The tide is turning, college football conferences are finalizing their schedules for this year in the midst of a pandemic. In this episode, we interview Rene Ingoglia, a ESPN College Football Analyst and former football player.
Show Notes
Rene Ingoglia (born May 23, 1972) is a former National Football League player and sports broadcaster for ESPN. He is also a detective with the Orlando Police Department.
Ingoglia was a stand-out running back with the UMass Minutemen football team, earning All-American honors. After a short career in the NFL and NFL Europe, he became a detective. Ingoglia returned to football as a broadcaster for UMass games, eventually joining ESPN in 2010.
Introduction
Played Bishop Kearney hs
Umass career
Ingoglia rushed for 4,623 yards and 54 touchdowns on the ground – school records at the time – while he was twice named an all-American. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards during three separate seasons with 1,284 during 1993, 1,505 in 1994, and 1,178 in 1995.[5] He was inducted into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
Played Bills Redskins
Nfl Europe
How was time playing there
Who were some household names
Tell us how did you go from there to being a cop in Orlando?
How did get started at espn ? was it always a goal
How is life balancing a two careers and family
College football outlook
What would is your most realistic outcome for the season?
Are fan of spring football
What would the affects of power 5 teams just playing power on the group of 5 teams
FBS Independents
State of Umass football? Like walt bell
Liberty football
Indepents schedule rumors
Group of 5 football
UCF
Other conteders in the American conference(Memphis , CICNy,USF,TEMple
Conference USA
Willie taggert at FAU a good sport
Mountain west
Can anybody top Boise state
Sunbelt
Can App state carry on
Should group of 5 have there own playoff?
Power 5 talk
SEC
-Florida can top UGA this year
-Alabama regain control west again
-sleepers
ACC
Clemson vs the fiels
Big 12
Can cowboys finally beat ou
Tom herman on the hot seat
Pac 12
Is Oregon builing a dynasty outwest
Usc lucky to be only playing conference only games
-sleepers
Big 10
OHIO st unstoppable
Jim and Michigan can finally beat ohio state
Favorite part about college football ? covering games?
what you think will happen with college football playoffs?
Predictions
STL (2-2) at MIN (3-1)
Poll Question
Who makes the best chicken wings? #NationalChickenWingDay
Buffalo Wild Wings- 34.6%, Wing Stop- 30.8%, Hooters- 29.6%, KFC- 7.7%
Rene- Wing Stop
Ryan- Buffalo Wild Stop
Transcript
Santiago Leon
Sports cast July 29 2020 if you haven’t yet, please subscribe on all our channels YouTube, Periscope and iTunes. And if you’re an iTunes please leave a rating and review it will help us out tremendously. And of course, visit us on the sports cast dotnet the sports cast dotnet This episode is brought to you by is the Bible advocate. You could get the app on the iOS App Store. The tide is turning college football conferences are getting their schedules together. Some are announcing what they’re going to do for this season. In the midst of a pandemic. We got Ryan Krista on the line Welcome to the sports cast.
Ryan Christa
And Diego is good to be here. Good talking. College Football Hopefully we got some games and say you know, maybe one month from now.
Santiago Leon
Definitely, definitely and we got a special guest so we don’t have to do any headlines because he could talk it. Speak with us about it. He did the honors Ryan Krista.
Ryan Christa
Sure. Today we have espn college football broadcaster Renae and goalie a. He is. There’s a lot of college football games and He is a former UMass standout running back. Former NFL player, former NFL player and he’s here to talk some college football with us and also from my hometown of Rochester, New York. Rainey, welcome to the sports cast.
Rene Ingoglia
Hey, thanks for having me on guys. Looking forward to it.
Santiago Leon
Ready. So tell us your story of your Rochester story and how’d you get out of Rochester?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah, so it’s interesting. So I, as Ryan said, grew up in Rochester, New York. I played my story’s a little a little weird. I played varsity football as an eighth grader. So I got recruited pretty heavily in high school, of course, in the 80s. Guys, I mean, no internet, you know, no High School games on national television. I mean, if your name was in the front page of the sports section, that was awesome, right? So it’s a different time. But I got recruited pretty heavily. And then, you know, Murphy’s Law my senior year, and I had been offered a bunch of scholarships my junior year, which is kind of unheard of back then. And my senior year I blew my knee out. And when you blow your knee out, back then it was like, you’re done. I mean, they weren’t. You just I lost all those scholarships. So I was fortunate enough that the University of Massachusetts was the only school one and only school offered me a full scholarship. I was getting getting recruited pretty heavily by Syracuse, who was a national hour at the time. Dick MacPherson God rest his soul all Fame coach go to the Patriots and of course, Sierra Tucson has been basically calling UMass said, Hey, this guy, we were recruiting him. We were taking him. He’s hurt. So we’re getting off on but you guys should give him a scholarship and Jim Reed, the head coach at UMass at the time sight on scene basically offered me a full scholarship. So I went there and fortunate enough to play for four years, had a great career. Got my degree. And then I like to tell people a cup and a half of coffee in the NFL playing NFL, you’re up. So it worked out worked out well. And then fortunate enough really the last 10 years this will be a knock on wood this season will be the 11th year with ESPN. If we have college football, which I’m an optimist, guys, I think we’re going to have it and so yeah, I’ve kind of parlayed my football Playing career into broadcasting way which I love and keeps me a part of the game so it’s it’s pretty great. Before the injury which schools were pursuing you like the most sure so Syracuse. So back then you always hear team say that they put the proverbial fence around the area. So better Then in New York State sure if there was someone good in New York State Syracuse zeroed in on you. I mean, they were not going to let you go. With that said Boston College recruited me real heavily. And I really liked Boston College. I went to a Catholic High School. So that that appealed to me, BC, and the one that really recruited me the most, I think, was Wisconsin. And they’re the ones that offered me my junior season. They basically said, we’re going to give you a full scholarship. You’re one of our main guys, and I tell people this story all the time. This kinda is the reality of college sports in the business of it. When they found out I blew my knee out. They basically said, let me let me explain to you like this. You’re our guy. So he goes picture that you go to purchase a car at a dealership, and you go through the dealership and you find the car you want and you pick out that car, and you’re like, that’s the car I’m gonna buy. You come back a couple weeks later to buy the car. There’s a tent in the car. I mean, you didn’t put the debt in the car. You don’t ask how the debt got in the car, you just know there’s a dent in the car. So guess what, you’re gonna get the next best car to that one. And that’s the way recruiting was. So they went with the next guy and they’re running back position. And so you learned I learned a very valuable lesson at 18 years of age that, you know, you can’t take anything for granted. And you also that’s like, that’s why I love sports. I love football. It mimics life because life is gonna knock you on your butt. And you can do two things you can just solve can You can cry and you can say Why me? Or you can rehab and get better and bust your butt and get the opportunities you get work forming. Go make the best of it. I did. I’m one of those guys. I always believe everything happens for a reason. You know, I went to UMass which was a smaller division one school, but I got to start for four years I was a first team all American played the whole ball you know I’m in there all fame. So you know I have, to me everything happened for a reason. So I’m thrilled and like, again, a huge life lesson. At a young age, but for the for the good.
