Bruce Drennan
Encyclopedia
Bruce Drennan is an American sportscaster in Cleveland, Ohio
. He has been a radio and television sportscaster for 39 years.
The Chicago
native went to Cleveland in the spring of 1978. During the early 1970s, he had been an evening sports call in show host on WMRO 1280
in Aurora, Illinois
. Bruce first emerged on the Cleveland airwaves as an afternoon drive sports talk show host on WBBG Radio
.
His opinionated 'tell it like it is' style made such an impression that he landed the Cleveland Indians
Color Analyst position on WUAB
teaming with Joe Tait
. Bruce held this position for the 1980-82 Cleveland Indians seasons. During this same period, Bruce also called the play by play of Cleveland Cavaliers
Basketball on WUAB
, working with former NBA star Austin Carr
.
Bruce was then hired to host a post-game talk show on WHK Radio in Cleveland, the flagship home of Cleveland Browns
football.
In 1984, Bruce was hired by WWWE Radio as a morning drive sports anchor and weekend talk-show host. In the late 80's, Bruce's 'in your face' entertaining style landed him the position of WWWE Sportsline Host, replacing the legendary Pete Franklin
.
Prior to obtaining the morning drive anchor position at WTAM
, Bruce also hosted his own talk show on TV-29 in Akron for three years.
Bruce then moved to night-time talk as the show host for the flagship station of Cleveland Indians baseball and Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball.
In 2001 Bruce moved to WKNR
to host morning drive sports talk.
Drennan returned to broadcasting as the host of a sports talk show "All Bets Are Off With Bruce Drennan" on SportsTime Ohio
. The show is a call-in type venue that allows listeners to call or email to express their feelings about sports in Cleveland. It is a radio-formatted show broadcast on TV. He always begins and ends the show with his phrase "I love ya Cleveland!
On May 5, 2010, Drennan attained internet notoriety with one of the more dynamic rants in recent sports rant history, on his show "All Bets Are Off." The source of his rant was the recent performance of the Cleveland Indians, who had earlier that day lost to the Toronto Blue Jays. Much of his ire in the rant was directed at Russell Branyan
, whose swing he deprecatingly mimicked on several instances. Also not spared were Grady Sizemore
, Matt Laporta, and Luis Valbuena
, whose name was memorialized several times by Drennan's repeated phrase, "Ohhhhh, Valbuena. Ohhhhh. Valbuena." Drennan also opined that Cleveland should "send [Valbuena] back to the Mets
." The video has since been removed from Youtube
due to a Major League Baseball copyright claim.
was raided by FBI and IRS agents as part of an illegal sports-gambling scheme. He subsequently lost his job at WKNR because of the investigation and served as the mid-morning talk show host and Program Director for sportstalkCLEVELAND via the Internet
.
In April 2006 Drennan was charged with two counts of filing false tax returns. He later agreed to a plea bargain
and served five months in prison.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He has been a radio and television sportscaster for 39 years.
The Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
native went to Cleveland in the spring of 1978. During the early 1970s, he had been an evening sports call in show host on WMRO 1280
WBIG (AM)
WBIG is a radio station broadcasting a mixed-format of talk, home shopping, and sports. Licensed to Aurora, Illinois, it serves the Fox Valley...
in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
. Bruce first emerged on the Cleveland airwaves as an afternoon drive sports talk show host on WBBG Radio
WWMK
WWMK — branded Radio Disney AM 1260 — is the Cleveland, Ohio affiliate of Radio Disney. Owned by ABC Radio, the station's studios are located at 175 Ken Mar Industrial Parkway in Broadview Heights, and its five-tower transmitter is located about 2.2 miles away on Snowville Road in front of I-77...
.
His opinionated 'tell it like it is' style made such an impression that he landed the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
Color Analyst position on WUAB
WUAB
WUAB, identified on-air as "My43 The Block, WUAB", is the MyNetworkTV affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio. The station is licensed to the suburb of Lorain, and it shares a studio in downtown Cleveland with sister station WOIO, Cleveland's CBS affiliate. Its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio...
teaming with Joe Tait
Joe Tait
Joseph "Joe" Tait is an American sports broadcaster, who called the radio play by play for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. With the exception of two seasons in the early 1980s and illness in 2010-11, he has been the Cavaliers' radio announcer since the team's inception in 1970...
