CBS College Sports Team
DAVE BAKER
(Host, SEC Tailgate)
Dave Baker is in his first season with CBS College Sports Network as host of the SEC Tailgate Show, the Network's all-encompassing, SEC football show, which airs Saturday's throughout the season from the site of CBS Sports' SEC Game of the Week. Dave is a veteran SEC announcer, who began doing events for the league's syndicated broadcast package (Jefferson-Pilot, Lincoln Financial and Raycom Sports) in 1993, serving in a variety of roles, including football sideline reporter, basketball play-by-play announcer and host of the "SEC Football Today" pre-game show. Dave is a long-time member of the CBS family. He joined Lexington, KY CBS affiliate WKYT-TV in 1982 and has been sports anchor since 1985. Dave is also the television voice of University of Kentucky basketball on The Big Blue Sports Network, has broadcast a number of SEC events on the SEC Radio Network and is a regular contributor at secsports.com.
In addition to his on-air duties, Dave has a long history of community commitment and involvement. The Kentucky State House and Senate have honored Dave for his work with the Malt Beverage Education Corporation, a statewide organization that gets the message out to high school students about the dangers of underage drinking. Dave is also a member of the board of directors for the Larry Gilbert Foundation First Tee of Lexington. Dave's other civic "love" is the Children's Charity Golf Classic. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2009, the Children's Charity Classic raises money for 30 different children's organizations in central Kentucky. In 2004 Dave was named recipient of the Jose Ferrer Award, the group's highest honor.
Dave is a 1978 graduate of Franklin High School in Franklin, Ohio, and a 2005 inductee into the Franklin High School Hall of Fame. He was graduated from Georgetown (KY) College in 1982. Dave and his wife Bethany are the proud parents of daughter Madelyn, twin daughters Mallory and Macy and a son Manning.
TONY BARNHART
(Host, The Tony Barnhart Show)
Tony Barnhart joins CBS College Sports Network this season as host of the newly created THE TONY BARNHART SHOW PRESENTED BY BASS PRO SHOPS, a weekly one-hour primetime college football talk show.
Barnhart joined CBS in 2004 as a regular contributor to the "College Football Today" show with Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman. He is in his 33rd year as a sports reporter for television, radio, and the internet, including 24 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He now writes a daily college football blog, "Mr. College Football," on www.ajc.com.
He is also the author of four books on college football, with his latest book: "From Herschel to a Hobnailed Boot: The Life and Times of Larry Munson," due out in August 2009. Barnhart is a former president of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a former president of the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). The 1999 Georgia Sports Writer of the Year, Barnhart was recently named the winner of the 2009 Bert McGrane Award, which is awarded to the newest member of the College Football Writers Hall of Fame. He also received the Jake Wade Award in 2006, honoring him for his contributions to college athletics. In December 2008, the Orange Bowl Committee honored Tony with its Edwin Pope Vanguard Media Award, which goes to the media member who has shown journalistic excellence in covering college athletics. Also, Barnhart's television work has been nominated for two Southern Regional Emmy Awards. A native of Union Point, Ga., Barnhart is a 1976 graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. Barnhart currently lives with his wife, Maria, in Atlanta, Ga.
RANDY CROSS
(Game and Studio Analyst)
Randy Cross, who returned to CBS Sports in 1998 as an analyst for THE NFL ON CBS, returned to the announcer booth as a game analyst for the 2002 NFL season and will call games for the 2009 NFL season. He spent three years as an analyst on THE NFL TODAY, the CBS Television Network's NFL studio show.
Cross had previously worked for the Network as a game analyst from 1989 to 1993 and was a member of the CBS Sports team that covered the NFC Divisional Playoffs and Championship games and Super Bowl XXVI. He also served as an analyst for CBS Radio Sports' coverage of Super Bowl XXIV. During the Network's coverage of Super Bowl XLI, Cross served as a reporter for the pre-game show with a report with American soldiers in the Iraq War from Baghdad.
A 13-year NFL veteran and three-time All-Pro (1981, 1983, 1984) and Pro Bowler (1981, 1982, 1984), Cross was a center and guard for the San Francisco 49ers and helped lead the team to three Super Bowl championships (1982, 1985, 1989). He was the 49ers' Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and was voted the 49ers' Man of the Year in 1985 for his work in the community.
Following his earlier tenure at CBS Sports, Cross spent four years at NBC Sports as an analyst for its NFL broadcasts. He also served as an analyst for selected Notre Dame games and the 1995 Fiesta Bowl and as a reporter for Super Bowl XXXII.
A two-time All-American at UCLA, he played on the 1976 Rose Bowl Champion Bruins team. He was the 49ers' second-round pick in the 1976 NFL Draft and started at center beginning that season but played mainly guard throughout his career. He missed only eight games over the next 13 years.
