There are those that would argue Travis Jones behind the microphone at a sporting event is the best there is in the state. Some would argue, and I would be in that pool, that he is the best there is at any level of sports in all of West Virginia.

 

Apparently, there are some who tend to agree. Jones, known affectionately as “The Voice of the Indians” for his work with Bridgeport High School sports, is up for a statewide award. And that award comes on him recently being name to the 2022 Bridgeport Alumni and Friends Foundation Hall of Fame.

 

Jones was recently named a finalist for the 2022 National Sports Media Association Sportscaster of the Year for West Virginia for his work with MetroNews. The list of other finalists is not only impressive and well-known but includes many that Jones knows extremely well.

 

“It’s an honor to be on the list, particularly with a lot of people I have worked with and have a ton of respect for,” said Jones. “The quality of those on the list, and the respect I have for them, does make this nice.”

 

The list? There is Tony Caridi of the Mountaineer Sports Network, Keith Morehouse (WSAZ-TV in Huntington), Mark Martin (WCHS-TV in Charleston), Paul Swann (WRVC-AM 93/ESPN 94.1 Huntington), and Steve Cotton (Herd Sports Network out of Huntington).

 

“Mark Martin is a tremendous friend and I call him and Joe Brocato (formerly of WDTV and currently of MetroNews), the hardest working me in their profession,” said Jones. “Then you have a guy like Steve Cotton out of Marshall who I’ve always had respect and a great relationship with and then there’s Tony. I’ve known him for 30 years and it’s great to be able to call him a friend and a co-worker.”

 

Jones said the organization – NMSA – does the honors annually. He said they make a selection in all 50 states, which leads one to wonder how he has never won the award before.

 

“I’ve never been nominated before and I don’t have any idea how I was nominated this year,” said Jones. “I’m assuming it was a member of the Association, but I don’t know that for sure because I don’t really know a whole lot about the process and how it works.”

 

What he does know is that next month he will know if he was chosen as the winner. What I know is that he will be aces with me and the Bridgeport faithful regardless.

 

And Jones has had plenty of other gigs as well, including Fairmont State football and men’s basketball. He also spent time calling West Virginia University women’s basketball games during the Mike Carey era and was, for a few years, the public address announcer at WVU football games.

 

Another regular gig is about to start soon. Jones will be calling on national radio a trio of bowl games this season for Sirius XM radio and all three he is looking forward to.

 

Jones will make the trip to Boston for the first-ever Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park as Cincinnati faces off with Louisville on Dec. 17. After that, Jones will be back at the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Dec. 19 to make the call on Marshall and UConn, and then he will close out the slate with a return trip to the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 27 as Coastal Carolina goes up against East Carolina.

 

“I really look forward to these,” said Jones, who is hired independently to do the work and is heading to Myrtle and Birmingham for the third time. “… It is really nice to go to a new location, particularly Fenway and see such a historic ballpark and watch a pretty good matchup with a couple of familiar Big East foes in Cincinnati and Louisville. It seems like all the opponents have a state tie, a Big East tie, or even better, a great story line, particularly the Fenway Bowl.”

 

For those who do not think the story line is great, it is certainly unique. Louisville Coach Scott Satterfield, or rather former coach, has been named the coach of Cincinnati. He has informed both teams he will not be involved – although I would imagine Louisville would have said “no thanks” based on the circumstances.

 

“You can find a lot of interesting things in all of the games, and I thoroughly enjoy the games,” said Jones. “The possibility of an award is certainly nice but doing something you love doing is the real reward.”

 

Even so, it sure would be nice to see Jones land yet another honor. Like the multitude he has garnered in the past, it would be more than deserved.

 

Good luck my friend. And enjoy your holidays doing what you usually do as good as anyone else – working behind the mic.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Travis Jones getting set to call action in Charleston, while he's shown at the 2018 Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, while he's shown calling WVU action with Jay Jacobs in the bottom photo. All photos provided by Travis Jones.