David James: serious about sports.

• Author: Basden, Casey
• Position: Radio station 1280 KZN's David James - Brief Article - Interview

As a prominent television and radio sports broadcaster, David James, 38, jokes that his greatest career success is "not getting fired real often."

A 1986 graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in political science, James' college studies did not lead him to where he is today. "My mom said, 'Pick a major, and if you have to change it you can.' I thought, well, I like sports, I'm pretty good in English, hey, I'll be a sports writer, fully intending to change. I had no idea." Searching for direction, he looked to an assistant newt director at a local television station for advice. "I asked him what I should be. He just kind of looked at me with this amused look like 'you are no naive in the ways of the world.' He said, 'I don't really care. Just get a degree.'"

According to James' former mentor, if a person is sent out to cover a story, and then told to drive 40 miles in a different direction with a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of gear, the theory is, they better be smart enough to complete the task.

James proved himself up to that challenge, and many others, including an interview with Tommy Lasorda at the young age of 23. "I can't remember what I was asking him. Something about all the Dodger players he'd seen and coached." James recalls. "The question came out totally discombobulated. It was horrific and not a proud moment."

After gaining experience with various radio and news positions in California, James moved to Utah about 10 years ago. He recently left 1320 KFAN after hosting a popular morning sports program for five years, and now broadcasts mornings for rival 1280 KZN. "I like their long-term plan, where they want to go, how they think they're going to get there. I think they're going to do a good job and I want to be a part of it," he says.

With his busy work schedule, finding balance...