12 Reasons Why.....Bill Rosinski Is More Then Just A Recognizable Voice On The Radio

First, let me start off by thanking those of you who have agreed to do this. Without you, I would have given up on this already but it is because I look up to you that I continue. Thank you again and I appreciate it more then I could ever state here in words.
And now, on to the feature presentation. You may not recognize the name but he is a voice I know and admire in sports broadcasting. When I first moved here in 1996, I was a Cowboy fan but slowly but surely, became more enamored with the Carolina Panthers. Within a couple years, I became a huge Panther fan and part of the reason for the enjoyment was the voice of the Carolina Panthers, Mr. Bill Rosinski. He was with the Atlanta Falcons from 1992-1994 and then took a job with the expansion team Panthers where he would stay until 2004 when contract negotiations could not be agreed to and he left his position. He was the voice I heard as the Panthers made that run for SuperBowl XXXVIII when they lost by a last second field goal to the New England Patriots. Anyway, I respect this man a lot and have even attended a taping of his TV show Sportsnight which I enjoyed a lot and hope to attend more in the near future. Please give a warm Orange welcome to the classy Mr. Bill Rosinski.

12 Reasons Why..... Bill Rosinski Is More Then Just A Recognizable Voice On The Radio

1. For those not familiar with your work, please help introduce them to Bill Rosinski. Where are you from and what made you want to do radio broadcasting for a living?

I was born outside Buffalo, NY, Tonawanda to be exact and grew up a fan of the sports teams there. It was listening to Van Miller doing the Bills back in the mid 60s on radio that inspired me to get into broadcasting. He sounded like he was having fun and I thought it would be a great profession.

2. What is your educational background? Where and how did you get your first start in this business?

I studied radio and TV at Marietta College in Ohio. My first job was at a radio station in Marietta and I started as a DJ. Within a few months I was able to get into sports at the station doing high school and Div III college football, basketball and baseball play by play. That was in 1975 and I have been in radio and some TV ever since.

3. Where can those interested hear and see you on a regular basis? Any idea of potential working partners for this upcoming season similar to your work with Coach Dan Reeves last year?

This year I am back with a full season of games on Westwood One doing the NFL. I will be working again with Dan Reeves. I will start early with the Hall of Fame game in Canton and I have my first eight regular season games set including the Panthers at Bucs in October and the NFL game in London between the Chargers and Saints. I will also be doing some ACC national radio for football working with Ricky Proehl the former Panthers receiver and John Bunting the former head coach at North Carolina. I also do a TV show that we tape once a month with interviews with area sports celebrities. Its on Time Warner Cable channel 18 each Wednesday at 7pm. Its called Sportsnight

4. What advice would you give someone interested in getting into sports broadcasting? Any particular helpful hints you would recommend?

My best advice is to make as many contacts as possible in the business. I can't tell you how many jobs I have had moving up the broadcast ladder thanks to knowing someone who knew the decision maker. Also don't be afraid to do a job in the business that might not be exactly what you want. Once you are in the door you can expand your horizons.

5. Would you give us an example of a day at work for Bill Rosinski during the football season? How much preparation work goes into your broadcast?

Doing national broadcasts has me on the internet during the week reading the two cities newspapers and gathering as much information as I can. I also put together a spotting board with both teams offense and defense which helps me keep track of who's who on the field. Both teams will send plenty of information as well. Doing a college game the same weekend can be hectic. This year I will do Georgia Tech at BC on Saturday and then the Patriots opener against KC the next day. Dan Reeves and I usually go to dinner the night before NFL games, talk about the broadcast the next day and on game day we are both on the field as the teams warm up trying to talk with the players for any last minute info.

6. What is your favorite part of the job? What is your least favorite part of your job? And what was your best moment professionally?

The best part of the job is doing the games. People actually pay money to see these games and we get paid to be there. AMAZING..

The negative is the travel. I like seeing the different cities but waiting in an airport is the worst.

My best moment with the Panthers came at the end of the NFC title game when the team beat Philly to go to the Super Bowl. I thought all day about what I might say if the team won and I finally came up with "Yes Charlotte there is a Super Bowl and we're in it." Fans still tell me its one of their favorite calls. Also last year I was able to call Brett Favres record breaking TD pass against Minnesota which surpassed Marinos all time record.

7. As a former radio broadcaster for the Carolina Panthers as well as numerous other NFL games, what is your opinion/prediction for the 2008 Carolina Panther team? If you were in Vegas now, who would you place your money on for making it to the Super Bowl and winning it all? And while on the subject of the NFL, where do you think Bret Favre ends up and what would you think if the Buffalo Bills signed them?