Ryan Christa
Renae, I liked you a lot of side effect. You went to Bishop Kearney high school where my dad played football many years before you did, but it’s Yeah.
Rene Ingoglia
They’re still going still kicking. They’re doing good little, they’re a little smaller now their numbers are down first. So, you know, back then Ryan, you know, city of Rochester, we had a league he was called the city Catholic. So it was the Catholic schools in the city schools and you want to talk about talent, and just going at it. I mean, it was it was unbelievable. And of course since then, you know, the Catholic Diocese has closed a bunch of schools. So there’s not many Catholic schools left I think Aquinas Institute Christ. McQuaid Jesuit might still be going but it’s a lot different now. But it was back in the late 80s. Some great great football.
Ryan Christa
Yes, Coach costs are getting going. Don’t worry about that. He’s a good guy. So let me ask you one last thing about Rochester. One. Last time you had a garbage plate.
Rene Ingoglia
The last time I was there, I always get a garbage. And I go back there so I you know, like you I grew up on garbage bikes. I love them now. No, I’m almost 50 now, so I can’t lose weight the way I used to. So I mean, I used to wolf down rabbit twice like crazy. So, you know, if we have I had him in Orlando, I’d have to back off. But when I get back to Rochester, and I still have a lot of family up there. So when I get back up, I’ll definitely have one But to answer your question directly, it was probably about four or five years ago. Okay.
Ryan Christa
It’s like my main my wife’s thing. We’ll have a couple garbage plays here. But like you said, they’re hard to burn off.
Santiago Leon
He tells you time in high school, like what was your record? What type of player were you? Yeah,
Rene Ingoglia
so you know, Ryan might not even know it. So I actually started my high school career at East Ridge High School, which was a public school in the Rochester area and I ended up transferring my sophomore year to Bishop Carney. I just I needed more structure in my life I think education wise and just I needed it and I got there it was funny because when I transferred there, all the coaches were telling the players in Michigan Hey, we got this great running back coming in. So everybody on my new team wanted to kill me. So let me practice was just a battle. They’re like, all the coaches think this guy’s good. I’m gonna show him something. But I tell you what, it made me a better player and we went to section five championship. Two years in a row there. We want it my junior year. My senior year is when I got hurt early on, like second game in my senior year, so we didn’t make it back. And that was before your state have state playoffs unfortunately, is that that junior year team, I can tell you, we were ranked going into the season. We weren’t even ranked in the top 10 of Rochester schools, which was crazy because we had a really good team about four or five was from that one team, which was 1989 went division one, a bunch of guys went to division three. And I remember that particular year, the city Catholic league had broken up that year. So we played an independent schedule. We played a team out of the Albany area gloversville, New York, which is really good. I think gloversville at the time, was ranked. I don’t know, like 10th in the state of New York, we weren’t even ranked in Rochester. And we went down to gloversville on Friday night in front of about 5000 people and just demolished and we beat them like 41 nothing. And I remember my older brother Rob, they asked him to hold the chains on the, you know, like the elbow craft pants to be the chain gang. And he was down there and I remember we were crushing. I mean, someone, some parent from gloversville was doing something on the sideline. He goes, man, what are they ranked in the state? My brother laughed. He goes, you’re not even ranked in Rochester, which was crazy. We ended up that year. We went to We ended up I think 911 and we ended up right. I think we finished the year third, my third New York State. And first and Rochester. So it was a, it was a good year.
Ryan Christa
Sounds good. All right. Let’s transition into your career at UMass. Now. I know you played football we did you have any time during the powerhouse years of basketball at UMass? That’s
Rene Ingoglia
exactly when I was there. So I you know, john Cal Perry. When I got there, I think Cal Perry was in his second year. So I was at UMass. I played 92 to 95 because I redshirted at 91. But I was there through every basketball run and you know, it’s funny, I still talk to Marcus Camby on Twitter, you know, a couple times a year and Lou row those guys and Derek Kellogg who was one of the guards on the team that went back and coach there for a long time, but he’s coaching elsewhere now, so stay in touch with a few of them. But yeah, I was there for all the runs and I was a huge basketball fan. I went to all that basketball games. It was a fun time to be a UMass student athlete.
Santiago Leon
How was the like when you play football for you mass How was like the higher level of playing there was it like like high standard? Like, what were your thoughts when you were there?
Rene Ingoglia
It was really good. Now I wish we were FCS now, but it was called one double eight when I play. But back then when double A’s the FCS is we didn’t get we didn’t get a chance to play the bigger schools that FBS or the one eight I wish we did back then. But I can tell you put it this way. In 94 we played Youngstown State who is was a perennial power they went on and won the FCS or one double a national championship that year and I think we lost him I think it was like 14 and nine was a really good game and they were out so I know UMass. We had we had a lot of talent. And you know, the biggest The biggest difference is at the at the FBS level you have 85 scholarships at the FCS level there’s 62 scholarships you don’t have that depth and scholarship that’s really the biggest difference but the quality of plays is excellent and it still is today and you’ll see every year now this year guys might be different because every year FCS teams play FBS is we don’t know what’s gonna happen with non conference games this year but every single year when an FCS plays in fps What do you did in the books and FCS will beat enough FPS it happens over here except another year for Boy, you can go back 20 something years that happens. And then, of course, North Dakota State, which is one of the best college programs in the nation, whether FBS or FCS and they’re an FCS program. So there’s good talent
Ryan Christa
out there in both those levels. Yeah, I think they had like a six game winning streak. I think I heard against that FBS and
Rene Ingoglia
well, in the thing for us as college football fans is North Dakota State was supposed to play Oregon this year. And so that game will probably be Last I mean cuz the PAC 12 said they’re not doing any conference but I would have loved to see that I think Oregon wins that game because Oregon’s a top 10 program this year with Mario crystal ball but boy I would have loved to seen them play North Dakota State.
Ryan Christa
Have you had a chance for any of the watch the quarterback for North Dakota State stick him in his last name is thick. He’s a pretty highly regarded NFL prospect. Have you had a chance to watch him play?
Rene Ingoglia
I’ve seen I’ve seen him. I’ve seen that. There’s a couple guys they got out there now. So yeah, I’ve seen them all. And it’s phenomenal. And I think the the benefit that North Dakota State has is where they are geographically, you know, there’s a big honcho, so they get a lot of guys that can play at the FBS level, but they choose to go to North Dakota State and say, Hey, I’m gonna play an FCS level and guess what I’m going to have an opportunity to play for a national championship every single year so they do a phenomenal job recruiting I mean they still a lot of players that otherwise would go bigger schools.
