On The Call with Jake Marsh
On the Call with Jake Marsh takes listeners behind the scenes of sports and sports broadcasting through conversations with broadcasters, athletes, coaches, and other voices from around the industry. Along the way, Jake shares stories and updates from his own life and career, giving fans a closer look at both the games and everything that comes with them.
On The Call with Jake Marsh
Andrew Catalon on Calling The Masters, March Madness & the NFL
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On this week's episode of On The Call with Jake Marsh, Andrew Catalon joins the show to discuss his incredible broadcasting career, from getting his start in Burlington, Vermont to becoming one of CBS Sports' premier play-by-play voices.
We talk about calling last week's John Deere Classic, what it's really like broadcasting golf from a monitor, earning the opportunity to call The Masters, preparing for the NFL season with a new booth partner, and some of the most memorable March Madness moments of his career - including Fairleigh Dickinson's historic upset of Purdue and the unforgettable RJ Hunter shot.
Plus, the USA's World Cup run comes to an end, but not without controversy. We break down the match and the social media war that led up to the game. Then, we wrap up the show with That's Wild of the Week and Tip of the Cap.
Follow and subscribe to On the Call with Jake Marsh for weekly conversations with broadcasters, athletes, coaches, and other voices from around the sports world.
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Intro + USA World Cup
SPEAKER_03Hello, everybody, and welcome to another episode of On the Call with Jake Marsh. My name is Jake Marsh, and we have another exciting episode for you today, highlighted uh by an interview with Andrew Catalan from CBS Sports. You know him from his PGA Tour uh golf coverage on CBS along with uh March Madness in college basketball. And of course, he is an elite play-by-play announcer on CBS Sports for the NFL. So we're excited to see him back in the rotation in a couple of months. It's hard to believe. The season is only two months away, but we get into his career uh asking some questions just about the play-by-play business and breaking in and uh moving up the debt chart and things along those lines. So you'll get to hear some master's experiences. I thought it was really interesting, and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. Uh, and then we'll finish the show with our segments, our two recurring segments, tip of the cap, and that's Wild of the Week. Uh we'll we'll lead off the show talking a little bit of World Cup. There was it was a it was a big Twitter week for the World Cup, so we'll get into that. Uh all right, let's not waste any more time. On the call with Jake Marsh, another episode. Let's go. Welcome to another episode of On the Call with Jake Marsh. My name is Jake Marsh, and Hello from Los Angeles. If you're watching on YouTube right now, you can see my backdrop is a little bit different uh from what we are used to. My apartment in Miami, I'm on vacation in Los Angeles, but I brought my mic with me and uh I wasn't going to skip a week. I was going to keep this thing going so that you guys have your podcasts on Tuesday. And I appreciate all of you listening and staying loyal. Uh but in Los Angeles, got to see Dodgers Stadium for the first time. Obviously, one of the more historic ballparks. Um it was awesome. The view is crazy. It's awesome. I I got tickets uh in the very last row at the top deck, and I don't regret it because what an incredible view it was. Uh, if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, go check it out. I posted in my view. Um but yeah, World World Cup. That's the big story of the week, and we'll get into Andrew Catalan in a little bit. But the US, it's over. It's over. A 4-1 beatdown courtesy of the Belgians. I love their waffles, and they came into US soil and dominated and mocked, and they heard all the noise this week with the suspension and the red card reversal and the Trump getting involved. It was a lot. I don't know how this thing turned political, but I guess I'm not surprised by anything at this point. Um but it was really disappointing. I gotta give my flowers to Jon Strong and Stu Holden. Again, I'm admittedly a casual soccer guy, but these guys just scream big game voices. And I know they're doing the big game, so it's easy to say that. Um but there are some times where people get criticism for doing big games when people don't think they should be doing big games. I don't do that because I don't like criticizing broadcasters like that. But you you see the noise on social media, but these guys, they are just incredible. It's so awesome. They're their enthusiasm uh from the game. And I learned so much. And they have to assume that a good portion of people watching these World Cup games are casuals like me, right? It's casual American sports fans uh who are used to watching football, hockey, basketball, and obviously, besides baseball, there's not much going on right now in terms of team sports. So I I've learned a lot about the game of soccer through these two guys. So they've been tremendous. The entire Fox roster is awesome. They nailed it with all of their broadcasters. So that that's really exciting. I'm excited to watch those guys. And you can tell as we get into the later rounds, Fox is really leaning on them a little bit more. I think they did games in back-to-back days. They were doing that thrilling Argentina uh Kate Verde game. Uh that I I tweeted that was the most exciting soccer game that I've ever seen. And I I really don't know what else to say about that. I I know Mexico and England was super exciting as well, but just the potential for where were you moment, uh, if Kate Verde was able to pull that one off, um that would have been crazy. Uh yeah, so the World Cup was the big story of the week. Um but let's get into the Andrew Catalan interview. I think you guys will really enjoy it. So here you are, Jake Marsh. Andrew Catalan on On the Call with Jake Marsh.