I think the Panthers should make the playoffs this season. Jake Delhomme seems like he's healthy and that's a huge key for this team. The biggest questions include finding a running game. Still in 13 seasons the team has had just two backs rush for over 1000 yards. Can the o-line jell in time to open holes and protect Jake? Also the team needs a pass rush. Jenkins is gone, Rucker has retired and can Peppers rebound from last seasons disaster? I don't think the schedule is all that tough so if they can figure out a way to win at home they should be pretty good.

If I were in Vegas I might put a few bucks on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. Jacksonville should be really good this season as well. Favre, if he plays should end up with a team that runs the West Coast offense. Tampa could be a new home.

If Favre ends up in Buffalo we will know that pigs do fly.

8. I know yours a hockey fan as well and since I try to cover the Pittsburgh Penguins on this blog as well, what is your favorite team and what do you think of the Penguins team? Do you think the Russian League will negatively influence the future of the NHL by attracted top names like Jagr as time goes on or is it just a fade like the XFL or USFL?

My team is the Sabres. Watched them from the beginning in 1970 with the French Connection. At least they signed Ryan Miller to a long term deal but usually they lose good players because they don't have the money to pay for them.

The Penguins should be very good again. Fleury is a solid goaltender and that's what the playoffs are about. Crosby is a guy who plays with an edge and should be that teams leader for a long time.

The Russian league might interest some Europeans but most players know where the fame and fortune is. You don't see Russian league highlights on ESPN.

9. Professional wrestling is something I enjoy following and discussing here as well. I remember fondly that your old talk show had Good Old J.R. Jim Ross,who in my opinion is the greatest wrestling announcer of all time, on there a couple times and you two seemed to know each other well. What do you think of Jim Ross personally and professionally? Is there any chance we may hear your familiar voice from ringside some day? Or is there anything else you have not tried professionally that you would like to experience?

Funny you mention JR. I had lunch with him when he came to town last week to tape Smackdown. Jim was the third man in the booth when I started doing the Falcons games in 1992 with Jeff Van Note. JR was doing WCW back then. He is the voice of wrestling although he mentioned to me in a few years he might wind it down. I have not thought about being ringside but like any other sport you've got to do your homework, know the different holds and the background on all the sports stars. As most fans know he is a huge Oklahoma football fan and is tight with Bob Stoops the head coach. He travels to most of the games. He would love to be the Voice of the Sooners. He also has two barbeque places open in Norman and Oklahoma City and markets his own sauces.JR has a blog as well. He is quite the businessman.

One thing I would like to do is baseball. I did high school and college and minor league in Buffalo.

10. What is your favorite source for sports news and information? What is your opinion on 24 hour sports programming and their impact on the world of sports and the fan's perspective of the games?

ESPNs web site is good, Pro Football Talk has some great info on the NFL.

What 24 hour sports programming has done is forced newspapers to take a look at how they do things. Before ESPN and sports talk radio the newspapers had a lot of game stories. You don't need that now. I think papers should give us more opinions and I think you see writers doing this. I love David Poole of the Observer who covers NASCAR but throws in his own opinions on how FOX and TNT cover the sport.
I also love the NHL network. Watched the Rangers-Leafs playoff game from 1971 the other day. Most players were not wearing head gear and there was a bench clearing brawl. The third man in rule had yet to be born. It was great stuff.

11. If someone asked to describe you, what would you wish to hear them say and be flattered if they did?

For any radio voice if someone says "you made me feel like I was at the game" its the ultimate compliment. Also I am always flattered by Panthers fans who tell me they miss me and tell me I will always be the Voice of the team. They claim Panthers fans don't have passion. I would disagree.

12. Your Free Space: This is your chance to say anything you wish. Do you have anything you want to plug, any last minute advice, or any topic not discussed above you would like people to know? Take as much time as you want but I have one rule, keep it clean though I don't think that will be an issue with you.

I got my real estate license this year and am working with Allen Tate. If there are any fans out there who are looking to buy or sell a home or know someone looking to do the same please give them my name. My website is http://www.billrosinski.com/.

Pat Yasinskas and I wrote a book about my time with the Panthers. It came out last fall and is called Bill Rosinskis Tales of the Carolina Panthers. Its available at local book stores.

Finally I would like to wish the best to all the Panthers fans and hope this season is a good one.
Bill Rosinski

Thank you so much Bill and like many Panther fans, I still consider you the voice of the Panthers myself. That is not a knock at Mick Mixon or any of the other guys but for me I know his voice was a major reason I tuned in to radio broadcasts when I could not see the game(and sometimes choose it over the TV anyway). Check out Bill's stuff and for those of you Orange fans, this is a Buffalo man so that's close enough for me(its all cold as heck and covered in snow in the winter just the same).