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FSN Ohio On-Air Talent
by FOXSports.com
Co-host of "Cavaliers Live Pre & Post"
Austin Carr is in his eight season as the full-time analyst for the 30 Cavaliers games televised on the Cavaliers Television Network, after having served as a substitute analyst over the prior three seasons. He is also the pre and post game show host for FSN Ohio.
After a standout career with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1971-80, Carr rejoined the Cavaliers in the front office in June 1991 as the Director of Community and Business Development. He is responsible for generating new business from Northeast Ohio corporations with a particular focus on smaller companies and minority organizations.
Carr played the first nine of ten seasons in the NBA with Cleveland before stints with Washington and Dallas. He ranks as the Cavaliers' All-Time leader in field goals made (4,272) and field goals attempted (9,480). Carr is second on the Cavaliers' All-Time list in scoring (10,265) fourth in games played (635) and fourth in minutes played (19,003).
Always active in community affairs, Carr won the Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award after the 1979-80 season, an award which recognizes an NBA player or coach who makes substantial contributions to his community. He continues his charitable activities with the United Black Fund, the March of Dimes and the Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence. He is also the spokesperson for the Cavaliers "Read to Achieve" program, in addition to making numerous speaking engagements to youth groups.
Carr is the proud parent of Jason and Ashley.
Play-by-Play, Cleveland Cavaliers
Fred McLeod joins FSN Ohio this season as the play-by-play voice
of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He teams up with returning color analysts Scott Williams and Austin Carr for the 70 Cavaliers games telecast on FSN Ohio.
Prior to joining FSN Ohio, McLeod served 22 consecutive seasons as the Pistons cable TV play-by-play voice, nine with FSN Detroit. His 22 years is the longest tenure of a TV-only announcer with the same NBA team. McLeod began his work on Pistons games in 1984 with PASS Sports.
McLeod also did play-by-play duties on FSN Detoit's coverage of Michigan high school football and basketball championships. A Detroit sportscaster since 1982, McLeod was a reporter at WDIV-TV 4 (NBC), hosting its long-running Sunday night show Sports Final Edition.
McLeod's career includes play-by-play experience of the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oakland Athletics.
McLeod began his professional career in 1974 at KQTV in St. Joseph, Mo. and later at WSTV in Steubenville, Ohio, WJKW-TV in Cleveland and KPIX-TV in San Francisco. He is a graduate of Pointe Park College in Pittsburgh, where he pitched in the NAIA College World Series.
Co-host of "Cavaliers Countdown"
Phelps is the co-host of "Cavaliers Countdown," the Cavaliers pre-game show on FSN Ohio. Prior to his current duties, Jeff was the Sports Director/Anchor-Reporter at WUAB-TV: UPN, WOIO-TV: CBS in Cleveland.
Phelps began his career in broadcasting at WAKR-TV-Radio in Akron, Ohio as a sports announcer and Kent State University color commentator. He then moved on to KJAC-TV: NBC in Beaumont, Texas where he served as Sports Director/Anchor-Reporter.
During the 2002 and 2003 high school basketball seasons, Jeff worked as a freelance announcer on the St. Vincent-St. Mary pay-per-view telecasts, featuring LeBron James.
A three-time Emmy award-winner for sports reporting, Phelps was also named Ohio Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in 1994.
A graduate of Kent State University, Phelps currently resides in Medina, Ohio.
Co-host of "Ice Breaker"
Jeff Hogan co-hosts "Ice Breaker," FSN Ohio's half-hour pregame show that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Columbus Blue Jackets. "Ice Breaker" offers viewers in-depth coverage with the most up to date news, interviews and information surrounding the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Since 1998, Hogan has been a sports anchor with WBNS-TV Channel 10, a CBS affiliate, in Columbus. In addition to his role as sports anchor, Hogan was host of the Emmy award-winning "Wall to Wall Sports Weekly," and "The John Cooper Show," along with "The Jim O'Brien Show," both syndicated statewide.
From 1995 to 1998, Hogan was the sports director, weekday anchor at 6 and 11, and producer for WTVR-TV Channel 6 in Richmond, Virginia.
