Pollock: Going from ESPN back to St. Bonaventure was worth more than millions to 'Woj'

A column by CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun and Olean Star Senior Sports Columnist

It was the fall of 1989 and I had just hired Mike Vaccaro to take over as the beat writer of the St. Bonaventure basketball team for the Olean Times Herald.

Apparently he knew what was coming — three miserable seasons that produced 22 total wins under Tom Chapman — and he asked a favor.

“There’s this sharp kid I got to know at Bona and I think he’d be perfect as an intern helping with coverage of the team,” he said.

Considering that “Vac” was as good a sports writer as there is and fully trusting his judgment, I said,’ Bring him by.”

A night later Adrian Wojnarowski arrived at the office –I had to ask the SBU junior to spell his last name, though everybody called him “Woj” — and he filled out the paperwork.

It was immediately clear to me that I was not going to waste him taking phone calls and writing up high school roundups. At the time, Vac and I were busy filleting Chapman and his embarrassing teams in print. And Woj’s sarcastic pieces fit right in as if written by a cynical veteran writer.

After the second column, in a true Captain Obvious moment for me, I told Vac, “You know, this kid is pretty good …”

Good indeed.

He served award-winning stints at the Fresno Bee, The Record in north New Jersey winning the Associated Press Columnist of the Year twice — and finally with Yahoo Sports.

But his big break came seven years ago when hired by ESPN and he soon became the country’s most respected NBA Insider.

Then came Wednesday when it was revealed Woj was retiring from the so-called “World-Wide Leader” and taking a newly created position at his alma mater, general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team.

It didn’t make sense.

Woj, 55, was at the top of his profession earning nearly $7 million a year and on a contract with three years remaining. It seemed this was happening in reverse as leaving some position at Bona and going to ESPN would be logical move.

But, typical Woj, he sensed the word was going to get out and wasn’t about to be scooped on his own story.

His statement about leaving offered some insight.

“I grew up the son of a factory worker two miles from ESPN’s campus (in Bristol, Conn.) and only ever dreamed of making a living as a sportswriter. Thirty-seven years ago, the Hartford Courant gave me my first byline and I never stopped chasing the thrill of it all.

“The craft transformed my life, but I’ve decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry. I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make. Time isn’t in endless supply and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.

“I leave with overwhelming gratitude for countless mentors and colleagues, subjects and stories, readers and viewers. No one has benefitted more than me from the belief, trust and generosity of others.

“The past seven years at ESPN have been a particular privilege. I’m appreciative of the company’s leadership — especially (ESPN chairman) Jimmy Pitaro and [executive editor] Cristina Daglas — for the understanding and acceptance of my decision to make a life change.

“After all these years reporting on everyone’s teams, I’m headed back to my own.”

AND BEFORE you proffer a cliche — “I could do anything for seven million bucks a year” — ponder his words.

There’s a lot of weight that goes with the burden of being the best in your field. Your life isn’t your own. There’s the 24/7 attachment to the phones endlessly ringing from players, agents, coaches and team officials. Too many nights with three hours sleep.

Woj was just burned out.

AT A President’s Hour gathering Wednesday afternoon on campus, Jeff Gingrich’s guest was Vice President and Director of Athletics Bob Beretta His prime topic was the issues created by the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) decree and the “cluster” it had created for the NCAA, conferences and schools, none of whom have any answers.

But, he couldn’t ignore St. Bonaventure’s stunning hire to a position that has become more common in college basketball and, and indeed, a critical part of the sport.

“He was instrumental in me getting involved with this search for a (general manager),” Beretta said. “One day he called and said, ‘Would you think I was crazy if I told you I’d be interested in this position?’ I said, ‘Woj, I don’t know what the contract terms are, but I’m happy to talk to you because there’s no one more qualified for the position than you.’

“This isn’t just he’ll be working in NIL, he’s going to be an ambassador for this institution … he’s got so many contacts in the world of college basketball, American (international) basketball, professional basketball … But, beyond that, he’s always thinking about how to assist our student-athletes with internships in the professional ranks. These relationships help him be an ambassador for us.”

Beretta admitted, “When we had our discussion, I told him, ‘You need to take some time to think about this’ because it was coming at a very frantic time in his business when he was going 100 mph He needed some time to step away, let him think about it and see if he still felt that way.

“But he kept calling and texting me and every conversation he was more passionate. Literally he was (announcing a trade) and a few minutes later he called me about the St. Bonaventure job. I called the president and we agreed (hiring Woj) was the right thing to do for the campus.”

THE GREATEST compliment for a member of the media is the respect of one’s peers.

Ben Strauss of the Washington Post wrote that Woj had reached a “level of fame few reporters ever know thanks to his ‘Woj Bombs,’ or breaking news announcements on X … as recognizable to NBA fans as many of the players he covers, generating millions of social media followers with his ability to break the league’s biggest trades and free agent signings”

Former Yahoo Sports colleague Dan Wetzel wrote if Wojnarowski “wanted to leave journalism for the competitive side of the business, he could have easily joined a sports agency or a NBA front office.”

He added, “At least one other major college program, upon hearing rumors of Woj’s move, offered him a similar spot with them and the lure of trying to win a national title. He said no. Instead he took the freedom provided from making enough money that he didn’t need any more money to go create his dream job. It doesn’t get much better than that”

THE SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL printed a number of social media posts about Woj from people in the business:

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg: “No one ever has or ever could do a job in this industry better than our dear friend.”
TSN’s Josh Lewenberg: “A true game-changer and legend in this business, and a great guy.”
ESPN’s Marc Spears: “ It was an honor to work with you for 15-plus years. You changed the ways that news is broken in sports and will be forever remembered for your Woj bombs.”
Sportswriter Ethan Strauss: “One of the most influential people in sports media history.”
ESPN’s Kevin Clark: “Woj is one of the best sports reporters, columnist and writers ever to talk the earth. More importantly he’s as nice and supportive of young journalists as anyone in this industry. A true legend.”
Sportswriter Rodger Sherman: “Do you realize how stressful Woj’s job must have been that he considers “handling NIL and roster management for a college sports team” to be a relaxing step back”
ESPN’s Jeff Passan: “I’ve been fortunate to spend more than 20 years in this business working with reams of talented people. Adrian Wojnarowski is the best. Period. A peerless reporter. A gifted wordsmith. A storyteller nonpareil. He is Jim Brown and Barry Sanders, leaving at the apex of his game.”
The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski: “The significance of this cannot be overstated. Woj remade this entire industry. He literally changed the game. What a run.”
CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli: “I love this. The life of an insider at this level just does not seem sustainable.”
Washington Post’s Ella Brockway: “Woj breaking news of his own retirement thus ensuring Shams could not scoop him is excellent Sports Media Chess.”

Beretta concluded in a release, “The fact that the preeminent journalist in his field is willing to walk away from a lucrative media career to serve his alma mater in a support role is a testament to his love and passion for Bonas.”

(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)

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