Vic Jacobs

Victor Jacobs (born December 12, 1952), also known as Vic "The Brick" Jacobs, is an American radio and television sportscaster. He is best known as a former co-host of The Loose Cannons, a sports radio talk airing nationally on Fox Sports Radio. He is known for eccentric behavior, like wearing fur caps and robes, and writing Lakers haiku poems to read on-air. During Manny Ramirez's time as a Dodger, Jacobs created a nickname for Ramirez, "El Maniaco".

Early years

Jacobs grew up on the streets of Queens, New York. He is a graduate of Cornell University, and got his start in broadcasting in Guam, back in 1979. Jacobs also had other sports broadcasting stints, working at KTVV (now KXAN-TV), in Austin, Texas, KMPH-TV in Fresno, California,[1] and radio and television outlets in Phoenix, Arizona. Jacobs began his broadcasting career at Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Virginia. Announcing games for the Warriors, Victor often found himself in conflict with legendary basketball coach and BC Eagle, Darren Maynard. Maynard would frequently question Jacob's wealth and would ask him to, "Put your money up." In 1988, Jacobs arrived in Los Angeles and at KCOP-TV, where he was the station's sports Anchor. It was starting there that Jacobs' eccentric personality came to light, and was most remembered for throwing a foam brick at the camera, for anything that he disagreed with.[1] However, the "Brick" was used on his Austin, Texas sportscasts as far back as the mid-1980s. During that time, antics also included bringing a pig into the studio to publicize the University of Texas/University of Arkansas rivalry, and wearing of mascot hats of Longhorn rivals for the same reason. He signed off his Austin broadcast segment by shaking his finger and announcing, "From the nation's capitol!". Jacobs also used the phrase "You see the brick? You got the brick!" as he threw it at the TV cameras during his "Austin days". Jacobs also provided sports reports to the Rick Dees' radio program on Los Angeles' KIIS-FM in the early 1990s. Jacobs also used the phrase "You see the brick? Eat It!" on the radio. Jacobs began to approach sports reporting in a very unorthodox manner, accounting for his curious appeal and derision.

The stint at KIIS led Jacobs to help launch the new sports-talk format at KIIS's AM sister station, the newly renamed KXTA (1150 AM, now KEIB). The new station was based on the popular XTRA Sports 690 in San Diego, a sister station then-owned by Jacor Communications (now part of Clear Channel Communications). On March 10, 1997, Jacobs was first voice heard on the new XTRA Sports 1150, as a solo host of a midday program. Later on, he was teamed with NBA superstar and future Hall of Famer Karl Malone and NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw in hosting duties.

Jacobs handles traffic and has done weekly features going over L.A. Rams picks against the spread with sports radio spokesperson Jon Price during the afternoon drive segments.

The Loose Cannons

For several years, Jacobs appeared as a member of the sports radio talk show The Loose Cannons which is broadcast weekday afternoons nationally on Fox Sports Radio with show hosts Steve Hartman and former host of Access Hollywood, Pat O'Brien.

Jacobs was often mocked by fellow radio personalities and audience members because of his odd personality quirks. He was known to have an enormous collection of hats (a lot of them fur) that he wore on the air along with other fur articles of clothing he can be seen wearing at Laker home games. He wears his hair long and usually out or in a ponytail. According to Jacobs, his hair growth comes from a bet he made with Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. According to Jacobs, the bet states that Jacobs will cut his hair when Bryant retires from basketball as a member of the Lakers. He also has a large walrus mustache and muttonchops.

Feeling You!

Jacobs been credited for two popular local Los Angeles catch phrases, of which the most frequently used is Feeling You! (which can also be heard repeatedly by the myriad of audience members who call into the show). Feeling You! is meant to represent Jacobs' allegiance with the fans of the city of Los Angeles, mainly ones of the Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers and the UCLA Bruins. KLAC is the radio flagship home of the Lakers and Bruins, the former Los Angeles radio outlet for Raiders games, and during the KXTA incarnation, was the radio home of the Dodgers.

Feeling You! is the most popular phrase Jacobs brings to sports radio. This can probably be attributed to the aforementioned fact that Jacobs grew up in Queens, New York City and brings that kind of east coast flavor and attitude to broadcasting. Jacobs constantly stresses coming out of the darkness into the light, to quote another catch phrases he uses on air to describe an athlete or a caller, or sports news in general. He also frequently waxes moronic on The Loose Cannons as well, with an urban style and delivery. He often makes references to Eastern philosophies such as Zen and Bushido, and concludes each Loose Cannons broadcast with a freeform poetry recitation. Another favorite phrase is an enthusiastic "C'mon" and "C'mon, now!" as an encouragement to callers and fans.

Bamboo use

In 2008, Jacobs began to add a new, if ill-fated, facet to his quasi-warrior philosophy by bringing stalks of bamboo to Laker games. It was his contention that the Laker players, like the bamboo, needed to learn how to, "bend, not break" in their efforts to win the NBA Championship. In the fall of 2008, Jacobs extended the use of the bamboo to the UCLA football team. The Bruins' new head coach, Rick Neuheisel, not only embraced Jacobs as an unofficial mascot, but also imparted the wisdom behind the bamboo to his players. Despite his efforts, they finished the 2008 season with a record of 4-8, losing to USC by a score of 28-7 in the season finale. This was the third consecutive time the bamboo has been ineffective. The first was given to Phil Jackson before the Lakers were defeated by the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. The second time the bamboo was put in an empty locker in the Laker locker room before a game with the Detroit Pistons. (The Lakers were undefeated until that night.) Despite a record of 0-3 Jacobs still insists that it is good luck.

Los Angeles billboards

To draw listeners to Jacobs, KLAC AM 570 began a major advertising campaign of the station during the summer of 2006. It included Jacobs beaming out from large billboards plastered all over Los Angeles, appearing to weave a spell of some sort, and the words "Feelin' you!" screaming out from behind him. Jacobs demanded that Steve Hartman and Michael Thompson be used and featured in the promotion. He stated that Feelin' You! is the mantra of the show, and fans of The Loose Cannons, Thompson and Hartman should be given just as much credit or publicity. To his dismay Thompson and Hartman were left out.

Departure from The Loose Cannons

In early October, 2012, Jacobs stopped appearing on the Loose Cannons show and was removed from the show's web site on FoxSportsRadio.com. Despite widespread speculation that he was removed due to a personality conflict with co-host Pat O'Brien, the remaining hosts stated on-air that he was reassigned to cover the Los Angeles Lakers. Other sources confirmed this reassignment to cover the Lakers for the local Fox Sports Radio affiliate, KLAC.[2] O'Brien has stated on the air and on his Twitter account that this move from a nationally-distributed show to a local reporting assignment was a promotion for Jacobs and that he is now better-paid and happier.

Personal life

References

  1. 1 2 Taaffe, W. (8/3/87). "Flipped out in Fresno.". Sports Illustrated. 67 (5): 65. ISSN 0038-822X. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ↑ "Blogger". Retrieved 11 September 2014.
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