Freddie Coleman and Harry Douglas Freddie Coleman (left) and Harry Douglas (Photo by Allen Kee/ESPN Images)
By Michael Grant on

Freddie Coleman and Harry Douglas have worked together for almost two years on ESPN Radio. This Saturday, they will be trying something new.

The hosts of the Freddie & Harry show will be part of ESPN’s broadcast of the UFL game between the Houston Roughnecks (4-5) and the Michigan Panthers (6-3) at 3 p.m. ET. Both will serve as sideline reporters, with Coleman embedded with the Houston team and Douglas with the Michigan team. They hope to bring their unique chemistry and energy to the final weekend of the regular season.

For Douglas, this is nothing new, having worked at UFL games before. However, Coleman hasn’t been a football sideline reporter since 2004. Still, when he found out on Tuesday that ESPN wanted Coleman and Douglas at Ford Field, he didn’t hesitate.

Well, mostly.

“The first thing was anxiety,” Coleman told Awful Announcing. “I’m thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, I hope I don’t screw this up.’ And then once I got that anxiety out of the way, I said, ‘Yeah, it’s not like something I haven’t done before. I know football, and I watch UFL football, so I know the teams and the atmosphere pretty well.

“So once I got over that, then the excitement kicked in to say, ‘Yeah, this is going to be pretty cool.’ Having a chance to work with Harry Douglas in a football setting like this, because we talked about if we could get a chance to a football game together, either on ESPN Radio or ESPN, we think that’d be cool for both of us and our show.”

Because Douglas has spent more time recently covering the UFL in person, Coleman said he would be leaning on his younger partner to get up to speed. The two come from slightly different backgrounds. Coleman is a longtime radio veteran, while Douglas was a star wide receiver at the University of Louisville and later played 10 seasons in the NFL, mainly with the Atlanta Falcons.

Coleman said he knew Douglas would be a broadcasting star even before the two paired up for their show. Now, they will bring their enthusiasm to the UFL.

“We’re so excited about it just because we work with each other every single day,” Douglas said. “We feed off one another very, very well. Freddie’s a seasoned veteran. He’s been at the company, ESPN, for 20 years. I’ve learned so much from him. He’s learned from me. We learn from each other. But I think the biggest thing while we work so much, No.1, we love each other. That’s a key component to it all. We love each other. We have mutual respect for one another as well.”

Houston vs. Michigan is a rematch of a game from two weeks ago. The Panthers won 30-18 in Texas on May 17. Michigan has clinched a postseason berth, and while Houston has been eliminated, there is still plenty at stake as players try to catch the attention of NFL teams.

Douglas said he has been impressed by Michigan receiver Siaosi Mariner, who leads the league in receiving yards (527) on 31 catches.

“When you look at Siaosi Mariner, it’s the ability to win one-on-one, make contested catches, be strong catching the football, run routes, and the whole nine, he does a good job,” Douglas said. “He put over 100 yards last week versus Birmingham and had a touchdown.”

The access sideline reporters get in the UFL viewers typically see. They are also encouraged to have fun, interacting with the coaches and players, and even FaceTiming with athletes’ families. 

Will this be the start of a regular gig for Coleman and Douglas?

“Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to do it in the near future because you have so many people that want to be involved in football, college, or pro when it comes to ESPN Radio or also ESPN television,” Coleman said. “But what we’ve been able to create on the radio side has led to this happening for us. If we didn’t have that kind of chemistry on the radio side, I don’t think they would have given us a chance to do this this Saturday.”

About Michael Grant

Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.

View all posts by Michael Grant