Cross was born April 25, 1954, in New York and grew up in Southern California. He lives in Alpharetta, Ga., with his wife, Patrice, and their three children, daughters Kelly, who graduated from University of Georgia in 2006 (Broadcast Journalism), and Crystal, a Bio-Medical Research student at Auburn University, and son, Brendan, studying Communications at Wake Forest University.
PHILLIP FULMER
(Studio Analyst)
Phillip Fulmer joins CBS College Sports Network this season as an analyst on the Network's Saturday studio shows, including SEC TAILGATE, SEC POSTGAME SHOW PRESENTED BY GEICO and INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL EXTRA. Fulmer made his broadcasting debut on CBS C during the 2009 College Football Signing Day Show. Fulmer is the former head football coach at University of Tennessee. In 17 years leading the Volunteers, he compiled a 152-52 record, including the BCS National Championship in 1998.
Fulmer was born in Winchester, TN and attended University of Tennessee, where he played football for the Volunteers. Playing guard, Fulmer helped Tennessee to a 30-5 record from 1969-1971. Fulmer began his coaching career with Tennessee in 1973 before moving to Wichita State the following season. He then went on to coach at Vanderbilt, before returning to Tennessee in 1980 as an Assistant Coach. He took over as Offensive Coordinator in 1989, and was named head coach in 1992. As head coach, Fulmer helped return the Volunteers to national prominence, leading Tennesse to two SEC Championships (1997 and 1998), three other appearances in the SEC Championship game and three consecutive BCS games from 1997-1999. He was named SEC Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year in 1998.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
(Game Analyst)
Akbar attended San Diego State University from 1997-2002 on a football scholarship where he played Defensive Tackle. Gbaja-Biamila received his Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication in 2001 and began his work on a second degree in Sociology. Since being selected by the Oakland Raiders in 2003, this Californian native was a solid player in the National Football League (NFL) as a Defensive End and Outside Linebacker. His hard work and determination allowed him to play for three NFL teams during his tenure from 2003-2007 including the Oakland Raiders, the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins. Gbaja-Biamila was accepted and completed the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp in Laurel, NJ to receive a jump-start to his broadcast career, which helped him land a position as a co-host for the show "Football Night in San Diego" on NBC with Jim Laslavic. In 2008, he served as an analyst for the MTN Network, which is dedicated to the Mountain West Conference. In addition to his playing and broadcast experience, Gbaja-Biamila completed the NFL Entrepreneurial Management Program at The Business School of Wharton/ University of Pennsylvania in 2005.
TOM HART
(Play-by-Play Announcer)
Tom Hart is a veteran football and basketball play-by-play announcer for CBS College Sports Network, now in his fifth season. Hart graduated from University of Missouri after spending one season playing football at Quincy (Ill.) University. A native of Columbia, Mo., he was previously the television announcer for Georgia Tech football and host of the Atlanta Braves minor league show "Movin On Up". Hart was the radio play-by-play voice of Wake Forest women's basketball for two seasons while working for ISP Sports in Winston-Salem, N.C. At ISP Sports, he served as a studio host for several schools' football and basketball coverage, including: Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Tulane, Southern Miss, and Georgia Tech. Hart has also called ACC football, SEC baseball and basketball and Southern League baseball for CSS (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast). Hart also spent nine summers calling minor league baseball for the farm clubs of the Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Blue Jays, White Sox and Mets, and is a two-time winner of the Southern League Broadcaster of the Year Award. Hart is one of four national media members who votes on the Associate Press college football poll. He currently resides in Atlanta with his wife and two children.
BRIAN JONES
(Studio Analyst)
Brian is entering his fifth year as a college football analyst with CBS College Sports Network. He brings a wealth of football knowledge to the Network, and is featured in a variety of studio shows, including the weekly INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL, and Saturday studio shows SEC TAILGATE, SEC POSTGAME SHOW PRESENTED BY GEICO and INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL EXTRA. Jones graduated with a B.S. in Corporate Communications from the University of Texas-Austin. At Texas, Brian was an All-Southwest Conference Linebacker during his senior year in 1990. That season, Jones led the Longhorns with 116 tackles (71 solo) and five forced fumbles, helping Texas to a 10-2 record. After a five year NFL career, Jones returned to Texas and began his sports broadcasting career. He hosted a daily radio show on Sports Radio 1300-AM The Zone, served as the Longhorn Sports Network's sideline reporter for all UT football games and hosted Longhorn Sports Center with Mack Brown and Rick Barnes. Jones also spent two years with Fox Sports Southwest. Jones grew up in Lubbock, Texas and currently resides in Austin.
