From Vin Scully to Mike Breen and beyond, WFUV and the Rose Hill Gym have nurtured some of New York City’s and the nation’s top sportscasters.

Bang! Basketball fans across the country know Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Breen’s signature on-air call. But how many know that it started from the stands at the Rose Hill Gym?

“When a Fordham player made a shot, I would scream, ‘Bang!’” the 1983 grad once told a reporter. “I tried it on air as a student a couple of times. I said, ‘This doesn’t work.’ … Then I went back to it when I started doing TV and felt it was a nice, concise [phrase] in a big moment. You say a one-syllable word, and the crowd rises and you don’t have to scream over it. One easy word. I’m from the Vin Scully … school of conciseness.”

Vin Scully, of course, was the 1949 Fordham grad widely regarded as the best baseball broadcaster of all time. But Scully, who died in 2022 at age 94, was also among the first to call a basketball game for WFUV, Fordham’s public media station. By January of his senior year, he was doing it from a new booth in the Rose Hill Gym’s east balcony, The Fordham Ram reported.

Since those days, WFUV and the gym have been a launchpad for many grads in sports media. Breen is the voice of the New York Knicks on MSG Network and the lead broadcaster for ABC and ESPN’s national coverage of the NBA. Chris Carrino, GABELLI ’92, is the longtime radio voice of the Brooklyn Nets.

There’s also CBS Sports broadcaster Spero Dedes, FCRH ’01; ESPN host Tony Reali, FCRH ’00; and Ryan Ruocco, FCRH ’08, a lead play-by-play announcer for pro and college basketball games on ESPN who has called the WNBA Finals since 2013.

“It’s this simple,” Ruocco once told this magazine. “If I did not go to Fordham and work at WFUV, I would not be here doing what I’m doing today. Period.”

RELATED STORY: Celebrating 100 Years of Rose Hill Gym: A Thrilling Legacy

Chris Majkowski engineers and produces the Mets’ radio broadcasts on WFAN. It’s a job he landed in 1993, four years after graduating from Fordham, where he was sports director at WFUV. And he hasn’t missed a day of work for the Mets since his sister’s wedding the year he started.

What does your average Mets game day look like?
If it’s a night game, I’ll get to the ballpark around 3 p.m., about four hours before first pitch, and just set up the booth—do all the cabling, check all the connections, check the studio.

And then it’s, “Okay, what are we doing on the pregame show today?” Then we have other segments during the game: “This Date in Mets’ History” and the “Electrifying Play of the Game.” The sound needs to be edited for that and I will do research for “This Date.”

Then the broadcasters and I go through the news and the notes from the day, not just for our game but for the rest of the league. We make sure we go through the commercial log. And then I’ll get something to eat and it’s “play ball.”

And then what are you doing during the game?
If something comes up during the game, like [play-by-play announcer] Howie Rose, says, “Hey, I remember back in … ” or whatever, I’ll look into that. And the whole time, I’m also mixing the show. If something’s happening and the announcers are yelling and the crowd is loud, you have to balance that.

I also do the posts for the Mets Radio Booth X account to keep the masses informed and say, “Hey, something’s happening. Maybe you want to tune in.” Don’t ever say that there’s a no-hitter going, though, because then the fans tell you that you jinxed it all if it doesn’t happen.

Next year, you’ll potentially work your 5,000th consecutive game. Do you get sick of hearing or thinking about that streak?
So, the funny thing is, I recently worked an event for Bloomberg Radio, and Cal Ripken Jr., who of course has the streak of 2,632 straight games that he played, was there as a guest. I’m not one to ever ask for a picture or anything, [but] I wish I had because I think that that would’ve been pretty neat.

Back in August, I worked my 5,000th game overall. The 5,000th straight game will happen sometime next year. Well, 5,000 is a nice round number, so maybe I’ll take the next day off.

Do you have any favorite road cities or ballparks?
San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego for the city. Boston as well. That’s not an every-year stop, but Fenway is great, and Boston as a city is great. We had a couple games against the Phillies in London back in June, and we went to Tokyo in 2000.

Maybe I’ll start cutting back so I can go back for a trip to London or maybe a trip to Tokyo where I don’t have any responsibilities and can just be a tourist.

