As we count down to Banquet, we've got a special episode of the podcast today. WJPZ Hall of Famer Carl Weinstein, Class of 1988 joins us along with his sole Cole, who followed in his WJPZ footsteps and just graduated in 2021.
Carl talks about discovering Syracuse as a journalism school and getting to WJPZ shortly before the moved over to the FM dial. He went from news to on-air to program director. And later in the episode, we'll hear him talk about the move to the CHR Power Hits format. It was a collaborative decision between station management. And staying true to the station's mission, eliminating block programming, meant giving up funding from the University. All of a sudden, the station had to be self sufficient, and it was a learning process.
After graduation, Carl followed Rocco Macri to Hot in New York. Then, the company bought the Seattle Mariners, and chose several staff to head west and help run the baseball team. Carl fell in love with Seattle - after all, the 90's were a great time to be there with the growth of Microsoft, Amazon, and more. And the entrepreneurial spirit was contagious, leading Carl to work with several startups over the next 25 years or so, including most recently with the Locked On Sports Network.
Cole grew up hearing about Syracuse all the time, of course. And as he gained more of an interest in sports, it became clear that Syracuse was where he wanted to go. Today's guests tell a great story about having the same reaction upon visiting the campus, three decades apart.
At SU, Cole realized he had to differentiate himself from everyone else who wanted to be the next Colin Cowherd. He did this by really focusing on his interviewing skills, networking and getting to know athletes. During COVID, with everyone working virtually, he was editing highlights for NFL media while still a student. He parlayed that gig into a job for the Chargers, where he did a podcast series on LaDainian Tomlinson. Now, he's with Fox Sports, having recently worked on the World Series, World Cup, and Super Bowl.
Despite his passion for sports, Cole really enjoyed his time on the Z Morning Zoo, and has some fond memories to share, including an unintentionally hilarious moment where he didn't follow his own advice of "always do your research."
Throughout this episode, you'll hear the special dynamic of a father and son's shared experience, and how that feels from both sides.
Cole's series Running for History
Through the Uprights
This episode was produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his company JAG in Detroit Podcasts.
Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com
Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/
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