The Cavs have fired their longtime TV play-by-play guy Michael. Pacers should hire him because he's one of the best without question. Can't believe the Cavs fired him.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...printstory.jsp
Cavaliers replace veteran announcer
Michael Reghi is out after 12 years; job goes to Pistons' announcer
By Tom Reed and Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal staff writers
Michael Reghi is headed into the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame -- and is out of work as the distinctive television voice of the Cavaliers.
The franchise announced Wednesday it's replacing Reghi -- whose signature calls of LeBron James' dunks have become an ESPN SportsCenter staple -- with Detroit Pistons play-by-play TV announcer Fred McLeod, a Strongsville native.
``The Cavs want to go in a different direction'' with their game broadcasts, according to a statement released by team President Len Komoroski. That direction once again is pointed toward the Detroit region, home of franchise owner Dan Gilbert, whose Rock Financial company sponsors Pistons home games.
Since purchasing the franchise during the 2004-05 season, Gilbert has revamped the Cavs' game-night presentation in the Pistons' image. Gilbert has known McLeod for nearly two decades.
The Cavs will make no other changes to their broadcast teams, according to the statement.
Reghi is believed to have been blindsided by the news, which he received Monday night. He was disappointed and disillusioned by the timing of the announcement, as it will be difficult for him to apply for another NBA broadcast position for the upcoming season.
The Cavs said they could make no personnel changes until a new contract with FSN Ohio was in place. A new deal is expected to be announced soon and will include expansion of FSN Ohio's coverage after the 2006-07 season.
Reghi has been the Cavs' TV play-by-play announcer for 12 seasons with FSN Ohio and 10 seasons with WUAB (Channel 43). The Cavs will buy out the two remaining years of his contract. He has called NBA, Major League Baseball and college games on the national and local levels for 20 years.
Reghi is being inducted into the state's broadcast hall of fame in October. His calls of James' dazzling plays had become so routine on ESPN that the network did a feature on Reghi's descriptions. His voice-overs are included on one of James' Nike commercials.
``Cleveland is my home and where my heart belongs. I've poured extreme passion into my work with the Cavaliers,'' Reghi said in a statement thanking fans.
Reghi elected to remain the Cavs' broadcaster in 2003 after his fellow employer at the time, the Baltimore Orioles, asked him to choose one or the other. He will continue to provide Browns coverage for FSN Ohio.
The Cavs termed Reghi's work ``exemplary'' and thought it was respected by fans and fellow broadcasters, according to the team's statement. It also is calling McLeod's return to Cleveland a homecoming.
McLeod, who handled the Cavs' play-by-play duties for the 1979-80 season, has been the voice of the Pistons on cable television for two decades.
Here is another article on this.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...printstory.jsp
Cavs' firing of announcer seems unfair
By Terry Pluto
I'm still trying to figure out what Michael Reghi did to get fired as the Cavaliers' TV voice.
I ask that question not being a close friend of Reghi. Nor was I a huge fan of his work or his quirky broadcasting style.
Reghi is a professional acquaintance. I don't know him well. But I do know he's been a loyal, hard-working and effective broadcaster for 15 years. He's also built a sizable fan following and has been a very strong, positive voice for the franchise.
So why fire him with two years left on his contract?
Even more importantly, why wait until August?
Why not make the move after the season, when jobs open up and he can find work with another NBA team?
In a statement, Reghi wrote that he was ``disillusioned'' by the firing, especially the timing. Who can blame him?
Firing Reghi makes little sense, unless there is a side to this story that has yet to be told. But waiting until August, when the basketball job market is tightest, just seems unfair and cruel.
The Cavs claim they couldn't change broadcasters until now, when their new deal with FSN is finalized. But they had no trouble finding a way to can Matt Guokas as color commentator a few years ago.
Reghi found out Monday night. He had no clue it was coming. He was not given a real reason for the change, other than the team ``preferred to go in another direction,'' according to someone close to the situation.