Andrew Catalon
SPEAKER_03All right, it is now time to bring on a very special guest. He is a fellow Syracuse alum, and he is the voice of CBS Sports. You heard him just recently this weekend for the John Deere Classic. You hear him at the Masters, you hear him from Arch Madness, you hear him every NFL Sunday. It is Andrew Catalan. Andrew, thank you so much for joining me. Uh you're a little jet-lagged right now. We're about 18 hours since Chris Goddard up uh lifted the trophy uh at CPC D a run, and you're on little to no sleep right now, but it's good, right? Because we're broadcasting cool things, and that's kind of the perspective when people are like, oh, it must stink to uh travel so much and get lack of sleep. But where else would we rather be, right? No, nowhere.
SPEAKER_02And Jake, this is awesome. Thanks for having me. I'm glad you're doing this podcast now. It's fantastic. And yeah, it was a great day at CPC Deer Run. And then I'm a little biased because Gotner up is a Jersey guy like myself, and he's someone that I kind of quietly will root for. And I thought it was so cool with his brother on the bag and all the storylines and emotions. So it was a fun weekend out in the Quad Cities.
SPEAKER_03100%. And most of the all of the events that I do on PGA Tour Live, we're up in Ponta Vidra Beach. I say up because I live in Miami, but we're in Florida uh at the studio, uh, but different from you guys and NBC who are on uh location and you get to go up to the guys and meet with them at the range. Just let our viewers know how valuable that is, and it can bring out some stories that you discussed on the broadcast that we would never be able to find in uh game notes or player bios and things like that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no doubt. And you've experienced this with football and college basketball. These production meetings that we do, I find to be the most important thing of anything we do all week because it's all new information. You're getting stuff and nuggets from coaches or players that you know no one else has, or you can further a story that someone else has developed, and I really prioritize getting that stuff on the air. And then golf's a little different. I mean, you don't have a formal sit-down like you would for an NFL game. You go up to the range and you see who's willing to chat and kind of feel them out a little bit. And I think you learn something in that moment, too, about the way that particular player is built or wired. But there's no doubt that getting to meet these guys and trying to find out some of their stories and information. I mean, that's that's a really fun part of the job that I try to embrace as much as possible.
SPEAKER_03100%. But uniquely to golf as well, despite being on property, you're on the 18th green and you're still calling 99% of the shots from a monitor as well, right? So uh I've discussed this before, but the difference of calling live events off of monitor, what would you say the biggest is?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think that I've seen it, especially maybe in basketball, where let's say there's a a discussion that needs to be had with the referee. And if you're not there, you know, you really can be you know lost in those moments. And you know, for golf, like the fact that you can go out to the range or you can go walk the green, or or there were some changes at TPCD around specifically on the fourth hole this year, just to go out there and see how it might play differently, you know, to not be on site for some of that stuff. I I think that it it does a real disservice to the viewers and it's it's tough for broadcasters as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I think I view the PGA tour on CBS really up there in terms of top properties and professional broadcasts and just the polish uh that you guys bring. I know you you are the lead on some events, and of course, Jim Nance and the majority of them. But being on part of that team and you guys are deep, uh both of the ML men's Dottie, uh Nabolo, it's just awesome to see. Just what is the camaraderie of that group? Because you guys are deep, you're strong, and you're versatile.
SPEAKER_02It's incredible. It's so much fun. And really just seeing the way that that team over the years is so tight-knit, how they bond, how they stick together. That was one of the big reasons I wanted to get involved with CBS golf. You know, I started doing football and then into college basketball, and I and I love those things. But I was like, you know what, they have something really special there on that golf team, and I want to be a part of that. And it's been so much fun just to try to, you know, keep keep the train on the tracks on the week that Jim's not there and get to know the guys and girls, and and I just have a blast every time I'm out with that team.
SPEAKER_03Right. And the majority of CBS's rights on the PGA tour, obviously regular season or playoff events, uh, but you guys do have two majors, obviously the PGA championship, but then there's Augusta. And obviously it's in a different category, not only for golf, but all sports as well. When you got the chance to call the Masters for the first time on CBS, where does it rank in terms of just memories and how honored you were to be on the property, part of the broadcast team?
SPEAKER_02Second to none. I mean, it's it's my favorite week of the year, um, without a doubt. And one of the reasons for that is because, you know, when you're on a football crew or a basketball crew, you know, you don't really see a lot of the other people you work with. But when you're at the Masters, it seems like everyone at CBS is there. And you get to spend time with a producer or director or another announcer that you don't get to see very often during the year. So that part of it, I think, makes it special. But as you just chronicled, just the course and the tradition and the tournament itself, uh, there's nothing like it. It is an absolute honor and privilege, and I'm just so, you know, over the moon just to be a small part of it.
SPEAKER_03And part of Master's Week, CBS only having the rights afternoons and the weekends, are you there all week and just enjoying it like a patron the rest of the time and studying the course? Are you being able to enjoy yourself when you guys aren't on the air? How do you spend that time?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I usually get in either Monday or Tuesday of that week, and then you know, I want to walk my holes. I want to, you know, go to the media center and get all that stuff organized and straight. Go up to my tower and kind of make sure everything is the way that I want it. So, you know, that week is, you know, certainly you get in a little bit early to make sure you get everything lined up for Thursday when you're on the air.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. What's the food situation like for you? Because I know everyone has uh their rankings.
