After a long hiatus I am back doing what I love the most: writing about sports! This article is very special to me. Why is that do you ask? It’s because I get to talk with well-known sports personalities and find out why they love their jobs so much. In one of my earlier articles I mentioned that I never thought that I would be able to talk with some of these folks. When this dream turned into a reality, the only feeling I felt was blessed! How can someone in the field of sports not feel blessed? They get to talk about and analyze one of the best fields ever. In this article, I will interview Kevin Connors from ESPN. I will ask him questions such as how did you become a Bills fan considering you didn’t grow up in the Buffalo area? What is the best thing about going to work in the ESPN studios everyday?
Kevin Connors
MB: So being a Bills fan, I know other Bills fans want to know how you became a Bills fan since you grew up in the New York City area.
KC: Yes, being a young Bills fan on Long Island was no picnic, growing up in the heart of Jets and Giants country. So how did it happen? Well, my Dad was born in central New York (Ilion, NY — just outside of Utica) so I was born into the fan base. Being a bit too young to remember the success of the ’80 & ’81 seasons, much of my early memories of the franchise were lean years, but of course all of that changed thanks to a guy named Levy and a guy named Kelly and a guy named Thurman and a guy named Bruuuuuuce!
MB: What makes your job at ESPN so great?
KC: I haven’t worked a day since I got here. We call ourselves “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” and it’s hard to argue with that. What that means is that we have just about every property, and what that means is that there’s always something thrilling going on here. The buzz is palpable and it translates to a different kind of energy than any place I’ve ever worked before. Getting fired up to talk about sports, on the most consumed sports network in TV, is easy.
MB: How long did it take you to get comfortable in front of an ESPN camera vs. in front of a camera at WCBS in New York? How is it different?
KC: There’s unquestionably an adjustment period. Keep in mind at WCBS I anchored three-minute segments within a half-hour newscast. My first day on the job at ESPN I anchored a three-hour show. Handling the pacing and work flow took a little time to get down, but those first few days the adrenaline was pumping! The other challenge is having a handle on all of the sports (and teams) we talk about here. In New York for example, I was tuned in to the Jets and Giants (and Bills of course) — but my knowledge of the Arizona Cardinals was peripheral. Now of course, I have to be much more dialed in because our audience at any time could be those fans who live and breathe Cardinals football.
MB: Why do you feel like it’s so important to keep in contact with your followers on social media sites like Twitter?
KC: It’s important to communicate with the people who are as passionate about sports as I am. I love getting a feel about what folks are talking about — because it ultimately determines the things we talk about. It’s not always easy to write to everyone who reaches out, but I really do try my hardest to do so. It’s the least we can do.
MB: Being able to talk about sports for a living must be a dream. When do you recall that you wanted to be a sports reporter/anchor? How old were you when you knew this was your passion?
KC: I’ve been a sports fanatic my whole life, but I really thought about wanting to pursue a career in sports broadcasting when I was in high school. We had a TV studio in school and I also did our morning announcements over the school’s PA system. I also wanted to play basketball in college, so quite honestly I looked at D-III schools that also had good communications departments. Ultimately I settled on Ithaca College, which was one of the best decisions of my life. The Roy H. Park School of Communications allowed me to pursue a wide variety of opportunities in both TV and radio, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
MB: What’s your gut feeling on Deflategate?
KC: Ugh. How much time do you have for my answer? The short version is this — there is no way 11 of 12 footballs were all deflated by coincidence. No way. And forgive my skepticism, but there’s a pattern of behavior here that prevents them from getting the benefit of the doubt. The argument of whether it impacted the game (it did not of course) to me is irrelevant. What is relevant is, did the Patriots knowingly attempt to gain an advantage, in a covert manner? If so, should we assume that’s the first time that’s happened? If not, how many instances was the outcome of those other games impacted? The shame of it all is that Brady and Belichick have been the best quarterback and coach I’ve ever seen. Risking their legacies for something as trivial as this is puzzling.
MB: How will the Patriots be punished and how will this tarnish Bill Belicheck’s legacy?
KC: I think they lose a second-round draft pick and face a stiff fine — if the NFL is able to prove it. That will be a challenge.
MB: Who is the most important player in the Super Bowl for each team? Who will win, and why?
KC: For the Patriots it’s Rob Gronkowski. If he’s able to control and stretch the middle of the field, it opens up the sidelines for Edelman and LaFell — but also the run game for Blount. How the Seahawks handle Gronk will be very telling. For the Seahawks it’s Russell Wilson. If he’s able to get outside the pocket and create plays, it’s going to make for a very long game for New England. If the Patriots can limit him to being a pocket passer, they have a shot.
MB: Before you go, could you let my readers know what your Twitter handle is?
KC: @kevconnorsespn — feel free to reach out anytime! Thanks so much Mike!
Thank you, Kevin Connors, for taking the time to speak with me.
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