Episode 3: Episode 3: Matt Sexton

Matt talks about how he was able to land the job of television play-by-play announcer for Northern Kentucky University. At first he was assigned men’s and women’s soccer and then added women’s basketball to his schedule.
Matt talks about his beginnings in the media business as a reporter for the Wilmington News Journal (https://www.wnewsj.com) as a high school student under the tutelage of sports editor Mark Huber.
Matt and Brady talk about the willingness to work for free in order get a foot in the door. In Matt’s case he became the public address announcer as a high school freshman at Blanchester (Ohio) High School.
Matt graduated from Blanchester High School in 1997 as the valedictorian and enrolled at Ohio University. While at OU he studied at the illustrious Scripps School of Journalism (https://www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/journalism) and worked as a disc jockey at the campus radio station.
Matt talks about being burned out with school and dropping out of college after his sophomore year. He acknowledges that in hindsight it wasn’t a great decision but he was able to find work back home in Blanchester.
His first media job after leaving OU was returning to the Wilmington News Journal. He would eventually made the jump to the Wilmington radio station WSWO-FM and WKFI-AM.
Apparently there was a big rivalry between the newspaper and the radio station in a small market like Wilmington and Matt felt the wrath of that situation.
Matt developed into the news, sports and farm director at the radio station. Yes, that’s correct I said the Farm Director. Unfortunately he no longer uses those skills in his work today but it was an interesting and important position in the Wilmington market.
Like most small radio stations WSWO-FM and WKFI-AM were bought out in the massive media consolidations that happened in the early to mid-2000’s.
Matt look back on his most memorable day on the job at the radio station when he and his co-host Jerry “Too Tall” Jennings where on the air reporting on the 9/11 tragedy.
After the radio station closes and the newspaper job was not an option, Matt talks about being out of the business for a few years supporting himself by working in a factory.
Matt bounces back and returns into the media field by streaming high school football games for both Blanchester and nearby Goshen High School.
Eventually Matt is able to mend fences at the Wilmington News Journal and started covering high school football again. In particular he is given the assignment as the beat reporter for Clinton-Massie High School and its run to back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013.
Brady and Matt talk about the current state of coverage that high school sports get in the local media. They discuss how the coverage has diminished while the demand has increased.
Brady asks Matt to discus one the great high school football coaches in the state of Ohio, Dan McSurley of Clinton-Massie. Through his coverage, Matt has a unique perspective of this program that has produced multiple state championships using a unique offensive scheme.
In 2014, at the age of 35, Matt decides to make the decision to return to college and earn his degree. He enrolls as a non-tradition student at Northern Kentucky University where he makes valuable connections and takes advance of some great opportunities.
While at NKU, he becomes the sports editor of The Northerner (https://www.thenortherner.com) which is the student newspaper. This give Matt the opportunity to interact with Bryan McEldowney and Brad Pope for the NKU Athletic Communications and Media Services Department.
Matt also takes classes in the Electronic Media & Broadcasting program at NKU in order to help keep his budding broadcasting career. Wes Akers becomes a mentor and helps Matt get his opportunity to broadcast NKU soccer games.
Matt also gives thanks to both Brad Pope and Bryan McEldowney for actually approving his hire as a broadcaster for NKU on the ESPN Digital Platform known as ESPN+ (https://plus.espn.com)
Matt talks about the student television production run by Wes Akers and Bill Farro at Northern Kentucky and how it’s one of the tops not only in the Horizon League but the entire country.
Matt and Brady go into some detail about the challenges of running a student production and what a great job those students do under the tutelage of Wes and Bill.
Matt gets a chance to talk about some big moments and highlights during his time as the NKU women’s basketball play-by-play announcer. His personal favorite is of course his call of NKU defeating Youngstown State on a buzzing-beating shot by Molly Glick. Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6ySZtv5JdU) to see and hear Matt’s call that great moment.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @MattSextonPxP (https://twitter.com/MattSextonPxP)
You can follow Brady Laber on Twitter @BradyLaber1 (https://twitter.com/BradyLaber1) please use the hashtag #NobodysSafe
Check out the Nobody’s Safe website at nobodysssafe.fireside.fm (https://nobodysssafe.fireside.fm)
For more information on Stove Leg Media go the website StoveLeg.com (StoveLeg.com) or send an email to [email protected]
Intro music for the podcast was provided by bensoud.com (https://www.bensound.com)

Matt talks about how he was able to land the job of television play-by-play announcer for Northern Kentucky University. At first he was assigned men’s and women’s soccer and then added women’s basketball to his schedule.

