The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542201
40 ■ THE WOLFPACKER WHERE ARE THEY NOW? he got behind the microphone. Gannon approached the Class AAA Charlotte Knights baseball team with an idea of giving its main play-by-play man a break in the middle innings. A Baltimore Orioles affiliate at the time, the team was on board, allowing Gan- non to add baseball to his arsenal at a rate of $50 per game. He was also pitch- ing a weekly sports segment on "PM Magazine," a nightly entertainment show syndicated throughout the United States, including on WRAL in Raleigh. They, too, were willing to hear Gannon out as he continued to build his portfo- lio as a budding broadcaster. Gannon didn't pigeonhole himself as a basketball analyst. Instead, he was willing to do anything and learn any sport while he was building his résumé. Valvano's words still rang in his ears. As Gannon explained, "I just kept saying 'Why not?' to every opportunity that came my way." A Versatile Voice From U.S. figure skater Nathan Chen's free skate gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Games to Simone Biles overcoming the "twisties" at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Gannon has been on the call for some of the most iconic Olympic moments in recent history. The upcoming Games in Milan will be the eighth of his career. He's been able to carve out a role as one of the most versatile voices in all of TV broadcasting, having covered major events across the athletic spectrum, in- cluding the Tour de France and the In- dianapolis 500. While it may seem like an intimidating task for some, Gannon embraces every assignment with open arms. He tries to become an expert on the new events, learning the rules while also watching as much tape as he can to perfect his style for a particular sport. Gannon isn't one to turn down an opportunity. It's the reason why he's risen to the top of NBC's play-by-play list, calling some of the premier events around the world. His athletic endeavors helped him find success in doing the various events, including his niche in figure skating. His experience from the Wolfpack's sprint to the 1983 national championship un- der Valvano plays a critical part. "The thing that I think has been the biggest part of me being able to jump into new sports was the connective tis- sue of knowing what it's like to be on the floor in crunch time in front of 50 million people with everything on the line and having been a part of a team that succeeded in that moment," said Gannon, who drew an important foul on Houston's Clyde Drexler in the national title game. "That translates to any other sport that you're doing." Like his previous trips to the Olym- pics, Gannon will be broadcasting the closing ceremonies, in addition to his figure skating work, but he will also add the opening ceremonies to his du- ties for NBC. It's one of the marquee events of every Olympiad, and Gannon couldn't be more excited to have a hand in hosting the broadcast as athletes from around the world enter San Siro Stadium to kick off the Milan Games on Feb. 6. "It's an honor," Gannon said. "In a world in which every day has become more individualized with fewer oppor- tunities for collective experiences, that's exactly what this is on a global scale — and you feel it. Whether it's the opening ceremony or closing ceremony, for 16 or 17 days, it's the greatest athletes in the world coming together. It's thrilling to be a part of that in some way." No matter what a producer or TV ex- ecutive asks Gannon to voice on air, he's more than willing to take on the chal- lenge. After all, it's exactly what Valvano preached to him at those Amedeo's din- ners in Raleigh. "Whatever it may be," Gannon said, "it's the Jim Valvano in me that he in- stilled that has said, 'Why not?'" ■ " The thing that has been the biggest part of me being able to jump into new sports was the connective tissue of knowing what it's like to be on the floor in crunch time in front of 50 million people with everything on the line and having been a part of a team that succeeded in that moment." Gannon Gannon reps his alma mater alongside fellow figure skating commentators Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS