Williams: Here are possible jobs for former Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman
Thom Brennaman was on my mind when I woke up Thursday morning.
No idea why.
Perhaps it’s because a new baseball season is starting, and Brennaman remains locked out of the booth. Maybe it’s because I watch a lot of college games on ESPN+, and there are plenty of schools that need a major talent upgrade to the in-house play-by-play role.
Regardless, I wonder: Will Brennaman ever get a second chance?
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Some 2½ years after Brennaman’s massive, hot-mic mistake in the Reds TV booth − which led to him being canned − his prospects don’t look promising for landing another prominent play-by-play gig. But Brennaman’s future career prospects shouldn’t hinge on a major professional or college play-by-play job.
He’s proving to be an excellent host on his daily “Off The Bench” sports talk show on YouTube. Brennaman asks good questions. He hits on relevant topics in local and national sports. His lineup of guests show he still has connections and is respected. Brennaman keeps it conversational.
Could the experience lead to consideration for some high-profile local media jobs? Some opportunities that’ll be coming open include:
∎ 700 WLW’s talk-show lineup likely faces changes in the next few years as several hosts approach retirement. I could see Brennaman doing news talk. He closely follows politics, and the perspective he’s gained since making the homophobic slur in August 2020 could only help add depth to a news talk show.
∎ WLWT-TV is looking for a new sports director. Long-time sports anchor George Vogel signs off next month after 42 years at Channel 5. The hiring process may be too far along, and Brennaman may not be interested in a role that requires working nights and weekends year-round. Brennaman, 59, worked at Cincinnati’s NBC affiliate early in his career.
Moreover, the growth of the ESPN+ streaming platform has added more broadcasting opportunities nationwide. Several Division I conferences, including the Mid-American and Sun Belt, have deals to stream some or all football, basketball, baseball and other live sporting events. Schools produce thousands of sporting events for ESPN+ each year.
It could be the perfect opportunity for Brennaman to return to calling games.
I watch a lot of Marshall Thundering Herd football and basketball games on ESPN+. The Sun Belt school could use some help with play-by-play (and so could most other members of the conference). Brennaman would be a nice fit at Marshall.
His father, baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, has been supportive of Marshall athletics, including raising money for the school’s baseball program. Marty’s wife, Amanda, is a Marshall graduate.
Marshall is known for giving people second and third chances. Randy Moss wouldn’t be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame if Marshall didn’t give him a last chance to play college ball.
The PC police presence is heavy these days at high-profile universities, making administrators and bureaucrats fearful to give anyone with an insensitive remark on his or her resume a shot. MAC and Sun Belt schools aren’t as much in the spotlight and probably wouldn’t face as much backlash for hiring Thom Brennaman, an Ohio University alum.
Whether it’s Marshall or someplace else, Brennaman deserves another chance. He's apologized profusely. He's been punished enough.
Contact columnist Jason Williams by email at jwilliams@enquirer.com and on Twitter @jwilliamscincy.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Thom Brennaman's future: Looking at where broadcaster could work next
