Scott Anez, ’88: Host, ESPN Orlando Radio
Spring 2014
“I grew up listening to radio voices such as Johnny Most and Marv Albert and wanted to be like them. When I was in college, W¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ employed students to run the radio station. I began my broadcasting career calling ¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ baseball games, and I’ll never forget my first one — ¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ vs. Seton Hall University. I was scared to death, but I got through it and was soon calling ¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ football games. One of my best experiences was traveling with the W¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ crew to Tallahassee to cover the ¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ vs. FAMU game. We paid our own way and slept six in a room. To this day, it was the most fun I’ve ever had in the broadcasting field.”
“Making mistakes early in my career was vital for me. Being a cub broadcaster at ¼¤Çé¿ì²¥ and learning on the fly helped me to think on my feet and get more comfortable with being on the air.”
“My most memorable on-air moment was a 1998 interview with then-Magic player Penny Hardaway. The Magic had just been ousted in the first round of the playoffs, and Penny vented for a full hour about the Magic organization and the city. When I arrived at Orlando Magic headquarters the next day and they asked for the tape of that interview, I knew Penny’s Orlando days were numbered.”
“Orlando has been very good to me, so I strive to give back. I work with Community Food & Outreach Center, a great organization that was co-founded by Scott George, ’84. I think we were put on this earth to help our fellow man — and there but for the grace of God go I. I can’t tell you how many folks who used to be donors to the organization are now clients of its services.”
“Sports really becomes a connection to your school once you graduate. What Coach O’Leary and the football team did this year not only electrified us alumni — it also electrified the Orlando community. The day after the Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor, my chest was a bit more puffed out and I had an extra bounce in my step. People were calling me on the air to congratulate me on the win. I didn’t play a single down for Coach O this year, but I still felt like a part of it — and that’s a cool feeling.”