Yes, the Cavs will pay the final two years of Reghi's contract. Yes, there are far more people in far worse economic shape than Reghi. Yes, he probably will find another broadcasting job -- eventually.
In fact, FSN is keeping Reghi on board to do its Browns shows, so obviously the station likes his work. It's the Cavaliers that bounced him.
Reghi has assembled a respectable resume, including seven years as the TV voice of the Baltimore Orioles from 1997-2003. After the 2003 season, the Orioles wanted a full-time commitment from Reghi. He had to choose between Baltimore and Cleveland, and he went with the franchise that he considered his own.
Other than the legendary Joe Tait, Reghi's voice is the one most associated with the Cavaliers. Tait is still under contract. The Cavs say there are no plans to make any changes, and they are pleased with his work.
Obviously, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and his staff didn't like something about Reghi. Or at least, they liked Detroit Pistons broadcaster Fred McLeod more.
McLeod just resigned from his work as the Pistons' broadcaster on Detroit's FSN station and announced he will soon be leaving his TV sports gig on WDIV in Detroit.
McLeod worked in the Cleveland TV market in the 1970s, but has spent the last 22 years doing Pistons basketball. He supposedly has a long relationship with Gilbert dating to when Gilbert was an intern at a station where McLeod worked.
McLeod will have to overcome the fact that some fans will view him as a Detroit guy brought in by another Detroit guy (Gilbert) to replace a Cleveland guy (Reghi). It also will be seen as Gilbert hiring a buddy, and wanting to ``Piston-ize'' the Cavaliers.
McLeod is known in Detroit as someone who seldom criticizes the team he covers. That was not true of Reghi, who was reasonably candid.
Gilbert has done so much to revive his image in the eyes of the fans and to improve the franchise. This is his first stumble in a year. It's not a major fall, because a winning team is the ultimate bottom line, but it just seems so unnecessary.
Dropping Reghi won't matter much in the ratings, because Gilbert has LeBron James signed for at least four more years. Alvin and the Chipmunks can broadcast the games and, the numbers still will be big.
Or, at least, more fans will watch TV and listen to Tait on the radio.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...printstory.jsp
Cavaliers replace veteran announcer
Michael Reghi is out after 12 years; job goes to Pistons' announcer
By Tom Reed and Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal staff writers
Michael Reghi is headed into the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame -- and is out of work as the distinctive television voice of the Cavaliers.
The franchise announced Wednesday it's replacing Reghi -- whose signature calls of LeBron James' dunks have become an ESPN SportsCenter staple -- with Detroit Pistons play-by-play TV announcer Fred McLeod, a Strongsville native.
``The Cavs want to go in a different direction'' with their game broadcasts, according to a statement released by team President Len Komoroski. That direction once again is pointed toward the Detroit region, home of franchise owner Dan Gilbert, whose Rock Financial company sponsors Pistons home games.
Since purchasing the franchise during the 2004-05 season, Gilbert has revamped the Cavs' game-night presentation in the Pistons' image. Gilbert has known McLeod for nearly two decades.
The Cavs will make no other changes to their broadcast teams, according to the statement.
Reghi is believed to have been blindsided by the news, which he received Monday night. He was disappointed and disillusioned by the timing of the announcement, as it will be difficult for him to apply for another NBA broadcast position for the upcoming season.
The Cavs said they could make no personnel changes until a new contract with FSN Ohio was in place. A new deal is expected to be announced soon and will include expansion of FSN Ohio's coverage after the 2006-07 season.
Reghi has been the Cavs' TV play-by-play announcer for 12 seasons with FSN Ohio and 10 seasons with WUAB (Channel 43). The Cavs will buy out the two remaining years of his contract. He has called NBA, Major League Baseball and college games on the national and local levels for 20 years.
Reghi is being inducted into the state's broadcast hall of fame in October. His calls of James' dazzling plays had become so routine on ESPN that the network did a feature on Reghi's descriptions. His voice-overs are included on one of James' Nike commercials.
