Coming into 2024, I didn’t know what to expect. As 2023 (The Elevation Year) ended, I was somewhat sad. I was coming off the best year of my life in many ways. That was the year I had other people write for my website for the first time, started local radio on WRCR, learned how to video edit, met NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, started visual interviews, and much more. It was truly a legendary year.

I also began writing for MLBbro for Hall of Fame sports journalist and personality Rob Parker after meeting Chris Broussard on a random flight from Los Angeles in August 2023 (thank you, God). After all that, I started thinking about my motto for Kobe Bryant, aka Mamba Year, in 2024. Then, I came up with a brilliant verse.

“2024, we trying to raise the score.”

Indeed, we did, from starting my first radio visuals to interviewing Rob Parker (and having him on my radio show), being featured in a magazine, having a sponsor for the first time, and interviewing the most guests I've had in a single year (14). I was also invited to the NBCU Journalism workshop at NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists).

Let's discuss the year in sports. 2024: The Year We Rose the Score.

Beginning Radio Visuals, Having Rob On WRCR

After officially starting local radio in the fall of 2023, I said, "Coming into the new year, let's start recording myself visually as well." In late 2023, I bought myself a 4K camcorder, something simple yet good enough to record quality video of me at the station while on air. I knew I wanted my audience to be able to see me more visually and have more visual content available besides interviews.

It also gave me good reps for just having a camera on me and being myself while something was recording me, which was a clever idea to continue improving. After a few months in radio and very early in the 2024 calendar year, I landed a prominent guest on the radio show, Rob Parker. It was a cold February Saturday before Super Bowl Sunday, and I knew I wanted someone great to preview the Super Bowl for my first Super Bowl as a radio host.

I was lucky Rob could come on the show, where we had a great conversation previewing the Super Bowl and making our picks between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. We both made some excellent points, but I ultimately came up victorious and bested the Hall of Famer as the Chiefs ended up winning the Super Bowl 25-22 in a nail-biter.

After getting off the airwaves, I thanked Rob for taking time out of his busy schedule to come on the show. He was more than happy to come on. It was an incredible experience having Rob on the show in February, but it will only get better come April.

Landing My First Sponsor with Skylands Pharmacy

Around springtime, I was looking for a sponsor or two. I never thought I'd be able to land one if I were to tell my younger self that, but for all my hard work through the years since creating DJ's Sports Show, it was worth a shot.

I spoke with my former boss, Jason Hu, a pharmacist I worked with at Medwiz Pharmacy, who has his own business called Skyland's Pharmacy in Rockaway, NJ (go check it out). He loves sports, just like me, and we discussed reasonable pricing that worked for us and how long he'd sponsor me.

We agreed, and he sent me a monologue of what to say for the ad, which I recorded at the radio station after a show on Saturday. A moment I'll never forget—my very first sponsor.

Interviewing Rob

All my peers have asked me, "How did you get Rob Parker for an interview?" The interview where I shocked everyone… Well, it's a long story that goes back to 2023. Returning from vacation in Los Angeles, where my cousin lives, I was on my flight back to the East Coast. 

I used the restroom before the flight took off and returned to my seat with no one in my sitting area. All three seats to myself… Until Chris Broussard showed up. As I was sitting there thinking no one was coming looking out the window, some man politely said to me, "Hey, young fella, you're in my seat." I looked up and was in utter shock in my head. I couldn't believe it.

Someone I grew up watching and one of my idols was sitting right next to me with no one else in between us—a gift from God in my life's most unlikely, unexpected scenario. Long story short, I introduced myself, and we hit it off, having a genuine conversation about sports and life. I asked him for advice and showed him my work, where he said I have incredible stuff, and asked if I'd be interested in writing for MLB Bro for Rob Parker, which I was very open to.

Fast-forward two months: Rob and I connected in a group chat on October 1, 2023 (thanks to Chris), and our relationship started that day when I was in the laundromat. I ended up writing for MLB Bro, had Rob on the radio show, and then asked him mid-February if he'd be interested if I could bring him on for an interview on his career since he mentioned he'd be in Manhattan mid-April for an MLB meeting.

He was receptive to it from the start.

At first, I didn't think much of it. I figured he'd be too busy or change his mind once the time finally came. But knowing Rob, he's a man of his word. I asked him again around mid to late March if he could still do so, and he said yes. From there, I said, "This is actually going to happen. I need to get ready."

