Gottschalk gone from UVA booth
Adam Gottschalk's Midnight Barbecue is an Internet hit.
PHOTO BY JAY KUHLMANN
Two months after former "Voice of the Cavaliers" Mac McDonald resigned from the Virginia Sports Network, another resignation has been tendered. Adam Gottschalk, 24, joins the ranks of those no longer calling University of Virginia sports events.
"I resigned June 26," after he learned his role doing play-by-play for UVA games would be greatly reduced, says Gottschalk. He was the Virginia Sports Network coordinator at Charlottesville Radio Group, home of WINA and 3WV, where he had worked since 2001, when he started as a 16-year-old intern.
Gottschalk, Charlottesville homegrown and a former UVA student, created and co-hosts the hit public-access talk show the Midnight Barbecue, episodes of which are available on demand on YouTube, and which feature everyone who's anyone in local music. Gottschalk doesn't think his occasionally bawdy 'Cue activities were a factor in his getting the word that he was out of UVA sportscasting.
Viacom, parent company of CBS, which owns broadcast rights to all UVA athletics, spawned an organization called Virginia Sports Properties, explains its general manager, Jim Kuznar. Virginia Sports Network is the name of the radio network that broadcasts UVA games and is controlled by Virginia Sports Properties, which just hired the new "Voice of the Cavs," Dave Koehn. The Charlottesville Radio Group partners with that group to broadcast UVA sports.
Any coincidence that Gottschalk's departure so closely follows McDonald's?
"I can't answer that," says Kuznar. "He wasn't an employee of ours. He worked for Charlottesville Radio Group."
The Hook was unable to reach Charlottesville Radio Group general manager Renee Quesenberry and operations manager Rick Daniels at the time of this post.
Nor does Kuznar acknowledge any sort of cleaning house of broadcasters of UVA sports. "I wouldn't say there's a lot of turnover in play-by-play," he says. "The first in 13 years was when Mac McDonald decided to announce his resignation."
When he gets the Hook's call, Gottschalk is reading a book on the balcony of his rent-free apartment, thanks to a Midnight Barbecue sponsorship. "I've been working full time in radio since I was 16," he says. "I'm going to take the next six months to a year off."
He reels off a list of upcoming plans: start a new season of the Midnight Barbecue, write a book, do some political campaign consulting, and call high school games on a freelance basis for WINA. Playing music is also on his to-do list.
Despite his "diminished" role as a sports broadcaster for his alma mater, Gottschalk vows to continue to wear the orange and blue.
"Unless something completely blows me way, I don't think my next job will be in sports," he says. But should the right something appear, "I'm still young, and I have a great resumé."
Update: The original version of this post erroneously said Gottschalk was a UVA graduate, but he still needs a few more credits.
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17 comments
Adam is no UVA grad, so better correct that before this story gets sent to the presses.
One would have to be a UVa student to be a UVa graduate, and Mr. Gottschalk is not a UVa student --- though he might lead people to believe otherwise.
this sucks....Adam was a major-league caliber baseball announcer. Gonna be hard to replace.
Very disappointing - Adam had become an excellent sports guy - it was obvious that he seriously studied his craft and did a ton of research. When he first started I remember thinking "who is this kid and why is he talking to me?" but he grew on me and his departure is a significant loss for the local sports scene. But I'm glad he's doing well in his other endeavors!
There is bad and then there is this guy, good riddance.
I always thought he was better than Mac. I hope he didn't leave because he didn't get that job, even though he deserved it.
I just really liked his on-air style...really entertaining and descriptive.
Resigned? Dude was fired.
I know The Hook is just doing its job and is publishing what it is told, but Adam resigning is about as accurate as Mac resigning.
A 24-year old without a college degree quitting a fine job to take a year off?
dude, you are talking out of your ass. how do you know what the circumstances were? And what makes you call it a "fine job"? Radio doesn't pay anything, especially not in a small town. Everyone knows that. They would be crazy to fire him, especially with Mac not coming back. He is a good guy and a great broadcaster. Does spouting conspiracies make you feel important? Shut up and get a life.
Fact: He was fired, and he couldn't hold Mac's jock, much less take Mac's job, if I were you I'd get more information before spouting off rhetoric. He's much better at his crappy little public access show and fade into relative obscurity.
Saying that Adam couldn't hold Mac's jock implies that Mac has a jock worth holding. A lot of people, myself included, found Mac to be an arrogant a-hole and at best a mediocre play-by-play guy. It was such a shock several years ago to go from the smooth, classy, thoughtful Warren Swain to know-it-all Mac McDonald.
When Adam did play-by-play for a game, be it baseball or women's basketball, you got the sense that this guy prepared like a pro, totally knew both teams, and knew what he was talking about. He was a great baseball announcer - he was excellent at setting the stage and painting a picture of what was going on at the ballpark.
Anyone know what Mac is up to these days? He was supposed to announce his next big move soon after he left UVA. Is he selling Hondas at Brown?
...and SAY GOODBYE!!!!
It's my understanding that Mac was the only reason Mr. Gottschalk had his job in the first place.
was so full of himself. Arrogant. Annoying voice. And really though he was loved by all. good riddance. and someone thought his play-by-play was good? have you ever listened? i almost feel bad for him. maybe getting fired will jerk him into reality.
Come on... leave my posts up.
Anyone know what Mac is up to these days? He was supposed to announce his next big move soon after he left UVA.
Inquiring minds want to know.
I second the poster who mentioned the name of Warren Swain. I loved Warren's play by play calling and his voice. When he left for Nebraska, I was so disappointed.
Did I like Mac McDonald? Not so much. But he was better than this guy Adam and his replacement, David Koehn.
Why did MacDonald get fired? What is he doing now?
Where is Warren Swain when you need him? I will tell you where. Bouncing around from one job to the next. He should have never left UVa.