SPEAKER_02Food situation in terms of the at the concessions.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I would I would go uh pimento cheese number one, and the peach ice cream sandwich has got to be right up there as well.
SPEAKER_03My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I first went because I ordered one extra peach ice cream sandwich, and I won the lottery last year for Sunday, which was incredible. Took my dad a whole nine yards, and I bought an extra peach ice cream sandwich, and it was just melting under my foldable chair on the 18th green as Rory and Justin Rose were in that playoff. But it's the prices too, right? You could just throw a million things in your hands and think, oh, 20 bucks for this, why not?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's unbelievable. I mean, you can't go wrong with any of the food there, and then the prices are always the best. It's it's just such a special week. And I think anyone who's who's been there can can see it. And then if you haven't been there, uh it's something you gotta try to get done if you can find a way.
SPEAKER_03Are the CBS rights holders and ESPN as well? Are you guys part of the generic media lottery for Monday? Do you guys get special privileges or anything?
SPEAKER_02I think that's separate. I've never you know entered the media lottery to play. Hopefully, one day it happens, but um, you know, for now, I'm um I'm I'm patiently waiting, and one day I hope it happens.
SPEAKER_03You're a good player yourself, aren't you?
SPEAKER_02Nah, no, no, no. Double digit handicap, double digit.
SPEAKER_03You and me both. Uh one one thing we have in common besides our uh obviously being Syracuse Salaam's W-A-E-R, the historic student radio station, uh, we both started our career in the same place. Shout out to the 802, uh Burlington, Vermont. How much does starting in a small market like Burlington kind of shape the trajection of your career? Because everyone who's listening right now, who might be a current Syracuse student or a broadcasting student, 99% of them are going to go on to start off in a small market. And obviously the financial stuff can be complicated, but it's all just part of the journey. And how mentally were you able to embrace that as you worked your way up?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think that's an excellent question. And I think it's a huge part of my journey in this profession. Just going to a small market, being thrown into the fire, shooting everything with the camera, coming back and editing, slapping a shirt and tie on, and delivering the six and eleven o'clock sports on the ABC station in Burlington. There is nothing that I that could replace that experience for me. Um, it taught me how to make mistakes. It taught me how to overcome the teleprompter going down or this not working. I mean, there's so many things that go wrong in a local market, a small market, that it prepares you for when something does happen. Now at CBS, to me, it it's nothing compared to what I what I had some of the challenges I had at a small station. So that was a big part of my journey. I'm so thankful I got to be in Burlington. It was a great two and a half years for me there, and it set me up in a tremendous spot going forward.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and I think for today's age, too, it's so important to be as versatile as possible in terms of skill set, right? Because everyone needs to have social media and promote what games they're doing, what stories they're breaking. And you have to know how to edit yourself if you want to promote your own short form or social content. Because if you're just going to show up, do your newscasts, and go home, yeah, that's all the contract might say. But the only way to grow yourself and really put yourself on a pedestal is not be a one-trick pony, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no doubt. No doubt about it. I mean, I think that things have changed since I've been there as I'm getting older now. But social media was just coming in. You know, there was putting stuff on the internet, putting highlights out there, creating specials, different shows. You know, that was all part of an unbelievable learning experience I had in Vermont.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Uh so one step before Vermont was obviously Syracuse. And I assume we had some similar experiences being with the fraternity, that is WAER, and New House. Uh I think one thing that put people don't realize that didn't go through the program is the competitiveness aspect of it, right? Because you have, at least for my my time there, there's probably 30 to 40 kids actively involved in the station. But the fact that there's only two headsets to wear for every game, you have to go through your growing pains, right? You're waking up at 5 a.m. to do those mock sports casts. Uh, and then you're just trying to make practice tape sitting in the top row of the carrier dome. I I assume it was similar for you guys during your time.
SPEAKER_02Yep. No, same thing. I mean, same waking up early, climbing through the snow to go do a sports cast at four in the morning. Um, and again, those are all things that, as you pointed out, it was competitive. Like it taught you what this business is all about. And the professors did as well. I mean, I know professors who told me, like, look, if you don't want to work weekends, nights, holidays, if you're not prepared to miss social gatherings with your family and friends, this business is not for you. I mean, that's just the reality of it. So the fact that they kind of said, this is what you're getting yourself into. And then you had all these competitive men and women trying to, you know, get ahead in class and in business and at WAER. I mean, it really kind of painted a picture for what this business is. Um, so that's what I really appreciate about it, the way that it prepared so many of us for what we're doing now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and I think there's pros and cons of it in terms of the generic college experience, right? Because, like you mentioned, you get to travel and be courtside for these amazing events during your time, the Big East, my time, the ACC, uh, you go to the garden, you go to March Madness, and things like that. Uh, was the football team good during your time?