I started researching his career journey and how he got to where he is, reading various articles online. This was about to be the most renowned guest in my show's history, and I wanted to be ready to shock everyone.

I took off work for that Friday, April 12th, two weeks in advance because I was going to make it happen. I called my cameraman Todd and told him to be available that day because I had a big guest coming on, and I only had that weekend to get him before he had to leave Sunday back to Los Angeles.  It was either I get him on that Friday, or I'll never get him on in person.

I called my gym friend and military veteran Seda to ask if he could drive Todd and me to Manhattan that day. Luckily, he was free and ecstatic to help. I couldn't have pulled off that interview without either of them.

I was beyond thankful.

I remember rigorously reviewing the questions ahead of time because I knew Rob had limited time due to having to go to a meeting. I only had 30 to 40 minutes to ask everything I wanted, so I cut my questions to 13 and asked what I wanted or felt was necessary.

Some may think that time seems long, like a long period in high school when the day seemed to drag, but I had to be precise for an interview with someone of this caliber. Once the day finally came, I remember that morning, I was anxious but more excited. I was about to meet another one of my idols, a legend in the field from whom I could learn.

I remember getting my fresh haircut the day before and wearing the MLB Bro hoodie as a nod to the legend. Seda and I went to this restaurant near the studio to wait for Todd, which killed time and helped me relax beforehand. My preparation made me more composed and less nervous than the night before.

I was ready.

Once Todd arrived, we packed all the necessary stuff, from snacks to camera equipment, and were off to Manhattan. On the way there, we listen to music, and I'm there enjoying the moment along the way, soaking it all in, saying to myself, "I'm really about to interview a Hall of Famer in sports media on my platform."

I'm there enjoying the views of the city's architecture as Todd caught some behind-the-scenes footage of us on our way to the setting. Once we got there, I contacted Rob, and we made it as we quickly had to get ready and set up since we had to be quick. Todd did a fast camera and sound check to ensure everything looked and sounded good, while Seda and I helped move and set up chairs to make everything go swiftly.

It was time. Todd gave me the usual countdown, which we've done many times with past interviews I've done with the studio. I introduced Rob, and we got right into it, discussing his love for sports, from his childhood love of baseball to becoming the first black columnist in Detroit Free Press history in 1993, his time at ESPN, MLB Bro, and much more.

I soaked up all the knowledge I could from that day. A day I'll never forget. I learned Rob's resilience, such as overcoming the Robert Griffin III controversy that led to him getting let go at ESPN, but he didn't let that end his storied career. He kept fighting, taking a situation that didn't work out for him, and he came out better. 

Ultimately, he'd end up joining Fox Sports Radio (where he's still at) and form The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard for eight years with Kelvin Washington now his new co-host with Broussard leaving earlier this year to focus on television. I'll dive more into the interview in the Tremendous 24 series, but the interview was a massive success.

Rob and I closed the show with him doing one of the comedy jokes he loves. At the end of the interview and off camera, we both laughed and showed ultimate respect for one another. Seda and Todd took behind-the-scenes photos while I interviewed him, and Rob and I took some post-interviews. We stood alongside one another, as he was taller than me by an inch.

A great sports journalist and personality but, most of all, an even greater person.

Once Rob said his goodbyes and had to go to his meeting, I said, "I did it." I interviewed an all-timer in the field. It didn't hit me until after I released the interview after doing the post-production, where I put together an incredible intro and outro with the Nas Rule soundtrack. I shocked everyone (including myself). It showed me I could do anything I put my mind to and boosted my energy.

I interviewed Rob Parker, and it was a masterpiece.

Tremendous 24 Poll, Most Interviews In A Year

It wasn't just Rob Parker; I interviewed in the best year of my brand's history, and it was a plethora. From WNBA beat reporter of the New York Liberty and sports media personality Gigi Speer to Ansley Almonor of the Kentucky Wildcats to Tim Capstraw, a Brooklyn Nets radio analyst for over two decades and 2012 London Olympics broadcaster. It was truly a remarkable, productive year.

That doesn't even include Edona Thaqi, a sideline reporter and play-by-play for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA, Big East, and much more. Let's not forget  Maria Trivelpiece, director of communications and reporter for the American Conference, and former ESPN+ sideline reporter Jolie Santiago of WTOP-10 TV or Jordany Dely of New Haven track and field.

