Here's what veteran producer Steve Scheer (28 years at CBS, 9 Emmy Awards, 26 Final Fours and counting) does to prepare for the job at hand:

"Each producer has his own style - I over prepare - you just never know.  I try to work at least 3 weeks out - especially if the game involves a coach that I have a relationship with.  If so, I try to contact the coach directly to see if we can have some special access.  Watch Memphis-Marshall on January 26th and you will see what I mean.  

Thanks to television I can prepare by watching a variety of games over the three weeks prior to the game - I always try to watch at least three games of each team - sometimes that is unrealistic.

Let's say the game is Saturday - here is my work week:

MONDAY:  CALL TALENT / CALL AP AND BA / GO OVER GRAPHICS AND TAPE PACKAGES / CALL BOTH SCHOOLS / HOME TEAM REQUEST LIST GOES OUT / FORMAT A PRELIMINARY SHOW OPENING ( WHICH IS CHANGEABLE RIGHT UP TO AIR )/ CALL TECH MANAGER / CALL PRODUCTION MANAGER / START PUTTING TOGETHER FORMAT OF ENTIRE SHOW / ARRANGE ANY "GUEST" SPOTS - SUCH AS HAVING TOM IZZO COME ON TO TALK ABOUT HIS ASSISTANT JIM BOYLEN DURING A UTAH TELECAST / CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE HONCHOS

TUESDAY:  CHECK WITH BOTH SCHOOLS AGAIN / SECURE GAME TIMINGS / CHECK WITH TALENT / START READING CLIPPINGS / START READING LATEST RELEASE / POSSIBLE WATCH GAME TAPES / REVISIT FORMAT / CHANGES TO GRAPHICS AND TAPES 

WEDNESDAY:  WATCH MORE TAPE /FINISH CLIPPINGS / FINISH RELEASE / CHECK WITH ANALYST ONLY / CHECK ON EDIT-HOWS IT GOING / FIND TIME TO PLAY WITH KIDS

THURSDAY:  EARLY MORNING TRAVEL / FINISH READING ON PLANE / GO TO ARENA AND DO WALK THRU WITH TECH MANAGER AND SCHOOL REP - CHECK ALL CAMERA LOCATIONS, VISIT LOCKER ROOMS JUST IN CASE WE PLAN ON DOING ANYTHING INSIDE, CHECK POSITIONS ON FLOOR FOR STATS PEOPLE-TIMEOUT COORD-STAGE MANAGER-CHECK TALENT TABLE - CHECK FOR OFFICIALS ROOM - ATTEND HOME TEAM PRACTICE - DINNER WITH COACH

FRIDAY:  SCREEN ALL GRAPHICS AND TAPES ON COMPUTER / ATTEND PRACTICES FOR BOTH TEAMS / SETUP TRUCK IF IT IS THER DAY BEFORE / LABEL ALL MONITORS / TALK TO AUDIO FOR REQUIREMENTS AT PRODUCER POSITION / DO MONITOR WALL / CONFIRM TAPE ASSIGNMENTS / PRODUCTION MEETING BETWEEN PRACTICES / TRY TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP ( NEVER HAPPENS - BUTTERFLIES )

SATURDAY:  IF THE TRUCK PARKS IN THE MORNING, DO ALL THE SETUP I WOULD HAVE DONE ON FRIDAY / ATTEND TEAM SHOOTAROUNDS / CHECK ALL COMMUNICATION / CHECK ALL GRAPHIC NUMBERS AND TAPE CUES / CHECK ALL ELEMENTS ON THE TD REEL / CHECK ALL SALES ITEMS / CHECK ALL RINGDOWNS / MEET WITH GAME OFFCIALS / REHEARSE OPEN / REHEARSE CLOSE / REHEARSE ALL PROMOS / TAPE OPEN OR GO LIVE / BROADCAST THE GAME / WEAVE NOT ONLY GAME STORIES BU T GLOBAL ELEMENTS AS WELL / GAME ENDS - RECORD INTERVIEWS FOR STUDIO OR INTERNET - THEN DO INTERNET REPORT - RUSH TO AIRPORT - CALL WIFE AND KIDS AT HOME

As mentioned, every producer has his own unique style - some don’t believe in watching a lot of tape - some don’t put together their own tape and graphics lists - relying on the AP and BA - but for me, there is always a saying that sticks out "This isn’t brain surgery" - well, to me it is - it is my profession - my career - I take great pride in every event in which I am in the chair - the passion and love of the sport needs to be there."