SPEAKER_02Or we didn't McNabb for two years, so that was fun.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Um, during my time, they did not go to a bowl game, but we did upset Clemson that one year on that Friday night. So that was really cool. But being able to do those events are awesome. But on the flip side, like you said, you're not tailgating on a Saturday afternoon. You're not going to the bars every night like everybody else is and doing flip night every single week. Um, obviously, there's opportunities to do that, but I think 99% of college students are getting that social experience where they have two things, two things to do homework or drink, right? But here we all go through this program, this highly competitive program, not only to get into, but to stay in and work your way to the top. I just think it's a very great way to push yourself and those around you. And even though you are competing against your friends, you can still help each other uh throughout the way.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and I think that's the best part about it is that you see that after it, you're done there. You I still keep in touch with so many of my friends from Syracuse. So many are still in the business or are out of the business now, but that doesn't change anything. The friendships that you made. I mean, that was our fraternity. That was for the the the women that were there, their sorority. I mean, it it really was a special place. And you know, that when I think back to college, yeah, there was flip night and Fagans and there was all those things, but I think I I think of WAER first, and I think that that's why it is such a special place, even to this day.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Flip night, by the way, for our non-Serious listeners, of course I should explain it. Yeah, a bar named Fagans on the famous Marshall Street. Uh every Wednesday night, you flip a coin with the bartender, you call it right. Uh, during our time, you got a free beer. Uh, actually, my senior year, they made it a quarter if you won. Uh, or either quarter or a dollar. But now I don't even know if they I I heard there were major changes during after COVID. Have you heard the same thing?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I haven't been back um in a few years, but the last time I was there, Marshall Street looked a little different. But I'm glad that you had Flip Knight, Jay, because that would mean I'm really old and you didn't have it. So I'm glad that you still had it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, definitely. So it was incredible. Um, all right. So moving back to your professional career, obviously you started in Burlington, and then uh you get your next big break, right? CBS, you start doing games for them. And I I know we've talked about this on uh on phone calls and things like that, but breaking in with the networks. That's where I'm at right now. Um, I'm right there, foot in the door. Freelance for CBS, uh freelance for Fox, ESPN, the whole nine yards. But now it's just about building the reps, building the consistency, and maintaining the relationships because they they often say, right, that the relationships that you have with the people and how you treat people off the air are just as or even more important than the broadcast tape you're putting on the air. So walk us through your experience of how you broke in with CBS and then maintained your way there to a full-time job and etc.
SPEAKER_02Off off air, but you know, I think the first thing is with how competitive this business is, nobody wants to work with a jerk. So if if you have an ego, those I think those days are gone. There's so many people that want to do what we do. And if if you're not a team player, if you don't fit in with the culture of your particular network, I I think you're gone. I I think that's that's what I like about this too, because you treat everyone the right way, and I think that you'll be rewarded. Um, and then when you do get those moments, and again, we've spoken about this, you've got to nail the big moments. That was always my thought when I was starting to get some reps, you know, in those tight moments, two-minute warning or last five minutes of a basketball game. If you don't shine in those moments, I think it's hard to move up. And and I and, you know, yes, the storytelling, how you work with your analysts, all these things play into it. But I want to hear how you handle the game-winning shot or the game-winning field goal. Um, so I think those are that's that's a really important part when you're starting to get opportunities. And I think that I got you know some breaks along the way with some good games. I was put in some good positions, and thankfully, uh, you know, I think they were happy with the way I sounded in those big moments, and that helped, you know, get me to stay there for for as long as I have now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, no doubt. And how about uh Uh when you were starting off, you you send along your demo reel to a ton of people, I guess, I'd assume. Um what about the subjectivity of it all, right? Network A can love your stuff and say this specific part of the game was amazing. Network B sees that same exact reel and says, You should tone it down there a little. I think you went a little above the maximum uh energy expected. And that's just, I think, part of the luck side of it, right? It's just who's making the hiring, and hopefully it's the person who doesn't think you're being over the top making it, but you shouldn't change who you are if if network A likes it, but network B thinks you need to turn it down a notch, right?
SPEAKER_02You've got to be you first and foremost. You can't be someone that they want you to be. You have to be yourself. And again, I think that's something that early on, back in college and just starting out in the business, it's you see that quickly, right? I mean, somebody could be like, oh, I've been told to lose weight, grow out your hair, you know, make your hair shorter, wear different makeup, you know, like all these things that you just understand, okay, this is how this business goes. And it's different than other things. It's hard to explain it to your family and friends when you're starting out that you're you're moving to Vermont, then you're going here and there, and you're not home for Thanksgiving or whatever the case may be. But that's just a part of it. And I think you you have to just roll with the punches and again, be you. And I think that's how you succeed in this in this business.
SPEAKER_03100%. And and like I've talked about uh with Adam Schefter, Kyle Long, a few other guys who have had on the show already, all it takes is one person to see you being you and give you that shot. I've been saying this every episode, but it's it's worth mentioning. I think it's because I'm trying to convince myself how true this is in this position where I'm trying to get that next big break is that all it takes is one, not hitting for batting average, one person and believing in you and getting in your corner uh to take that chance on you and take you to that next step of your career.
SPEAKER_02And then that person, you know, you could already know it may be somebody new. I mean, that's just the way this works. And again, the the biggest thing is patience. It's hard in this business to have patience. You want to get, you know, that next step, but it takes time. I mean, you you brought up the masters before. I did 10 years of feature group at the masters, and then uh I was lucky enough to to move into an opening on the show. But like, you know, you think about college basketball. I I still do games on CBS Sports Network, and I love it. I I love doing those games, but it takes time to get on the NCAA tournament or move on to the second weekend. It's just it doesn't happen overnight in this business. And I think that the best thing you can have about you is to be patient and appreciate every opportunity because every game you do is a big game. It doesn't matter if it's a Tuesday night at 11 o'clock at night, not two big teams, they're not ranked, everything you do, you have to treat as the biggest opportunity you have. And if you approach it that way, I think the reward will be there.