Santiago Leon
Yeah, definitely recruiting is a huge deal. Um, tell us your time at UMass. What was your best season and your best game?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah. So, uh, you know, a great time when I got there. Like I said, I had a knee injury. So you’ll like this story. So I, Jim Reid, the head coach said, we’re going to give you full scholarship, you’re going to come here, you are going to redshirt the first year you are not padding up, you’re going to rehab your knee and you’re going to get better. So that whole first year, I never even put pads on. And it was funny because I was out there with no pads and I’ve run it around and all the players that are busting their butts and pads like this guy, how come he doesn’t have pads on and so uh, so no pads, so I didn’t put pads on again until the spring point. So it would have been the spring of 1992. So I blew my knee out basically, and you know, 90 the end of 9090 at the end of 90. And I didn’t put pads on again until spring of 92. And I’ll never forget Jim Reid said you Yeah, you know, I think we’re going to make you a defensive back. And that’s always what happens is in high school, all the good players are, you know, running backs, quarterbacks receivers, and there’s just not enough positions when you get to college. Right? So they’ll take these athletes a lot of times that’s a good running back in high school. No, make them a defensive back. So, Jim Reid goes, we’re probably gonna make a defensive back and I was like, whatever, I’m on scholarship, I’ll do whatever you want me to do. But he goes, we’re going to give you a one spring it running back. I said, Okay, so I’ll never forget it. So I have this. We go to the spring game. And I broke a run for like 87 yards, touchdown run, and I came off the field. He’s like, yep, you’re staying at running back. So there was no talk about me going the defensive back. So that first season Like I said, I redshirt it, and first game of the year. I’ll never forget we played Delaware. I think I got to Karis and we lost. second game of the year we are at Holy Cross and we weren’t doing good. And they put me in and I ended up catching a couple screen passes and I broke a couple runs. And we won that game and then the next game. My redshirt freshman year, we played Boston University and they gave me a starting job. And my first game ever as a starter, I think I rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns. And I started every game since. So yeah. And I play I mean, you man, we were a running team. So I was, I was a mother. My mother was a mother and father as a mother. I was a one cut and go type of guy. Not flashy and we ran the ball a lot in your we had great defense and we ran the ball. I mean, that’s kind of what you did in the early 90s. It wasn’t really flashy. And then my junior year was was probably my best year I had almost 1600 yards rushing. And you asked me my best game was at Universal Rhode Island, rush for 313 yards. So good career, no complaints, great teammates, great offensive lineman. Listen, if you’re running back, you’re only as good as your offensive linemen. I had great great offensive linemen, and we had a blast with them. I kind of thought of myself as an offensive lineman trapped in a running back body. So I kind of ran with that style but uh, but I had a lot of
Ryan Christa
awesome stoneware you were 2007 hollow UMass Hall of Fame member. So moving on from UMass, you spent, like you said, a cup and a half of coffee and NFL. How is that time? What are some of the memories you had?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah. So it’s interesting, you know, coming out of UMass, I didn’t get drafted. And I didn’t get really signed as a free agent. So my agent was like, you know, you should go to Canada and play. So I said, Okay, so against my better judgment, I listened to him and I signed a contract with a Montreal wax. And I got up there, I was there one day, and they cut me so I’m like, What the heck is this? I got cut. So I learned early on what it means to lose your job. So I got cut. And I was basically like, why did you guys even sign these like, Well, you know, we’re hamstrung and how many Americans we can have on our team. So we got a lot You go so obviously that was very aggravating. I came back home. And long story short, the Buffalo Bills that next season ended up giving me I did a couple NFL workouts I worked out for the Steelers worked out for the bills were when you say you worked out, it’s basically a job interview. You go there, you’re gonna run 40 yard dash, you’re going to get some balls, you do some agility rep drills. I had good workouts for all the NFL teams I worked out for in the bills ended up signing me. And so I moved to Buffalo. And then that first year, I had a really good camp with Buffalo and I was real close to making the team and I’ll never forget. So we came down to the second to the last cut. And Marv Levy brought me in. He said, we gotta let you go. He goes, but it’s because of a number of situation. But he goes, there’s a good chance in four days. We’re going to call you back or we’re going to sign into our developmental squad, which is the official name everyone knows it is the practice squad. I’m sorry guys. I just can’t do it right now. Because the NFL rules say we have to wait four days, he’s like, we’re gonna sign you back to our developmental spot. So I was happy with that. I said, All right, I know I’ll be a part of the team. And then what happened was I went home to Rochester and the next day I think maybe that night the Washington Redskins called me and they said, Hey, we’d like you to come down here. And we have an opening for our developmental squad we’d like to bring you in is running back because they had scouted me. They’re pro personnel at scouting me during that offseason in our during that preseason, and the different preseason games we had. So I said, Oh, what the heck buffalo knows what I can do. So I flew down to Washington. Only thing stunk was it was at the end of training camp and NFL training camps are like five weeks long, and I had to do the whole workout thing and I had around 40 yard dash catch passes. norv Turner was the head coach at the time. Charlie Casserly was the GM and the running back coach is a legendary coach by the name of Bobby Jackson. So I go down there, and they have brought in, they probably brought in 15 running backs like me that have been caught across the league. And they were working this all out and so they just watched so I ran a 40 yard dash and I ran around like four for one I don’t even can’t believe I ran that fast being how sore I was with Cameron caught a bunch of passes long story short, I had a really good workout I knew I not I went in there I was in the shower and their longtime athletic trainer by the name above attire came in the shower and it was a couple other guys shower and he said hey, Greenie coach coach wants to see in his office when you get out of shower so right then and there I go, okay, they’re gonna offer me a contract. So I went and sat down in North Korea I said, Hey, we want to sign you to our developmental squad I said great. Can I just let buffalo know what you’re doing just you know kind of as a courtesy because I was in camp with them. Okay, I kind of caught buffalo by surprise. So they just didn’t do anything. So I signed with this redskin so I was with the Redskins on their developmental squad for probably the first little For the first half of the season in 97, and it was awesome because the backup quarterback was Jeff hosteller, who had won a Super Bowl with the giants. So when we did scout team stuff, so if the Redskins were getting ready to play the Cowboys or the Eagles, you know, I was running back, you know, I would, I would mimic Emmitt Smith or whoever. But Jeff hasa was my quarterback. It was awesome. So we’d be in the huddle. He’d be like, you know, what, do this on this play, run do that, you know, we had a lot of fun. And then what happened was Buffalo and this is 97. So it’s really before the internet’s taking off or anything like that. I remember, in Washington, every organization is different guys. Some guy some organizations cut a lot of guys some don’t. Washington had been cutting people left, right and center. I mean, every week in and out guys would be cut guys and get signed guys a cut. So you’re just kind of always walking on eggshells as a young player just trying to play your best and I’ll never forget it. It was a Saturday morning and Charlie Casserly, the GM walked up to me during practice, he said, Hey, I need to talk to you when practice ends. So I’m like, Okay, so I’m like, they’re gonna cut me. I’m like, because they’ve been cutting people like crazy. So I remember there was another wide receiver, Chris Johnson that I was friends with. I went up to us and I think they’re gonna they’re gonna cut me. Charlie wants to talk to me. They’re not gonna cut you. You’ve been playing great. So I went up to Charlie, he goes, here’s the deal. He goes buffalo had an injury. They’re gonna sign you to the 53 man active roster because that that’s the only way you can get signed off and other teams developmental squad is to go to an active roster. So he’s like buffalo is going to sign you to their active roster. We would have to cut someone to keep you I can’t cut anyone right now. So I told them you were going to say yes. Which of course I did. So basically, he was like, go see my secretary. She’s got your plane ticket. I mean, obviously, this is again before smartphones where you just have a ticket to go. Get my paper ticket. They’re like get your flights in like an hour and a half. So I lived in Virginia, I left everything in Virginia got a plane, I mean, couldn’t even call my parents and I had a lot of friends in Buffalo because obviously I spent the offseason there and went to training camp there, I didn’t get a chance to tell them. So I just basically I was in practice Saturday morning, and actually would have been Friday morning with the Redskins. And then Saturday morning, I was in a buffalo uniform, and that’s how fast stuff happens. And then that Monday, I drove back down, actually flew back down to Virginia, packed all my stuff up, my dad drove my car down, and then we drove back to Buffalo, but it was a crazy time but a really awesome time. And then I spent the rest of that year with the bills on the active roster. Fortunately, never got activated. In a regular season game. I was supposed to play the Green Bay get activated for the Green Bay Packers, but they deactivated me right before the game and that’s one of those things that happens and then I was with buffalo again in 98. That entire year and then they just didn’t read knew my contract. And then in 99, I played an NFL Europe for the Frankfurt galaxy. And when I went to Europe, I kind of knew this was like a To me it was a paid vacation. I kind of knew I was gonna move on with my life. I was ready. But we went over there and ended up being great. We won the World bowl. So I got to end my career with a world championship got a really nice world bowl ring. My quarterback was Jake Delhomme, who went on to have a great NFL career. So a lot of fun with that. So came back in July of 99, after we won the World bowl and that was the last I played football.