Matt talks about his beginnings in the media business as a reporter for the Wilmington News Journal as a high school student under the tutelage of sports editor Mark Huber.

Matt and Brady talk about the willingness to work for free in order get a foot in the door. In Matt’s case he became the public address announcer as a high school freshman at Blanchester (Ohio) High School.

Matt graduated from Blanchester High School in 1997 as the valedictorian and enrolled at Ohio University. While at OU he studied at the illustrious Scripps School of Journalism and worked as a disc jockey at the campus radio station.

Matt talks about being burned out with school and dropping out of college after his sophomore year. He acknowledges that in hindsight it wasn’t a great decision but he was able to find work back home in Blanchester.

His first media job after leaving OU was returning to the Wilmington News Journal. He would eventually made the jump to the Wilmington radio station WSWO-FM and WKFI-AM.

Apparently there was a big rivalry between the newspaper and the radio station in a small market like Wilmington and Matt felt the wrath of that situation.

Matt developed into the news, sports and farm director at the radio station. Yes, that’s correct I said the Farm Director. Unfortunately he no longer uses those skills in his work today but it was an interesting and important position in the Wilmington market.

Like most small radio stations WSWO-FM and WKFI-AM were bought out in the massive media consolidations that happened in the early to mid-2000’s.

Matt look back on his most memorable day on the job at the radio station when he and his co-host Jerry “Too Tall” Jennings where on the air reporting on the 9/11 tragedy.

After the radio station closes and the newspaper job was not an option, Matt talks about being out of the business for a few years supporting himself by working in a factory.

Matt bounces back and returns into the media field by streaming high school football games for both Blanchester and nearby Goshen High School.

Eventually Matt is able to mend fences at the Wilmington News Journal and started covering high school football again. In particular he is given the assignment as the beat reporter for Clinton-Massie High School and its run to back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013.

Brady and Matt talk about the current state of coverage that high school sports get in the local media. They discuss how the coverage has diminished while the demand has increased.

Brady asks Matt to discus one the great high school football coaches in the state of Ohio, Dan McSurley of Clinton-Massie. Through his coverage, Matt has a unique perspective of this program that has produced multiple state championships using a unique offensive scheme.

In 2014, at the age of 35, Matt decides to make the decision to return to college and earn his degree. He enrolls as a non-tradition student at Northern Kentucky University where he makes valuable connections and takes advance of some great opportunities.

While at NKU, he becomes the sports editor of The Northerner which is the student newspaper. This give Matt the opportunity to interact with Bryan McEldowney and Brad Pope for the NKU Athletic Communications and Media Services Department.

Matt also takes classes in the Electronic Media & Broadcasting program at NKU in order to help keep his budding broadcasting career. Wes Akers becomes a mentor and helps Matt get his opportunity to broadcast NKU soccer games.

Matt also gives thanks to both Brad Pope and Bryan McEldowney for actually approving his hire as a broadcaster for NKU on the ESPN Digital Platform known as ESPN+

Matt talks about the student television production run by Wes Akers and Bill Farro at Northern Kentucky and how it’s one of the tops not only in the Horizon League but the entire country.

Matt and Brady go into some detail about the challenges of running a student production and what a great job those students do under the tutelage of Wes and Bill.

Matt gets a chance to talk about some big moments and highlights during his time as the NKU women’s basketball play-by-play announcer. His personal favorite is of course his call of NKU defeating Youngstown State on a buzzing-beating shot by Molly Glick. Click here to see and hear Matt’s call that great moment.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @MattSextonPxP

You can follow Brady Laber on Twitter @BradyLaber1 please use the hashtag #NobodysSafe

Check out the Nobody’s Safe website at nobodysssafe.fireside.fm

For more information on Stove Leg Media go the website [StoveLeg.com](StoveLeg.com) or send an email to [email protected]

Intro music for the podcast was provided by bensoud.com