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in Sunday's paper! I watched the Cleveland/Utah game Sat night and Keith played some quality minutes...Good for him!

Former Ohio star playing with Jazz

Ex-McKinley player McLeod works way to starting role for Utah

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal staff writer


SALT LAKE CITY - A former Ohio Mr. Basketball was in the starting lineup at the Delta Center Saturday night... for the Utah Jazz.

Indeed, LeBron James won the award three times and his presence overshadowed the other name on that trophy, Keith McLeod. It was fitting, though. McLeod is used to being overlooked.

Amid a rocky record and a messy and public controversy involving his coach and teammate, McLeod has quietly started to solidify his budding NBA career this season in Utah.

McLeod made his 12th consecutive start at point guard for Jazz on Saturday, a little more than a week after his once non-guaranteed training camp contract became fully guaranteed, ensuring he'll finish his first NBA season.

A former star at Canton McKinley, where he was voted Mr. Basketball, and at Bowling Green, where he was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, McLeod is making the most of his window of opportunity.

Last year at this time, he was playing in Rome, one of a number of assorted stops in his efforts to attain the roster spot in the NBA.

``Coach (Jerry Sloan) has given me a chance and I'm just trying to take advantage of it,'' McLeod said. ``It has been a long road for me, I've just tried to keep the faith.''

Last season, McLeod had a productive start with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But it was limited; when backup point guard Troy Hudson came off the injured list, McLeod was waived.

He looked to be in a similar spot in November. With Jazz point guard Raul Lopez and Carlos Arroyo out with injuries, McLeod made the Jazz roster out of training camp due to desperation. So even after he started the first six games of the season, he wondered how long he'd last once the regulars got healthy.

``That was on my mind. You never know what will happen,'' McLeod said. ``I was worried about doing everything exactly right.''

It did happen. In December, he was placed on the injured list for three weeks when Lopez and Arroyo came back. But they didn't perform to Sloan's standards as the Jazz became mired in a long losing skid.

He came back to McLeod, who has been solid in his chance to play, averaging 8.0 points and 5.2 assists. The decision led to controversy, as former starter Arroyo and Sloan have traded barbs in the media.

``I don't get into any of that stuff; I just come to practice every day,'' McLeod said. ``I still speak to Carlos. I don't know the details of that. I have to do what I have to do.''

And doing that has gotten him into Sloan's good graces, which makes his future, even if just the immediate one, bright.

``The other guys have struggled and we jumped around trying to figure out who to play,'' Sloan said. ``Keith seems to be interested in jumping in there and moving forward so I've given him a chance.''

GO BG!~ BEAT BALL STATE!!

Keith is playing some good ball lately. He'll be around for the year, and hopefully will be around for awhile.

AD is playing well too, he had a major part in the Cavs losing last night Its been fun watching those two games rooting for the Cavs on one end, and one singular player on the other

hammb wrote:Keith is playing some good ball lately. He'll be around for the year, and hopefully will be around for awhile.

AD is playing well too, he had a major part in the Cavs losing last night Its been fun watching those two games rooting for the Cavs on one end, and one singular player on the other

Yeah, it was tough to root against Antonio last night! Reghi said AD was outta "Bawling Green". How hard is it to say Bowling?

I watched the Cavs take over against the Jazz from late in the third quarter to the finish and I don't think Keith was ever on the court. Guess that would explain why the Cavs dominated them during that stretch. And I turned the game on last night just in time to see Daniels knock down a three to put the Sonics up by four early in the fourth. 8 assists and just 1 turnover for AD.

Falconfreak90 wrote: Yeah, it was tough to root against Antonio last night! Reghi said AD was outta "Bawling Green". How hard is it to say Bowling?

Ahhhh, give him a break, Freak, maybe he's never done a BG game before...


...oops, nevermind. Reghi was, is, and will continue to be the true definition of a "chodesmoker"...

Ah!!!!!!!

Reghi is a freaking king. I love that guy....Ever hear him say some of the other words he says? I assure you, that's how he talks..Reghi is consistently at the MAC Tournament, and he knows who BG is and whenever I have spoken with him, has nothing but good things to say.

Y'all are haters.

Jham wrote:Ah!!!!!!!

Reghi is a freaking king. I love that guy....Ever hear him say some of the other words he says? I assure you, that's how he talks..Reghi is consistently at the MAC Tournament, and he knows who BG is and whenever I have spoken with him, has nothing but good things to say.

Y'all are haters.

You're defending Reghi?

Get out. Seriously. Now.

Reghi is a buffoon! I remember him starting out at WLIO in Lima. That market size suits his talent about right. I also remember his stint in Toledo before moving to Cleveland.

I see him in the press area every year at the MAC Tournament and he has sat at the same table eating dinner on occasions with us staffers. He really has a high opinion of himself.

He reminds me of that Joe Piscapo sports guy character on Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live in the 80's..."The big story..."

Do you remember when he got his hair? He was thinning and combing over to cover it up. Then he goes on vacation for two weeks and comes back with thick, full hair. Like no one would remember he was balding. I thought that was funny. :duh:

Say what you want about Michael Reghi but he has worked himself up to a couple of pretty nice jobs. TV play by play for the Cavs and I believe he does the same for the Baltimore Orioles. Not sure if radio or tv. He goes back a ways and I am pretty sure he has a MAC background. Not sure which school though. Anyone know?

I've never like Reghi calling games...just not a fan of his style. If you like him, fine. I've never been impressed with him.

hammb,

"Chodesmoker"??

Rollo83 wrote:Reghi is a buffoon! I remember him starting out at WLIO in Lima. That market size suits his talent about right. I also remember his stint in Toledo before moving to Cleveland.

I see him in the press area every year at the MAC Tournament and he has sat at the same table eating dinner on occasions with us staffers. He really has a high opinion of himself.

He reminds me of that Joe Piscapo sports guy character on Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live in the 80's..."The big story..."

I remember seeing him at BGSU parties off campus back in the late 80's and the guy thought he was Al Michaels back then.
Why can't he ever call a game without using 184 adjectives to describe a simple shot?
Sometimes I wish Austin Carr or Mark Price would just swing an elbow into his piehole.

transfer2BGSU wrote:I always thought his name was Michael Rug-guy.

He does commercials for one of those broadcasting schools up in Michigan. All I can tell you about the school is their courses won't transfer since it's a proprietary.

i think it's specks-howard

FALCON FLIER wrote:Say what you want about Michael Reghi but he has worked himself up to a couple of pretty nice jobs. TV play by play for the Cavs and I believe he does the same for the Baltimore Orioles. Not sure if radio or tv. He goes back a ways and I am pretty sure he has a MAC background. Not sure which school though. Anyone know?

i'm pretty sure that he is no longer with the orioles. if i remember right, they didn't want to allow him to do the cavaliers games during baseball season, so, he quit doing baseball.