I grew up in Batesville, MS, and graduated from West
Panola Academy (now called North Delta) in 1987. While
in High School, I played football, basketball, baseball,
tennis and ran track. I spent my summers on Sardis
Lake water skiing.
I attended Harding University in Searcy, AR. I
got live training as a news anchor and then a Sports
Director and anchor from Harding’s live student
produced nightly news broadcast. I was also fortunate
enough to do some play by play for the Harding Bison
football team, even going with them to Little Rock’s
War Memorial Stadium.
My first job in television took me to WBBJ in Jackson,
TN. After four months as Weekend Sports Anchor
I was promoted to Sports Director. I spent almost
two years in Jackson. During that time I covered
the Lambuth University football team, including the season
they played in the NAIA Final Four in Westminster, PA. I
was also fortunate enough to do a few reports for ESPN’s
Black College Sports segment as the Lane College Dragons
made a run at the post season.
In January 1996, WJBF in Augusta, GA, called and I left
for the weekend position in golf country. I was
promoted to Sports Director five months later. Some
of my favorite moments from my six and a half years in
Augusta occurred when I covered the Olympic Games in
Atlanta, covered seven different Masters tournaments,
covered the U.S. Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach,
followed the Atlanta Falcons to Super Bowl in Miami,
Fl, and covered the Super Bowl in Atlanta when the St.
Louis Rams barely beat the Tennessee Titans.
Of course, living in Georgia meant that I regularly covered
the Atlanta Braves, including NLCS and World Series games,
as well as Georgia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, and South
Carolina. I also won Best Sports Reporting two
times for the Georgia Associated press, won Best Sports
Cast twice, and won Best Sports Feature for Football
Friday Night and Masters Report.
In 2003, an opportunity to return to the Magnolia State
was presented, and I just couldn't pass it up. My parents
live in Olive Branch, and I’ve still got friends
in North Mississippi. Coming to WTVA was almost
like coming home, especially since Jim Holder and I grew
up together and worked together in Jackson, TN. I
anchor the 6 p.m. sportscast on WTVA and the 9 p.m. sportscast
on Fox’s WLOV station. I regularly get to
cover Mississippi State and Ole Miss, two teams that
were rarely out of my mind while living in other SEC
waters.
Some of my favorite moments since coming to WTVA were
following the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team
to Dayton, OH, and covering the Mississippi State Baseball
team in the World Series in Omaha, NE. In the
few short years I have been here, I have been awarded Mississippi
Associated Press awards and received an Emmy nomination
for producing, writing, and co-hosting First Down
on Fox, the football show on WLOV.
My wife, Tracy, and I live in Tupelo, MS. We are
blessed that she is able to stay home with our pride
and joy, twin daughters Millie and Sophie, born September
7, 2004. We are active with our church, love playing
with Millie, Sophie, and our two cats, and enjoy spending
time with family and friends.
Please feel free to drop Marlin an email at the link
above.
He'd love to hear your feedback.
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