Santiago Leon
It’s interesting you say that because we were interviewing another person named Ahmad Galloway. He played for Alabama and he said the same thing when he went to Europe. It felt like a paid vacation. So he’s got like the exact same words maybe like like the other players. Were saying the same thing. Back to the bills, where you add the music miracle game.
Rene Ingoglia
What I was not I was on was off the team then I watched that game I’d never forget it. I was in a sports bar in Rochester, New York watching that game. And I knew all those guys I was on that special team on that kickoff team before and I remember watching it and I don’t know if you ever watch any games that I broadcast or ESPN, I’m kind of I’m kind of a rules nerd. I think as an analyst, I think it’s incumbent upon us to know the rules. Um, it drives me nuts when you hear broadcasters something happens their game and they don’t know and they guess I hate that if you don’t know don’t say anything, but if you know it, explain to that viewer what’s going on. So when that happened, and everyone’s going, Oh, it’s a lateral. I know the rule is if they deem the ball is on a straight line. That is a lateral and they it looked like it wasn’t a lateral but I was like, this is gonna be a lateral and that touchdown is gonna stand and people are going to go nuts. So that was a that was a crazy, crazy game. And crazy ending. Yeah.
Santiago Leon
Quarterback was not the same quarterback when you were there, right.
Rene Ingoglia
So I played well yeah, I played with all of them. So okay first got there. Jim Kelly had just retired Well, yeah, I signed with a bill probably a month after Jim Kelly retired. So I played with a Rob Johnson got signed from jam Rob Johnson. Yeah, phenomenal game as a backup quarterback and he made millions of dollars with the Buffalo and never really did and after that, Todd Collins was there. Doug Flutie, Doug and I had the same agent. So I had known Doug I was actually at Buffalo before I got there. Alex Van Pelt was with the bill. So yeah, all those same quarterbacks were there.
Santiago Leon
Now Was there some players that were at those four Super Bowls like they all lost two, or they were all gone? Yeah.
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah. So I play so Andre Reed was still on the team. Thurman Thomas was still on the same team. Bruce Smith was still on the team. So there was there was a handful of guys that have played in all those Super Bowls that were They’re
Santiago Leon
interesting. Ryan one more question. Um, NFL Europe then most of the players thought that didn’t have a chance to NFL. Was there a percentage of people that thought? Well, I probably won’t make it or was there some hope when you were there?
Rene Ingoglia
No, I think the majority of guys were still trying to get back in the NFL. I was a little different. cuz I’ve been in the NFL for a couple years. Yeah. And I knew I wasn’t getting resign. So they had a roster spot for me. Most of the guys were allocated, trying to get back and then what would happen what happened back then too. We’re going way back. So I think it was 99 or 2000 is when they had the first year the XL roll. A lot of those guys who didn’t make it back to the NFL, almost all of them went and played the xfl for that year or two. So, you know, I think that’s the thing, guys, when you get to that point, you’re just trying to play. If there’s a pro league out there that’s gonna pay you to play a game you play. You just try to prolong your career. And I’m in a lot of guys did that because I tell I tell young people all the time. There’s nothing wrong with there comes a point where you have to move on with your life. And I and I came to that point we all everybody comes at a point at some time. But once you turn that page and you leave, it’s over. So I tell people all the time play while you can do it while they’re gonna sign your why you still have the ability to do it. Because once you turn the page and leave very, very seldom you see someone a year or two years later say I’m gonna go back and play.
Santiago Leon
Yeah, like the window is so short. Do you think like there should be a I would say like a, another Lila, at the xfl or at the, you know, I’m having a another League, you know, just to have like a second chance. Do you think that that should be something like that now or
Rene Ingoglia
I do see that failure was very successful. I know what happened while I played well, it was too expensive because what happened was the NFL was paying for So it just you’re not only paying the salaries, you’re paying the coaches, you’re paying the housing, you know, insurance, you’re flying your officials over there so it just it just got too expensive for them. So now I was the analyst with the Orlando Apollo’s for the I can’t even say one year that we had the alliance of American football. We have four season, guys that football was good. Those guys made it to the NFL. And it was, it was good football. And so I think a spring league can make it, but I think the NFL has to be a part of it. And I think that’s what the Alliance was banking on that the NFL will take some ownership. Obviously the xfl got cut short, because of because of the corona virus. So we don’t know if they’re going to come back. So yes, I think you can have another league. I think the quality of play is good enough out there. And I think you have to be strategic in the cities you put it in Orlando doesn’t have a pro football team. So you know, we have the home games, I think we averaged 15,000 17,000 minutes. That’s fine, guys. That’s great. And the quality of play, like I said was pretty good. So the answer your question. Yes, I think we definitely can have it. You just have to temper your expectations. You’re not competing with the NFL. You’re not competing with college. It’s just a place for a lot of really good players that are still out there and capable playing to get noticed and have a shot of maybe making it back to the NFL. And guess what, if you don’t make it back to the NFL, you’re still getting paid to play a sport and that’s the other thing too when you play in leagues like that you can’t expect to make a ton of money I when I played NFL Europe, we got $1,000 a week that’s what we got paid. But our housing was paid for and our food was paid for. So Heck, if you’re 2324 25 years old, you’ll do that all day long. It can keep you playing so
Santiago Leon
well and like to see if a Why hasn’t like the CFL been strong. It feels like not many players come from the CFL to the NFL.
