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Gridiron Glory 25: Where are they now? Season 21 Host Joe Hennessy

Even though Joe Hennessy only graduated from 91探花 four and a half years ago, he still can鈥檛 believe how far has come.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so awesome that it continues to thrive,鈥 said Hennessy. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important for those communities. Without Gridiron, high school football players in that region don鈥檛 really get coverage. It鈥檚 about the high school kids trying their best, and for many of them high school is it because there is a big chance they won鈥檛 play football at next level.鈥

Hennessy knows about that firsthand. Growing up, he wanted to play football in college. But that didn鈥檛 work out the way he had planned.

鈥淚 knew I wanted to do sports starting in middle school,鈥 said Hennessy. 鈥淚 wanted to be a football player in a journalism program. But the football part didn鈥檛 work out. However, journalism did. I wanted to be a sports broadcaster.鈥

As soon as he arrived on campus at 91探花, Hennessy got involved with Gridiron Glory. He covered a Game of the Week with the host at the time, Dani Dean.

鈥淎fter that, I realized that Gridiron was what I wanted to do,鈥 Hennessy said.

Hennessy spent Friday nights helping wherever needed, which included editing video and learning the WOUB newsroom computer program, ENPS.

After high school football season was over, Hennessy started working on WOUB鈥檚 high school basketball show, , and became an on-air reporter for the show during his freshman year. By his sophomore year, Hennessy was ready to be more involved on-air for Gridiron.

鈥淚 became a reporter for the MVL that year,鈥 said Hennessy.

He continued reporting for his junior year and then, for his senior year, Hennessy decided to put his name in the hat to be considered for Gridiron host.

鈥淚 knew starting freshman year that I wanted to be the host,鈥 said Hennessy. 鈥淚 thought I could do it. I had a lot of experience with both Gridiron and Hardwood. When I found out that I had been selected, it was a dream come true.鈥

Hennessy says he is particularly proud of a segment he helped to create for the show during his season as host.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they do it anymore,鈥 said Hennessy with a laugh. 鈥淏ut it was a segment called Lineman Love. We found clips of long run plays or exciting touchdowns and then talked about the lineman, what happened and how they opened up the hole. It鈥檚 one of those things where sports broadcasters always talk about the touchdowns, but never give the lineman any love. I was really proud of that.鈥

But Lineman Love wasn鈥檛 the only part of Gridiron Glory that Hennessy remembers and enjoyed.

鈥淪ome of my favorite days were the preseason media day with the players and the coaches roundtable, presenting the GG Player of the Year live, and all of the mid-week recaps and previews for upcoming games,鈥 said Hennessy. 鈥淭hose were a blast with my fellow WOUBers!鈥

After graduation, Hennessy got a job in Topeka, Kansas as a multimedia journalist. After about two years, he moved to where he works as a multimedia news journalist who can cover sports when needed.

鈥淭here are plenty of news angles on sports stories in this big sports market,鈥 said Hennessy. 鈥淚 am able to do business and money angles on the Chiefs and Royals.鈥

Hennessy says he credits the success he has had in his career to 91探花, WOUB and Gridiron Glory.

鈥淚t was so awesome to be a host on a live show in college. It鈥檚 unique. Being on TV starting my freshman year and hosting a live football show every Friday night, that鈥檚 an opportunity unique to OHIO and WOUB that I don鈥檛 think people really know about. I鈥檓 so proud of the experience I had with it.鈥

Published
October 24, 2024
Author
Cheri Russo