Jack Michaels, a well known Red River Valley radio jock and sportscaster is back and even sports novices are celebrating the return of “The Red Hawks Man” to the local airwaves.
As anyone who has ever worked longer than five minutes in radio can tell you, it is a very competitive business consumed with high pressure, on-the-go, minute by minute action that must continuously bark out noise, be it popular political debate, hi-jinx among staffers, discussion of the latest social trends, news and weather reports or just commercial breaks. Radio never stops to take a breath. It can’t. Dead air in space equals listeners changing the channel and mega bucks down the tubes.
Few jobs can produce the pressure, entertainment value or ratings that a top notch sports reporter spinning the yarn with play by play action during a game between two rivals determined to best the other. Even occasional followers will tune in when a favorite sports reporter is manning the microphone during a match up game of long time competitors.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Michaels is even-handed and never known to rage on and on about a lousy call or make snide remarks when an athlete blows a play. Michaels attitude about all sports and the team players is always one of respect for their ability and willingness to put it all out there– on the line– time after time.
But what do we reallllly know about Jack? Where’s he been? Why did he leave? What will he be doing in the coming months? Will a new stadium do anything to enhance the Vikings zero percentage record of winning a Super Bowl? These and other questions Jack Michaels mulled, then answers.
SA: For those who are new to the area let’s begin with a little “bio” information.
Are you originally from the F/M area? Where did you graduate from college? What was your worst course in college? When did you first enter broadcasting? What station did you work for first and what did you as an on-air personality? When you left Fargo-Moorhead for Bismarck, what station did you go to work for and what did you do?
JM: I was born in the ‘Magic City’ of Minot, ND and moved to Williston, ND where I spent the first 18+ years of my life. College took me to NDSU where I played baseball for the Bison. I majored in Mass Communications with a broadcast emphasis and a Business minor. I still have nightmares of a statistics class I took at S-U which is ironic because as a long time baseball announcer, ‘stats’ are a main part of the job. I guess I could always figure out batting averages quicker than I could standard deviations. In the late ‘80’s I took a radio job working overnights at a local country station (KVOX-AM). Ironically, KVOX-AM is now the Sportstalk station which I am the Program Director of. I don’t remember what I got paid back then, but I don’t think it mattered because in this business it’s always about starting somewhere and for me it was about getting in the door. I went from overnights at the country station to evenings at a rock station (Q-98). I was moved to the morning show and also started to do local sports for KQWB-AM. In the early ‘90’s I was hired at KFGO to do an afternoon show. I continued to do sports too….and in 1995 I learned that Fargo/Moorhead was getting a pro baseball team. I was asked if I wanted to be the public address announcer for the team? I told the general manager that instead of being the P.A. guy, I wanted to be the play-by-play guy. He asked if I had a tape of me doing baseball play-by-play? I didn’t, so I went home and put a baseball game on television, turned the sound down and recorded myself doing play-by-play of that game on T.V. and I gave that to the RedHawks general manager. He listened to it and immediately hired me. Wow!! I was thrilled because even though I thoroughly enjoy all sports that I have the privilege to broadcast, baseball is extra special. In 2005 I moved to Bismarck to be closer to my twin daughters, Samantha & Cameron. I was the sports director of ESPN 710 AM. I did a 3-hour sports talk show and was named the voice of the U-Mary Marauders Athletics. In April of this year I was presented with an opportunity to return to Fargo. I couldn’t pass it up. I agreed to be the Program Director of 740 AM THE FAN and Sports Director of KFGO 790AM. I also host “The Jack Michaels Show” from 12 -2 p.m. weekdays on 740 AM. I have also accepted the position as the play-by-play voice of UND Sioux Football.
In my 20 years of broadcasting I have been an overnight disc jockey, a morning show jock, a mid-day talk show host, a morning sports talk show host, a play-by-play announcer for The MSUM Dragons, The NDSU Bison, The University of Mary, The FM RedHawks, thousands of High School games and also hosted a television show on the local Fox station called the Vikings Update.
SA: Did you play a sport(s) in college? Did you ever consider or want to be a pro-athlete? If you were going to play on a professional team, which one would you want to play for today.
JM: I played baseball and basketball in Junior College and baseball at NDSU where I was a starting 1st baseman. When I was growing up I loved basketball and baseball equally. I was able to dunk a basketball when I was around 15 or 16 and always thought that basketball would be the sport I played the longest. However, it was baseball that I was able to earn my college scholarships. Like many young players I would’ve loved to play pro sports, but for me being a pro announcer was always on my mind.
If I were to play on a professional team today…..hmmmm… I would have to say that putting on a Twins uniform and stepping to the plate at Target Field would be pretty cool.
SA: In the last twenty years what, in your opinion, has changed the most regarding pro-athletic teams and the players? Has the amount of money being paid today become the real ‘meat and potatoes’ for the athletes or is it still as simple as just loving the game that athletes are lured to play for with making millions of dollars an added bonus?