Was there a moment you realized this year’s team might have something special?
Maybe you look back and you say, “That was the moment,” but that’s only looking back. Earlier in the season, we were thinking, “Oh, this is one of those years,” and it’s all down and out. And then suddenly, we’re flying to California for a League Championship Series and hopefully beyond. So yeah, it has been remarkable.

We’ve had a couple of years—2015, now this year—where you have the moments when the stadium becomes more of a home. This is our place now. It’s not just another ballpark, not just another booth, but this is home.

RELATED STORY: New York Mets Radio Engineer Shares 5 Most Memorable Moments

How did you decide to go to Fordham and get involved with WFUV?
At Herricks High School [on Long Island], there was an English teacher who was a Fordham alum, and he always tried to steer one or two of us a year to Fordham. Around that same time I had started listening to One on One, FUV’s sports call-in show on the weekend. So, through Mr. Desmond at Herricks High School, and then listening to FUV, I was introduced to Fordham, and I applied and got in.

When I got to Fordham, I thought I would go more toward writing and just never made it to the newspaper. A bunch of friends and I were all commuter students and instead of hanging out in the commuter lounge, we hung out in the hallway at FUV.

I started doing some stuff on air. By the time senior year rolled around, I was the sports director. We were doing the play-by-play for football and basketball and even some baseball. There’s a group of us from the radio station who still are close, and we get the whole gang together when we can.

And you still do public address work at Fordham too?
Yep. I was still in school, and I started doing the public address for some of the women’s basketball games. I’ve continued to do that to this day. Joe DiBari and the folks over in the athletic department are very accommodating. They’ll say, “Hey man, whenever your schedule allows, we’d love to have you up to still do the game.”

So I still do a couple of football games a year and about 20 basketball games between the men and the women. In a way, it’s like I never left because I’m still up there all the time. Once Fordham gets in your blood, it’s tough to get it out.

Interview conducted, condensed, and edited by Adam Kaufman, FCLC ’08.

This story was updated on October 25.

Over the next several months, the entire sporting world was thrown into flux. March Madness was canceled. The MLB season was pushed back. The NFL draft was conducted remotely. NBA and NHL players went into “bubbles” to finish their seasons. Even as games and matches returned, no fans were allowed in the stadiums.

According to an ESPN analysis, an estimated $12 billion in sports revenue and hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost due to the COVID-19 shutdowns. While some of those revenues have started to come back with sports resuming, it could take a while for things to return to normal, said Mark Conrad, director of the Gabelli School sports business concentration and associate professor of law and ethics.All of this will have significant impact, both short-term and long-term, on franchises, colleges, and communities that rely on sports, he said.,

“The question is when and how will (sports with fans) come back, and that may take time,” Conrad said. “It’s still going to take months and months to get back to any semblance of a pre-COVID state. I think 2021 could easily also be rocky, and I think realistically for sports, 2022.”

Professional Revenue Fallout

Conrad said that he believed MLB and the NHL would be the most affected by the lack of fans in the stadiums.

“In the NHL’s case, estimated revenues will be down probably at least 40%, if not more, because of the lack of gate receipts,” he said. “It’s a very [ticket]-dependent league. I think baseball’s fairly similar. The NFL is probably the best equipped to survive [limited or no fans]… because of their very, very lucrative television contract.”

The loss of revenue this season could impact future seasons and players’ contracts due to its effect on the salary cap, Conrad said. He projected that salary caps would either stay the same or go down, which could impact salaries for players who are free agents. The NHL’s players union tried to mitigate these losses by signing to a new collective bargaining agreement that limited how much the salary cap could go down, Conrad said.

“On the owners’ side, I think for the first time that I can remember, franchise values could go down,” he said.

Outside of the teams themselves, sports also provide jobs and economic impact to the surrounding communities. Without fans, many neighborhood businesses, such as those around Yankee Stadium, are taking a hit, Conrad said.

“There are establishments around Yankee Stadium that are very dependent on the games,” he said. “They would be hurt as well as the employees in the stadium—those who sell the popcorn, the drinks, and do the concessions.”

Larger-scale events, such as tennis tournaments or marathons, usually serve as a tourism boom for the cities they’re located in. But without fans this year, that’s another loss, Conrad said.

“Without fans going to the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, that’s a huge hit,” he said. “I think you can say the same thing about the New York City Marathon, because that’s a very big event in terms of people coming to the city and that’s not happening this year.”

Effect on College Sports

For colleges and universities that rely on athletics as a large revenue source, this year will be particularly tough, Conrad said, as some leagues have canceled the fall season and others have barred fans or reduced capacity. The Atlantic 10 and Patriot League, the two conferences Fordham competes in, both canceled their fall seasons, with the hopes of playing those sports in the spring.

While some conferences, have postponed their lucrative college football season, others, including the SEC, ACC, and Big 12, are adapting their schedules, including limiting out-of-conference play. The Big 10 had previously announced it would not play in 2020, but after facing pressure from coaches, players, fans, and even President Trump, the conference announced on Wednesday it would try to restart the college football season in late October.

Still, some schools are already cutting “less lucrative” athletic programs in response to revenue losses from the pandemic, he said. Stanford University announced in July that it would cut 11 of its varsity sports programs.

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges, Conrad said he believes fans will “be running back” so long as the teams can help make them feel safe.

“I think we’re going to have to think about how we produce the events, the safety measures for the future,” he said. “I think you will have temperature checks done more. I think there will be other types of screening, whether it’s going to be for COVID or any other kind of viruses.”

Conrad said that some things will be altered, such as how food is distributed and mask usage.

“This idea of grabbing into food, touching, the smorgasbord idea, I think that’s going to be out,” he said. “Masks could still be with us, and that’s not a bad thing. In the winter, I think it would be very effective.”

The way fans watch games will also be likely to change, now that producers and directors have been able to experiment without people in the stands.

“We’re seeing many more camera angles now coming in to make up for the loss for fans, [and]there’s also more room in the arenas,” he said. “Artificial intelligence or virtual reality situations—I think you’re going to see those growing as ways to watch sports.”

Fordham and the New York Giants, two institutions with deep connections to New York football and each other, will team up on an array of initiatives after signing a formal partnership this summer. Benefits will include academic offerings for students and exposure for the University.

“Our identity has been tied to the gridiron since the 1920s, with Fordham’s ‘Seven Blocks of Granite’ dominating the sport in the 1930s, and John Mara is of course a distinguished Fordham Law alumnus,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham.

“We are therefore pleased to deepen our family connection to the Giants and excited to enter a partnership with the team that will be mutually beneficial.”

The partnership has the potential to result in new academic programs and new initiatives in the areas of community service, student enrollment, fundraising, alumni relations, branding, and special events.

“As a graduate of Fordham Law, I was fortunate to experience firsthand the wonderful educational opportunities that Fordham has to offer,” said John Mara, LAW ’79, president and co-owner of the New York Giants.

“This partnership will create new academic programs, student internships, and community service initiatives that will build upon and strengthen those experiences for Fordham students and our community.”

Academic Programming and Marketing

Jonathan Crystal, Ph.D., vice provost for Fordham, said there are many benefits to the new partnership.

“This initiative furthers the university’s strategy of deepening partnerships with leading New York City institutions, using them as a springboard to develop new academic programs and create unique opportunities for our students,” he said.

“It draws on our strengths across a number of different disciplines, from business and marketing to communications and media studies. It also takes Fordham’s visibility to the next level.”

The University and its programs and schools will be featured on in-stadium advertising during Giants games, as well as radio, digital, and social promotion.

Anthony R. Davidson, Ph.D., dean of Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies, said an intriguing aspect of the partnership is the way he sees Fordham leveraging it to create new academic programming in sports business at the school—potentially at the graduate level. Davidson said he’s eager to collaborate with colleagues in the department of communications and media studies, which currently offers a minor in sports journalism, and the Gabelli School of Business, which offers a concentration in sports business.

“I think this allows for us to develop our offerings in sports, an area of interest for many students,” he said, noting that the opportunities in the field extend far beyond working for individual teams or leagues.

Davidson said also he expects that members of the Giants organization will likewise take advantage of continuing education opportunities that Fordham offers.

Internships and Class Projects

This semester, three students will be interning with the team. Annette McLaughlin, director of Fordham’s Office of Career Services, said the internships—in departments such as corporate partnerships, premium services, and media production—are well aligned with the academic interests of Fordham students.

“Career success depends on two things: connections and experience, which includes the classroom, internships, volunteer work, and campus leadership roles. Fordham does an amazing job on the academic side with projects and presentations. We prepare the students by helping them connect their experiences inside and outside the classroom for future employment,” she said.

“Our role is to facilitate and create opportunities that connect students to employers and introduce them to a variety of career options. The Giants internships really match well with the knowledge, skills, and interests of our students and will no doubt help them as they begin their next chapter.”

Students will also be able to work with the Giants in the classroom through a class project. The project, which will be treated like a case study, will bring together an interdisciplinary group of students to work on a business challenge. Students will have the opportunity to make a presentation to the Giants’ management team. The agreement will also bring Giants executives into the classroom for guest lectures.

Jeffrey L. Gray, senior vice president for student affairs at Fordham, called the agreement “a team effort.”

“It involved genuine collaboration by many individuals and units across the University and in the Giants organization,” he said.

“The process is a model for how to get complex projects across the goal line, and I am grateful for the time and effort put in by everyone in both organizations.”

Partnering on Community Service

Beyond the classroom and the field, the two organizations will pursue community service projects together. The Giants will support Fordham students as they assist in community service projects such as clothing drives for the homeless, food delivery to those in need on holidays, and visits to children in hospitals.

A Long History Together

Fordham and the Giants have shared many connections through the years. Wellington Mara, the son of the team’s founder, Tim Mara, graduated from Fordham College at Rose Hill in 1937. His classmate, Fordham football legend Vince Lombardi, got his start in the NFL as an assistant coach with the team. Several executives in the Giants organization are Fordham graduates. And Bob Papa, the radio voice of the Giants, who has broadcast the team’s games since 1995, is a 1986 graduate of Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business.

While his play-by-play work makes for an already-packed schedule, in the spring of 2017, he and Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia decided to act on an idea they had talked about many times over the years: starting a podcast together.

The two share an easy rapport and many of the same interests, and they knew from the start that they wanted the project to be less about debate and hot takes and more about candid, casual conversations with interesting guests.

The weekly podcast, R2C2 (a play on the hosts’ names and their mutual appreciation for Star Wars), has featured current and former Yankees, like Giancarlo Stanton and Reggie Jackson, and personalities across the sports landscape, like Terrell Owens, Mark Cuban, and Sue Bird.

“We think about who is interesting, is a good talker, who has cachet, and who we have some sort of relationship with,” Ruocco says of how he and Sabathia decide on their guests. “[CC] is the perfect candidate to be able to do something like this, because he creates an atmosphere that is so comfortable and fun for everyone, but he also has the respect of anybody who sits down with us.”

The hosts’ desire to create a relaxed environment where free-flowing conversation can thrive has clearly paid off. Whether the dialogue stays focused on sports or veers into pop culture, food, or politics, everyone on the mic opens up and seems to have a great time, often resulting in hilarious stories that sports fans wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to hear.

“One of the coolest parts is, almost every single guest that we have, when they get done, they’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh, that was so much fun, when can I do it again?’” says Ruocco. “It’s fun to [have]a loose format, to not feel so uptight, to be able to disseminate these stories to people in a way that’s just like, hey, we don’t need to be so formal. It’s life, let’s talk about it, you know?”

Ruocco traces his success back to his time at Fordham, where he, like so many other sports announcers, got his broadcasting start. His experience as a student working at WFUV under former executive sports producer Bob Ahrens, he says, made his career possible.

“It’s this simple,” Ruocco says. “If I did not go to Fordham and work at WFUV, I would not be here doing what I’m doing today. Period.”

As for the future of R2C2, Ruocco says he and Sabathia, who signed a final one-year contract last fall to finish his career with the Yankees, “are all in on” the show, and are even considering expanding into video.

“We love doing it, and we have no plans of stopping anytime soon.”

Does it feel odd to get a lifetime achievement award with, hopefully, a lot of career left?
Yes! I’m wondering if someone is trying to tell me something. A few days prior to the Scully Award, I was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame. I guess it’s a good thing to get them while I can still enjoy them.

Did you always know you wanted to go to Fordham and then become a sports broadcaster?
I knew I wanted to be a Yankees announcer since I was nine years old, and when my sister Debbie attended Fordham and told me about WFUV, I knew that it was the best place for me to pursue that dream. I actually wanted to be the Yankees first baseman, but I realized I couldn’t hit and didn’t enjoy getting hit by the baseball.

Are fears about the future of baseball overblown, or is the game actually in danger of losing its place as America’s pastime?
It’s not overblown. The game pace is too slow-moving. I love it the way it is, but I am not the future of the game. You have to capture young people who have come from a “microwave” society. They want things happening instantly, and baseball is not that. They need to figure out how to appeal to the younger audience while keeping the integrity of the game in place.

Why are there still so few female MLB announcers?
I wish I knew. I think sports is slow to change. And it’s not so much the decision-makers, although they have to take some of the blame, but rather the viewers and listeners who complain when something is different in their broadcast. But people like Suzyn Waldman and Doris Burke and Sarah Kustok are changing all that.

You’ve said that the “stick to sports” idea doesn’t make sense, because the political elements of sports are there, so they need to be talked about. Do you feel like, on the whole, people understand that now more than they did five years ago?
I think people have selective outrage. They want you to stick to sports when you give an opinion that they don’t agree with. Now, I would rather not go into things other than sports, but when the president brings sports into the equation, it’s hard not to talk about that.

When it comes to journalism, you expressed your disgust with last year’s layoffs at the New York Daily News. How do you convince young sports journalists—and young journalists in general—that they shouldn’t jump ship and think about another industry?
It would be hard to be honest and tell them that. The print industry is not exactly thriving, and I think that’s a bad thing for this country. If we don’t have a free, independent press, then those in power simply cannot and will not be checked. That’s dangerous. I would tell all these kids that if you become proficient at writing, there will be a job for you in the industry, either in print or behind the scenes in TV. And, of course, a good writer can always go to a thriving website, like The Athletic, and earn a good living.

How has having two young children changed the way you approach your work?
It has put it all into perspective. In the past, I was a workaholic and would take any job or new opportunity. My workaholic past certainly played a role in my present success, but now I’m happy with what I have professionally because I’m so happy personally.

What has it been like for both you and your friend from Fordham, NBA announcer Mike Breen, FCRH ’83, to succeed in the ways you have?
He is one of my best friends in the world. We are the same two guys who used to sit in the campus center at Fordham and tell each other about our dreams. He wanted to be the Knicks’ announcer and I wanted to be the Yankees’ announcer. The fact that we were privy to each other’s dreams and know how starry-eyed we were makes it sweeter to enjoy each other’s success.

You’ve been a mentor to Ryan Ruocco, FCRH ’08, and many other young announcers. What do you enjoy most about your role as a mentor?
I just like to provide whatever help I can give to a young person. I never really had that entrée into the business when I got out of college, so if I can provide a little help or lift to someone, that would be awesome and would maybe provide a couple of more speakers who have kind words at my funeral.

How did you develop your style as an announcer? Did that come out of those who taught or mentored you?
I think it happened organically and was a combination of those I listened to growing up, those I spoke with along the way, and those I worked with. You end up becoming an amalgamation of hopefully the best of the people you came across in your life.

What’s the most memorable game you’ve ever called?
Probably Game 1 of the 1998 World Series, when the Yankees scored seven runs in the seventh inning against the Padres at Yankee Stadium. After the grand slam by Tino Martinez, the stadium was literally shaking and I just leaned back and took it all in. It was pretty special.

Recalls Schultz: “He brought Bob in and said, ‘This is Bob Ahrens. This is the man who’s going to take this department to the next level.’ It didn’t take too long before we realized that Bob was bringing our standards to a level that they had never been at.”

A High Standard for Success

Indeed, over the next two decades, Ahrens ran a sports department that’s been widely praised for training future broadcasters in a professional environment.

He insisted that the staff operate to pro standards, he says, not only because it’s good training but also because WFUV reporters are credentialed to cover the local pro teams alongside the rest of the city’s sports media. That mindset has paid off: During Ahrens’s tenure, WFUV produced the likes of ESPN host Tony Reali, FCRH ’00; CBS Sports’ Spero Dedes, FCRH ’01; and Ryan Ruocco, FCRH ’08, of ESPN and the YES Network, continuing Fordham’s long tradition of launching the careers of sports broadcasters.

In 2014, the station paid tribute to Ahrens by establishing the Bob Ahrens Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism. The award is given annually to a member of the WFUV sports staff who has excelled on and off the air and demonstrated strong leadership ability.

Ahrens retired earlier this year as the station’s executive sports producer, and now, as WFUV transitions to its next chapter, he is passing the torch to a familiar face: Schultz.

A Return to Rose Hill

Schultz says when he first heard about the opening at WFUV, he didn’t imagine himself as a candidate. “The first thing that popped into my head was, ‘They have to do it right, because he’s built such a legacy here that has to be protected and built upon.’”

But as he began to think about what he believed the ideal candidate would look like—an on-air background, teaching experience, and a connection to WFUV—he realized he had all three. His broadcasting career included stints with Army athletics, two minor-league baseball teams, and an ESPN Radio affiliate, and he’d taught at Marist College and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.

He threw his hat into the ring and got the job, and since this summer he’s been working with Ahrens, who’s staying on through the end of the year as a consultant, to ensure a smooth transition.

“It’s always gratifying to see one of your former students get the job,” Ahrens says. “Rick was basically in my first group. It’s sort of like bookends.”

Schultz says that working with Ahrens has been helpful in ways both big and small, from learning how the station operations have changed since his own Fordham days to quickly tracking down a phone number he may need.

“It’s very important to me for the students to understand that I was in their position 20 years ago, and I know what it’s like to be sitting there and have someone new come in,” Schultz says.

“My message to the students over the past few months has been, ‘The great thing about WFUV is that this is your station.’” In other words, he’s there to help guide the students, not drastically change things. “I think when something’s working, you try as best as you can not to mess it up,” he says.

But Schultz says he’s also learning how to develop his own style and priorities. He says there’s room for growth in social media and video, and that he’d like to collaborate more with the news side of WFUV.

A “Perfect Fit” to Carry on the Tradition

Mike Breen, FCRH ‘83, the play-by-play announcer for the New York Knicks on MSG as well as the NBA on ESPN, says that Ahrens has been a “magnificent” mentor to members of the FUV sports department.

“He’s as dedicated to his job and to the students that he helped as anybody I’ve ever seen,” Breen says. “And because Rick came up through the system, and knows what the system’s about, it seems like the perfect fit for him to follow in Bob’s footsteps.”

More than 20 years ago, Schultz followed in Breen’s footsteps. As a high school student, he reached out to Breen to discuss the broadcasting business, and Breen told him about his experiences at WFUV and about Fordham’s strong tradition. Schultz says Fordham was the only school he applied to, and now, as he returns to Rose Hill, he’s reflecting on the icons who came before him at the station.

“It’s still kind of surreal for me to be sitting in this office looking at the portrait of Marty Glickman on the wall and the Bob Ahrens Award on the other side of the wall, and to be sitting here taking that next chapter of WFUV Sports,” he says. “It’s still something that really strikes you every day.”

—Joe DeLessio, FCLC ’06

Scully, who got his start in broadcasting as an undergraduate at WFUV during the 1940s and is often called the dean of Fordham-trained sportscasters, retired last October after nearly seven decades as the voice of the Dodgers. He holds the record for the longest tenure of any broadcaster with a single pro sports team. “That’s what you should do with a gift—share it,” said actor Bryan Cranston, who presented Scully with the award.

In a brief acceptance speech, Scully demonstrated the winsome, lyrical style that has endeared him to generations of sports fans. He reflected on his lifelong “love affair” with baseball and on the many accolades he has received.

“God gave us memories so we can have roses in December, and in the December of my years, I have collected so many roses and cherished each and every one of them,” he said. “And you give me a rose tonight to join my collection for all those years.”

Watch Scully’s acceptance speech:

Among the fans cheering Edmonds and the Rams on were some old-time and recently graduated Rams—who waxed nostalgic about cold games, tough games, historic games, and plain ol’ grit.

Standing on the field during a special halftime recognition ceremony, Andy Lukac, FCRH ’51, said that although they rarely get much play in the press, his 1950 Division 1 team was one of the finest Fordham ever had. The team had an 8-1 record.

“In all the newspaper write-ups, they mention the Blocks of Granite and last year’s squad, which is great, but they never mention 1950. And I happened to be a captain of that team.”

Lukac said that none other than Vince Lombardi recruited many of his teammates before leaving Fordham to coach for West Point. He said the following game against Army was known as “the most infamous game because of all the penalties.”

“When Lombardi went to Army, he knew our weaknesses,” said Lukac.

Lukac was introduced to former Ram star quarterback John Skelton, FCRH ’10, another former Ram honored at the halftime ceremony. Skelton, a record-setting quarterback while at Fordham, was recruited to play with the Arizona Cardinals.