SPEAKER_03100%. And I think that's uh that is kind of a blessing and a curse for me because I prep for every game and treat every game as if it is my Final Four, my Super Bowl, or my Sunday at Augusta. And I think that's where my energy can get a little too high at some points, but I think that's a good problem to have, to have too much energy instead of being boring.
SPEAKER_02No, I I agree with you, and I was the same way, and I still am. I mean, I I I I still look at it as I'm a fan or and I want to relate to the fan. Like when I call a game, I want the fan at home to be like, no what? I wouldn't mind sitting at a bar and talking sports with this guy, because I'm still gonna have that same passion uh that that the fan has. And if you convey that, I think it makes you a little more likable and people can relate to you. And so that's the way I still see it. So if if a crazy moment happens, I love when people say, Oh, you're rooting against this team. You know, I mean, no, it was an exciting moment, and you have to try to do it justice. So I'm with you on that. You treat it like the Super Bowl every time, and and that's the way to go about it.
SPEAKER_03The best is when you'll get back-to-back tweets within five minutes. You're doing a Raiders Chargers game, you're you're a homer for the Raiders, and then five minutes later, you're you're definitely you've got money on the Chargers, I have no doubt.
SPEAKER_02And that's why I laugh at stuff like that when I see it, because it's like, okay, here we go, perfect. I'm doing my job.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, exactly. Uh, you mentioned nailing the big moments. I think you've done that uh a few specific times, and I want to go through, pick your brain on your your experience from some of these calls. One of them, we talked about Syracuse. I was sitting, I think I may have skipped class the opening Thursday of the tournament, which which I'm sure is a popular thing to do.
SPEAKER_02Most people do, yeah.
SPEAKER_032015, RJ Hunter, Ron Hunter, and the stool. It's an iconic March Madness moment. And it it was probably your one of your first big March Madness moments, right? So walk us through that. For those who don't remember, you gotta Google the uh Georgia State uh Baylor game, and it was just it was an all-time March Madness shot. You Google montages of best March Madness moments, and you and Steve Lapis come up every time.
SPEAKER_02That was, you know, when I think back about it, like that was really one of the, as you said, the first ones. Um, you know, 314, Thursday, you just, you know, you live for those moments as a kid. I remember when I was in high school, I would duck into a classroom, you know, to watch that first Thursday. And so you kind of get caught up in that kind of fever of it, and a huge comeback, underdog, whole crowd starting to root for him. It had all the characteristics of one of those special March moments. And then when he hit the shot, and then in my, you know, my peripheral vision, I see his father, the head coach, on the ground, and he I saw him fall off his stool. That just kind of became a part of the call. But you know, that was a that was a really special week and something I think back on fondly.
SPEAKER_03If it feels like any time a coach goes through a freak injury, that team ends up winning in dramatic fashion. It's I I don't know what what it is, but when stools get involved with March Madness, it seems like chaos always ensues.
SPEAKER_02No doubt. And that was one that'll live on for a long time. That was a cool one.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Another one a few years later, or a few years ago, uh, obviously Perley Dickinson in Purdue, right? Uh FDU believe it.
SPEAKER_01We do it.
SPEAKER_03People, I had a question last episode. Do you plan your big calls or your uh signature calls and things like that? And I tell the audience, sometimes it comes to me naturally, but if Fairley Dickinson is on the verge of upsetting Purdue, you've got to have something steering in your brain before the buzzer sounds, right?
SPEAKER_02So I the night before, I'm not like up at night being like, okay, you know, how am I gonna say FDU won this? That doesn't that to me, that's like really scripting, and I don't go there. For sure. But yes, as that second half is going on, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, I need to say, have something, because this is gonna be a call that is gonna be replayed for years and years. And what is that something? And you know, I didn't really allow myself to even go there until there was like four minutes left in the game because we've seen it before. The the underdog is has their chance, and then you can siena this year. No doubt. Absolutely, it's a great example. Um, so you know, I I couldn't really think of anything like it wasn't like coming to me, and I was still wrapped up in the call. But at halftime, I had texted three of my friends from Syracuse and it was just like, F do you believe it? Almost kind of like, you know, joking around, like, you know, we were just, you know, having like some fun. And I just kind of circled back to that late in the game. I'm like, eh, why not? So that's kind of the way that that came about. But I agree with you. I don't I don't sit up at night and and be like, how am I gonna say that this happened? But you do need to know that this is a call that'll be replayed and you need to be have something ready in your mind.
SPEAKER_03And I think that's a natural human way to think about it, right? Because as the time's winding down, I mean, when you think, okay, this is going to be reality, you don't want to psych yourself out and think this is going to be an every March Madness montage for the rest of time. Uh, you obviously still need to focus on the call, but you have to get ahead of the game and be a little bit proactive.