JASON KNAPP
(Play-by-Play Announcer)
Jason Knapp is a veteran play-by-play announcer for CBS College Sports Network and calls the action for a variety of sports including: football, basketball, lacrosse, softball, volleyball and soccer. In addition to his work with CBS C, Knapp has served as a play-by-play announcer for outlets including Major League Lacrosse, MASN and the Penn State Sports Network. Knapp has also had sportscasting stints at WTVH in Syracuse, WDTV in Clarksburg, WV and with WYOU/WBRE in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre PA. At WYOU/WBRE, Knapp served as Sports Director and was part of several Mid-Atlantic Emmy-winning projects. Knapp graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism. Originally from Medford, N.J., Knapp now lives in Clark Summit, PA.
DAVE RYAN
(Play-by-Play Announcer)
Dave Ryan joins CBS College Sports Network this season as a play-by-play announcer and will call the Network's slate of Army football games as well as other C-USA and Mountain West Conference contests. Ryan previously worked for ESPN, where he was a play-by-play announcer, anchor and reporter, and covered more than 20-different sports and various events, including the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, college football, college basketball, college lacrosse, the College World Series and Little League World Series.
Prior to ESPN, Ryan served as sports director at WSTM-TV in Syracuse and as play-by-play announcer for Super Sports, a regional cable network covering Syracuse University and other area sports. Previously, he was the weekend sports anchor and weekday sports reporter at WSTM-TV in Syracuse, N.Y. He also worked for WBOY-TV in Clarksburg, W.V., covering West Virginia University and Pittsburgh sports teams, and as a play-by-play announcer for MetroNews Radio Network.
Ryan graduated from Syracuse University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Germanic Studies. Since 1994 he has been an adjunct professor at Syracuse's Newhouse School of Public Communications. He is also Co-Director of Syracuse's popular "Sportscaster U," which instructs NBA players in broadcasting.
In 1989 Ryan was the Bob Costas Award Winner for the top sportscaster in Syracuse's Newhouse School. Also in 1989, he received the New York State Broadcasters Award for top coverage of the Big East Basketball Tournament. He was nominated for an Emmy in 2003, 2005 and 2007 for coverage of the Little League World Series.
Ryan currently resides in Syracuse with his wife and three daughters.
SAM RYAN
(Anchor and Studio Host)
Sam Ryan joins CBS College Sports Network this season as host of SEC POSTGAME SHOW PRESENTED BY GEICO, as well as other college football Saturday studio programming. Ryan joined CBS Sports in June 2006 as a contributor to the Network's NFL pre-game show, THE NFL TODAY, and the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. She also serves as the sports anchor for CBS 2 in New York. Ryan joined ESPN in 2003, serving as sideline reporter for ESPN and ESPN2's coverage of the National Hockey League playoffs, including the Stanley Cup Finals on ESPN and ABC. In 2004, she added reporting duties for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball telecasts. Ryan also has served as a college football sideline reporter for ABC since September 2002, as well as fill-in reporter for the 2005 Monday Night Football season.
Before joining ESPN and ABC Sports, Ryan worked as a sports anchor and reporter for WABC-TV. In addition, she also has reported for WFAN radio in New York, News 12 Long Island, N.Y., WVIT Hartford, Conn., and Fox Sports Net New York, where she served as a reporter and anchor for the "New York Sports Report."
During her career, Ryan has reported on many diverse sporting events, including Super Bowl XLI, the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship and Final Four for CBS Sports (2007, 2008, 2009), 2005 Monday Night Football on ABC, Super Bowl XL pre-game (ABC), the Little League World Series (2003-05), the 1996 Summer Olympics (ABC Radio Network), the 2000 Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets (FOX Sports NY and Madison Square Garden Network) and women's college basketball (FOX Sports). She won a local New York Emmy Award in 1999 for "Outstanding Series Feature" and garnered a local Associated Press Award in 2000. Ryan also won a 2006 New York State Broadcasters Association Award for best sportscast for her work at WCBS.
In addition to her on-air work, Ryan is a national spokesperson for the March of Dimes, helping to generate awareness of its Prematurity Campaign.
Ryan is an alumnus of New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury. She also majored in communications at Hofstra University. Ryan and her husband, Jeff, currently reside in Smithtown, N.Y., with their son, Nicklaus, 7 and daughter, Jensen, 4.
JASON SEHORN
(Game Analyst)
Jason Sehorn joins CBS College Sports Network this season as a game analyst for Army football broadcasts. Sehorn previously worked for FOX Sports from 2005-2007 as an NFL studio analyst. Sehorn began his college career at Shasta College in California before transferring to USC. He played cornerback for the Trojans for two seasons, and was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft.
