Fresno State Athletics
Moore Looks to Broadcasting After Playing Career
8/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 29, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - As Marlon Moore's football career continued to progress in high school so did his desire to be a broadcast journalist. About the time Moore entered the 11th grade he started watching the news and paying attention to what he called the sports icons on television. Since then the desire to be in front of the camera for a living has only increased.
"It's a good field for me because I have great people skills and the people I have met say the same thing," Moore said. "I can speak well. It is something I want to do. I am not in it for the money. I am just in it to try to have something to fall back on if football doesn't work out. It is a good career that I will be able to pursue."
Since his high school day's, Moore grew up watching Deion Sanders on the NFL Network, Michael Irvin on ESPN and James Brown, the former Fox and current CBS NFL studio host. Moore added that he really likes the stories Brown has done on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The senior wide receiver said that TNT's Charles Barkley is another television host he admires.
"Deion Sanders, Charles Barkley and Michael Irvin fit my personality style," Moore said. "I like to have fun and joke but I can get serious when I need too. They are more of the unorthodox sports casters you will see out there. I like something free and relaxing. James Brown is somebody I look up to in doing serious stories."
Moore's only experience in front of the camera came two years ago in his MCJ 128 television broadcast class. During the class he had to go out in the field to report and edit stories along with preparing an actual newscast. The experience he got doing stories was something he took very seriously.
"The first interview I did was a sports piece on the track team with coach (Bob) Fraley," Moore said. "It was his last season coaching and I came out in a suit jacket looking real good. Everybody was looking at me like who is he. I just told them `I am a football player doing my school work.' I was told I looked real nice and professional. I want to make sure I always look and act professional." Since Moore has been on the other end of the media being interviewed during his football career, he feels that has helped him when interviewing other people.
Moore is confident in his abilities and knows that his interviews with people down the road will be easy to do because of his friendly personality.
"People don't look at me as somebody who is going to drill them and grill them," Moore said. "They look at me as if I am going to ask the questions to have a conversation with them to get the information I need. I am not trying to set you up to say the wrong things. I am there smiling, laughing and joking to be the best reporter I can be."
Moore is one class away from getting his degree and the only class he is lacking is his internship. He plans to meet with his academic advisor soon to discuss his options but whether it is TV or radio, Moore just wants to gain more experience and learn about the field.
"I know I have a lot more to learn about the business," Moore said. "As far I know I believe I am skilled enough to start moving onto bigger and better things. I am ready to expand my horizons and break into the field a little more."
Moore hasn't shied away from sharing his desire of being a broadcaster.
"He always talks about his desire to be a broadcaster after his NFL career or when his football career ends," wide receivers coach Keith Williams said. "He mentions it a lot when we have non-football conversations. He is an outgoing guy who is a very good person at heart and has a very genuine personality."
Moore's genuine personality is a trait that first stood out to Williams when he was first hired as the receivers coach at Fresno State.
"You could just tell he was a genuine person by the things he said," Williams said. "He said he was willing to work as hard as it took to have a strong senior season. He has been correct in what he has said. It has paid off in this camp as he continues to get better as time goes on."
