Play-by-Playcast

Len Kasper began his climb through Major League baseball in Milwaukee...and then Beloit...and then Milwaukee, before he headed south to become the TV voice of the Florida Marlins and eventually the Chicago Cubs.  Kasper talks about that climb, how to make it in the Majors, working with a partner and his prep and planning, his voice, being the voice of a national franchise and more.  Find Kasper on twitter @LenKasper.

The first MLS broadcaster to appear on Play-by-PlayCast, Jake Zivin joins us from Portland, Oregon this week.  Zivin talks about his move from the TV 'sports-on-news' world into the TV play-by-play world in a full-time gig with the Portland Timbers.  A big-time soccer fan, Zivin got his start in broadcasting working behind the scenes with ESPN while in college...studying numbers, not broadcasting.  His path took him from the midwest to the pacific northwest and the rest is history.  Jake also talks about the actual mechanics of calling a soccer game on both radio and TV and talks language of soccer too -- internationally and for an American audience.  It's an episode of the pod like we haven't had before, so soccer fans get ready to sink your teeth into this one. 

Jon Sciambi wanted to be a talk show host originally.  Two decades later he's one of the chief voices of baseball on TV for ESPN, with some radio mixed in as well.  On this week's edition of the podcast, Boog talks his rise through the ranks and into the pxp side of things and then delves into his prep, the study of sabermetrics, Chipper Jones and first pitch fastballs, the most important rules of calling baseball well and more.  And Wade Davis know who he is.  Follow Jon on twitter @BoogSciambi and follow the pod @PxPCast.

For more than two decades Craig Ackerman has been associated with the Houston Rockets in one capacity or another.  He now does radio at home and TV on the road, but he's also been a studio host and production intern.  But his path is a little more complicated than that and he details it all on this week's pod.  We also talk about energy on air, his prep, how to work analystics into a broadcast in just the right way and much more.  If you enjoyed the week's episode make sure to hit Craig up on twitter @ca_Ackerman and as always find the podcast @PxPCast!

Toby Rowland has worked in the Oklahoma City market for years.  A local TV reporter and sports anchor, Toby grew up, however, a lifelong Sooners fan with a goal of one day being the "Voice of the Sooners."  That dream came true in 2011 when he was hired on and moved from the sidelines to the booth.  Rowland's career has covered big ground in a short period of time since.  He's called a Sugar Bowl, a CFB Playoff and a Final Four.  He's seen awesome matchups of Bedlam and record rushing performances.  Toby talks about all of it on this week's PXPCast.  This episode was taped in Norman, OK before OU took on Ball State in basketball and earlier in the day I had the chance to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial.  That also sparked some conversation as well about that day in 1995 when the nation was shaken to its core. Follow Toby on social media @TRowOU and make sure to subscribe, rate and review PxPCast in iTunes or Stitcher.

Jim Barbar has been a play-by-play voice with ESPN since 1995 covering college sports to the LLWS and even Ultimate.  But his path to that job was a long road with several twists, turns and stops along the way.  His first real broadcast exposure came as a TV sports anchor for WISH-TV in Indianapolis where he was once banned from Indiana University's Assembly Hall by Bob Knight.  He later called a game with Knight on ESPN.  We'll get into that and more this week on PxPCast!

"If you don't like that, you don't like NBA basketball!" It's the famous line from 30-year Sacramento Kings TV voice Grant Napear.  A native of Long Island and a graduate of Bowling Green State University, Napear eventually made his way out to being the voice of Sacramento.  Not only is he the TV pxp man for the Kings, but he also hosts a daily talk show.  It's an interesting balance that we'll talk about in depth.  Follow Grant on twitter @GrantNapearShow for more from the Kings' voice!

Ted Emrich was born into broadcasting and then took a road less travelled into the booth.  The current Westwood One and ESPN announcer began working for the former as a stats guy for all the big names...when he was in high school.  Ted talks about his path and his process in episode 72 of PxPCast.

Dan D'Uva will forever be the first radio voice in the history of NHL Hockey in Las Vegas.  The New Jersey native hops on the podcast to talk about the role of being first, how he wound up in the desert, his climb through the ranks, his idols Ian Eagle and Doc Emrick, his binder of notes, the Cape Cod Baseball League and more.  It's one of our longer episodes but it's well worth the listen!

We've talked many times on the podcast about working with an analyst and what a good relationship with your analyst looks like.  Well, today we talk to an analyst about that same relationship.  Jay Bilas has been with ESPN since 1995 and is, by most estimations, one of their top, if not their top, college basketball analysts.  He talks this week about the partners he's worked with, how he views his role and the best way to approach it. He also breaks down his prep and more.