Pam Oliver is a highly respected sports broadcaster who has worked on the sidelines for an assortment of NFL and NBA games.
With more than 30 years of experience in the business, Oliver has built up a reputation for herself as one of the all-time greats at what she does.
As such, folks found it a weird this week during Thursday night’s showdown between the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers when Oliver seemingly started slurring some of her words.
Immediately, the reactions flowed in on Twitter:
What in the 90 proof is going on with Pam Oliver?
— Dave in So Cal (@padboltz) December 24, 2021
Not being a jerk, honest question, is Pam Oliver ok? #TNF
— Jim Welsh (@Guinness418) December 24, 2021
Pam Oliver seems a little… off.
— Deep Threat (@DeeepThreat) December 24, 2021
My prayers to Pam Oliver I hope she is ok… seriously
— Coach Jason Brown (@TheRealCoach_JB) December 24, 2021
Something wrong with Pam Oliver
— Ryan Harris (@ryanharris662) December 24, 2021
Why pam Oliver sound like that ? She sound like she just got a root canal and the meds ain’t wear off yet
— EYE AM NOT TALL (@Jio_201) December 24, 2021
Is Pam Oliver drunk tonight? #NFL
— STICKY (@jasonsteib2) December 24, 2021
Pam Oliver sounds like she fucked up 😂😂
— Austin Powers (@Datdude_Aust) December 24, 2021
That said, not everyone felt like Oliver was off her game:
There’s nothing wrong with Pam Oliver, she’s a Black woman doing her job and that drives some of you nuts.
— RoseT (@karmamar55) December 24, 2021
All these rude comments about #PamOliver . I hate it here!!!
— JCarter (@darkcoffeechron) December 24, 2021
Some speculated that a medical issue may have been at play:
Pam Oliver has displayed some motor coordination issues & speech slurring over the years (She’s not the same from the time of the 90’s Cowboys). Many think this is her having an alcohol addiction. To me, it looks like MS – like Mouseketeer Annette Funicello when she had it.
— BidenCorgi GalactiHarris – Actual (@BattlecorgiG) December 24, 2021
Is Pam Oliver ok? Like health wise. Her speech is like…slow. #ThursdayNightFootball
— Premro Smith Jr (@PrinceHakeem) December 24, 2021
This isn’t the first time Oliver’s demeanor at a game set off alarm bells. It also previously happened earlier this year:
At the time, this was the most common explanation:
Pam Oliver also sounded like this during Rams Packers Jan 2021 playoff game.
While a lot of defenders (including in media) claimed it was due to cold GB weather (it’s 53 now in Nashville), most common explanation in Jan was it was likely related to her chronic migraines— Roger the Dodger (@RogerThomas1288) December 24, 2021
Whatever the issue may be – hopefully Oliver is okay.
Paulina Gretzky knows how to celebrate a birthday right. https://t.co/luTTz3X5aB
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 21, 2021
Big picture, this has been a rough year for the sport of football. High school stars have tragically perished, beloved NFL players have died, ridiculous legal controversies have erupted and countless troubling health woes have emerged.
In the grand scheme of all that, whatever this situation may be feels like small potatoes.
Related: NBA Star’s Ridiculous Pregame Outfit Goes Viral (Photos)
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