JM: The money involved is incredible! When Alex Rodriguez signed a contract several years ago for 10 years and a quarter billion dollars I had to stop and think where pro sports is heading. The stadiums are more elaborate and expensive, the contracts are getting bigger, the money is huge, the profits are huge, and the scandals are more frequent. Steroids has given athletes a dirty image. It’s made us question everyone who does something great. I still want to believe that there’s a large portion of athletes who play ‘for the love of the game’ but unfortunately I think we’ve lost a little of that over the last couple decades.
SA: Now that you are back on KFGO’s THE FAN-740, do you have new plans for the program?
JM: 740 THE FAN has such a tremendous reach that we need to continue to bring to our listeners what they want to hear. It’s entertainment as much as it is information. Personally, I want listeners to know that they have a ‘voice’ on this station; a local show that they can call in and be heard. I foresee implementing more local play-by-play in the future of high school games from around the region. We provide our listeners with programming out of Minneapolis, and mix that with programming that serves a local need. We’re heavy on local college athletics, as well as the Vikings, Twins and pro sports. I think it’s time to sprinkle in and highlight some of our great prep stars too!
SA: Tell us about your “PLAY By PLAY” program. Will you be co- broadcasting NDSU’s games and / or UND games or any of this season’s Red Hawks games? How much time do you spend on the road traveling from game to game?
JM: I have accepted the play-by-play position for UND Football. I am looking forward to that in the fall. I would also love to team up again with my former broadcast partner Scott Miller in some capacity. Scott is a ‘pro’s pro’ and does a marvelous job with NDSU. As a former Bison broadcaster I would certainly consider stepping into a role again in the winter, we’ll just have to see what my new schedule allows me to commit to.
SA: You have twin daughters. Do either or both play a sport? If either wanted to go into a professional sport, which would you choose for them? If you had a son who loved sports and wanted to be a professional athlete, which sport would you choose first and why?
JM: I firmly believe that my daughters, Samantha and Cameron, are the sole reason I am on this earth. They are so full of life and absolutely love sports, too. Sam and Cam both dream of someday being in the WNBA. Their mother, Shannon, was a standout athlete in college and stands 5’11”. That said, as parents we’ve dedicated ourselves to giving the girls roots and wings and support them in whatever dreams they wish to pursue. If I were to have a son I would see which sport drives his passion. However, if he was left-handed and threw the ball over 90mph I would definitely have him involved in baseball!!
SA: Can you explain why the NCAA can determine if a school will be allowed to play in Conference games or not? If another university or college decided they wanted to play against UND what would or could the NCAA do about it? What could happen if UND does not change its mascot and logo from the Fighting Sioux, how will going against the NCAA affect UND’s athletic departments long term?
JM: The use of the name and logo for UND has been a hot button issue now for several years. When the NCAA deemed the nickname “hostile and abusive” it put the Fighting Sioux in a position where they needed support of the tribes to retain the logo and nickname. Because total support has yet to be reached, the NCAA has proclaimed that UND will force consequences if they continue to use the name and logo. Even though legislators in North Dakota put forth a law so UND can keep the name it doesn’t appear that will help UND athletics when it comes to conference affiliation or competing against certain universities. Many colleges do not want to schedule games against the Sioux until this issue is settled. I believe that for UND’s sake that they can move on as soon as possible. I have many friends in the Sioux tribe, and even though I see the logo and nickname as one built on pride and tradition, it may be time for UND to retire the name and perhaps not even have a nickname…….and just be known as ‘UND’.
SA: If you are reincarnated after this life, considering all the possibilities in the world to choose, what would you want to come back to planet earth to be and do for a second lifetime?
JM: I think I would come back and teach. My parents were educators. I believe that certain people were put on this earth to help young minds get excited about learning. The opportunities are endless for our youth today, but it starts with a hunger for learning and the ability to communicate.
SA: For all the sports fans and Jack Michaels fans “out there” in jock-land, tell us again what your schedule is for the coming months so everyone will know when to tune in and listen.
JM: Each morning at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15 you can tune in on 790 KFGO and catch me on Tom Wynn & Friends morning show. Each weekday at 12 noon you can find me on 740AM The Fan. Feel free to go to our website: 740thefan.com to find out what’s happening.
I’ve known Jack Michaels since the early 90’s when we worked at KQWB AM radio station at the same time. He was playing rock n’roll and the Road Runner and I were debating with each other and our listeners what we all felt about our local political and private enterprise leaders latest decisions that inevitably affected the rest of us “commoners.” Jack handled rockers and his fans back then as the does his sports fans of today –with enthusiasm and heart felt honesty. As someone who had never followed baseball until Jack began announcing the ‘play by play’ with the Red Hawks, he even got me hooked! Jack Michaels is to baseball what the Good Humor Man is to ice cream lovers—a total treat! So I know I speak for thousands when I say WELCOME BACK JACK!
Jack Michaels