SPEAKER_02You know, it'd be like preparing for like a huge test and then not filling in the last answer. You know, it's um I don't know. I just feel like, again, I don't do that often, but and a lot of times, as you said, it just kind of comes to you and you and it just you just kind of spit it out. Um, I find that to be the way that I like to go about it more than you know, planning something.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Uh one thing about March Madness broadcasts, uh, I think maybe not everybody knows, um, but the fact that the crew is doing four games in one day. And I would love to hear your perspective versus what I'm watching on Selection Sunday. I'm excited to just see the bracket. You're probably just waiting on the edge of your seat for your boss's email to come through and say, here's where you're going. Here are your eight teams. You have 72 hours to learn every little thing about them. And I'd assume you mentioned the uh analogy of studying for a test. That's what those three days have to be. And there's probably part of you that's thinking, I hope I get Friday, Sunday so I have more time to study, because if not, I'm gonna be pulling in all night or some point this week.
SPEAKER_02I root for a site where I've seen the most teams because that helps me in my prep. Um, it makes a huge difference. And and the big thing that I had to get used to is, you know, the way that you and I prepare, and so many you know broadcasters prepare for a Tuesday night game in January. You can't do that level of prep for the tournament. There's just not enough time. I like to read all the newspaper clippings from the schools, towns. It's hard to do all that. You're trying to learn the players, you're writing down their stats, you're you're watching films, you have some type of idea. So it's a different style of prep that week. And another thing that's huge is just trying to stay healthy. I mean, when you do those four games, I mean, I've there's been years, there's a couple years ago in Pittsburgh, I was really in bad shape after the first four games. I like I had I was like worried before the the second round that I had just kind of let it go too much. So you're thinking about your voice, you're thinking about your health. I mean, those are all things that that you know, week to week during the year, you don't put a ton of thought into, but that week especially, I'm trying to be really careful about my sleep, my voice, all those things so that you can you can perform on the weekend.
SPEAKER_03What about when you get to game four of the night session? Game, I guess game two of the night session, game four, and you've already called three games in that day already. Is it a blur? Are you just on cruise control at that point?
SPEAKER_02I try to get up at at uh every halftime and just walk to our green room to sit down, have a press pretzel or you know, some you know, a soda or something, just just to keep moving and and you know, because it is a long day. But look, it's fun. I mean, you're you're at the NSA tournament, it's an incredible atmosphere. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Um, you just you know, the caffeine, the hydration, just keep moving, keep thinking, keep that brain going, and everything goes well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and it's the dream. I I've been I I've been outspoken about March Madness being my favorite event and being one of those eight guys who gets to be on the uh broadcast team, and I'm striving for it every day, but it's four games in one day, but that that's literally what we all want to do. And it's gotta be so cool when you're part of the action, when you know the entire world is watching you, and people are cutting out of work and class uh and things like that because it is the center of the sports universe, and there's nothing like that event.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I know it sounds cheesy, and I think that you feel the same way. I don't take any of these assignments for granted. I mean, I I feel so lucky and fortunate to be in this spot as I know you do, and you know, you strive to do more and do better games, yeah. You still have to have that competitive edge that we talked about that you know probably developed back at Circus. You still have to have that where you want to succeed and get to the top. But if you start taking some of these assignments you have for granted, or like, oh, here we go again, or a long day, I mean, forget it. You're not gonna make it in this business and uh try to treat every game and every assignment the same way.
SPEAKER_03Totally. And one thing you don't have to worry about at this point in your career in terms of college basketball assignments is the chemistry with your partner because you've been with Steve Lapis for over a decade now, and obviously that's gotta make things so much easier because obviously, early in your career, it's rare to get paired up with the same person multiple times consistently. Uh, so just speak to how crucial that is, especially for these big time events on national television and March Madness, etc. Uh, it is to be with someone who you know everything about them.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's the best. And he's an amazing person. We have so much fun together. We play golf together, we go to dinner together, our families hang out. Um, he's really become a really good friend, and it makes a huge difference. I mean, I know, you know, what he's gonna say. He knows when I want to get in. I mean, we don't even have to like look at each other. It's just a feeling that, you know, okay, he's going here. I know where he wants to go, or he'll have said something the night before at dinner that I can bring back in the first half to tee him up on. You know, I think when you start out in this business, you're thinking about yourself. How do I sound? How do how did I do in the game? How did I call that moment? I think as time has gone on, grown to appreciate it's it's really how do we sound? How does how do how do we as a group sound together? How does everything kind of come together for the team? Um, I and I think those are ways that you can separate yourself. Like you making an analyst better, uh, or you getting an analyst to where he needs to go, or ways that you can differentiate yourself from you know other people uh that are out there. So I'm very lucky to be with Steve. We have a blast together, and it's so much fun.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he's the man. I I just think back to that Ron Hunter, uh RJ Hunter call, take it to the basket, guys. There's five seconds, just him screaming, you know. Like you said, from a fan's perspective, that's those types of things that make a broadcaster sound so much more natural. They're not faking anything.