While ESPN College Football analyst Greg McElroy was a senior at Alabama in 2010, he was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which goes to the top senior scholar-athlete in football. Even though McElroy did not win the award, it ended up leading him closer to the career he has now.
McElroy was a guest on the Gramlich & Mac Lainpodcast and said that after not winning the award, he was at an happy hour event after the gala, had a beer, and ended up meeting some notable ESPN personalities who asked him to talk about Auburn before the national title game that year.
“Those that were also at the bar were Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. Lee Fitting and Michael Fountain were also there. After a couple of beers, we were sitting there and saying you just played a good game against Auburn, why don’t you come to Phoenix and talk about it? A first-hand perspective of competing against Auburn.”
“It went really well. They said you were very prepared, we really enjoyed your takes, everything you said about Auburn and we think our viewers gained something from this. Would this be something that you would consider coming and doing now? I said no, I really need to scratch the NFL itch.”
McElroy played for only 3 seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals. While his career didn’t last long, ESPN kept asking him every year about when he was ready to join the network. Then, while he was in Cincinnati, the SEC Network was about launch and that’s when McElroy decided to become an analyst:
“After year 3, they said we are about to launch the SEC Network, do you want to be a part of that? I had just torn my PCL. I was under contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. I knew that I could grind out maybe 2-3 more years, but I’d be better off going and pursuing something I knew I could hopefully do for 30 years. It was a difficult decision to leave the game at that point, but I knew I still had a piece of the game with me in going back to the level of football I aligned with the most.”
For McElroy, he is just happy to have some form of football in his life. He did think he would miss being a quarterback, but he has a home to talk about the strategy of the game.
“I love football strategy. I love football theory and not having that in my life would be insanely difficult. I’m so grateful for ESPN.”
Even though McElroy would have loved to have defeated Auburn in the Iron Bowl, it ended up launching the former Crimson Tide QB into a successful career as an analyst.
Ricky Keeler is a reporter for BSM with a primary focus on sports media podcasts and national personalities. He is also an active podcaster with an interest in pursuing a career in sports media. You can find him on Twitter @Rickinator555 or reach him by email at RickJKeeler@gmail.com.
Neil Everett’s SportsCenter days are over. Front Office Sports reports that the anchor has chosen to say goodbye to ESPN after 23 years at the network.
“ESPN changed my life, but now it’s time for me to change my life,” Everett said. “Time to write a new chapter.”
The network reportedly offered Everett a new deal. Had he agreed to it, the anchor would have taken a salary reduction.
This is a significant moment for SportsCenter. Everett moving on means one of the show’s longest-tenured partnership comes to an end. He had worked with Stan Verrett since 2009.
Everett’s exit comes in the same week that it was revealed Chris Chelios would not return to the network’s NHL coverage next season. The Walt Disney Company is currently in the middle of trying to cut 7000 jobs to save $5.5 billion.
As for the future, Everett says he will seek to increase his TV role with the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been part of the team’s broadcast crew on NBC Sports Northwest for the last two years.
Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica To Make FOX TV Debut on Belmont Coverage
“Everyone I’ve worked and interacted with at the company has been so helpful and open to someone who has spent his entire professional life elsewhere.”
As the college football season was winding down, fans found out one of the foundational members of the College Gameday staff would be leaving ESPN. Chris “The Bear” Fallica left the network and has been working for FOX since the new year. This weekend during the network’s coverage of The Belmont Stakes, he will finally make his TV debut for his employers.
“It’s been great. This will be my first TV appearance, so I’m excited,” Fallica said in an interview with FOXSports.com. “But we’ve been cranking out content on the digital side since January, and I’m very happy with how the USFL picks have been going (4-0 last week for those of you counting at home). Everyone I’ve worked and interacted with at the company has been so helpful and open to someone who has spent his entire professional life elsewhere.”
Fallica, who worked for ESPN for nearly three decades, is going to be a major presence in FOX’s gambling content both on air and online. Making picks is nothing new. He had been doing it on College GameDay for years prior to his exit.
In addition to making football picks, horse racing is going to be a major part of what The Bear does for FOX. While this will be his TV debut on FOX, Fallica put the spotlight on one of his colleagues.
“It was a great decision to bring Tom [Durkin] back for this call. His voice is synonymous with the sport for a generation of racing fans, so it will be a treat to hear him call a race again.”
FOX Reportedly Considering Replacing Reggie Bush on Big Noon Kickoff
“Marchand writes that the favorite to replace the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner is the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. Mark Ingram II is expected to retire from the NFL and join FOX.”
It looks like changes are coming to FOX’s college football coverage. Andrew Marchand reports that the network is considering replacing Reggie Bush on Big Noon Kickoff.
Bush and the network reportedly argued over money before the 2022 season. FOX kicked the tires on multiple options, including Desmond Howard and Robert Griffin III of ESPN. Eventually, it decided to bring Bush back on a one year deal. With that deal set to expire and the two sides again at an impasse, FOX is eyeing other options.
Marchand writes that the favorite to replace the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner is the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. Mark Ingram II is expected to retire from the NFL and join FOX.
If Ingram does join the show, he would be the first analyst from outside of the conferences FOX carries. Ingram played his college football at Alabama. He has since amassed more than 8000 yards over 13 seasons in the NFL.
FOX declined to comment on the report. Marchand reports that with no deal finalized, there is an outside shot that Ingram returns to the NFL, Bush returns to FOX and there is no change at all. That, however, is considered a long shot.