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah, so it’s interesting so CFL a lot of people I don’t know if they know this is actually older than yet. It’s been around a long time. Same thing with money wise, they just, you know, they don’t have here budgets but it’s popular up there and they limit I don’t know the exact rules, but I know they keep their rosters or lower their rosters around 40 players as compared to the 53 on the NFL rosters and they limit the amount of Americans so I think they could have used to be 17 Americans on the squad. So yeah, you just you don’t see a lot of guys coming from Canada you do a few but not a lot anymore used to see more back in the day like booty booty. Moody did it but but now but again, for a lot of those guys that it didn’t work out in the NFL that go to Canada. They find their niche and they can have a nice 5678 year career make decent money. You’re not gonna get super rich, but again, you’re making money for playing a sport and you know, so you can’t complain about that.
Ryan Christa
Yeah, so going back just a little bit. Just Fun fact, I remember going to the bills and Colts game. The last game of the season where they started Rob Johnson arrested fully Pay man he only played a quarter in a game so it isn’t a fair competition. Yeah, obviously the bills you know won the game and then you know that pressure wave Phillips had no choice but to put you know, Rob Johnson in the game because of the owner won. Yeah. I’m sure that made for interesting locker room during that time. But moving forward so you ended your playing career in Frankfort in 2020. Right now, you know, you’re part time, you know, ESPN broadcaster and then a full time Orlando police detective. How did you get from there? from Frankfurt to Orlando as a police detective?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah. It’s funny, because that story ties in so when I came back from Frankfort in July of 99, I was in Boston, visiting some friends, some former teammates, and one of them quarterback on in Anthony catterton. Who Played is from Orlando. So he played at Boone high school here a big High School in the Orlando area, really downtown Orlando. And I remember him saying, hey, my stepmoms a detective with their Atlanta police department. And I had always been intrigued with law enforcement. I wanted to be a federal agent, but they had known that I wanted to get into law enforcement. So we said, hey, my stepmoms a detective there if you have a four year degree right now, they’re hiring like crazy. So I thought to myself, man, okay, um, you know, I didn’t think much of it and but I applied. Again, Murphy’s Law, you know, when you’re not expecting stuff. I applied like four months later, they, they, they hired me and they put me through the process, and I passed all the tests and I was hired. So I guess I moved to Orlando. See, I moved to Orlando the end of 99, early 2000 and went through the academy and became a police officer in like, it’s amazing. I look back now. I’ve been here over 20 years, and I’ve been a detective for over 12 years now. So more than half of my career and you So how I got back into football was I missed football, right? I’m a police detective and I missed football. And I did. You know, my wife’s like wanting to coach and I did. I helped. I’ve helped on high schools around here, Pop Warner, you name it, but I just I wanted to get back into football kind of more meaningful. So I had a lot of contacts in the college level. If I wanted to get into coaching, but by this time, you know, I, you know, I have a career in law enforcement, you know, I’m working towards a pension and I have benefits. I have kids. I live in Orlando. It’s not like I can just say, Okay, I’m going to stop being a police officer, a police detective, I’m going to go to college coaching because that’s a tough profession. That’s that’s a profession you get into when you’re single and young to begin with. And then you, you kind of build your family and it’s just anyone that knows anything about college coaching, it’s tough, but I I miss football. Soin oh seven, as you said, I got inducted into the UMass Hall of Fame. So I went up to UMass and it was another opted into the Hall of Fame. And then that Saturday there was a college football game the ceremonies on Friday night induction ceremony on Saturday, college football game. So at halftime, I was the guest so of the radio broadcast, so I went in there. And I did I think we did like a seven minute segment. It’s the first time I’d ever put headsets on with a with a microphone, it talks on the radio or TV for that matter. And I got done it. I mean, that was really cool. I just really liked it. So I got back home, I said, you know, I’m gonna just start like trying to figure out if I can get in the broadcast. And so a lot of stuff happened. But long story short, um, I got in contact with ESPN. And they basically were like, you have to go get it. You have to have a demo tape. We have to hear you and I was naive. I didn’t know if you could audition or anything like that. And they said no, you need a demo tape. We don’t care what it is. It can be high school, but when we get demo tape, we need to hear your work. So Fast forward in oh nine. So it was really oh eight the next year kind of went through and I didn’t get any traction with broadcasting. So I called UMass back my alma mater and I said, Hey, I really want to get into broadcasting. Um, can I join the UMass Sports Network? And they’re like, Are you kidding me? I said, No, they go, we would love to have you. We just can’t afford to fly you from Orlando to Massachusetts each week. And until the away games to call games we just can’t afford it. I said don’t worry about it. I said, I’ll I’ll pay the bill. And you know, everyone I talked to said Don’t ever do that. You don’t. But I was to me it was kind of like a pay is an investment. I was investing in myself. So it was crazy. So I was a detective at the property detective. And I didn’t even tell the Orlando Police Department I was doing it. Which now obviously I have permission and all the proper paperwork filled out but I would work work Monday through Friday as effective and then every time Friday night, I would fly and I was paying my own way I find the cheapest flight is the Southwest flight. There was a Southwest flight the left Orlando at 8pm. Friday night, flew to Manchester New Hampshire, got there about 11 I would rent a car then from Manchester, to Amherst, Massachusetts was about an hour and 20 minute drive, I would drive there. And I get to Amherst about at one in the morning. And then a good friend of mine, Dan markowski, who was an associate athletic director UMass at the time former offensive lineman and roommate of mine, I would sleep in his basement so I’d get there at one o’clock and sleep his basement, I would get up Saturday, go to the stadium, call the game, go out, have a few soda pops after the game Saturday night and then drive back to New Hampshire on Sunday fly home and then do it all again. And then on the way games I would fly to, to the away games and then I would stay in a hotel room actually with that same friend Dan Murkowski because he traveled with the team as an associate ad and so after That year of radio, I had a demo. And I got that back to ESPN. And that very next year, they, they offered me three games. I did three games in 2010 on ESPN three, which is their digital platform, which ended up being great because I think they they didn’t create ESPN three, to be a kind of like a breeding ground for announcers or practice round for announcers. But it’s a great place to basically see if you can do it. And I’ll never forget the first game I did was temple Villanova and ended with a game winning field goal by temple in Philadelphia. And I just remember when I got died, never call it a TV game for I’d only done radio. And I just was kind of like, Alright, here you go. You have your opportunity, you know, don’t drop the ball. And I just remember doing that game and I remember getting done, and thinking man, this is I love this. I want to Do this I want to keep doing this as much as I can. And, you know, I just worked my way up the ladder with ESPN, starting with ESPN three, and then regional syndicated stuff, which they don’t even have any more than I did some National High School stuff. And then my first full time gig, if you will, for football for ESPN was 2013 when they gave me the National High School package, because you know, they do a National High School game of the week. And so I was the lead analyst with Adam amine was my partner who now Adam is as laftan is just an absolute superstar and he’s over with Fox Sports now. But they had just kind of moved up, moved up the ladder and now you know, the last few years I’ve been full time with him doing National College football games each and every week.