Sehorn was a standout cornerback for the Giants from 1994-2002, registering 19 career interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl in 1997 and helped lead the Giants to a Super Bowl appearance in 2001. Sehorn currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three daughters.
STEPHEN SPIEWAK
(Reporter)
Stephen Spiewak is a sideline reporter for CBS College Sports Network's slate of live, high school football broadcasts. He first joined the Network in 2008 in the same role and was also featured on the 2009 College Football Signing Day Show. Spiewak is also the national football editor for MaxPreps.com and is responsible for national rankings, All-American selections, and top recruit lists. A lifelong fan of high school sports, Spiewak grew up going to games at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City to watch legendary basketball coach Bob Hurley. He has been covering high school football for MaxPreps since 2006. In the fall of 2007, he embarked on a road tour for MaxPreps, visiting and reporting on the top teams and rivalries around the country. His writing has been referenced in top newspapers nationwide. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago, Spiewak currently resides in Chicago.
AARON TAYLOR
(Game and Studio Analyst)
Aaron Taylor rejoined CBS College Sports Network in 2008, and serves as a game and studio analyst. He initially began his broadcasting career with the network (then CSTV) in 2003. Taylor will be a game analyst for Mountain West Conference and Conference USA games this season, in addition to being a studio analyst on the popular weekly college football roundtable studio show, INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL. After graduating from De La Salle High School, Taylor went on to star for Notre Dame as an offensive lineman. He was a unanimous first-team All-America selection in 1993 as an offensive tackle and earned consensus honors his junior season as an offensive guard in 1992. He also won the Lombardi Award in 1993 and started 30 straight games to end his collegiate career. Taylor earned a bachelors degree in sociology from Notre Dame in 1994. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft and was a member of the Packers team that won Superbowl XXXI. After his first stint with the network, Taylor joined ABC's college football studio team, before leaving to work on his philanthropic efforts. He founded the Aaron Taylor Impact Fund, which strives to bridge the gap between those who have and those who need. In the spring of 2001, Taylor participated in a five-month volunteer placement program and taught English to high school students in South America. Taylor currently resides in Southern California and has won several awards for his post-Tsunami work in Sri Lanka, mentoring children, and his work with athletes in transition.
DERRICK WALKER
(Game Analyst)
Derrick Walker is in his second season as a game analyst with CBS College Sports Network. He will be part of the broadcast team for the Network's slate of high school football games, as well as select DII college football games. Walker played in the NFL for 10 years as a tight end with the Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders. Walker started as a rookie with the Chiefs in 1990 and was named to "The All-Joe Team" by USA TODAY in 1994. He also won the Ed Block Courage Award, which is given to one player on each NFL Team who exemplifies a commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.
Walker was selected in the sixth round of the 1990 draft out of University of Michigan, where he was a four-year letterman. During his collegiate career, Walker played in over 50 games, including three Rose Bowls. He was a consensus Sporting News All-Big Ten selection and honorable All-American during his junior and senior seasons. He graduated from Michigan in 1989 with a BA in Communications.
After retiring, Derrick served as an NFL analyst for Detroit area television and radio shows. He also worked for Comcast from 2004-2008 as a high school and college football analyst. Before joining CBS C, he was a college football analyst for the Big Ten Network.
For the past ten years, Walker has been a dedicated volunteer and sponsor for the Reggie McKenzie Foundation of Detroit, MI, an organization that works with inner city kids providing numerous educational programs. Walker was born in Chicago, Ill. and currently resides in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
ADAM ZUCKER
(Anchor and Studio Host)
Adam Zucker is a studio host and anchor for CBS College Sports Network. Zucker joined CBS College Sports Network shortly after the network's launch in 2003. He has hosted the Network's coverage of multiple NCAA Championships, including the Division I Men's Basketball Championship, College World Series and Men's and Women's Lacrosse Championships, as well as numerous other events and programming specials. Zucker also narrates many of the network's original programs and documentaries. Before joining CBS College Sports Network, Zucker was a sports anchor and reporter at WBRE-TV in Wilkes Barre/Scranton for nearly four years (1999-2003), covering Penn State football, the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Penguins and top minor league affiliates. Zucker began as a sports reporter at WTVH, the CBS-affiliate in Syracuse, where he worked upon graduating from Syracuse's Newhouse School of Public Communications ('98) with a degree in broadcast journalism. Zucker also served as on-site host and sideline reporter for the Syracuse Radio Network's football broadcasts during the 1999 season. Zucker is originally from Mountain Lakes, NJ and now lives in New York City with his wife Rachel and newborn son Max.