A ten-year broadcast veteran, Hogan began his career in broadcast sports at WSUS-TV8 in Sussex, New Jersey, where, as a sports anchor, he regularly covered the New Jersey Devils. In May of 1992, Hogan moved to Wappingers Falls, New York to assume the role of sports director at Newscenter 6. It was there that his career as a television play-by-play announcer was set into motion.
Heading west to Odessa, Texas in August of 1993, Hogan joined KOSA-TV Channel 7, as the sports director where he reported on national and local sports until 1995. While in Texas, he covered the Dallas Cowboys during their Super Bowl years.
Continuing in his sports broadcasting career, in March of 1995, he joined WTVR-TV Channel 6, the local CBS affiliate, in Richmond, Virginia. There he had the responsibility of producing and anchoring the 6 and 11 PM weekdays sports segment covering the NHL, NFL, NBA, and NASCAR. While at WTVR, Hogan also reported on the ACC and Big East and produced sports specials covering those conferences.
During his well-traveled broadcasting career, Hogan's covered such prestigious events as the Daytona 500, US Open, numerous NCAA Tournaments including the Final Four with the Ohio State Buckeyes, and various college football bowl games.
Hogan graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. He and his wife, Jeanne, reside in Columbus.
Co-host of "Ice Breaker" and "Ice Cap"
Co-host of "Real Reds" and "Reds Wrap"
Jim Day is the co-host of "Ice Breaker," the Columbus Blue Jackets pregame show, and "Real Reds," the Cincinnati Reds pregame show on FSN Ohio. He is also the host of "Ice Cap," the Columbus Blue Jackets post game show and "Reds Wrap", the Cincinnati Reds post game show. In addition to pre and post game shows, Jim is a reporter for the "Meijer Kentucky Speedway Racing Report," which debuted in March of 2002 on FSN Ohio. The "Report" provides an outlet for Tri State race fans to get information about the Kentucky Speedway and auto racing in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Jim began his career at FSN Ohio as a reporter for the "Ohio Sports Report."
Prior to joining FSN Ohio, Day was an anchor and reporter for WBNS-TV and WSYX-TV in Columbus. At WSYX, he co-hosted the Sunday night show, "The Sports Zone." He also worked as the sports director and anchor at WFTS-TV, the ABC affiliate in Tampa, Florida.
Day has received two Emmy Awards and a Community Broadcasters of America award for his work in news and sports reporting. He attended Bowling Green State University and Otterbein College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.
A native of Westerville, Ohio, Day currently resides in Mason, Ohio.
Co-host of "Real Reds"
Jeff Piecoro begins his eighth season with FSN Ohio as the contributing reporter for "Real Reds." "Real Reds" debuted in 1999 as the Reds pre-game show, and gives fans an entertaining and informative look at what happens on and off the field.
A 20-year broadcast veteran, Piecoro began his media career with WTVQ-TV in Lexington, Kentucky in 1985. Piecoro was a color analyst for 1480 WCIN in Cincinnati during the 1991-92 football season, and from 1992 through 1995, served as a weekend sports anchor and sports reporter on WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky.
Piecoro is currently the play-by-play voice of the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team on FOX 19 WXIX-TV, and the color analyst for the University of Kentucky football on the UK radio network. He is also the pre and post game host of the Cincinnati Bengals on flagship station 700 WLW, and host of a morning sportstalk radio show on 1360 Homer and 980 Homer. Most recently, Piecoro became the play-by-play voice of the AFL's Columbus Destroyers on FSN Ohio.
Piecoro resides in Villa Hills, Kentucky with his wife, Cindy and three children – Nick (12), Olivia (8) and Allie (21 months).
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Color Analyst, Cleveland Cavaliers
Bill Davidge has provided color analysis on Columbus Blue Jackets radio broadcasts since the inaugural 2000-01 season and is also a contributor on the "Blue Jackets Live" pre-game show airing on FSN Ohio. He brings over 30 years of hockey experience as a player, scout and coach to game broadcasts on the Blue Jackets Radio Network and flagship stations WBNS-AM (Sports Radio 1460 the Fan) and WWCD-FM 101.1 (CD101). He is also a regular contributor to the "Between the Pipes" show that airs weekly on 1460 the Fan during the hockey season.
