Some of you are familiar with the last name. Ryan is a TV sportscaster in Chicago and once a co-host of a very popular morning variety show. Darrin, his twin brother, played in the NFL and is now a head coach at a community college in California. Then there’s his father’s cousin, who most mistake as Ryan’s uncle. Tony Chiaverini he fought Sugar Ray Leonard in 1979! Quite a family. And lest we forget Ryan played college football at Colorado with his twin brother!
While Chiaverni moved about the country as a budding sportscaster, he began in Great Falls, Montana and the sport he covered the most was… “RODEOS! It’s a sight to see and the clientele at these rodeos is a story in itself,” Ryan remarked about the beginnings of his career.
Denver was next and then, Chicago where Chiaverini was part of a strong group of sportscasters at ABC 7 but five years later, auditioned for a show that turned his career around. “There were 50 finalists and we I was paired with 8 others females to see how the chemistry would work. But I never was paired with Val Warner (who wound up his co-host for a ten year run.)”
And here’s something you’ll find rather interesting: one of the finalists to host the show was current ESPN star Stephen A. Smith!
Chiverini is still doing some sportscasts on ABC 7 Chicago but he has a bigger fish to fry. “I recently did a Lifetime movie called “Switched Before Birth” where I played an attorney.” What Chiaverini would really like to do is act in a major motion picture.
The way things are going, he just might.
For now is more about the Bears, the Bulls, the Cubs, the Sox and the Blackhawks for Chiaverini but watch out. He could wind up on a big screen near you.
“Tell me a story I don’t know” is partnered with Last Word on Sports Media Podcast and proudly sponsored by Mr. Duct. (mrductcleaning.com). You can hear the latest episode with Ryan and George by clicking play below,
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