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, he, I mean, look, we know who he is. He's honest. Um, he he's seen a million basketball games, and he's gonna call it like it is, and I appreciate that. I mean, I think in this business you have to be a little critical sometimes, and he's not afraid to do that. He's not personal, he's not attacking you know, people or kids, but he he'll tell you, like, oh, I don't agree with that. I I like that. I like to hear the other side of it sometimes too, and he does a great job with that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but on the flip side, for your NFL booth, it's been the opposite of of the of the run you've had with Steve Lapis, right? Because Jason McCordy, now full-time at ESPN. You're with Matt Ryan two years ago, he shifted to the studio. So uh, whoever you're going to be with this year, it's it's hard to believe this season's two months away already. Uh, how are you going to ensure that week one doesn't sound like week one?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I think we're still finalizing, you know, what that's going to be. Um, but you know, to your point, this will be my fifth different booth in the last five years or some different iteration of it. Um, so that has allowed me to understand how to grow quickly with people. You know what I mean? I mean, Matt Ryan and I didn't really know each other, and we had to find that chemistry quick. Uh, same with Jason when he came in with Tiki. Um, and then last year with Charles Davis, knowing it was only going to be one year because we knew he was gonna go to college, but this is not one year, we're just gonna punt. I mean, we got to make this work quickly. So um I feel like whoever I am with this year, I have an understanding of what it's gonna take to kind of get on the page, same page quickly, because I've had to do that the last several years.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. How does the assignment process go for you guys getting assigned NFL each week? How much time do you have to prepare? Because I know publicly it's coming out, I think, Monday mornings, but I assume you might you might have an extra week, or it depends on the team. How does that work?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think early in the season you might get it like two to three weeks in advance. Um, but then later in the season, when there could be flex scheduling or you know, different types of possibilities with what a game might mean, it comes a little bit later, and especially those last few weeks are usually about a week before. So I'd say it's anywhere between one to three weeks that we find out where we're going.
SPEAKER_03Right. And there's obviously the depth chart with the NFL too and Nance and Romo, and then there's Ayn and JJ who were tremendous this year. Is there kind of just a like you said, you're proud of being on the CBS team, but it's the natural competitiveness of being like, I obviously want to do the big games and keep working your way up?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, I think one of the most special things I get to do is to be in an NFL booth every Sunday. And I don't care what that game is. And I've had to work my way up. I've started on the seven crew and six, five, now four. I I don't, it doesn't matter to me what the assignment is. In the NFL, every game is a big game. And so that's the way I approach it. And sure, we all want to do, you know, the AFC championship game, but I love doing whatever game that they want me to do. And I know, again, it's it sounds like I'm just like a company line, but that's really the way I feel. I feel like every NFL game is huge, it's the biggest sport out there, and just to be one of those people in the booth every Sunday means the world to me.
SPEAKER_03A couple of quick hitters. What would you say the number one event that you've called so far in your career is?
SPEAKER_02Um well, I think I think um just in terms of an individual game, I would say probably FDU Purdue, just because it's only happened one other time besides that. I think the Masters every year is probably the biggest event that I do. Um and again, we talked about this. I just you know feel lucky with the assignments I have, but yeah, masters and then FDU Purdue probably got to be right up there.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And what would you say your dream one that you haven't been able to do yet is?
SPEAKER_02I don't know. That's a good question, Jake. I mean, I you know, I I think one of the toughest sports to do play-by-play for is hockey. I grew up a big devils fan. I love hockey. I've called one high school hockey game about 20 years ago. Um, I'm not saying I I I I I don't know if I would be able to do it. I think it's just so fast, and I I give so much credit to the guys. Like, I think Doc Emmerich is one of the greatest play-by-play guys of all time, uh, especially because of what he did in hockey. So, you know, I I wouldn't say there's one thing that um I'm I um I'm sitting at home, like I gotta cross this off my list. But you know, who knows where uh what could happen down the road?
SPEAKER_03Totally. The rights are ever changing, right? From every network. So you never you never know what'll happen. Um, what's the best advice that you've received about our business?
SPEAKER_02Say yes to everything. I think that's really served me well. I've done so many random sports over the time, from curling to equestrian to luge. I mean, uh, you know, team handball, fencing. These are all things that I didn't know anything about before I did them, but I just felt like I had to do it. Say yes, you never know where it'll lead, where it'll meet, uh, who you'll meet. And that really served me well. And that's the advice I pass along to everyone.
SPEAKER_03100%. And that's what I give and receive as well, because it's it's the truth, right? Because you never know what the domino effect could be to saying yes uh to equestry and the domino effect of just turning it into anything. And and you just have to be open-minded. If you go into this business thinking, I want to call the NFL and only the NFL, good luck, because that's not really how it works.
SPEAKER_02Correct. Exactly. That's why you just you do everything you can, you never know where to lead.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Uh, one piece of advice that you'd give to a current broadcasting student, aside from saying yes to everything.
