Thom Brennaman

One of the most respected sports broadcasters in the industry, Thom Brennaman joined the Big Ten Network on-air roster on July 18. He and analyst Charles Davis will form the network's top game broadcast team. The pair called last year's BCS National Championship Game between Ohio State and Florida in addition to one of the most memorable college football games ever, Boise State's overtime victory against Oklahoma in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Brennaman's roots run deep in Big Ten Country. He is the former voice of the Chicago Cubs on WGN. The Ohio native now calls Cincinnati Reds baseball games with his father, Marty, a 2000 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.

Q: What about the Big Ten Network appealed to you?

A: "It's the Big Ten. I grew up in Ohio, the heart of Big Ten Country. I have followed the Big Ten for as long as I can remember. To be affiliated with the Big Ten in any way is a great honor."

Q: You worked with Charles Davis during last year's Bowl Championship Series. How important is the chemistry between the play-by-play announcer and the analyst?

A: "It's extremely important. Charles and I met last year and got the opportunity to get to know each other. I think that chemistry will allow us to do a better job for our Big Ten Network games as the season progresses and into the postseason for the BCS games."

Q: What does Charles bring to the broadcast as an analyst?

A: "He has extraordinary knowledge of the way the game is played and also its history. The things he knows and recalls – both on and off the field – are extraordinary. He's a walking encyclopedia of college football. He's amazing."

Q: Your current broadcast partner for Reds games is a baseball icon. What has it been like working with your father, Marty?

A: "It doesn't get any better, honestly. You hope and pray that it will be everything you want it to be and it has. I hadn't lived in Ohio for 19 years and I'm a little biased but I think the Midwest is the best place to grow up. The opportunity to come back and for us to raise our kids here is the cherry on top of the sundae."

Q: Do you have a favorite Big Ten memory or story?

A: "My favorite memory is from the 2002 BCS National Championship Game between Ohio State and Miami in Tempe. I was living in Arizona at the time. Three of my fraternity brothers and their families flew out from Ohio and we all went to the game as fans. It was a great day – 70 degrees, tailgating with old friends and just really one of the best days of my life."