenge.
Both Mike and Jenni were asked to scout three other participants from their respective stations. Each team would be paired up with four UW rowers in an eight-man boat and compete against each other in a 500-meter race on the Montlake Cut.
Joining Mike on the KOMO team were anchors Dan Lewis and Mary Nam, as well as KOMO director James Owen.
And when the big day arrived, they came ready to race, fair and square, a box of Top Pot donuts in hand for fuel. But KIRO's team leader pulled a fast one before the teams even got on the water. (Cue: dramabutton.com)
The KIRO team showed up with not four, but THREE rowers.
Not sure whether the fourth KIRO rower would arrive, each team began scouting the four Huskies they were allotted. Each team was assigned a coxswain to keep the rowers straight and motivated.
And that's when KIRO's fourth team member suddenly and suspiciously arrived, all 6 feet 5 inches of him.
A KIRO employee he was not! The late addition was UW varsity men's rower C.J. Miller - a towering "Amazon man," according to one KOMO News employee.
"He's, uh, he's my intern at KIRO," Jenni said. Likely story.
It wasn't exactly a legal move on KIRO's part, but the KOMO team decided to let it slide.
Once in the water, Mary and Dan quickly learned about that nasty phenomenon they call "catching a crab." It happens when the oar gets stuck in the water and the boat keeps going, causing the oar to whip back and knock the rower back.
But the KOMO team would not be discouraged by something like a bad crab. Learning on the spot, they rowed ahead, making way in the neck-and-neck race.
At the finish line, alas, KOMO's boat came in two seconds behind KIRO's -- two seconds!!
"We lost, but we played fair," said Mike, adding he is looking forward to a rematch next year.
It was a cut-throat throwdown on water. Members of the KOMO News team faced off against their rivals at KIRO in what was aptly-named Media Row-Down.
It all began last month when KOMO Sports Director Mike Ferreri, a former member of the University of Iowa's crew team, was invited to face off against KIRO's Jenni Hogan, who rowed for University of Washington. Of course, he valiantly accepted the challenge.
Both Mike and Jenni were asked to scout three other participants from their respective stations. Each team would be paired up with four UW rowers in an eight-man boat and compete against each other in a 500-meter race on the Montlake Cut.
Joining Mike on the KOMO team were anchors Dan Lewis and Mary Nam, as well as KOMO director James Owen.
And when the big day arrived, they came ready to race, fair and square, a box of Top Pot donuts in hand for fuel. But KIRO's team leader pulled a fast one before the teams even got on the water. (Cue: dramabutton.com)
The KIRO team showed up with not four, but THREE rowers.
Not sure whether the fourth KIRO rower would arrive, each team began scouting the four Huskies they were allotted. Each team was assigned a coxswain to keep the rowers straight and motivated.
 See? |
A KIRO employee he was not! The late addition was UW varsity men's rower C.J. Miller - a towering "Amazon man," according to one KOMO News employee.
"He's, uh, he's my intern at KIRO," Jenni said. Likely story.
It wasn't exactly a legal move on KIRO's part, but the KOMO team decided to let it slide.
Once in the water, Mary and Dan quickly learned about that nasty phenomenon they call "catching a crab." It happens when the oar gets stuck in the water and the boat keeps going, causing the oar to whip back and knock the rower back.
But the KOMO team would not be discouraged by something like a bad crab. Learning on the spot, they rowed ahead, making way in the neck-and-neck race.
At the finish line, alas, KOMO's boat came in two seconds behind KIRO's -- two seconds!!
"We lost, but we played fair," said Mike, adding he is looking forward to a rematch next year.