SPEAKER_02Uh, I said it before with you, but don't be a jerk. No one wants to work with someone who's not a team player. There's too many other people who want to do this, and you're easily replaceable in this business. So that would be my advice.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, totally. And then how do you go about? Uh I'm a very big perfectionist. How do you go about uh listening back to or getting through a call that you feel like maybe you want back? Because we're all not perfect and we all have those moments.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I think it's important to listen and watch your stuff so you can, you know, self analyze did I did I meet the moment here? Um and if you did not meet the moment or you feel that way, how are you gonna fix it for the next time? Because as we said before, those big moments are really where it matters. Um, and and I think that it's super important to be able to be honest with yourself and and have thick skin. I mean, you have to have thick skin in this business. Not everyone's gonna like you. You're gonna get the the tweets on you know that you're saying whatever. Um, if you don't have thick skin, it's gonna be tough to succeed in this business.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, totally. Andrew Catalan, this was awesome. I think people, broadcasters and other industries will really enjoy it. Um, it was great catching up and being able to do this. So thank you so much. What's next on the PGA tour uh calendar for you?
SPEAKER_02Rocket Classic in Detroit, first weekend of August, and then I'll jump into preseason football with the uh the Bills. So I'm looking forward to that.
SPEAKER_03The final Rocket Classic, it seems like, which is sad.
SPEAKER_02It seems that I know it's a great course, too. So hopefully it's a good one.
SPEAKER_03And you'll be opening the new stadium for the Bills preseason, it sounds like.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that'll be fun. I'm looking forward to getting up there. I mean, going there last year and seeing how it was coming along and now seeing some of the pictures, it looks incredible. And uh yeah, we'll be there for the first preseason game.
SPEAKER_03All right. Well, Andrew, thank you so much for your time, and we're excited to see you on CBS uh the rest of the summer and fall. Thanks, Jay. Good talking to you, man. You too. All right, thank you to Andrew Catalan for taking the time. The first of what will hopefully be many Syracuse alums to come on the show over the next few months. Uh, Andrew is awesome. I'm rooting for him and uh to keep moving up the ranks. And selfishly, I'm really jealous of him because he has the sports package that I that I would strive for in my in my dream scenario, right? I I think it's those three sports golf, football, basketball, that's my bread and butter. And I I want to keep obviously saying not saying no to anything like he mentioned, but in terms of what I've done so far in my career, golf, football, and basketball are the three sports that I feel most comfortable and confident in. But again, if I'm offered any sport, I will take that opportunity. So thank you to Andrew, and excited to watch him on the Rocket Classic uh on CBS in a couple of weeks. Um,
That's Wild and Tip of the Cap
SPEAKER_03all right, let's wrap up the show with our two closing segments. Uh we will start off with That's Wild. That's Wild of the Week. And this was a major one, and I bookmarked it the moment I saw it on Twitter. And I was bummed because it had came out and started making the rounds a few hours after I posted the episode last week. Um, and it ironically, I mentioned at the beginning of the show I'm in Los Angeles, and it involved the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it involved a veteran on the Los Angeles Dodgers, and involved Max Muncie. But get this, folks, it involved not one Max Muncie, but two Max Munciees. There was a full-screen graphic called The Maximum Amount of Munsies. Max Muncie of the LA Dodgers, the Muncie that most baseball fans are familiar with by now. He was born on August 25th, 1990. You know who else was born on August 25th, but in 2002, 12 years apart? A player on I was about to say Oakland Athletics, on the athletics. You know his name? Max Muncie. That's wild, but it doesn't end there. What team were they each drafted by? The athletics. What position do they each play? Third base. Where, in the batting order, did they each hit that night? This is Athletics versus Dodgers last week in Sacramento. They each hit seventh. Folks, that is freaking wild. Alright, final segment of the episode. It is the tip of the cap. And I've got to give a big tip of the cap to my former boss, Dave Fort Noah. He came out with his book, Cancel Me If You Can. And I know everyone's been promoting it, everyone in the Barstool world. Uh, but I was listening to the audiobook on my flight over from Miami to LA this week, and it really is remarkable. That there's some stories I knew about how Barstool became Barstool, and there's some stories I didn't know. Uh for those who know me from Part of My Take, I think there's a 35-minute audio chapter, I think it was around 35 minutes, uh, the chapter on Part of My Take, it was fascinating. I didn't know the back and forths of uh kind of the day versus PMT saga that went on uh behind closed doors. Obviously, I wasn't there until uh three or four years into PM when when PMT started. Um, but the fact that I again I don't want to spoil everything, but the fact that the downfall of Barstool Van Talk kind of led to uh the end of the beef, I guess you could say, between PMT and Dave uh was really fascinating. It just should goes to show that everything happens for a reason, and it's great to see that everybody is cordial now and on the same team and rooting for each other. Um, so that was really cool. So go check out Dave's book or audiobook, cancel me if you can. It's available everywhere. Uh I downloaded it on uh Amazon Music on the auto audiobook uh if you want to get a hold of that. So congrats to Dave. And the PMT book, part of my book, comes out soon. So that's really exciting as well. And yours truly may have made a little contribution to that book. More on that to come. All right, so that will do it for this episode of On the Call with Jake Marsh. We'll be back home in Miami next week. But thank you all for listening. Thank you all for subscribing, thank you all for watching. Tweet me, message me, who do you want on the show next? What do you want me to talk about? Uh, we're about to enter the dog days of summer. The World Cup's gonna come to an end in a couple of weeks, and then we'll have some baseball for about a month before football gets going. So uh I'm I'm an open book. Let me know what you guys want me to talk about. Um, and we will see you next week. This was another episode of On the Call with Jake Marsh. Thank you guys.