| Panelists point way to careers in sports BY MIKE UNGER 
Photo by Jeff Watts
Just four men sat on stage Friday as part of the first panel at the Careers in Sports Forum, but that very same Kay Spiritual Life Center stage could be packed with people whom Mike Trilling, one of three men who the forum honors, helped catapult to success. So said Al Koken ’74, a radio personality at SportsTalk 980 and longtime Washington Capitals broadcaster. Koken, a former writer for the Eagle, credited the late Trilling with helping him get his start in the business. The second-annual forum featured three panels discussing journalism, marketing, management and other aspects of the sports world. It was created to honor the memories of former AU sports administrators Trilling, Mark Splaver, and Craig Tartasky. The first panel featured TNT NBA reporter David Aldridge ’87, College Sports TV producer Billy Stone ’86 ’89, Koken, and Washington Post sportswriter Steve Goff ’88 discussing the paths they took to the pinnacles of their professions. “Not only was AU a great opportunity for me, but I took advantage of the city,” said Goff, who got his start at the Post answering phones and covering high school sports. “It’s long nights, weekends, you feel like you’re missing out on a lot. But in the long run, you’re really setting the foundation for your future.”
Photo by Jeff Watts |
A panel on sports marketing featured AOL director of sports marketing Jimmy Lynn ’85 ’89, Washington Sports and Entertainment director of marketing Roger Moskowitz ’76, and Georgetown University director of sports marketing Steve Hines ’69. The final panel, on sports executives, featured Ed Tapscott ’80, president and general manager of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, and Jared Bartie ’90, the NBA’s vice president of team business development marketing and team business operations. |
