I believe it was the 1992 season while doing a Saturday College Football ESPN scoreboard show when Tim Brando decided to nickname me the “Pony. ” Brando ’ s one of the more talented announcers I ’ ve ever worked with. He ’ s full of bull most of the time, but he loves college football — and that passion comes across to the fans. I guess Tim fi gured that since I played for the SMU Mustangs and that my teammate Eric Dickerson and I were referred to as “ the Pony Express, ” my new name should be the Pony. The name stuck and has paved the way for some pretty interesting conversations along the way.

Like the time I was covering a Rose Bowl, and before the game started, I made my way to the restroom. I was standing there doing my business when this fan in the urinal next to me yelled out, “ I always wanted to know why they called you the Pony! ” I didn ’ t know whether to punch him or laugh! He then pointed his cell phone camera at me and took a picture. Being surrounded by tons of fans, there wasn ’ t a thing I could do about it. As a result of that encounter, I ’ m a lot more careful where I go to use the restroom!