“I sure hope I’m still puttin’ around here like he is when I’m his age,” said Skelton.

The legacy of that 1950 season got diluted, unfortunately, after Fordham’s football program ran into the red and disappeared from campus for 10 years.

But three Rams—David Langdon, FCRH ’65, Don Ross, FCRH ’65, and Bill Burke, FCRH ’65, LAW ’68—took a thousand dollars out of their bank accounts to buy uniforms and equipment, transforming the former rugby team into a football team. Langdon was on hand for Saturday’s halftime ceremony.

Langdon said that the nascent team then went to NYU athletic director Vic Obeck and he promised them a game. With the NYU’s name printed on the tickets, he said he knew the fans would come.

“We even had to rent our own stands,” Langdon recalled. “They were used for Lyndon Johnson’s inauguration. They were brought up from Alabama and the students had to assemble them.”

Tom Johnson, FCRH ’61, recalled he was one such fan of the newly minted Rams football team. Sheltered from Saturday’s rain under the Homecoming tent, Johnson said he’s been buying season tickets since they first made them available. He has held on to “several with the holes punched out” and has seen the Rams football through the good, the bad, and even the “ugly” seasons.

“There were many years where . . . you used to pray for rain so you could leave the stands early,” he recalled. But things have been looking up.

As he spoke, the skies let loose and the DJ blasted John Fogerty’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”

And despite the fact that the Fordham Rams’ playing was anything but ugly, hundreds of fans emptied the stands before the final plays of the game.

Except, of course, senior Ian Williams’ mother. Cheryl Williams flew up from West Palm Beach, Florida, to cheer her son on and she wasn’t about to let a little rain deter her.

“Go Ian! Go Fordham!” she cheered from beneath a red umbrella.

For a full recap of Saturday’s game, visit Fordham’s Athletics.

Check out how #fordhamhomecoming played out on social media: http://bit.ly/FordhamHomecomingStorify.

More photos are at the Fordham Alumni Flickr.

Once again, the news and sports departments of WFUV took home a bevy of awards this past spring.
“While WFUV is known as a music-formatted station, we are enormously proud of our award-winning news and sports departments,” said WFUV general manager Chuck Singleton.

The New York State Associated Press announced that the station had earned first place in three professional categories. News & Public Affairs Director George Bodarky received two of them: Best News Special Documentary and Best Interview. In addition, Bodarky received special mentions for Best News Series, Best Spot News Coverage, and the Art Athens General Excellence of Individual Reporting award.

The other first place award went to one of WFUV’s student journalists, Alex Smith, FCRH ’14, for Best Sports Coverage. In the student competition for The Memorial Award for Best News Story, Kris Venezia took first place.

Earlier this year, The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation presented a Gracie Award to Morlene Chin for Outstanding Host in the Entertainment/Information category.

The Society of Professional Journalists also took notice. The Mark of Excellence Awards went to three WFUV student journalists. Bobby Gubin won a regional award for Radio Feature, as did Alex Smith for Radio Sports Reporting. Connor Ryan won a regional award for the Radio In-Depth Reporting category and is now a national finalist.

One of the main topics up for discussion in the Fordham Sports Law Forum’s 18th Annual Symposium on Current Legal Issues in Sports on Feb. 14 couldn’t have been more timely.

In a year in which Major League Baseball suspended New York Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez for performance enhancement drug use for the entire 2014 season, panelists at the Fordham Sports Law Forum Symposium discussed arguments surrounding the permissibility of performance enhancement.

The all-day event also debated hip-hop mogul Jay Z’s venture into sports (“The New Face of Sports Agency: The Runner Rule and Roc Nation’s Challenge to Traditional Notions of Athlete Representation”), and efforts by a group of American Indians who filed a petition in an attempt to cancel all of the Washington ‘Redskins’ and related trademarks registered by the team (Marooning the Mascot: The Implications of Blackhorse v. Pro-Football.)

This is the 18th year for the symposium, which has attracted many of the top practitioners in the industry.

Check out this compilation of tweets during the performance enhancement drugs discussion featuring Marc Edelman, an adjunct at Fordham Law and an associate professor of law at the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, and Arthur Caplan, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor of Bioethics at NYU Langone Medical Center, on STORIFY.