Michael Reghi
Encyclopedia
Michael J. Reghi is an American
television play-by-play announcer
and radio sports talk show host. He is best known for being the former television play-by-play announcer of the Baltimore Orioles
of Major League Baseball
(1997–2004), and the Cleveland Cavaliers
of the National Basketball Association
(1993–2006).
Currently, he is the evening host for ESPN 850 WKNR
Radio in Cleveland, Ohio
. Reghi also hosts pre and postgame coverage of Washington Wizards
home basketball games on Comcast SportsNet Washington and broadcasts Mid-American Conference
football and basketball for the MAC Television Network and SportsTime Ohio
.
in Detroit, Michigan
, and is a graduate of Arizona State University
.
in Lima, Ohio
as a sports anchor/reporter. He then briefly went on to (then) WDHO-TV
24 in Toledo, Ohio
as a sports anchor (weekends) and reporter, and from 1983-1986 worked at Cleveland's WEWS-TV
5 as the weekend sports anchor (working under Cleveland sports media legends Gib Shanley
and Nev Chandler
). He then moved back to Toledo to become the sports director for WTVG-TV 13 from 1986-1991.
In 1991 returned to Cleveland to host a show on WKNR
Radio (then at AM 1220) from 1991 to 1993. During this time, Reghi also served a pregame host for both the Cleveland Indians
and Cleveland Cavaliers
telecasts on Sports Channel Ohio (now known as FS Ohio).
, and from 1997-2004 (during the basketball offseason), he was the TV play by play voice for the Baltimore Orioles
.
He continued to work with FS Ohio as an announcer for MAC
Basketball, and with ESPN Plus
for MAC football until 2010, when the MAC television contract was picked up by SportsTime Ohio
(STO). Reghi was then quickly signed by STO to continue his announcing duties. Reghi also hosts a live Cleveland Browns
postgame show on STO.
During the 2007 (final) season of the now defunct NFL Europe (subsequently renamed NFL Europa), Reghi called several games for the NFL Network
.
Reghi also called games for the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 that aired on NBA TV
,and in 2008, he did play by play for the College Basketball Invitational
on Fox College Sports
and for the Cleveland Gladiators arena football team on FS Ohio.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television play-by-play announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
and radio sports talk show host. He is best known for being the former television play-by-play announcer of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(1997–2004), and the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(1993–2006).
Currently, he is the evening host for ESPN 850 WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
Radio in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Reghi also hosts pre and postgame coverage of Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
home basketball games on Comcast SportsNet Washington and broadcasts Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
football and basketball for the MAC Television Network and SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio is a regional sports network in Cleveland and northern Ohio, launched in 2006. It was created to air Cleveland Indians games, and is owned by the family which owns the team. It is also the cable television home of the Cleveland Browns...
.
Early life
Reghi attended Cass Technical High SchoolCass Technical High School
The Cass Tech Technicians football team is a high school football program in Division 1 Public School League, representing the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI. Cass Tech High School has long been recognized nationwide for its extraordinary football program dating back to its...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, and is a graduate of Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
.
Early broadcast career
Reghi began his career in 1980, when he was hired by WLIOWLIO
WLIO is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northwest Ohio licensed to Lima. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter at its studios on Rice Avenue in the city. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 5 and in high definition on...
in Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
as a sports anchor/reporter. He then briefly went on to (then) WDHO-TV
WNWO-TV
WNWO-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station in Northwest Ohio that is licensed to Toledo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 49 from a transmitter northeast of Oregon. Owned by Barrington Broadcasting, the station has studios on South Byrne Road...
24 in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
as a sports anchor (weekends) and reporter, and from 1983-1986 worked at Cleveland's WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio. WEWS has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception, and is an affiliate of the ABC television network...
5 as the weekend sports anchor (working under Cleveland sports media legends Gib Shanley
Gib Shanley
Gib Shanley was a sports anchor/reporter for ABC-TV affiliate WEWS-TV, Channel 5 in Cleveland, Ohio.- Biography :Shanley grew up in Shadyside, Ohio, attended Shadyside High School...
and Nev Chandler
Nev Chandler
Neville A. "Nev" Chandler, Jr. was a Cleveland, Ohio-area sports broadcaster.Chandler graduated from Rocky River High School and, in 1968, Northwestern University...
). He then moved back to Toledo to become the sports director for WTVG-TV 13 from 1986-1991.
In 1991 returned to Cleveland to host a show on WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
Radio (then at AM 1220) from 1991 to 1993. During this time, Reghi also served a pregame host for both the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
telecasts on Sports Channel Ohio (now known as FS Ohio).
1993-2007
From 1993-2006, Reghi was the television play by play voice for the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, and from 1997-2004 (during the basketball offseason), he was the TV play by play voice for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
He continued to work with FS Ohio as an announcer for MAC
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
Basketball, and with ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
for MAC football until 2010, when the MAC television contract was picked up by SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio is a regional sports network in Cleveland and northern Ohio, launched in 2006. It was created to air Cleveland Indians games, and is owned by the family which owns the team. It is also the cable television home of the Cleveland Browns...
(STO). Reghi was then quickly signed by STO to continue his announcing duties. Reghi also hosts a live Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
postgame show on STO.
During the 2007 (final) season of the now defunct NFL Europe (subsequently renamed NFL Europa), Reghi called several games for the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
.
Reghi also called games for the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 that aired on NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
,and in 2008, he did play by play for the College Basketball Invitational
College Basketball Invitational
The College Basketball Invitational is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2007 by The Gazelle Group. The inaugural tournament occurred after the conclusion of the 2007–08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI selects 16 teams that are not selected for the NCAA Tournament...
on Fox College Sports
Fox College Sports
Fox College Sports is a group of three United States digital cable networks, FCS Atlantic, FCS Central and FCS Pacific owned by News Corporation, that specialize primarily in showing collegiate programming, live events, coaches shows & various DI, DII, & DIII content surrounding college athletics...
and for the Cleveland Gladiators arena football team on FS Ohio.
Return to WKNR
In March 2007, Reghi returned to WKNR radio (since moved to AM 850) to first become host of their KNR Overtime Cavaliers post-game show, and nearly two years later (January 2009) became the afternoon drive time host of a show called Bring it Strong—taken from one of Reghi's catch phrases (the show has since been renamed Afternoon R & R, then Cleveland Sports Night after the move to evenings). Reghi is joined on the show by co-host Kenny Roda.Signature calls
- See ya later! - after an Orioles home run
- Flight #23 about to take off! - when LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
scored on a fast break slam dunk - Bang, Bang, Bang! - when a Cavalier (especially LeBron James) made a last second shot to give the Cavs the win.
- And you can book this one for the Cavaliers/Orioles! - when either of those teams secured the win for that game.