Prior to joining the broadcast team, Davidge spent the 1999-00 season as a scout for the Blue Jackets and from 1995-99 he served as part-time scout/player development for the Florida Panthers. He assisted with the evaluation of players as a part-time scout for the Detroit Red Wings from 1990-94.
No stranger to Columbus, Davidge played four years of hockey at Ohio State, earning scholar-athlete recognition in each of his seasons as a Buckeye before graduating with honors in 1977. He served as captain of the Buckeyes in 1976 & 77. After serving the 1977-78 season as a graduate assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) University, he was hired as an assistant coach and served in that capacity for eight seasons. In 1985, he was promoted to head coach and spent four seasons behind the bench before retiring to spend more time with his family and continued to teach at Miami as a professor in the physical education department.
The Dunnville, Ontario native is the father of two sons, Rob and Willy J., and a daughter, Miranda. Davidge splits his residence between Columbus and Oxford.
Play-by-play, Columbus Blue Jackets
Jeff Rimer joined the Blue Jackets broadcast team as television play-by-play announcer on FSN Ohio during the summer of 2004, bringing 30-plus years experience to the booth. He has covered the NHL for 28 years, including the past 16 seasons calling play-by-play action on television for the Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals. In addition to serving as the voice of the Panthers from 1993-04, he has also co-hosted the internationally- syndicated "Inside the NHL" radio program with John Davidson.
A native of Toronto, Rimer began his broadcasting career with CFAC-Radio in Calgary and served as the play-by-play man for the Calgary Centennials of the Western Hockey League. He then spent four and a half years working for the Canadian Broadcast Company in Edmonton. A highlight of his stint at CBC came in 1976 when he served as the network's gymnastics commentator during the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal. He also worked for eight years as sports director for CFCF-Radio in Montreal and hosted Montreal Canadiens pre- and post-game shows during that time.
Rimer then spent 10 seasons with the Capitals as the play-by-play man on Home Team Sports (HTS) and WDCA-TV from 1983-93. During that time, he also served as the sports director at WBAL-Radio in Baltimore and hosted the pre- and post-game shows for Baltimore Orioles baseball. He was awarded a regional Emmy Award for his play-by-play work and won a United Press International National Broadcasting Award for his work at WBAL. Also during his time in Maryland, he co-hosted a syndicated college basketball show with University of Maryland and former Ohio State men's basketball coach Gary Williams, a network pre-game show with Billy Packer and was a sideline reporter for University of Maryland football.
Rimer , 53, and his wife, Ferrel, reside in Dublin and are the parents of son, Josh, and daughter, Kylie.
Play-by-Play, Cincinnati Reds
George Grande, a 36-year veteran of the broadcasting business, has been the play-by-play voice of the Cincinnati Reds on FSN Ohio since 1993.
The native of New Haven, Connecticut has covered Major League Baseball since 1965 and has been broadcasting Major League Baseball games since 1989. Since 1980 Grande has served as the master of ceremonies for the annual induction ceremony at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and broadcasted the event for ESPN from 1980-88. After a ten-year career at ESPN, Grande broadcast the New York Yankees games on WPIX-TV with Phil Rizzuto and Tom Seaver from 1989-90. He then moved on to broadcast the St. Louis Cardinals games during the 1991-92 seasons before joining Fox Sports Net Ohio. In addition to being the Reds play-by-play announcer, Grande was also a broadcaster with ABC and NBC for "The Baseball Network" and takes great pride in working with numerous local and civic organizations.
On September 1979, Grande anchored the first ever ESPN SportsCenter broadcast where he worked from 1979-88. Two months after the first broadcast, he was appointed "senior announcer" of SportsCenter and held that position until 1988. While with ESPN, he covered the Worlds Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals, the Super Bowl, the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the College World Series and major college football games. During his time at ESPN, Grande performed play-by-play duties for a variety of sports, which included NCAA baseball, football, basketball, hockey, New York and Boston Marathons, as well as the World Track and Field Championships. From 1984-86, he was the primary network host of the NCAA college football scoreboard show, and the primary host of ESPN draft coverage from 1980-88.
For two years (1983-85), he was the acting news director for SportsCenter. While in this position, he was responsible for the $3.2 million newsroom, managed 62 staff members and organized the 1984 Winter and Summer Olympic coverage. From 1979-88, Grande also anchored, wrote and produced ESPN's weekly "Inside Baseball" program.
Grande began his broadcasting career as the sports and news director of the University of Southern California radio station, KUSC-FM, from 1967-69. He then interned with KNX radio in Los Angeles. He held positions with WERI radio in Westerly, Rhode Island (1969-71), WNHC radio in New Haven, Connecticut (1971-75), Yale University broadcasts (1971-77) and then finished up by handling the pre and post game shows for the Boston Red Sox radio on WMEX (1975). He started broadcasting professional baseball on the radio in 1971 for the West Haven (CT) Yankees, the New York Yankees AA Eastern League team.
He also anchored sports on local television from 1973-79. He began as the weekend sports anchor of WTNH in New Haven, Connecticut (1973-76) and then as the primary news anchor from 1976-78. The following year he moved on to New York as the weekend sports anchor for WCBS-TV and also anchored the New York Giants post game show. He handled network radio responsibilities for CBS doing the play-by-play for the baseball game of the week (1988-90) and currently serves as the program host of the network syndicated "Sunday Night Grandstand."
Grande graduated form the University of Southern California in 1969 where he played four years of baseball including 1968 when USC won the College World Series. While at USC, he played with 14 future major leaguers including Tom Seaver and Dave Kingman.
Color Analyst, Cincinnati Reds
Chris Welsh enters his 13th season as Cincinnati Reds color analyst on FSN Ohio. He has partnered with play-by-play announcer George Grande on Reds cable telecasts for FSN Ohio since 1993.
A former left-handed pitcher, Welsh played for four different teams during his five-year major league career. He began his professional playing career with the New York Yankees after being selected in the 21st round of the 1977 free agent draft. He was traded to the San Diego Padres as part of a six-player deal in the spring of 1981 and made his major league debut a few weeks later. In all, Welsh pitched for the San Diego Padres (1981-83), the Montreal Expos (1983-84), the Texas Rangers (1985), and the Cincinnati Reds (1986). Career numbers include a 22-31 record in 75 games started, 195 strikeouts and a 4.45 ERA.
In addition to his work as a Reds color analyst on FSN, Welsh has hosted and co-produced "Reds Wrap," an off-season magazine about the Reds. Besides his work for FSN Ohio, Welsh also works for FSN Florida broadcasting their University of South Florida games as he has done since 1988. He has worked in radio as a play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Reds Radio Network during spring training games for the past eight years. He has also hosted several sports talk shows in the Cincinnati market.
He is publisher of "The Thinking Pitcher," an instructional trade letter on pitching that is read by pitchers and coaches worldwide. He also produces pitching workshops for coaches and pitchers and has been the featured speaker/instructor in several national forums on baseball.
Welsh is a native of Cincinnati and graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1973. He graduated from the University of South Florida in 1977 with a BA in marketing. He is a licensed real estate broker and holds an insurance license. He and his wife Debbie, have four children, Carrie, Erin, Daniel, and Maclean and reside in Walton, Kentucky.
Member Comments
The players need to be told to show some respect when the National Anthem is being sung/played. They need to take off their hats and be quiet.
ibloub6/14/2009 12:31:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Gotta love George Grande and Chris Welsh. They keep it low key, tell interesting stories, and have GOLDEN voices.
markf311746/3/2009 19:55:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
We'll take George and Chris any day over those idiots Thom and Jeff (oh yeah, COWBOY). What a joke. After listening to the great Braves announcers for 15 years, you realize how STUPID Thom and Jeff are. Thom sounds like Ted Knight from the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The fake southern draw from Jeff Brantley makes my want to throw up. Yeah for George and Chris.
