Extra: John Freeman was born to be the “voice of the Cavaliers.”

Talking on air

New UVA play-by-play man fulfills boyhood dream

EZE AMOS

John Freeman calls it as he sees it as the voice of the Cavaliers.

By Shea Gibbs

John Freeman has found his home in the booth.

The career play-by-play announcer and UVA grad returned to Charlottesville to become the “voice of the Cavaliers” for the men’s football and basketball teams in November 2021. He’d been the primary commentator for several university sports—lacrosse and even some men’s basketball—years ago, but he’d never spoken for the football team.

Before coming back to Charlottesville, Freeman spent five years calling games for Nashville’s pro soccer club. This year will mark his first full season as UVA sports’ top broadcaster. Freeman recently talked about the move and what’s next.

How did you find out you’d gotten the biggest broadcasting gig at your alma mater?

John Freeman: It started rather chaotically. I got a call from my predecessor, Dave Koehn, on a Tuesday, and that Saturday I was calling a football game. I grew up in Crozet and listened to the Virginia Sports Radio Network my whole life, and in a fourday span, I would be calling a game on the network at Louisville. It all started with a one-game contract.

Is it a challenge going to a new sport?

I guess. My career philosophy has been to never say no to anything. I called the Charlottesville Ten Miler one time from the back of a moving vehicle. We were just trying not to fall out. You really do learn broadcasting best when you’re doing it under pressure.

Do you have a favorite sport to call?

I always say my favorite sport to call is the one in front of me. I just love broadcasting. If UVA wanted me to call tiddlywinks, I would enjoy it. As far as football and basketball, they are distinct. Football is a marathon—almost six hours of broadcasting when it’s said and done. And the booth for football is outdoors; if it’s going to be 95 degrees for the first game, that’s a physical toll when you‘re sitting there and talking loudly for five hours. Basketball, you can really lock in and get lost.

What does being the “voice of the Cavaliers” mean to you?

Growing up here, we would go to games and listen to the broadcast on the way home, so I’ve been listening to the Virginia Sports Radio Network ever since I was kid. I used to call games off friends’ video game systems. I would make little prep boards. Then in high school, I interned with [former “voice of the Cavaliers”] Mac McDonald the second I got my driver’s license. I went to Western Albemarle, and I would get up at 5 in the morning, when Mac hosted the sports report. I would be cutting audio by 6am.

What’s made you successful in this line of work?

I wasn’t born with golden pipes—nor do I have them now—and I’ve always been jealous of people that just have them. I would like to think my voice is palatable enough, but I think it’s meant I’ve had to rely more on vocabulary and pace, description and inflection. I‘ve had to work harder at those things.

Is there another step up for your career after this?

I don’t see anything that would be better than this. I get to call a national championship-caliber basketball team and an FBS football team. I don’t need another rung— I’m not sure if there is another rung. I’m not going to go to the Commanders in the NFL. This job is rewarding, and I’m part of the community. I get to represent a school that my parents went to, and the reward to me personally is so much greater.

What’s the outlook for the basketball team this year?

Man, I’m completely biased. Two national championships...I see no reason why they shouldn’t make the NCAA tournament. After growing up watching 15 and 15 UVA basketball teams, I’m still in a state of shock that we are now consistently ranked in the top 10.

Wednesday 1/11

music

Beleza Duo. Funkalicious samba soul. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com Jim Waive. Classic country tunes from the man with a velvet voice and impressive beard. Free, 7pm. Blue Moon Diner, 606 W. Main St. bluemoondiner.net Monsters Under the Bed. The family band performs covers of tunes both new and old from all different genres. Free, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com Open Mic Night. Charlottesville’s longest running open mic night. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436.

classes

Winter Activities for Invasive Plant Control. Blue Ridge PRISM teaches you about safe and effective winter control methods. Free, 11:30am. Online. blueridgeprism.org

etc.

Shadow of a Doubt. There’s a big secret in this small town. $10, 7pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com Bingo. Four games that increase in difficulty with prizes to match! Free, 6pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Thursday 1/12

music

Auditions for the Oratorio Society of Vir-

ginia. Audition for the spring concert season. Free, 5pm. Municipal Arts Center, 1119 Fifth St. SW., Ste. A. oratoriosociety.org Batesville Session: Louis Smith. Come vibe. Free, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com Berto & Vincent. Wild gypsy rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com Oliver Wood Trio. Modern-day Americana roots music. $25-28, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com Righteous Roots. Tom Leighton performs a solo acoustic set. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com

etc.

Bullitt. There are good cops, there are bad cops, and then there’s Bullitt. $10, 7:30pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Friday 1/13

music

Donna the Buffalo. Performing originals and covers. $25-28, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jefferson theater.com FarAway. The singer-songwriter couple of Brian Franke and Sara Davenport perform folk and pop-rock. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com John Kelly. Enjoy wine, beer, and cider with a side of live music and food. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com