The most people (14) I ever interviewed in a year is an accomplishment I don't take lightly because interviews are tiring. You have to research and come up with good questions, choose a suitable date for both sides to produce the interview post-production and promote and disseminate the content across various social platforms after.

Some people were more challenging to get a hold of than others, but persistence is key, and I was able to pull it off and get some great guests on. That led to the poll.

The Tremendous 24 poll didn't cross my mind until May. I was trying to find a way to increase audience engagement and wanted to celebrate years of my tireless work as I approached my fourth anniversary of the brand on June 22, 2024. After interviewing Rob Parker, I counted how many people I had interviewed and said that if I got to 24, I'd call it the Tremendous 24 poll.

That poll symbolizes all the first 24 people I interviewed in the first four years since I started the show and everyone before my 24th birthday, July 25th. After Rob, I interviewed Jordany, Ansley (Part Two), and Rylan Blondo, who was the SUNYAC Male Scholar-Athlete Basketball Player of the Year for New Paltz and came off winning the first conference title in the school's history.

Blondo was the perfect person to close out my first 24 people, and it was time. I did a promoting tour, highlighting each person on the poll from their accomplishments to them as people. I created a nice design on Canva that I learned in college and aligned each person neatly with how I wanted them with a space galaxy black star background to display no limits and worldwide.

I completed that design at midnight after working for about two hours. I was exhausted when I finished, but when I looked at it, chills ran down my spine as I considered the legacy I had carved out for myself. Seeing all the incredible people I had interviewed before the fourth birthday of DJ's Sports Show brought happy tears to my eyes.

I was ready to release.

I made a short capcut video with the design and put the Space Jam soundtrack to tell everyone, "It's time to slam now," to say the poll is up and time to vote. I kept the poll up for a good month, a few days before my birthday, and announced the winner before I left for my trip to the Dominican Republic for my 24th birthday.

Rob ended up winning, but it was close. Luis Granados, the record-breaking goalkeeper I interviewed in 2023, and Lamont Edwards, my first visual interview and a professional basketball player in FIBA, rounded out the top three vote-getters. All the promoting for the poll had me exasperated, but it had paid off.

It defines an era of my life (early 20s) I'll never forget.

NABJ

After my trip to the Dominican Republic for a much-needed break and recharge, I headed to Chicago right after for NABJ (National Association Of Black Journalists). Rob encouraged me to attend NABJ after our interview. He said I did a phenomenal job on the interview and had great work and that everyone he's told to go there comes out with jobs or makes excellent connections.

It's like a big family, he said.

When I returned home from the Dominican Republic, I switched the clothes I needed for my life's most significant business trip. Having my portfolio and business cards well organized and ready before leaving saved me a lot of time, so I didn't have to worry about doing so when I returned. Once I got to NABJ, it was an experience like no other, getting to speak to people in the industry from companies such as ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Fox Sports, Advance Local, Gannett, The Athletic, etc. The list goes on. 

Meeting or hearing from established people in the media industry, such as Elle Duncan, Malika Andrews, Andraya Carter, Chris Haynes, Jay Harris, Chiney Ogwumike, and many more, give excellent advice but also share their vulnerabilities and how they overcame tough times or faced adversity. Hearing them talk about how they kept pushing, overcoming doubt, or how they got a lot of "no's" before that one life-changing yes really opened my eyes. It made them relatable and displayed their humility. 

It reinspired me and made me want to keep going.

While there, I soaked up all the knowledge I could, including the NBCU Journalism workshop I was invited to. It was also great to see First Take live with Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim for the first time and see how the show works.

I formed many new connections and impressed many people with all my work. It was an unforgettable experience I'll never forget. I hope to be a part of many more in a collaborative, interactive, fun, and tiring four days in Chicago, but it was worth it.

P.S. They also know how to throw lavish parties.

Sideline Reporting For Nyack Varsity Football

In Nyack's long history, the football team has never had a sideline reporter. This does not even include the years the team won state titles in 2000 and 2003. As a Rockland native and someone born in Nyack, New York, I figured I would try to make history. I also wanted to get some sideline reporting reps to continue expanding my repertoire and start having footage for a reel.