``Cleveland is my home and where my heart belongs. I've poured extreme passion into my work with the Cavaliers,'' Reghi said in a statement thanking fans.
Reghi elected to remain the Cavs' broadcaster in 2003 after his fellow employer at the time, the Baltimore Orioles, asked him to choose one or the other. He will continue to provide Browns coverage for FSN Ohio.
The Cavs termed Reghi's work ``exemplary'' and thought it was respected by fans and fellow broadcasters, according to the team's statement. It also is calling McLeod's return to Cleveland a homecoming.
McLeod, who handled the Cavs' play-by-play duties for the 1979-80 season, has been the voice of the Pistons on cable television for two decades.
Here is another article on this.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...printstory.jsp
Cavs' firing of announcer seems unfair
By Terry Pluto
I'm still trying to figure out what Michael Reghi did to get fired as the Cavaliers' TV voice.
I ask that question not being a close friend of Reghi. Nor was I a huge fan of his work or his quirky broadcasting style.
Reghi is a professional acquaintance. I don't know him well. But I do know he's been a loyal, hard-working and effective broadcaster for 15 years. He's also built a sizable fan following and has been a very strong, positive voice for the franchise.
So why fire him with two years left on his contract?
Even more importantly, why wait until August?
Why not make the move after the season, when jobs open up and he can find work with another NBA team?
In a statement, Reghi wrote that he was ``disillusioned'' by the firing, especially the timing. Who can blame him?
Firing Reghi makes little sense, unless there is a side to this story that has yet to be told. But waiting until August, when the basketball job market is tightest, just seems unfair and cruel.
The Cavs claim they couldn't change broadcasters until now, when their new deal with FSN is finalized. But they had no trouble finding a way to can Matt Guokas as color commentator a few years ago.
Reghi found out Monday night. He had no clue it was coming. He was not given a real reason for the change, other than the team ``preferred to go in another direction,'' according to someone close to the situation.
Yes, the Cavs will pay the final two years of Reghi's contract. Yes, there are far more people in far worse economic shape than Reghi. Yes, he probably will find another broadcasting job -- eventually.
In fact, FSN is keeping Reghi on board to do its Browns shows, so obviously the station likes his work. It's the Cavaliers that bounced him.
Reghi has assembled a respectable resume, including seven years as the TV voice of the Baltimore Orioles from 1997-2003. After the 2003 season, the Orioles wanted a full-time commitment from Reghi. He had to choose between Baltimore and Cleveland, and he went with the franchise that he considered his own.
Other than the legendary Joe Tait, Reghi's voice is the one most associated with the Cavaliers. Tait is still under contract. The Cavs say there are no plans to make any changes, and they are pleased with his work.
Obviously, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and his staff didn't like something about Reghi. Or at least, they liked Detroit Pistons broadcaster Fred McLeod more.
McLeod just resigned from his work as the Pistons' broadcaster on Detroit's FSN station and announced he will soon be leaving his TV sports gig on WDIV in Detroit.
McLeod worked in the Cleveland TV market in the 1970s, but has spent the last 22 years doing Pistons basketball. He supposedly has a long relationship with Gilbert dating to when Gilbert was an intern at a station where McLeod worked.
McLeod will have to overcome the fact that some fans will view him as a Detroit guy brought in by another Detroit guy (Gilbert) to replace a Cleveland guy (Reghi). It also will be seen as Gilbert hiring a buddy, and wanting to ``Piston-ize'' the Cavaliers.
McLeod is known in Detroit as someone who seldom criticizes the team he covers. That was not true of Reghi, who was reasonably candid.
Gilbert has done so much to revive his image in the eyes of the fans and to improve the franchise. This is his first stumble in a year. It's not a major fall, because a winning team is the ultimate bottom line, but it just seems so unnecessary.
Dropping Reghi won't matter much in the ratings, because Gilbert has LeBron James signed for at least four more years. Alvin and the Chipmunks can broadcast the games and, the numbers still will be big.
Or, at least, more fans will watch TV and listen to Tait on the radio.
Comment