10 Questions about Sports Night | Television

Answer: Continental Sports Channel

"Sports Night" was a one hour sports news program originating from Rockefeller Center. The show found itself consistently third in the ratings, trailing the sports news offerings of both ESPN and Fox.

Answer: Aaron Sorkin

"Sports Night" was the first television series for Aaron Sorkin, who went on to create "The West Wing", "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip", and "The Newsroom." "Sports Night" featured the rapid fire dialogue and characters having conversations while walking from one location to another, stylistic elements that would be familiar to fans of Sorkin's later series.

Answer: Casey McCall and Dan Rydell

Although said to be inspired by the the ESPN SportsCenter team of Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick, "Sports Night" was anchored by Casey McCall and Dan Rydell. Casey McCall is played by Peter Krause and Dan Rydell is portrayed by Josh Charles.

Answer: Felicity Huffman

Felicity Huffman was terrific in her portrayal of Dana Whitaker. The consummate professional at work, Whitaker found every other aspect of her life in disarray.

Answer: Robert Guillaume

Robert Guillaume suffered a stroke, which was written into the show as a stroke suffered by his character, managing editor Isaac Jaffe. Besides "Sports Night", Guillaume is known for his work on "Soap", "Benson", and "The Lion King."

Answer: Dead Poets Society

From "Sports Night:" "And in that moment, Dan was reminded once again, why he wanted to write in the first place. It's for the same reason anybody does anything--to impress women." In "Dead Poets Society," John Keating, played by the incomparable Robin Williams tells us that language was developed for only one reason, "to woo women!"

Answer: The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee

Continental Corp's owner Luther Sachs, a Tennessee Western alumnus requested that "Sports Night" do a piece about Southern tradition and heritage as represented by the Confederate flag. Instead, Isaac Jaffe delivered an editorial calling for an end to the Confederate flag tradition and for his boss, Luther Sachs, to use his influence to have the student/athletes reinstated. By doing so, he incurred the anger of Sachs and put his own job at risk.

Answer: His younger brother was killed in a car crash on that day

In a magazine interview, Dan stated that he supports the legalization of marijuana, but that he himself hasn't used any drugs in exactly 11 years. When the network demanded that he apologize on air for his support for the legalization of marijuana, he instead apologized to his brother Sam, who died in a car wreck exactly 11 years earlier. Sam idolized his older brother Dan and emulated him, including his use of marijuana. Sam's death had a sobering effect on Dan, making him change his ways.

Answer: William H. Macy

The staff heard a rumor that the network was bringing in a ratings consultant to change the show and boost ratings, an idea to which they are resistant. Imagine their surprise when they find out that not only was the rumor true, but that Isaac is responsible for the consultant's presence.

The consultant was played by William H. Macy. Macy and Felicity Huffman were married on September 6, 1997.

Answer: Where are we going?

With rumors flying that the Continental Sports Channel was for sale, everyone found themselves preparing for life after "Sports Night." Dana learned that a mysterious stranger she met at a bar heads a company, Quo Vadimus, that has placed the winning bid for the Continental Sports Channel and planned to keep the show on the air.