Credit: NBC
By Sam Neumann on

There are two versions of Scott Hanson.

There’s RedZone Scott Hanson and Gold Zone Scott Hanson. And it’s not like the angel and the devil on each shoulder, either. Both versions of Hanson are an absolute joy to watch, as he has a knack for making whip-around shows the most exciting on TV.

But since the broadcast is largely tailored to the United States, Hanson can allow some of his fandom—or patriotism—to shine through. On RedZone, Hanson is a thing of all things football. We know this because he’s trained his bladder not to use the restroom for seven straight hours of commercial-free football, and the moment he comes home, the Sunday Night Football game on NBC goes on the big screen.

The only fandom that Hanson lets shine through on RedZone is his love of football.

But he let patriotism overflow as he pounded the table Monday. And Hanson paid the price. No, he didn’t hear a “No rooting in the press box” over the loudspeaker. Instead, Hanson bloodied his knuckles from pounding the table. He designated himself as “likely to return” and shared a photo of the damage below:

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It was rooting on Team USA Swimming that did Hanson in. He sustained the injury during his enthusiastic reaction to Luke Hobson’s bronze medal in the men’s 200-meter freestyle.

The race was a neck-and-neck thriller, the closest of the games so far.

While David Popovici created history as Romania’s first Olympic gold medalist in swimming, Luke Hobson, a rising senior from the University of Texas, was a hair’s breadth away from victory. The 21-year-old seemed to have a slight edge in the final 50 meters, but Popovici and Great Britain’s Matt Richards out-touched him at the wall.

Given the race’s dramatic finish, Hanson’s excitement is understandable. And so are his bloodied knuckles.

Here’s hoping his knuckles heal quickly and his enthusiasm for Team USA remains high — but perhaps a little less destructive next time.

[Scott Hanson]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann