The first is to play professional sports. A very select few get to realize this dream.

The second is to cover sports for a living. Even fewer have this dream come true, but thanks to a competition like Gillette Drafted, Paul Brothers became one of the chosen few.

You’ve gotten to know Paul a lot better over this past year and hopefully this interview will help you learn a little bit more about him and what he went through during his time on the first season of Gillette Drafted.

JTI: These ten finalists are in the exact same position you were in before season one of Gillette Drafted. What was your mindset going into the competition last year and what were your expectations when you got off that flight and arrived in Toronto?

Paul: Well my first thought when I got off the plane in Toronto was “Holy $%*# where’s the bathroom, I gotta go”.  But in all honesty my mindset going into the competition was to take it one day a time and maintain a positive attitude no matter what. I read a Michael Phelps book before flying to Toronto and his mindset really prepared me for the challenges. The thing that stood out was  AAA….Attitude Action Acheivement..I kept saying that to myself before every challenge, Positive Attitude leads to Positive Action which leads to Acheivement. I also am a big fan of the late great John Wooden and i would watch his inspirational video on the meaning of true success. I watched it before flying to Toronto and again on the night I won Gillette Drafted Season 1. Check it: http://tinyurl.com/n9gnjh

JTI: On September 14^th we’re telling everyone to tune in to theScore to see who has what it takes “To Be Like Brothers”. Since winning the competition what are all of things you have done for theScore.com and theScore? What does the winner from Gillette Drafted 2 have to look forward to?

Paul: The great thing about theScore is that they pride themselves (or I guess we pride ourselves) on being multi-platform, so I’ve had the chance to contribute to Television, the web, and Hardcore Sports Radio (now theScore Satellite Radio). On the TV side I host the show Stat Attack, co-host the studio portion of Bet Night Live, and have had the privilege of co-hosting Plays Of The Week from time to time with Sid, Tim and Cabbie. For theScore.com I’ve had the chance to interview legends like Johnny Bench, and contribute to the super successful Score.com Music Series interviewing Rock bands about sports! I also get to pitch ideas for original web videos and then see the project through to the end by helping in the production and editing of the segment. Finally I am a regular on the battle show 1-on-1 on HSR in addition to being a guest from time to time on Red Heat with Cam Stewart. As a bonus I also write a weekly column in T.Onight magazine.

JTI: One of the other privileges of winning the inaugural season of Gillette Drafted was becoming a Gillette spokesperson. What are the kinds of things you’ve been able to do through working with Gillette and does any one highlight stand out?

Paul: I have to say being a Gillette spokesperson has been a really cool experience. I’m sure you’ve seen the Gillette Drafted commercials that have been airing on theScore. They were a blast to be a part of and very challenging for me as I have no real acting experience. A couple other highlights really stand out: 1) I got to go to The Rogers Cup Tennis tournament here in Toronto recently and show off the Gillette ProGlide razor to the media. In return I got to sit in the Gillette box to watch Roger Federer play. Amazing day! 2) I was chosen to travel across Canada for the Gillette Drafted Season 2 Audition tour. I met hundreds of die-hard sports fans just like me and got to see parts of Canada I hadn’t been to before like the beautiful city of Vancouver.

JTI: Last season a couple of the contestants struggled during the sports trivia segment, but you did well and it was likely one of the things that helped you win the competition in the end. How important has sports knowledge been to you during your time at theScore?

Paul: First of all let me say that I felt like a lightweight when I first got here, and I thought I knew a lot about sports!!!. But my level of knowledge has grown substantially since the beginnning of the year just from working at theScore. You have to know sports well not only to work here, but to fit in. There are playoff pools and fantasy leagues on the go here all the time. Most importantly, you need to know what you’re talking about or nobody here will have the confidence in you to do anything. It’s like building a house and hiring someone with no knowledge of carpentry to build it. That house is gonna look terrible and thus make the owners look like idiots for hiring such a brutal carpenter. I don’t think Mr.Levy would be comfortable letting me build his house, but I won’t do him wrong talking sports.

JTI: Most sports fans can only dream of doing what you now do for a living for theScore. Has it lived up to the expectations you had before you auditioned?

Paul: Well my main goal once I got the gig was to make the most of every moment. I’m a big “moment guy” and theScore has afforded me a ton of great moments. Whether it be standing in the Canucks dressing room talking to Roberto Luongo about how funny Cabbie is, asking the first question to Paul Westphal in a Sacramento Kings post-game scrum (and being so nervous you could visibly see theScore mic shaking. Ha!), or reading sports highlights live on theScore, I’ve just taken it all in and am enjoying the ride. I’ve expected some big moments would come my way and they have. Plenty of things to talk to the future kids about and to write back home to Mom, Nan, and my bro about.

JTI: What are you looking forward to seeing this season on Gillette Drafted 2 from the finalists? What kind of things would impress you the most?

Paul: I think I’m just going to watch the show as a fan instead of picking apart every little thing the finalists do. I’m looking forward to seeing which person I will pick to root for. I mean everybody roots for someone on a reality show right?

Go to theScore.com to find more from Paul and check out the first episode of Gillette Drafted 2 on September 14th at 10 PM EST.

JTI

Everyone that watches either of those shows knows that Renee brings a lot more to the table than just being a female voice and she’ll a be a huge part of the decision making process this season on Gillette Drafted 2. I had a chance to talk with her about her journey as a broadcaster and her thoughts about this up coming season.

JTI: Your background is in comedy and improv, which definitely makes you unique to working at a place like theScore. What was it that made you want to get into sports broadcasting?

Renee: I always played sports growing up pretty competitively, so I was always sort of looking for ways to branch out and focus on this as my career. Then once I was bitten by the bug of performing and started with the comedy and improv classes at Second City, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. Then a light went off in my head when I was waitressing and having theScore on the TV there all the time – that I could come here and try and combine the two much like Cabbie and Gerry Dee. I mean, they are way funnier than me, but I love that theScore let’s us think outside the box and be creative with our content.

JTI: Your bio mentions that you don’t have a broadcasting degree and many of the people who tried out for Gillette Drafted 2 don’t have one either. Was it hard to get used to the world you are in now because of it and how long did it take you to adjust to all of the things that go into being a broadcaster?

Renee: Honestly, at first I kept thinking that was something hanging over my head. I was afraid I wouldn’t be as professional or polished. (Which I’m not) But then I started to be thankful for that…it gives me a different perspective when I’m on air and I have learned other skills to help me out with my job. I think it helped me talk with the audience, rather than at them.

JTI: Women are a minority in the world of sports broadcasting and often unfairly get scrutinized harshly because of their gender. How do you deal with that kind of scrutiny and what’s your advice to Casie and Meg on how to deal with it?

Renee: I don’t even think about that at all when I come into work. I don’t think women should be using that as a crutch per se. Man or woman, you do your job to your fullest capabilities.

JTI: You’re the host of The Break on theScore.com, but everyone who watches theScore on TV knows you from Right After Wrestling. You’ve kind of become the voice of female wrestling fans and proved you can hang with boys on any WWE topic. Do you think it’s better going into a competition like this having a strong expertise in a specific sport? Do you think it’s helped you find your place at theScore?

Renee: Well, I think that depends. Like if you are a sport specific person – like either Mauro Ranallo or Arda Ocal or myself I guess – then I think it’s great if you can package yourself that way. And be the best at what you do for that sport. But that being said, as a sportscaster you need to have a pretty broad knowledge of everything going on the world of sports. In a competition however, that is something that could come back and bite you in the butt.You need to be ready for whatever curve ball we might throw at you.

JTI: What are you looking forward to seeing this season on Gillette Drafted 2 from the finalists? What kind of things would impress you the most?

Renee: I will be impressed with the people that are thinking on their toes, willing to adapt and improvise when on the spot. That is really important. I am really looking forward to seeing how each of the contestants interacts with eachother and once it really gets down to the wire. Isn’t that what reality TV is all about?

You can see Renee on the shows I mentioned above and on Gillette Drafted starting September 14th at 10 PM EST.

JTI

He gets the final word on who stays and who goes this season, so he’s who the finalists should be trying to impress most. He also played a big part in selecting the ten finalists who would give just about anything to be like Brothers. I got the chance to ask him a few questions on the process of selecting the final ten and his expectations for this season.

JTI: You played a large part in narrowing down the piles of entries for Gillette Drafted 2 to the final ten finalists. What was it that made these ten standout from the rest?

Greg: A lot of the people who auditioned looked comfortable and seemed to do well on camera, but didn’t really set themselves apart from the crowd. The finalists all bring something unique to the competition and they all represent a very good cross-section of the country. We have some who are sports trivia experts, some that are performers, and some that are fans looking to take a shot at doing something they’ve always dreamed of doing.

JTI: When you look at the final ten, do you already have a vision in your head of what they could possibly work on for theScore? Was that important for you when you were making your decisions?

Greg: To use a sports analogy, this is a draft and we’re looking for the best talent available, as opposed to looking to fill a specific position. It’s really difficult to say what the winner will work on  because we don’t know everyone’s strengths just yet. We’ll have a much better idea once we see everyone go through the challenges. Some of the finalists will excel in the studio, while others’ strengths will come in producing original content; we’ll tailor the job to the individual’s strengths.

JTI: How important was it if they had been a broadcaster or went to school for broadcasting before they auditioned? Did that weigh heavily when you were making your choices?

Greg: Not important at all. We’re looking for hardcore sports fans who will connect with our audience and you don’t need any formal training or experience for that. We’re looking for someone who has the talent and potential to fit in at theScore. If they look comfortable in front of the camera, work hard and are passionate about being here, they’ve got a real chance to win the competition.

JTI: When you broke into the business, they didn’t have these kinds of reality shows where you could win a chance at becoming a sportscaster. If they did have something like this, would you have tried out for it?

