Ron Zappolo will bring zest to Broncos booth

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From The Denver Post:



An enthusiastic Ron Zappolo arrived on the Denver sports scene 38 years ago.

And that enthusiasm remains as the 63-year-old broadcaster begins plans for his second season of doing television play-by-play for the Broncos' four preseason games this summer.

Enthusiastic?

On the telephone, Zappolo sounds like a 21-year-old rookie getting his first major broadcasting break.

"I'm really eager to be working again with John Lynch and Alfred Williams (game commentators). We worked well together last season," Zappolo said.

"When I was doing sports on Channel 4 and Channel 9, John Elway was in the spotlight. He still is. Now Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips are back with the Broncos. This provides me with a 'coming home' feeling."

Zappolo left the sports beat in 2000, joining KDVR-Channel 31 as the key anchor when the Fox outlet began local news programming. He retired in April 2013. Sports, however, remain his first broadcasting love.

While at Channel 31, Zappolo educated young sports anchors and reporters about their careers. Now he teams with Sam Adams on a 9News weekend "A to Z" sports feature and will be available again as host if Altitude Sports offers another season of a Sunday morning NFL roundtable program.

Zappolo wants more.

He has an agent looking into possible TV work on the college football scene.

The Broncos' preseason schedule on KTVD- Channel 20 (sister station of 9News): Aug. 14, at Seattle; Aug. 22, at Houston; Aug. 29, home against San Francisco; and Sept. 3, home against Arizona.

Present plans call for Lynch, now Fox's No. 2 NFL analyst, providing commentary for three of Denver's preseason games. Williams, a talk-show host on 104.3 FM, is scheduled to work the Houston game.

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