blcarper6/2/2009 15:51:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Grande and Welch know their baseball -- but they talk too much. The don't pay attention to the game. Lots of complaints about them, but nothing is done about it. Please tell them to quit talking so much. Otherwise, they're not so bad.
carlwebster5/30/2009 17:33:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Chris Welsh might be one of the best commentators in the nation. The Reds are struggling and what they really need right now is the Chris Welsh mustache.
cneumann334/12/2009 10:53:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Chris Welch-----For a career sub .500 pitcher who played , strangely enough, on almost all losing teams, he is the most negative, critical, full of himself talking head I have heard in over 50 years of listening and watching MLB broadcasts. <br />The Reds are a poor team having a miserable year---but not as miserable as this clown.
B_D9/6/2008 19:17:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
For a career sub .500 pitcher who plyed , strangely enough, almost all losing teams, he is the most negative, critical, full of himself talking head I have heard in over 50 years of listening and watching MLB broadcasts. The Reds are a poor team having a miserable year---but not as miserable as this clown.
B_D9/6/2008 19:13:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Chris Welsh is an idiot. He insults Cubs fans by saying they don't have even a basic knowledge of the game. At least Cubs fans don't let opposing teams' fans take over their home field.
WisconsinCubsFan9/6/2008 18:09:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
First of all I am a REDS fan, win or lose! I have been to the point however of turning off the sound when I know that Jeff Brantley in on the air. I get upset when he puts a player down. (is that how I want to put it?) Jeff, please realize that like all of us the players need good motivation! We all would love to see a better season for the Reds, it will happen in time, I BELIEVE.
LucyAgnes9/5/2008 16:21:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Reds Live and getting personal with the players, finding out what makes them tick on the field and off, fantastic. We use to just watch the game, but now we switch off the news and on to Live!
crackerman19817/27/2008 2:20:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
My wife and I absolutely love listening to Chris Welsh while watching the reds play. We wish we had a link when we are at the ballpark. He doesn't hold back and he says what we are thinking. Love it!
crackerman19817/27/2008 2:19:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
George Grande and Jim Day are complete clowns. George makes up stories as the game goes on and Jim Day knows nothing about the game. How the Reds and FSN can go from Marty, Thom and Jeff to these other clowns is beyond me. I don't watch FSN all the time if George and Chris are doing the game. Give me Thom and the Cowboy and you have me 100% of the time.
xman23116/25/2008 20:09:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
i love watching the reds on tv but there is one thing that really bothers me where did they ever come up with the phrase "little ball" last year it was just george saying it now they are all saying it the correct phrase is small ball
erikwtt4/12/2008 17:55:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
danny gare has some great clips on YouTube<br /><br />www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dan...<br /><br />he was a way better fighter than i thought
hockeybooks3/2/2008 21:29:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Wait...I'm not done. George hasn't taken a breath tonight and the radio delay is 7 seconds. Please turn him off Reds! Please send him home!! I'm watching the game while listening to music...bet the advertisers love that.
Dommy39/28/2007 17:06:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
OMG!!! Please stop the agony! I am so happy to find a message board where I can receive therapy from George Yak-itis! Please put him back into management where he can torture the office staff instead of the general public. Please pray for me!!!
Dommy39/28/2007 17:02:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
I love watching the Reds...I can't stand listening to Chris and George. I find myself cursing my TV on nightly basis. These guys love to hear their own voices...they never shut up and often have little to say. I'll take Brantley and Thom anyday.
lucy248/31/2007 21:10:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Flinskys wife is tired of the cursing at the TV set please listen to your listeners. We want Thom Brennaman.
Flinsky8/3/2007 20:56:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Grande insults the intelligence of the listeners about the game of baseball. His mouth never stops and he just rambles on. Tonight it was the topper when he was talking about three choices for Reds to stay in Sarasota. I also sent comment/questions on the home page.
Flinsky8/3/2007 20:52:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
I agree they never shut up and say stuff that is pure and utter blabber. They need to be quiet and just comment on the game.
julessix8/2/2007 18:37:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
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