Greg: I would have loved the opportunity to take part in Gillette Drafted. The thought of getting an opportunity of a lifetime by competing against others in a reality show, with the end result being a contract with theScore and Gillette? I’m sure that’s a shot most sports fans would take.

JTI: Last season a couple of the contestants struggled during the sports trivia segment. In the viewers eyes sports knowledge tends to go hand in hand with a sports personality’s credibility. How important are the finalists’ sports knowledge going to be this season and how important is it for you when you hire anyone for on-air work?

Greg: I was watching Gillette Drafted last season when some of the contestants struggled mightily with the trivia, and I was yelling at my TV! How can you be trying out to work at “The Home for the Hardcore” and not know the name of the stadium where the Jays play…when you’re sitting in a studio two blocks away from the stadium?!? The finalists better know their sports and if they don’t – they won’t be here for long.

JTI: Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing this season from the finalists and what do you think is going to make this season so much different than season one of Gillette Drafted?

Greg: All sports fans think they can work for a sports media company and I really think most can…if they can handle the pressure.  I’m looking forward to seeing how the finalists handle the pressure of being judged on the spot while pursuing their dream; it’s a combination that’s sure to lead to some intense moments. This is a ten week job interview for the finalists and a chance for our viewers to see what goes into working at theScore. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

Remember to tune in September 14th at 10 PM EST to see the premiere episode of Gillette Drafted 2. It’s less than three weeks away!

JTI

Why is he mysterious? Well, I couldn’t really find any background on him. He doesn’t have a bunch of clips on Youtube and as far as I know he doesn’t write a sports blog (unless he is writing it under an alias). I know what you know. I guess that makes him the wild card in this race.

Here’s the wild card’s Twitter bio: “Been living and dreaming everything Sports since 1983. After 27 Years… Still not disappointed.” Sounds good to me.

I’m sure there are many others who can fill me in about who Rick Tirelli is, but I’m looking forward to finding out more when the show airs. The mystery will be revealed to us all on September 14th.

JTI

His list of favourite teams is literally all over the map. He lists the Chicago Bulls, New York Rangers, San Francisco 49ers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Saint Mary’s University Huskies, Toronto Raptors, and Montreal Expos (RIP) as some of his favourite teams. At the very least we know he knows at least a little about several sports and I’m sure we’ll see his knowledge throughout his time on Gillette Drafted 2.

Based on Sean’s participation in the sports blogosphere, it’s safe to say that he is more passionate than your average sports fan. He definitely had Olympic fever this year in Vancouver. And the only prescription was more cowbell. (Fast forward to 1:39)

JTI

Information on his playing days is scarce, but I have figured out that he was a running back for York University at one time. I also found a picture all the way back to his high school days in 2004. It doesn’t look like he was using too many Gillette products back then, but he’s definitely all grown up today.

With The Score being the home of CIS football, Phil’s experience at York certainly couldn’t hurt his chances. Check out the first episode of Gillette Drafted 2 at 10 PM EST on Tuesday, September 14th to see if Phil’s playing days help him out in his quest to become Canada’s next sportscaster.

JTI

She’s a veteran broadcaster compared to most of the competition and has been working in sports radio out there as the co-host of an afternoon show on the Team 1260. Meg graduated from school when she was 19 (!) and has been working in the broadcasting industry since then. Being able to start your broadcasting career when you are that young is the equivalent of jumping from high school baseball to the major leagues, so you know that Meg has quite a bit of talent.

We’ll see how far that talent takes her during Gillette Drafted 2.

JTI

We know a lot of things about Launy already and the show has not even aired yet. We know that he has loyal supporters supporting him on Facebook, Twitter, and the hockey blogosphere. We also know that he has interviewed almost as many NHL superstars as Elliotte Friedman. We also know more about his personal life thanks to his wife’s blog. That post will tell you more than I ever could about him.

Since you’re not going to see any groundbreaking interviews from Launy that you haven’t already seen in his audition or posted on Drafted’s Facebook page, I figured I would throw out a Spaceballs clip in honour of “The Schwartz”. May the the Schwartz be with you Launy in your quest to become Canada’s next sportscaster!

How much do I know about Brent? Not much, but this little interview that P-Bro did with Brent before his audition helped me out a bit.

Unfortunately there are no Youtube clips of him teaching his class like this one.

I do know that at one time Brent had a Thor-like haircut thanks to a hi5 account that he probably wishes he deleted a long time ago. The rest remains a mystery to me.

Guess that just gives me and everyone else more reason to tune when September rolls around.

JTI

If Austin Spencer is the most interesting candidate, then Andrew Gould is the biggest wild card. If you didn’t think so after watching his audition video, then you will after seeing this black and white short film he posted on Youtube.

I don’t know how many sportscasters made these kinds of shorts films before they got into the industry, but I’m guessing that Andrew Gould has to be one of the first. Who knows what he’s going to bring during the challenges this season. Based on what we’ve seen, it will probably be pretty unique.

JTI