Norman Chad
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Norman Chad is a Los Angeles-based sportswriter and syndicated columnist who is frequently seen on the sports channel ESPN. Alongside sportscaster Lon McEachern, Chad is perhaps the best-known commentator on the World Series of Poker for ESPN. He also is an occasional guest host on the ESPN show Pardon the Interruption and has appeared as both host and movie critic on the ESPN Classic series Reel Classics.
He writes a weekly sports-based column called Couch Slouch. Each column closes with the feature "Ask the Slouch"; if a reader's question is selected, the reader wins $1.25 in cash. "Pay the man, Shirley," is frequently cited as a response to readers who have fulfilled the comedy quotient for their particular question.
His biggest shtick in both his sportswriting profession and poker commentary is his frequent references to his 'failed marriages'. He is also noted for his strong dislike of what he terms "showboating in poker", especially by people such as Phil Hellmuth, Josh Arieh, Mike Matusow, and many others. He regularly makes numerous (presumably unpaid) references to his preference for Rolling Rock beer. Also, when a poker player stands to be eliminated from a tournament, Chad often states that said player needs a certain card or he/she is "whamboozled."
Since 2003, Chad has appeared on most of ESPN's poker broadcasts, including the World Series of Poker and The United States Poker Championship, among other events.
For 11 years, Chad made NFL predictions against the spread in his syndicated column; Chad now claims that he picked the winners merely by flipping a coin, and most years ended up with a winning record.
In addition to his work on ESPN and on his Couch Slouch column, Chad wrote a book, published in 1993 by the Atlantic Monthly Press, called Hold On, Honey, I'll Take You to the Hospital at Halftime (Confessions of a TV Sports Junkie). The book is a compilation of Chad's thoughts on ESPN as a sports network, as well as criticism of different sports programs, including Monday Night Football. The book is currently out of print.
Publishers Weekly said, "Chad is a hilariously funny TV sports critic whose philosophy is that if something is worth doing, it's worth doing to excess."
Chad is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to attending the University of Maryland, he attended Northwood High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, graduating in 1976.
