March 28 – Doug Flynn and Jeff Piecoro, Sports Broadcasters

LEXINGTON, KY – The Rotary Club of Lexington  held its weekly meeting on Thursday, Mar. 28, at The Mane on Main, Chase Bank building on Main St. The program’s guest speakers were Doug Flynn and Jeff Piecoro, Sports Broadcasters. For a review of their presentation see below.

This meeting will also be on Zoom. For the Zoom link please email, [email protected].

If you would like to have lunch, please contact [email protected] to reserve your meal.

They were the boys of summer, chasing after dreams that would forever shape their lives.”, The Boys of Summer, Roger Kahn

“Every swing of the bat was a reminder that failure was just an opportunity to try again.”, The Boys of Summer, Roger Kahn

“Put me in Coach; I’m ready to play!”, Centerfield, John Fogerty

Spring and the coming of baseball season are inextricably intertwined in the American psyche.  Even in the face of debate about whether or not baseball remains the true “national pastime”, the onset of spring training and opening day evokes strong emotions, especially in those of us, shall we say, a certain age.  Opening Day in Cincinnati remains a holiday and a spectacle that should be experienced at least once.

Today we are privileged to hear from two baseball insiders who will regale us with tales of opening day.

Doug Flynn is a former Bryan Station High School three-sport star.  He played baseball professionally for eleven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Texas Rangers’ Montreal Expos and Detroit Tigers.  Flynn won two world series titles with the Reds and a gold glove while with the Mets.  He earned the moniker of “the glue” of the fabled Big Red Machine. His post baseball career consists of working as a banking officer for Central Bank and broadcasting college baseball for the University of Kentucky on the SEC network.  Flynn also worked in radio and television for the Reds beginning in 2013. For eight years he and Rotarian Jeff Piecoro co-hosted Reds Weekly, a magazine style show on Fox Sports Ohio

Former University of Kentucky wide receiver and Rotarian Jeff Piecoro has been in television broadcasting since 1985.  Piecoro started at WTVQ in 1985 before leaving for WLEX in 1990.  Piecoro started working for Fox Sports in 1995 and began a twenty-four year stint with the television broadcast team of the Cincinnati Reds. Piecoro is currently the Sports Director at WTVQ and has also been Tom Leach’s sidekick as the color analyst on the University of Kentucky sports network for football since 2000.

Welcome Doug and Jeff!  Play ball!

Rotary in Review

DOUG FLYNN AND JEFF PEICORO: TWO BASEBALL LIVES

It is always interesting to write the Rotary in Review for the Wheel Horse.  However, I must admit when I was assigned to “review” two speakers who happen to be close friends, including one with whom I worked closely for twenty years, it presented quite a challenge.  Jeff Piecoro and Doug Flynn provided a highly entertaining program about Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds, and sports in general.  My challenge was in having heard all of their stories WAY too many times.  But in a performance reminiscent of legendary comedy duos, – think Laurel & Hardy, Smothers Brothers, and Johnny Carson & Ed McMahon (you choose) they provided an inside look at how much fun it must be to have their jobs.  With Jeff playing the straight man to Doug, all it took was half a sentence from Jeff before Doug was off and running with tales of the dugout!

Between stories we learned about how many times they were fired, particularly how Doug was one of several players involved in the Tom Seaver trade after being part of two World Series championship teams and a new proper definition of the word Turd (think hazing nickname for the benchwarmers).  Doug’s time with the Reds was a dream come true for a boy from Lexington, Kentucky and for his dad, Bobby, who Doug still maintains was a better ballplayer than him.

Jeff shared with us his time with the Reds in the dugout and on the plane.  It didn’t sound like an Allegiant flight to Punta Gorda and bore little resemblance to the first-class travel accommodations afforded today’s player.  Gambling might have been involved.  Jeff’s interviewing skill were on full display as he continued to usher Doug onto the next story.

For me the program was way too short.  There are not many athletes who can progress from SEC football and Major League Baseball to successful broadcasting careers.  The fact that they both grew up and played ball in Lexington just makes the story better.  This was a program that could have lasted for hours and had a cover charge.  Who ever thought a 168-pound kid from Lexington would make the Cincinnati Reds from a tryout camp and then proceed to have an 11-year career in the Major Leagues, win two World Series rings and a Gold Glove.

Play Ball!!!

• Jim Richardson