Feb 1, 2021
For this episode I'm joined by longtime sports broadcaster Thom Brennaman who broadcasting career has been put on hold since August due to uttering a homophobic slur which was caught on a hot mic.
I start out with a little humor icebreaker by asking Thom about spelling his name "Thom" as opposed to Tom (1:38) and transition to one of his new endeavors as he's started up his own podcast Dialed In with Thom Brennaman in which he's interviewed Urban Meyer, Brian Billick, Troy Aikman (2:40). I then ask if he believes he'll get another chance to announce again (4:20)
I then ask about the night of the incident in which he was caught using the homophobic slur and his reaction right after he was made know it had went viral (6:50). I then ask about the criticism and backlash he received from calling the Nick Castellanos home run in the middle of his apology (10:40)
I then ask if he had ever the mindset "why me" as I make the point that unfortunately people do make inappropiate jokes all the time and he had been unfortunate he had been caught on a hot mic (13:30). I then ask about the outreach he has done with the LGBTQ community to make amends for using the slur (15:12)
I then ask if he thinks it's "fair" whether an employee with no track record of scandal should be terminated or be put in a position where the outcry is so much that they should be put in a position to resign from one incident (18:35)
I transition to his college and professional career and ask about his experience becoming a sports broadcaster and the jobs he's had throughout his career (22:05). He sheds light on his lack of experience announcing baseball and how he literally got his start by announcing games on his own tape recorder in the press box at Riverfront Stadium (26:37)
I conclude by asking him about his most memorable calls/games which included the Derek Jeter flip play, the Boise State upset of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, covering the 2001 World Series between the Yankees/Diamondbacks and Albert Pujols home run off Brad Lidge in game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. (33:40)