Q&A with Andrés Cantor

Telemundo is airing 15 NBA games in the U.S. this season, and the world's most famous and most entertaining soccer announcer ("Goooooooal! Goal-goal-goal-goal!") is hosting the network's first-ever NBA studio show.

Andrés Cantor. Courtesy of Telemundo Network

SI: This is going to be a combination of fun and serious questions.

Cantor: Well, then I'll try to answer the fun questions in a very serious way.

SI: What it would mean to a Hispanic audience if someone like Pau Gasol or Raul Lopez became one of the top players in the NBA?

Cantor: Hispanics have embraced the NBA as the global community has embraced the NBA. I'm pretty sure everyone would be very flattered if a Hispanic player was the MVP of the league. I remember the furor over Fernando Valenzuela from my days in L.A., him being the star of Los Angeles and major league baseball. Every time there is a Hispanic who is outstanding in a team sport, Hispanics take a great deal of pride in that.

SI: You do a SportsCenter-type show (Titulares Telemundo) on Telemundo on Saturday and Sunday nights at 11 p.m. Ever use any catch phrases like "boo-yah" or "en fuego?"

Cantor: No. We usually try to put as much emotion, with the short time that we have, into commenting on the highlights. Sometimes we come up with a phrase here or there, but I can't remember one.

SI: What's the best soccer goal you've ever seen live?

Cantor: Fortunately, I was present at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City in 1986 for what I think is the best goal in history. I was working as a print journalist at the time and did not have the chance to call the play-by-play on radio or television. It was Diego Maradona's second goal against England in the World Cup quarterfinal match. I remember tears rolling down my eyes as I watched a piece of history being made. It is the most incredible goal of alltime.

SI: Your production company, Futbol de Primera, was awarded the exclusive U.S. and Spanish language radio broadcast rights for the next two World Cups -- Korea/Japan in 2002 and Germany in 2006. Is it tough calling soccer on the radio?

Cantor: It really is quite a challenge. The first time I did radio for the World Cup was this year. I had to give it a whole different spin and speed. I had to be the eyes of the people who perhaps were not watching. I had to be much more descriptive than I usually am on television and I had to double the speed pretty much. I grew up listening to soccer games being called on the radio and the announcers had double or triple the speed of the television announcers. I tried to give the broadcast more speed and tempo. It was a great change of pace for me and I loved it

SI: Who is your favorite announcer?

Cantor: When I moved from Argentina to L.A., Chick Hearn caught my attention because he was the closest to the radio broadcasters I had grown up listening to. He had pace and wit and he was gifted with the use of words. He came up with five phrases per season.

SI: You became a U.S. citizen in 1991. How did you do on the citizenship test?

Cantor: I think I had to take it five times.

SI: Really?

Cantor: No, I passed it on the first try, but I don't remember how many questions I missed.

SI: You were on Letterman a couple of times. Is he a fan of soccer?

Cantor: I'm not sure. He really was impressed by my work, especially in 1994. He called me twice that year. In 1998, when I was with Univision, I did a live feed from Paris via satellite. Dave asked me to be on his show from Miami one other time. I'm not sure if he's a fan of soccer, but he certainly talked very well about my style of work.

SI: Have you found that your games on Sunday are drawing many non-Hispanic viewers?

Cantor: I believe so, yes. Anyone who is a fan of basketball should be watching us on Telemundo. The games we've had so far have been really good, real tight until the end.

SI: We know it's early, but if you had to give us your pick for the 2006 World Cup, who gets the nod?

Cantor: The World Cup is always decided by the same powerhouses. The Brazil's, the Argentina's. Germany will be a contender playing at home. But it's very early. Those three are eternal contenders.

SI: Though you've only done the NBA studio show for a short time, is there one player whose highlights you love to call?

Cantor: I've enjoyed the way the Dallas Mavericks are playing, everyone from [Steve] Nash to [Dirk] Nowitzki. But I have this thing about the biggest stars of each sport and I think Michael Jordan is supernatural. Every time I see him play it's a thrill to call a highlight of his.

SI: What about NBA play-by-play in the future?

Cantor: Right now I have my hands full. Down the road, who knows? It's a fast-paced game and perhaps in a couple of years I'll give it a crack.

SI: You graduated from the University of Southern California?

Cantor: I finished my journalism curriculum classes, yes.

SI: As a former Trojan, should Carson Palmer win the Heisman Trophy?

Cantor: Who is he?

SI: He's the quarterback of the football team.

Cantor: Really? No clue.

--Richard Deitsch

Issue date: Dec. 16, 2002

 

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