Chaos Of A Different Sort

Craig Way

Craig Way - Voice of the Longhorns

CRAIG WAY
call the show - 390-LIVE (5-4-8-3)
email Craig - craigway@clearchannel.com

Bio

Personal: Wife: Laurie, and I have four kids; Andy, Haley, Julianne and Jason
Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina
Education: University of North Texas (also attended University of North Carolina at Wilmington, North Lake College, and Texas Tech University)
First radio job: WLOZ (UNC - Wilmington, 1978); KNTU (University of North Texas, 1982); KRLD, Dallas (first professional job 1984-1996)
When you first started working for The Zone and why: I began at The Zone when it was just "The AM, 1300" back in 1997. I had been working as the color analyst for Texas Longhorn football and basketball while still living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area from 1992-1997, and hosting a talk show in Austin made it easier to be closer to the Texas athletic program.
Other jobs besides radio: Worked a variety of summer jobs during high school and college years, but the most memorable was selling T-shirts and souvenirs for rock bands and other music groups. It helped me through college.
Why you got started in radio: I enjoyed talking about sports, and broadcasting play-by-play all the way back to high school days. Plus, others would tell you that I obviously enjoy conversation. Truth of the matter is, I love broadcasting play-by-play of sports events, and enjoy relaying the message of what has happened in the athletic field of endeavor to listeners.
All-time favorite sports moment: As a sports fan, it was the St. Louis Rams' Superbowl XXXIV victory in February 2000. As a broadcaster, it's a tie between several big events: the Longhorns' Rose Bowl victory and National Championship over USC in 2006; Texas' first Rose Bowl win, beating Michigan in 2005 as well as the Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State in 2009; the dual Final Fours for the Texas men's basketball team in New Orleans and the Texas women's basketball team in Atlanta in 2003; and the National Championship for the Longhorn baseball team at the College World Series in 2002 and again in 2005.
Favorite sports movie: "The Natural:. I also really enjoyed "Field of Dreams", "Eight Men Out", "Tin Cup" and "Hoosiers". I don't count "Caddyshack" as a sports movie, but if you're including it as a sports movie, then add that to the list.
Favorite professional sport, team and player: I cheer with equal passion for the St. Louis Rams and the Los Angeles Dodgers. I don't have a favorite professional athlete; college and high school athletes provide more enjoyment for me as a sports fan than professional athletes.
Coolest celebrity/athlete you've met: I enjoyed getting to know the President of the United States when he wasn't the President. When he was Managing General Partner of the Texas Rangers, President Bush (when he was just Rangers' president George W. Bush) occasionally went on a one-hour radio show (the Ranger Hour) with me in Dallas. When he became governor, and later President, he still stayed on a first-name basis, and remained down-to-earth in the few conversations I've had with him since he went on to bigger responsibilities.
Favorite childhood memory: Going to my first major-league baseball game with my father when I was ten-years-old. Saw the Dodgers play the Braves in Atlanta on July 16, 1971 (obviously it was important to me since I remember the day). Dodgers lost, 10-0 but I didn't care. I had a blast. I had other great memories of going to ball games with my Dad (saw Willie Mays play just before he retired), but as my father's son, my favorite memory of going to a ball game came after I was grown. In the summer of 1991, my father was fighting a losing battle with cancer. Knowing we didn't have a lot of time left together, we drove from Texas back to North Carolina, then up to Philadelphia and caught the Astros and Phillies. It turned out to be our last father-son outing, and we had a great time; something I'll never forget.
Jump on your soapbox and explain one thing you think needs to be changed in sports: Attitude of players, coaches, media, and, perhaps most of all, fans... In a society of instant gratification, sports have become more (in the pros), and in-your-face insults (from fans). It seems to be more important to people that their favorite teams "stick it" to the opponents, and to their fans. What has become wearisome is a group of one team's fans saying they hate another team or university because that team has "the worst fans anywhere", when in fact many of their own fans are just as poorly behaved. Professional athletes and coaches who blame the media for their own poor performances is old, as is reading and listening to other media who have their own agendas for disliking a certain team or coach. Sports would be a lot more fun if people would remember the game more than the attitude.
Most embarrassing moment: Anytime I get something wrong on the air. And that happens often enough to make me want to get better at what I do.
Pet peeves: Red tape really irritates me. Going through unnecessary procedures to do my job, or just enjoying life is a real pain when you're trying to get from Point A to Point B.
What you like to do in your free time: What free time? Just kidding. I enjoy hanging out with my family, which isn't often enough. Attending my kids' athletic and extracurricular activities is a big thrill. I also like reading or watching historical accounts (I'm a big History Channel, History Channel International and Biography Channel fan). I would tell you that I enjoy playing golf, but I only get to play a few rounds a year due to my schedule, so those are few and far between.
Anything else you'd like to add?: I love being on the air, and talking with people about sports. I appreciate their interest and passion for their favorite teams, players, and events. Without the sports fan, there wouldn't be a reason for us in the broadcasting business to do what we do.

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

This is the time of year when bowl projections abound; when every bowlologist (I just made up that term; it's college football's version of the popular college basketball term "bracketologist") has the bowl assignments all figured out. Every bowl-eligible team, every conference tie-in, every behind-the-scenes, closed-door deal made between the games, the conferences, and the schools--it's all laid out in columns, blogs, and rants on radio and television by all of those "in-the-know".

But you would have to be at genius level when it comes to bowlology (the root form of the term bowlologist) to be able to figure out all of the particular ramifications and tie-ins, let alone the mindset of bowl officials who are most interested in ticket sales and television ratings when it comes to projecting which teams are headed for which bowls. For me, it's almost as difficult as trying to figure out my teenage daughter's tastes in fashion and music these days.

Nevertheless, after careful, meticulous study of the ramifications, tie-ins, and potential made-for-TV matchups that would be a bowl official's dream, here are my guesses for the Longhorns and the rest of the Big 12 schools for their destinations for the upcoming holiday bowl season:

Fiesta Bowl--Kansas State vs. Oregon

Cotton Bowl--Oklahoma vs. LSU

Alamo Bowl--Texas vs. Oregon State

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl--TCU vs. Michigan State

Holiday Bowl--Oklahoma State vs. UCLA

Meineke Car Care Of Texas Bowl--Texas Tech vs. Purdue

New Era Pinstripe Bowl--West Virginia vs. Syracuse

Heart Of Dallas Bowl--Baylor vs. Minnesota

Independence Bowl--Iowa State vs. Louisiana Tech

The reason for this somewhat unusual projection--only one Big 12 team in a BCS bowl--is that I'm expecting BCS chaos to actually happen this time. For years, we've all looked for chaos at the top of the BCS food chain, but we've been looking in the wrong place. Notre Dame and Alabama will see to that this week. No, this chaos comes from the humble Mid America Conference, where it's as simple as Kent State winning the league's title on Friday night and moving into the top 16 of the final BCS standings. That, coupled with a finish ahead of a BCS-affiliated conference champion (check the standings--there's no Big East team even ranked) earns the Golden Flashes an automatic trip to a BCS game. If that happens, there will be no spot for a second Big 12 invitation to the BCS party, and your BCS bowls would look like this:

BCS National Championship Game--Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Rose Bowl--Stanford vs. Nebraska

Fiesta Bowl--Kansas State vs. Oregon

Sugar Bowl--Florida vs. Rutgers

Orange Bowl--Florida State vs. Kent State

Looks strange, doesn't it? That's what happens when chaos ensues.

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