Ryan Christa
It’s an awesome story. There’s cool you know, everything kind of worked out you know the right way for me like you say Murphy’s Law, you know,
Rene Ingoglia
people all the time. If you work with It’s something it’s not always going to happen. But if you just if you keep trying, when you win when you get the shot, you know, I mean the old cliche when opportunity knocks, make sure you can answer. And I tell people all the time, I am I am. I’m an exception to the rule because I had a lot, I got a lot of breaks. I worked hard, don’t get me wrong, but a lot of things fell my way. And I took advantage of that. Because I remember the guys at UMass Josh Mauer, the play by play who I’m still friends with who’s the voice of the Pawtucket Red Sox. I remember him saying I cannot believe after one year of radio, you were able to get hired with ESPN. I said, you know, that’s just it just happened and I and I feel blessed that it happened that way. I don’t I don’t take it for granted because there’s a lot of young guys that you know, again, people will give broadcasters will give the right on they have a chance to work for ESPN in particular college football so I don’t take it for granted. I bust my butt every year. Trying To get better at my craft, and with that said, though, whenever a young person calls me for advice, I always give them advice because I wouldn’t have made it to where I am as a broadcaster without advice and guidance along the way. And so whenever someone is I get random emails and text messages and Facebook messages and Twitter messages and I always try to help people out. I think that’s the right thing to do to try to try to get back
Ryan Christa
before we head into you know, kind of finish up with some current college football issue. Do you ever do any other sports other than football? Are you just tinkering?
Rene Ingoglia
I just football and I get I get asked this question all the time. Listen, I’m a capitalist. So if any network wants to pay me to do any sport, I’m not against calling any sport. I well versed in multiple sports so but for me, you know, as a former player, you kind of get pigeon toed into into being an analyst, but I would love if the opportunity came to do it. sideline reporting for other sports. I think that’s something that I would be up to. So right now so far, just football. Have you been considered to do some NFL stuff? No, no NFL yet. So but I wouldn’t be against it. But I will say this football in general. I love the NFL. college football’s my passion. I don’t think there’s anything better than college football. And that’s just me. I just think it’s the greatest thing. It’s just the pageantry of it. You know, it’s funny, you go to people’s homes, or you work with people and you know, the wife might have went to this school and the husband went to this school and it’s just like something about college football. It just gets everybody energized.
Santiago Leon
Yeah, it just has more personal stuff feels like like a league in England, like everyone’s attached to their club. Yeah. And same for college football has that same vibe, things like that. But um, college football season schedule. What are your thoughts? What do you think is gonna happen today? Do you think most of the conferences will play within their conference? or what have you heard?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah, I mean, I think we’re gonna play football. Um, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. I am. I don’t know, you guys follow me on Twitter. But, you know, I am very optimistic. I’m like that in life, guys. I just think, listen, there’s too much negative stuff out there in the world in general. Okay. And so it drives me nuts when people are just real negative. And there’s been a lot of people negative about college football, right? Like, I’ll give you a case in point like every time a college team suspends their workouts, right? Because there was a COVID. A couple people tested positive or they say we’re gonna suspend our workouts. It’s like, front page news. It’s doom and gloom. And I tweeted someone the other day I said, How many? I think it was Michigan State suspended their workouts. I said, How many teams is that make in the FBS that have suspended workouts? And he goes, I think it’s 10. So I said, Okay, so there’s still like, 124 teams that haven’t suspended their workouts that are still busting their butt getting ready for season. So I’m like it’s always about the doom and gloom. Listen, the Coronavirus is real we all know that. But we also know the science and the medical what it says in terms of who it goes after. And you know what it does to young people or I should say what it doesn’t do to young people. So we have to monitor it, we have to do our due diligence, were a mass social distance, but to shut everything down. And particularly not just college football, college colleges themselves, because kids need to go to college kids need to go to school. So, you know, I think we will have college football, barring something really bad happening and knock on wood. That doesn’t happen. And you know, not to change. But obviously, you know, Santiago, what happened with the Marlins? I think everybody does, because of course, that’s all you hear. Now. There’s some rumors on how they all may have Coronavirus but we’ll let that work itself out. But I’m kinda, you know, it’s almost a good thing that it happened to me, you know, you don’t wish that it happened on him, obviously. But you have to figure out what you’re going to do, right? Because anybody out there thinks any Pro League is going to go on or college is going to go on. And you’re not going to have someone test positive or koecher. It’s gonna happen. I think it’s inevitable here in the United States. So you have to have plans of what you can do. And I think Major League Baseball is learning that quickly. And I think so far they’re doing a good job. So I think we have to learn to push through it until we get a vaccine. So with that said, I like what I’m hearing from college football. I think it’s going to go it’s going to go and just to get to your main question. So we know the big 12 or excuse me, the big 10 said they’re going to do conference only. And then the PAC 12 kind of followed suit with them. I understand that because it gives the conferences flexibility of what we just talked about. If a team maybe has to take a week off because they had a couple positive tests or something happened, it’s much easier to move the schedule around within a conference, change stuff around and then you’re controlling the testing, you’re controlling all that so I completely understand why the big 10 and the PAC 12 are doing that. I love the ACC you want to talk about optimism. They come out today they say we’re going to do a 10 plus 110 conference games which allows Notre Dame to come in the conference this year which I think is great for everybody. But I think when it’s all said and done, and that NBC contract dries up, if it ever does it, nobody is going to go to the ACC and Notre Dame is a much needed boost for the ACC because other than Clemson a lot of those teams in the ACC just haven’t been playing the type of football that that conference deserves. So I think when Notre Dame there this year, that’s a boost to the conference on the 10 plus one I love it. And now I think we’ll see what the SEC in the big 12 do. I think the rumors are On Twitter before I jumped on with you guys, was that the SEC is just going to do a 10 game conference only. So that’ll be interesting. So people might get mad because you’re going to lose some of those rounds, those rivalry games that the Georgia Tech Georgia, the Louisville, Kentucky, the Clemson, South Carolina, you probably going to lose some of those. But the cool thing about a 10 game sec schedule is you’re going to pick up some sec games that normally you don’t get forever. For instance, I think you might get Alabama, Florida this year. That’s a top 10 matchup. So you’ll still get some good games. And you know, you know, I do a lot of the American conference for ESPN. So I think they’re kind of waiting to see they still want to play non conference games because that’s how you get your recognition right as a group of five playing some of those power five So to answer your question, I think we will have football it it’s going to be a little delayed. I like the ACC I like they said September 7 and 12th. You know why? They said the seventh because that’s a labor day. That’s a big college football day that Monday so you could kick off Your ACC slate on ESPN ABC Monday night game so I think that’s a good start to the season for them.
Santiago Leon
That’s a good strategy like that train of thought. Yeah.
Ryan Christa
So when talking about it so you’re talking a little bit about Gerber five of American let’s go into the you know, maybe the negative side of conference only games you know, I mean, Santiago went to the Liberty University who was scheduled for three games against the ACC Virginia Tech sec us NC State. So now those schools are allowed to play one non conference game. I can see Virginia Tech and liberty playing because they’re close local schools but it looks like they’ll probably lose out on sherek UIs and NC State you know, and you got all the other you know, group of five conferences who depend you know, deliberately is that unique because they got a lot of money compared to a lot of other group of five teams but you know, your school UMass probably depends on those money games to fill out the budget, you know, especially Conference USA because they have a very low revenue TV contracts and sundown You know, how do you as a group of five gonna manage this? Hopefully a one off year you know, with lacking in all those power five games.
