IT'S ALL ELEMENTARY FOR WATSON.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth

On Thursday, Jim Watson rested. Sort of.

When the newest Fox Sports Net staff anchor/reporter/play-by-play guy realized he didn't have to be at Dodger Stadium, Staples Center or any of the other sports venues his car is automatically programmed to find, his plan was to go to the dentist, do his taxes, get a haircut and then have dinner with his mother.

"But Mom's on the bubble," Watson said.

If she's got a remote control, she probably sees plenty of him during the week anyway.

In FSN's schedule-juggling existence that emphasizes covering as many local teams live as possible even if there is some overlap, Watson has become the latest valuable, multitasking component. Officially hired in February as a full-timer, the 43-year-old is actually in his second stint with the L.A. FSN affiliate - he started in the fall of 1996 with the launch of FSN West 2 - following a couple years with FSN Northwest in Seattle between the summer of 2003 and last fall.

He's basically become shark-like in his work ethic: if he's not always moving, he feels stagnant.

"Doing one thing here one night and another thing another night really keeps me interested and out of any kind of rut," Watson said. "There are advantages to having a regular beat, but I'm wired more to cram, load and dump information. I can watch a game on TV while I'm reading up on another assignment and searching the Internet for information on something else. It's not always the easiest way to do things, but that's how I'm getting it done."

In the past four weeks, for example, the highly adaptable Watson has done sideline duties at both the Pac-10 men's and women's basketball tournaments, play-by-play on high school volleyball and the Pac-10 women's gymnastics finals, reported from USC spring football and hosted pre- and post-game shows for five of the six major sports teams in Southern California. When added up, it's six different sports in three states, covering high school, colleges and pro events.

"He's a prototypical FSN person," said Tom Feuer, the network's executive producer who also worked with Watson in Seattle before returning himself to L.A. last December. "You can't be a one-trick pony anymore. And few can do it.."

Given his choice of a "dream work week," Watson would always include covering a high school or college event. What drives Watson is elementary - it's covering athletes, particularly those who aren't on the pro level, is finding the backstories that create the more memorable experiences connecting with the viewers.

"I'm not so interested in the games as much as I am with the people who are in the games and what they're going through," Watson said. "You need to get the people at home emotionally invested and interested in them, then set up the stories and revisit them, to give the athletes some dimension."

He once had comedian Will Ferrell as a lab partner when he was majoring in sports information at USC. He worked as an NBC page when Johnny Carson hosted "The Tonight Show" at NBC. He now has actor/comedian Jack Black asking him at a Clippers games whether that team's cheerleaders look better than the Laker Girls. But Watson, who's most high-profile job was doing volleyball play-by-play on the past two Summer Olympics for NBC, now finds it helpful when he's one of the TV people who gets recognized.

While working sidelines for the USC-Fresno State football game at the Coliseum last November, Watson's needed to track down Trojans star Reggie Bush, who had just had a Pac-10 record-setting 513 all-purpose-yard performance. The mob scene around Bush at midfield was just problem; the other was Watson became tethered near the 30-yard line by his electronic cables. A security guard at midfield recognized Watson, figured out the situation, grabbed Bush and led him over to Watson, along with the pack of media, so Watson could get the live post-game interview.

"I don't remember a word of what I asked (Bush), but I remember everyone of his answers," Watson said.

Bill Macdonald, who has generally been doing the same entree of assignments for FSN for more than 20 years and has helped Watson in his progression, knows the real secret to the success that he and Watson have had.

"We just say `yes' to everything, then figure it out later," said Macdonald. "It's great to have Watty back, not because it cuts my workload down - which it doesn't - but to have someone with so much versatility ... he can do everything. I'm just watching him become a pop idol."

--A new signal: KSPN-AM (710) and USC finalized an anticipated deal Thursday to carry the Trojans' football and basketball games starting this fall, taking the school's games off KMPC-AM (1540) after five seasons.

The one hurdle will be some scheduling conflicts when USC butts up against Angels broadcast. At least a half-dozen conflicts could happen, meaning USC games will move to sister station KABC-AM (790)

WHAT SMOKES

Trying to replicate what it's like to sit courtside at Staples Center for an NBA game, FSN Prime Ticket will offer up an announcer-less broadcast of Sunday's Lakers-Clippers at 6:30 p.m., in addition to the feed it will have on FSN West and the Clippers will provide on KTLA Channel 5. ESPN and NBA TV have done similar experiments this season with college and pro games. The difference here is that five hand-held cameras will all be court level to frame the shots, there are no graphics other than the Fox box that shows the score and time after each basket and commercial breaks are minimal. FSN West and Prime Ticket executive producer Tom Feuer sees it also as a way for those used to the traditional center-court camera to compare and contrast as they toggle back and forth on the remote. "With so many kids playing video games and experiencing sports from different camera angles, we thought the younger audience may want to see it this way as well," he said. "If it's successful, we could see it on other platforms (such as baseball or hockey games)." Then, there's the added benefit of no Joel Meyers or Ralph Lawler talking over everything.

--Aside from the live scores and radio coverage of the Masters on its official Web site (masters.org), adding the live video from Amen Corner this weekend at least placates those who await the live TV coverage on USA Network (today) and CBS (Saturday and Sunday). Mike Hulbert and Phil Blackmar provide the commentary, which continues today from 7:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m.

WHAT CHOKES

Immediate criticism following the premiere of the ESPN documentary- in-progress "Bonds on Bonds" carries plenty of juice. How are the conflict-of-issues being dealt with behind the scenes between the network's entertainment division (which is funding this project) and all its newsies now concerned that they're put in an awkward position? (That's rich, considering all involved in self-promoting projects that range from commercial endorsements to "This Is SportsCenter" spots). Why would Barry Bonds submit himself to such a program if he's claiming that he's so "mentally and emotionally drained" that it leads to him sobbing at the end of the first episode? And how are we to know if this Bonds variety/vanity show that borders on "The Surreal Life" isn't just an infomercial that doesn't get into any tough steroid questions? Sure, posing the questions are an important part of the process, but at least put off the final thumbs up-or-down until the series runs its course (episode one repeats several times, including Saturday at 10 p.m. on ESPN2; it continues each Tuesday on ESPN at 4p.m.) We trust Valley-based producer Mike Tollin will handle this with the utmost professionalism, although he knows many will criticize it right off the bat for seemingly being too sympathetic toward Bonds.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

Jim Watson interviews USC's Reggie Bush after the running back's record-setting performance last fall against Fresno State.

Photo provided by FSN

Box:

(1) WHAT SMOKES

(2) WHAT CHOKES