The PXPU Podcast with Tony Castricone: from Play by Play University

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com Remember, our first Office Hours session with a group Zoom call will be coming up on Monday, November 18 at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT. If you’d like to connect with me and other broadcasters once a month on Zoom, upgrade your subscription to the Office Hours level by clicking the button below. The Art of Spotting: Y...

This week’s podcast is with Big Ten Network host/reporter Ashley Adamson, who has won three Emmy Awards in her coverage of college sports. Ashley is an experienced sideline reporter, game host and storyteller, and her ability to connect with sources and dig up great insight to relay to her audience makes her one of the best reporters I’ve come across in my time calling games. In this episode: * As...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com I want to talk about the art of cold email, cold call, and cold reach out – particularly for those trying to make connections early in their careers. Recently, someone reached out to me, and while I believe they meant well, I was unsure why they contacted me. When we got on the phone, the conversation's directio...

We got another strong submission for Tell the Truth Tuesday this week. Jonah Krell subscribed to the website and submitted some basketball highlights and a demo of last March’s Pac-12 Tournament championship game. This is really good tape, Jonah! I appreciate you sending this in and your submission. Leave Jonah a comment and give some feedback in the comments section below! Some basic critique eti...

Our first Office Hours session for folks subscribing at that level will be coming up on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT . This gives anyone the opportunity to meet me and others via Zoom and participate in an intimate, 60-minute conversation about making a career out of play-by-play. To upgrade your subscription to the Office Hours tier, just click the subscribe button below. Now, on...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com The following is an AI-generated article recapping today’s full-length podcast. For more nuanced discussion on each topic, please listen to today’s members-only podcast, and subscribe for more exclusive content like this. I want to share an experience that fundamentally changed my approach to interviewing coache...

On today’s episode of the PXPU Podcast, we talk to ESPN Radio’s Ian Fitzsimmons, who has become an integral member of ESPN Radio’s College Football Game of the Week as a third member of the broadcast crew from the sidelines. Ian has used his fun-loving personality to create a ton of authentic connections with the players and coaches he covers to become one of the most well-sourced reporters in the...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com The following is an AI-generated article based off the podcast episode above. Click play and listen to the full episode for more context on today’s topic. I want to talk about two things that I've heard many coaches discuss over the years - the only two things you can actually control. You can't control your tal...

Alright, crew! Tyler Polk submits his 3rd quarter call of a high school hoops tournament game last year between Beaver Falls and Shadyside Academy in Pennsylvania. Let’s take a listen and let him know what we think! Give Tyler a follow on X or on LinkedIn , or check out his website at www.tylerjhpolk.com . Thanks for sending this in, Tyler! It’s fun listening to your TV work, and as a guy who does...

Coming later this week! * We’ll be releasing our first two dates for the “Office Hours” group Zoom calls! Those are only for subscribers at the Office Hours level, so level up by clicking on the subscribe button below and make sure you’re a part of the fun. * Shout out to Josh Pos, student at Indiana’s Sports Media program, who did a phenomenal job spotting for us this past weekend during Washingt...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com The following is an AI-generated article recapping today’s full-length podcast. For more nuanced discussion on each topic, please listen to today’s members-only podcast, and subscribe for more exclusive content like this. As Jim Nantz pointed out, for play-by-play announcers, football games consist of approximat...

ESPN Radio’s Marc Kestecher taped with us a few weeks back, and I thought this week would be a great time to release the conversation, given that he’s going to be everywhere the next couple months between ESPN’s college football game of the week and its NBA coverage. On today’s episode: * (02:54) Kestecher shares his unlikely path to success, describing himself as usually unlucky except in his car...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com The following is an AI generated article about today’s podcast. For the full, in-depth analysis on today’s topic, please make sure to listen to today’s episode. The Seven Layers of Football Play-by-Play: A Comprehensive Guide In the world of football play-by-play, the ability to view and describe any given momen...