Rene Ingoglia
Well you’re you’re on the money Ryan because those schools have to just try to keep their head above water this year. UMass was scheduled to play Auburn. They’re getting I think $2 million for that game that is huge for their athletic budget. So if they lose that, that hurts them. Liberty you guys know you went to school there so I don’t know if you know I called the Liberty BYU game last year so I got to sit down and talk with you freeze and that was a fun game and and liberty in doing prep work for that game and talking to people about liberty. The one thing that everyone talks about liberty is how great their facilities are. Everyone is scared to death with Liberty because they have such great facilities and the finances they have that they put behind not just their football program, but their athletic program. You know, Liberty is trying to be The religious school, the Christian school, if you will, in the north, northeast, if you will, of what BYU is doing has done in them in the Midwest. That’s why they played that game. And I could really see that coming. So you’re right. I think liberty will survive. They still get screwed a little bit all those schools do if they lose those nine conferences. So for instance, we’ll talk about UMass for a second. We just talked about the Auburn game. I don’t think UMass will have a problem. Getting a schedule together, right. I think they’ll get enough they’ll be able to play 1011 games, that’s not going to be a problem. The problem is the money that you just talked about, you’re gonna lose all those money games, so that hurts a program like UMass and some of those others. Of course, UConn. UConn is playing an independent schedule this year as well because they left the American and so I’m here in Orlando, so I’m in the backyard of UCF. So they’re going nuts here because UCF had North Carolina on their schedule, and that was here at brighthouse Stadium in Orlando, which was going to be a huge game, a very good ACC team in North Carolina coming to town, so now you’re gonna lose that game. And then they’re supposed to play Georgia Tech. So you could essentially lose two ACC games, which is killer for a school like UCF who’s trying to you know, get on the radar and be mentioned each and every year in the top, you know, 1520 teams in the nation so they’re, you know, if you’re the American and really the the non conference group of five to the masses, the liberties BYU is, you’re kind of looking to see what the SEC does, because the SEC goes 10 games plus one, right, they would do one non conference and they would do that for those robbery games. So that takes up some non competence. If the SEC says we’re going to go 10 only, no non-conference Well, then that opens up More non conference in the ACC which I think helps the UCF civil liberties in the UMass maybe to pick some of those games up. So it’s fascinating guys what’s going on? Because from the broadcasting side of it, not only do these conferences have to say okay, here’s how many games are playing. Then they got to put the schedule out right these are the dates we’re playing on. Then it has to go to the respective networks, ESPN, Fox, and then they gotta sleep the games what’s going on TV? Where’s it going? What broadcast crews are we sending the broadcast crews to the game and the crews gonna do it from the studio. What are we doing? How are we traveling? There is logistically so much stuff that has to go on behind the scenes. It’s amazing. But with it all said with that all said I think it’s gonna happen I’m very optimistic.
Santiago Leon
would think what do you think’s gonna happen with the playoffs and the postseason?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah, I mean, I think the college football playoff committee, they are a stubborn bunch. Okay. This was a year I talked about this earlier, Mark Daniels, who’s the voice of UCF who has a radio show here in Orlando. He brought it up on his radio show, he goes, Well, this will be a great year. Because it’s just I mean, for God’s sakes, look, Notre Dame is an ACC this year, they’re going to play for ACC net, the opportunity for ACC champion, this is a year that you can kind of just throw everything out the window, right? So why not have an 18 playoff or a 12 or whatever, you can do whatever you want. And guess what if it stinks and it doesn’t work? Everyone knows this was a one off you go back to normal next year? I don’t think they will. Excuse me, I don’t think they will. I think they’ll stay with their top four format and then they’re just you know, the main thing that college football everyone gets mad is it’s it’s great debate every year and I think it’s what makes college football great is we’re always debating who the top four is. At the end of the day, the college football committee selection committee. They’re number one One task is to put in what they believe are the best for teams, not the most deserving the best for no matter what metric they use. So at the end of the day, whether a team plays 10 games, 11 games, 12 games, they’re going to look at these teams and they’re going to put the top four and I think that’s ultimately what they’re going to do. I don’t think they’re going to change their format whatsoever, although I think this would be a great year to change it, but I don’t think they will. I agree. I think this is the best year to have a experimental 1816 to see how it goes. I mean, like the
Santiago Leon
best the power of five, whatever. Fine. One more before we land this plane.
Ryan Christa
Sure. Yeah, I was just you know, it’s going on that point, you know, especially with this year, not everybody’s playing the same type of schedule. You know, you said ACC might be playing a lot of games, you know, probably big. Pac 12. Big time playing 10 games, you know that the different you know, amount of data points you’d like to say in college football is Gonna be different, you know, that’s gonna be a heck of a job for this playoff committee to value each, you know, each of these teams, you know, rightfully, you know, especially you can have sec games by the end of the 10 sec games everybody’s gonna be banged up, you know of Alabama on a plane the last week, you know they’re gonna have half their team, you know, that blank as you know, the rigors of a schedule, you know, that’s now people will bang on the SEC for playing, you know, the likes of UMass Liberty throughout the year, but they need those games to kind of save face for the end of the year. You know, I like I said, I would love to see, you know, 18 again, you know, the American conference will spend a second American going into this year who do you think is the favorite in that conference? You talked about UCF you know Memphis as another good team, you know Cincinnati I think that’s been great. There’s a really good quarterback group goes a great coach. conference and you know, as our asleep are you like that, you know, you think about
Rene Ingoglia
it. Well, the thing I love about the American is now that UConn is gone, they’re going to go one division. So you’re not going to have an east and west so everyone’s in one division which I like. And so the top two teams are going to play playoff play the acc championship, Cincinnati I really like Cincinnati the one that you didn’t mention that I think it’s gonna be even better this year with SMU and sunny diet I think. I think that’s a good team. They got good quarterback play. So watch out for them the wild card is Dana holgorsen right he went from West Virginia to Houston Derek King is gone he’s going to be starting for the you down in Santiago snuck in the woods was right. They’ve already named him the starter and I seen Dr. King in person a bunch of times you guys the real deal. So used to knowing the American is to me is a little wild card. I think maybe he can never rule maybe out. I love the American. I think it’s a great conference. Um, you know, everyone thinks it’s hokey that they call themselves power sex but they really are. They really are right there with the other with the other conferences so and I think UCS going to be there again so that is going to be a fun conference to watch. So it’ll be interesting what they do with their schedule in terms of knock on time so they want non conferences guys because they want you know, Ryan we were just talking about they want some marquee wins if they can get them against the power five and you mean we know what the arguments going to be guys in here. The SEC is gonna say listen, we play 10 sec schools. This is crazy. Our schedule is superior to everybody else, the ACC. ACC is gonna say we play 10 conference games, plus the non conference game so this season, although crazy, right with everything going on, really has a chance to be super fun and fascinating. So I just can’t wait to get going with it and I can’t wait to see it.