My friend Tyrell Walker, a former semi-pro football player and JV football coach for Nyack, helped me land the gig. I had contacted him months in advance, asking him if I could sideline report for the school. Walker helped make everything a smooth transition, from getting me the players,​​ such as Sean Clermont and Ty'lin Williams, to interview on media day to gain the trust of the athletic director Joe Sigillo and head coach Anthony Dimarsico's trust. He eventually got promoted to varsity.

I was the first sideline reporter in the school's history.

I would go to as many games as possible, doing pre-game, halftime, and post-game questions with players or coaches. I always came up with my pre-game script before the game and would memorize it, going over it numerous times days before a game I knew I was doing. During my time reporting, the players connected and started gravitating toward me as the bond started to grow. I gained the coaches' respect because they knew I was sacrificing my free time and trying to give them coverage.

Franklin Ruballos/Rubavision

They didn't have the season they wanted in Dimarscio's inaugural season, but it's the start of a new culture built there that I was proud to be a part of in its first season.

I made history.

Big East Media Day

I had never been a credentialed media member at a big sporting event or media day. That ended in October with Big East Media Day. I emailed John Paquette, senior associate director of the Big East, a little over a month before media day, and he looked at my website before approving me a credential to be at the event.

I was stoked.

I had never been to an event of this magnitude, but I knew I would prepare beforehand. I started by reviewing all 11 conference teams for women and men and coming up with questions. I also researched the top returning players, the top players who departed due to the draft, graduation, or transfer portal, and the top incoming transfers or recruits to each school.

My strategy was to have at least two to three questions for every coach who would be there and at least two for the players. I had to be realistic and knew I wasn't going to be able to get everyone, but I reviewed my questions for both sides various times, days before the event, as it was nearing. I had my business cards ready like I did for NABJ and was prepared for the big day.

On that day, I was anxious but also excited. I didn't know what to expect since it was my first time attending an event of this magnitude for any sport. I was dressed in my black suit and bowtie, with my microphone and equipment in my bag. Todd was driving us to Manhattan as my cameraman. He shot all the footage for me that day, as he has done numerous times from all my visual interviews.

Once we got there, we got our passes, and Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman gave a speech before the men's portion of the media day, which was first, followed by the women's. Then we were off.

While at Big East media day, I got to ask Hall of Fame coaches Rick Pitino of St. John's Men's Basketball and Geno Auriemma of the UConn Women's Huskies questions. I also got to ask projected No.1 WNBA Draft pick Paige Bueckers questions (after waiting a long time for her at the end) and other All-Big East selections, such as St. Johns transfer Kadary Richmond, Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner and Villanova forward Eric Dixon, to name a few.

I saw FS1 and NBC there and was amazed at how well the players carried themselves. Compared to others, I was also overdressed but well prepared, and everyone complimented me on how professional I looked and carried myself. At the end of the event, I was exhausted but ecstatic about the content and experience of my first media day at Madison Square Garden.

I posted clips of the content I received until I had the whole footage. Everything came out well, and I'm proud of what I created and what I could do better next time at an event like that. Then came the next thing.

Westchester Knicks

Around the same time I was approved for credentials for Big East Media Day in September, I also received credentials for covering the Westchester Knicks' home games in the NBA G League. I knew that covering them and being able to put this on my resume could open up doors for me in the future, and I wanted to relish the opportunity as much as I could.

I provide game recap articles for them and hope to gain more connections with those who work for the New York Knicks G League affiliate while I cover them to hopefully get my foot in the door somewhere full-time. It’s been great so far, and I’m looking forward to continuing to cover them this season as it progresses.

Conclusion

As 2024 ends, I want to say how proud I am of continuing to push my limits. Despite 2023 being the year where everything changed and changed my life, I took it up a notch in 2024. The sacrifices I made through the years to eventually become a credentialed media member at Big East Media Day or cover the Westchester Knicks I never could have envisioned. I took what I learned in 2023 and sharpened and elevated myself even more.

I conducted the most interviews I've ever had in a year, from interviewing Rob Parker to having my first sponsor. Sacrificing time with friends and fun at times to bolster my resume, such as volunteer sideline reporting at Nyack High School or editing a radio episode to investing in myself and attend NABJ. There’s still a long way to go, but I'll keep doing it as long as I’m having fun with it.

After coming into the year worried about how I would top 2023, I want to say thank you, 2024; you were the year I rose the score.