Today’s PXPU Podcast interview is with Alex Cohen, the long-time voice of the Iowa Cubs, who made his big league debut in July on Marquee Sports Network. What he didn’t expect was another game in September that he’d call in Wrigley on less than 24 hours notice. And what he really, really didn’t expect was that it would be the Cubs’ first no-hitter at Wrigley since 1972! Show notes: * 02:22 - Alex'...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com The following is an AI generated article about today’s podcast. For the full, in-depth analysis on today’s topic, please make sure to listen to today’s episode. On today's edition of Wednesday Wisdom, we're going to talk about how to handle a blowout because that's something that's pretty fresh in my mind. That...

Play By Play U subscriber Jason Dorow is the subject of today’s critique of the week. To get first dibs and bring your tape to the front of the line, make sure you subscribe (even if just for free!) by clicking the button below. What does everyone think!? Chime in with your thoughts on Jason’s work below. Some basic critique etiquette: * No fluffy false positives. When you say something positive,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit playbyplayu.substack.com Hey folks! Don’t forget the Monday Mailbag is right around the corner. Send me a message about anything related living the life of a play-by-play announcer and I’ll get to it to start off next week. Just click the button below and type away. Also, our monthly group Zoom calls are going to start soon, and they wi...

In this episode of the PXPU podcast, Tony Castricone interviews Carter Henderson, Associate Athletic Director at Stanford University, about the hiring process for play-by-play broadcasters at Division I schools. Show Notes: 01:33 - Carter's background and experience in hiring play-by-play broadcasters 03:18 - Reflections on the hiring process that brought Tony to Washington 04:05 - What stands out...

Former Stanford linebacker Kevin Richardson has turned football broadcasting into a fun side gig. The Bay Area president of a financial advising firm is in his 17th year broadcasting San Jose State football. Formerly the color analyst, he pulled off one of the harder transitions in broadcasting and made his way over to the play-by-play chair. He submitted this tape from San Jose State’s recent thr...

As the founder of Play By Play U, I'm thrilled to share some exciting updates and reflections on our journey so far. First, I want to express my gratitude to all our subscribers, both free and paid. Your support and engagement drive me to continually improve and expand our offerings. My goal is to provide exceptional value, making you feel like you're getting $500 worth of content for just $5.99 a...

Brock Huard has almost two decades of experience on national TV as a football analyst. He’s worked with a large group of elite play-by-play announcers over his time at ESPN and FOX, and on today’s edition of the PXPU Podcast, he provides unique insight on how to work on your craft from one chair over. Today's show notes: 2:15 - Brock discusses his post-football career and transition into broadcast...

We’ve loaded today’s Tell the Truth Tuesday to the PXPU Podcast. Please subscribe to it and leave a 5-star review! Today, we take a listen to ABC’s Chris Fowler and Alabama’s Chris Stewart with their final call of the Alabama-Georgia thriller, we take a listen to Nate Gatter’s highlights from Kansas State’s win over Oklahoma State on Westwood One, and put an ear on Joe Castiglione, who’s been the...

Connor Onion made his debut on FOX earlier this year with a MLB game, and has since added college football work on national TV, including his call of this past weekend’s thriller in Boulder when Colorado completed a Hail Mary to send the game to overtime against Baylor. You can hear his call of it here . Today’s show notes: 2:06 - Connor recalls first hearing Tony's work and reaching out for advic...

J.B. Long came up with one of the most creative ways I’ve ever heard of someone making a demo tape of a major college basketball game. Take a listen to his story on today’s version of the PXPU Podcast and ask yourself: what’s going to be my version of this? In what ways can I think outside the box to drastically improve my demo tape? Coming up soon on the PXPU Podcast: * Marc Kestecher, ESPN Radio...

I first met Guy Haberman back in 2018 when I had just taken over as the basketball announcer at Washington before inheriting football the following season. Guy, who was in Seattle covering our game for Pac-12 Network, immediately introduced himself to me at a Huskies practice and has always struck me as one of the more friendly, personable broadcasters in the business. He’s an excellent announcer,...