The Blackledge family: Cherie, Harrison, Todd, Quinn, Owen (in front) and Eli.
None of the other three Blackledge boys seem all that interested in the pigskin sport either, preferring basketball, baseball and wrestling instead. The fact that none of his sons play a fall sport has helped to unclutter Todd’s schedule during football season. He heads out in the midweek to take in practices of the teams he’ll be covering, does his preproduction interviews and such on Friday and is in the broadcast booth to work with his play-by-play sidekick, Brad Nessler, on Saturday. Shortly after the final gun sounds, Todd is headed to an airport for a flight back to Canton. For the past couple of seasons, Dad has made it a point to take each son, individually, to one of the games he’ll be working. It’s sort of a traveling “take your sons to work” assignment. They get to shadow their father and Mr. Nessler from before sign on to sign off. How cool would that be? I’ll bet there are a few fathers reading this article who would love to change places for just one week with any of the Blackledge boys. Perhaps few of Penn State’s former football players were closer to Joe Paterno than was Todd Blackledge. During the tumultuous and sad times that marked the coach’s final season, Todd was often sought out by the national media for comments on whatever the news of that
Mike Greene’s voice and face have been familiar to the sports fans of North Central Ohio for decades now. He did play-by-play for hundreds of high school and college football and basketball games over the years and still does selected Ashland University football games on television. He also hosted a popular SportsTalk show on WMFD-TV for a dozen years.
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(Ron and mother Linda) worked hard to make it quality time. That word “quality” is also something that is extremely important in the parenting that Todd and Cherie provide for their sons. All of the boys have been homeschooled from day one because, said Todd, he and Cherie wanted to be the driving force in their sons’ lives; helping to shape their character on a day-to-day basis; something that they believe can be done much more effectively in a homeschool setting. Their strong Christian faith is the centerpiece of the Blackledge family values and, as parents, Todd and Cherie can instill that same commitment in their sons through homeschooling. Perhaps you’re saying to yourself, “certainly the sons of a former football star like Todd Blackledge will want to play sports, most likely football, somewhere.” You’re right, and that issue was dealt with when Harrison, the oldest, entered public schools as a 9th grader — something second son Quinn has also done and Eli and Owen will likely do. Harrison played freshman football but has decided that basketball is the game he prefers and, at 6'5", Todd thinks that he might have a future in that sport at the next level. He’ll be a senior at Hoover High this fall.
day was. He had an unusually close relationship, and still does, with the Paterno family and told me that Joe was indeed a second father figure to him. During his off season, Todd follows in the footsteps of his father and Joe and becomes coach/Dad, filling many of his hours working with his sons and their buddies as a sideline mentor. For the past several years he has served as an assistant to Randy Montgomery, Hoover High’s boys basketball coach. Sports are a common thread that is woven through the three generations of Blackledge males but it certainly isn’t all that defines them. Todd, Cherie and their boys, Todd’s sisters, Michelle and Traci, and their children, and parents Ron and Linda all live within a few miles of each other, so family gatherings are common. So, as you’re clicking through the many college football games that can be seen on a variety of channels on a Saturday afternoon or evening this fall, when you see Todd Blackledge offering his thoughtful opinions, remember that he’s also a father who is probably wondering if his four sons are helping their Mom back home in Canton. It’s a Dad thing! •
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