Ryan Christa
Yeah, you know closing I love you know, you said 20. I love when you you get to game day and you put out the picture. Try the field and you say, this is my office for the day, you know, as you can tell you really love the game really love, you know, your job ready. And you know, you know, I, you know, I watch a lot of those games on ESPN because I do love them, you know, the American conference, you know, may not have the sex appeal of, you know, the big power five, but the athletes they have, you know, and it’s usually high scoring, so it’s usually fine, you know, minus, you know, maybe a tempo who plays a little close to the vest, but you know, but, you know, I definitely appreciate that conference and other other group of five, you know, app states, the Boise State, you know, those are, those are quality teams, you know, they don’t get the, you know, the fan affair, we know, but it was, you know, close it, you know, it was great to see, you know, SMU in Memphis and game day last year, you know, and they put on a great game, you know, great teams, you know, like you said, Sonny dykes, you know, and Shane Michelle and Memphis was my Novell then you know great team you know they always have great you know, athletes on that team and this year is no exception for them but anything else Santiago before we close
Santiago Leon
yeah this is a rapid fire um let me ask you who will do better professionally at two or Herbert two, Ryan
Ryan Christa
um well as a Broncos fan, hopefully to it as better because I don’t want
Rene Ingoglia
If Tua’s stay healthy let me preface that.
Santiago Leon
I know I know. Yeah, well the Patriots do well with cam
Rene Ingoglia
Yes.
Ryan Christa
Yeah. Come on.
Rene Ingoglia
Guys are sitting out right. So
Santiago Leon
what is that? Is there a connection with that? Like, was there
Rene Ingoglia
What do you see that that sign, man, I don’t know. But I can’t wait to see bill but if Bill Belichick can win with all these guys sitting out I mean, forget About right and build objects, the type of guy. He’s like, Listen, if you don’t want to play Listen, I understand what’s going on. I’m not gonna hold it against you don’t play. Give me someone who wants to play and we’re gonna go play I’ll get them ready to play. So that’s another fascinating aspect of this thing in the NFL. Wise, I can’t wait to see
Santiago Leon
who will do better. I’m Brady. Who we I mean, who do better? Way better like Brady or Bill Belichick?
Rene Ingoglia
I think right i think Stan lays out a good team. I think Brady’s gonna have a good year in Tampa this year.
Santiago Leon
Interesting any rapid fire from you Ryan?
Ryan Christa
Sure. Yeah. Whenever I’m in you know Central Florida you know, I would say we’re usually on vacation but my one to go to a spot you know that we found is Polo tropical that is my go to. So let me ask you Floridians. What is your go to meal at polar tropical.
Santiago Leon
The tropic chapter
Rene Ingoglia
And I’ve had that before as well. So yeah, excellent. And I look forward tropicale I’ve been eating there many times. Although, you know, Santiago puts me down in South Florida like Central Florida, we have so many original places that aren’t changed where the food is, is Yeah.
Santiago Leon
For now. Yeah. We have more Cuban than you guys. I think you guys have more Puerto Rican food,
Rene Ingoglia
correct? Yeah. It’s all good to me though. all y’all.
Santiago Leon
Anyways, a poll question of the day who makes the best chicken wings? The options is wingstop Hooters, KFC or a while waiting for Buffalo Wild Wings.
Rene Ingoglia
It’s wingstop out of those ones unless I’m from Rochester, New York. So So Ryan, so we know chicken wings, and there’s about 100 places that are better than all of them.
Ryan Christa
Exactly. And I know ray will probably say like anko bar right. You know, I’ve done the anchor bar multiple times.
Rene Ingoglia
You can’t find a bad place in Buffalo Rochester and Eagle in any pizza joint. The wings are phenomenal doesn’t matter.
Ryan Christa
That’s right. Absolutely, yes.
Santiago Leon
And Ryan, what’s your choice from the poll
Ryan Christa
question those ones Yeah, any environment I’m gonna watch a game I probably say Buffalo Wild Wings, you know, but but I don’t think you could go wrong with any of
Santiago Leon
these Buffalo while wings is winning its first place 34% then wingstop a second Hooters at third and KFC last. So you could definitely go on the Twitter account to this course cast one to vote you got about eight or 10 hours left and unable to vote because today is National chicken wing day. So there might be some specials today. Who knows I didn’t check. We got to find out. Anyways. Ronnie, what is the best way for people to find you online?
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah, so I’m on Twitter. rainy and goliad on EINGO de la I know it’s a mouthful, believe me when you start putting it in, I’m the only one. No one close with my name. So, yeah, I’m on Twitter, try to stay active as I can. And like Ryan said, I always try to bring people behind the scenes of every broadcast. I do my partner, Mike Corey, I just think it’s something cool that people like to see kind of what we do. So I think this year, depending on the travel and all that this is going to be an interesting year to bring people behind the scenes because of everything going on. So I’ll definitely try to do that this year for everybody.
Santiago Leon
Do you think you might be be have to like broadcast remotely you think or
Rene Ingoglia
Yeah, you know, I don’t know. So we’ve never done it for football. It can be done obviously. But as an analyst, if you’re just looking at a game like you are at home with the monitor, you’re limited what you can see as an analyst, I’m looking at the whole field. I want to see what the safeties doing safeties rotating on top if it’s if the corners walking up and press coverage, man Man, I watched the whole field I watched the coaches I kind of see what’s going on a sideline, you’re limited to a monitor. But with that said, if we have to go to studios and do it from a monitor, I’ve done that before. At the Pop Warner Super Bowl here at Disney World, I can do it. And I will do it. So as long as we have football, I know every other announcer is the same as me as long as we get football. Well, we’ll make it out.
Santiago Leon
Yeah, because they did it because like they’re doing it for like the Korean baseball league.
Rene Ingoglia
They’re doing it for Major League Baseball as well I believe Wow.
Santiago Leon
So Ryan, Crystal, what is the best way to reach you talk to you about Rochester
Ryan Christa
dog report and Twitter and of course the sports cast one you know a lot of up to date sports information, you know, really I hope you know, sometime in future you’ll get up to the mountain in Lynchburg, Virginia and call it you know, I know you said you did a Liberty BYU which is a great game you know, you fell just a little bit short as in that game, but Well, hopefully I’ll get them in a couple of years by you know Again thank you for hopping on giving us your your story and sharing your insider information on college football.
Rene Ingoglia
Hey, thanks for having me. I hope I do get to Lynchburg let me say that game. Remember buckshot Calvert that’s one of the best names in all of college sports Antonio Gainey golden they did some work that day but they fall short course.
Ryan Christa
I mean Gandy golden guy catches everything. He doesn’t catch the ball. It comes right in his hand, you know, a player and I hope nothing best for him in Washington this year. So,
Santiago Leon
the Washington football team. Well, yeah, I really appreciate you coming on to the sports guys. And I hope to have you again.
Rene Ingoglia
Thanks for having me guys. was a lot of fun.
Ryan Christa
Thank you, goodnight guys.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Santiago Leon is the Founder and CEO of the Sports Cast. He covers NFL, NBA, and world soccer. He’s also founder of sleon productions, which he specializes in technology and serves clients with solutions to make their business grow.
