Jay Caldwell hosts the popular sports talk show Granite City Cafe on AM-1390 The Fan. He's also the Sports Director for WJON and he has a ton of experience calling games for St Cloud State Football and Basketball. He even did a two-year-stint as the play-by-play guy for The St. Cloud River Bats. Not too shabby for a kid with Paynesville, MN roots. Jay was kind enough to give us some time and offered us some opinions on Minnesota sports and what it is like to be a professional broadcaster.
You spent 8 years as the play-by-play guy for St Cloud State football and basketball on WJON – how did you get started with it?
Play-by-play is something I wanted to do when I decided to get into radio broadcasting. I've been fortunate enough to have broadcast SCSU football and basketball for 8 years and numerous high school state tournament games. Basketball has always been my favorite because of how quickly it moves. I couldn't play it very well but that didn’t' stop me from trying.
With all that experience, you’ve seen your share of great athletes – who ranks as the best you’ve seen firsthand?
The best athletes I've had a chance to see and call their games probably are Todd Bauman, Devean George (when he played at Augsburg), Matt Birkel (SCSU Football), and Northwoods League players like Ben Zobrist, Thomas Diamond, and Andre Ethier. I did play-by play for the St. Cloud River Bats for 2 seasons as well.
Calling games and talking sports sounds like a great gig – what is the best part of your job?
The best part about my job is that I can do what love doing. I love sports and the speculation that goes along with it. To get paid to host a fantasy football show or to talk about what's wrong with the Vikings or Twins kind of sounds like stealing, but I'll take it.
There has to be a downside to all of this – what is it?
The worst part of my job is easy. Getting up at 5 a.m. is clearly the worst. I start at 5:45 a.m. and I've come to realize I am not a morning person and never will be despite working the same hours for 12 years.
You cover a lot of ground on your talk shows, but you spend most of your time on Minnesota sports. Can the Twins make the playoffs this year – and what do they still need to do to make that happen?
The Twins have a shot. Trading for some bullpen help needed to happen. Matt Capps isn't Joakim Soria but I don't think Soria was available. The Twins bring Morneau back and continue to get solid starts from Baker and Slowey they should be able to overtake the punchless White Sox. Chicago doesn't have much power anymore. Detroit is toast so it looks like if there is going to be another game #163 it will be with the Twins and White Sox.
Any thoughts on the Vikings? It’s almost a no-brainer that Favre comes back, right?
He'll come back after camp breaks in Mankato. Football practice stinks at all levels and his ankle gives him an excuse to miss lots of practice. Maybe he just hates killers, leg lifters and tackle and carry drills. I think he'll report to Winter Park August 18.
While we don’t want to end on a negative note – give us a couple quick thoughts on David Kahn/the Wolves and Tim Brewster’s chances at having a winning season this year with the Gopher football team.
David Kahn certainly likes to tinker with the roster. It looks to me like he's trying to put together a collection of white-guy all stars. The signing of Darko, Peckovic, and Ridnour support that theory. Kahn is also waiting for white-guy point guard Ricky Rubio. The Wolves could have the first 3 white guy-starting lineup since the 80s Boston Celtics. As far as the Gophers go - Brewster is in over his head. Brew is a recruiter without a clear offensive or defensive system. Without wins his recruiting has taken a beating too. Brewster with the Gophers isn't going to end well.
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