. Bruce held this position for the 1980-82 Cleveland Indians seasons. During this same period, Bruce also called the play by play of Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
Basketball on WUAB
WUAB
WUAB, identified on-air as "My43 The Block, WUAB", is the MyNetworkTV affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio. The station is licensed to the suburb of Lorain, and it shares a studio in downtown Cleveland with sister station WOIO, Cleveland's CBS affiliate. Its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio...
, working with former NBA star Austin Carr
Austin Carr
Austin George Carr is a retired American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association. He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier".-Early years and high school career:...
.
Bruce was then hired to host a post-game talk show on WHK Radio in Cleveland, the flagship home of Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
football.
In 1984, Bruce was hired by WWWE Radio as a morning drive sports anchor and weekend talk-show host. In the late 80's, Bruce's 'in your face' entertaining style landed him the position of WWWE Sportsline Host, replacing the legendary Pete Franklin
Pete Franklin
Pete Franklin , nicknamed "The King" and "Pigskin Pete", was an American sports talk radio host who worked in Cleveland, New York and San Francisco...
.
Prior to obtaining the morning drive anchor position at WTAM
WTAM
WTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
, Bruce also hosted his own talk show on TV-29 in Akron for three years.
Bruce then moved to night-time talk as the show host for the flagship station of Cleveland Indians baseball and Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball.
In 2001 Bruce moved to WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
to host morning drive sports talk.
Drennan returned to broadcasting as the host of a sports talk show "All Bets Are Off With Bruce Drennan" on SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio is a regional sports network in Cleveland and northern Ohio, launched in 2006. It was created to air Cleveland Indians games, and is owned by the family which owns the team. It is also the cable television home of the Cleveland Browns...
. The show is a call-in type venue that allows listeners to call or email to express their feelings about sports in Cleveland. It is a radio-formatted show broadcast on TV. He always begins and ends the show with his phrase "I love ya Cleveland!
On May 5, 2010, Drennan attained internet notoriety with one of the more dynamic rants in recent sports rant history, on his show "All Bets Are Off." The source of his rant was the recent performance of the Cleveland Indians, who had earlier that day lost to the Toronto Blue Jays. Much of his ire in the rant was directed at Russell Branyan
Russell Branyan
Russell Oles Branyan is a Major League Baseball first baseman. He throws right-handed, bats left-handed, and primarily plays first base, but is capable of playing third base and the outfield. Branyan began his professional career in the Cleveland Indians minor league system...
, whose swing he deprecatingly mimicked on several instances. Also not spared were Grady Sizemore
Grady Sizemore
Gradius "Grady" Sizemore III is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
, Matt Laporta, and Luis Valbuena
Luis Valbuena
Luis Adan Valbuena is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-Career:Valbuena began his professional career in the Seattle Mariners organization in 2005...
, whose name was memorialized several times by Drennan's repeated phrase, "Ohhhhh, Valbuena. Ohhhhh. Valbuena." Drennan also opined that Cleveland should "send [Valbuena] back to the Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
." The video has since been removed from Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
due to a Major League Baseball copyright claim.
Personal Life
In September 2004 Drennan's home in Strongsville, OhioStrongsville, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,858 people, 16,209 households, and 12,383 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,779.6 people per square mile . There were 16,863 housing units at an average density of 684.2 per square mile...
was raided by FBI and IRS agents as part of an illegal sports-gambling scheme. He subsequently lost his job at WKNR because of the investigation and served as the mid-morning talk show host and Program Director for sportstalkCLEVELAND via the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
In April 2006 Drennan was charged with two counts of filing false tax returns. He later agreed to a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
and served five months in prison.
Professional Achievements
- Best Cleveland Sportscaster 1997, 1998
- Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame Inductee