2003 Emcee - Spencer Tillman
Tonight's master of ceremonies, Spencer Tillman, is no stranger to the state of Oklahoma. His football and broadcast careers started here.
Tillman, a native Tulsan, graduated from Edison High School. He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he acquired two degrees (Journalism and Communications) while making a name for himself in football.
As an OU scholar-athlete and All-American running back between 1982 and 1986, he made some amazing memorable performances during his four seasons with the Sooners. In 1982, he was named UPI Player of the Year of the Big Eight Conference. In 1983, he was named Big Eight Football Newcomer of the Year and placed fifth for the Heisman Trophy. In 1985, he lead his team as captain to the national championship title. He ended his college football career as MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 1987 Orange Bowl. An outstanding ride for a young man who was well on his way to football stardom.
While advancing on the field, Tillman also made strides in his broadcast career. He hosted two radio sports talk shows and was reporter/anchor for Radio PM magazine in Oklahoma City.
His professional football career started in 1987 when he was drafted by the Houston Oilers, where he played for two seasons (1987 - 88) and then for another three seasons (1991 - 94).
During the 1989 season, Tillman was traded to the San Francisco 49'ers who won the Super Bowl championship. He served as team captain for two years. In 1991 he was traded back to the Houston Oilers where he finished his career in 1994.
Tillman has been working on a post football career as far back as while he was at Edison. He has always been an avid reader, commonly reading two books at a time, and has put an emphasis on words. "Athletes don't have the greatest reputations as far as being able to articulate," he said, "Much of it is justified and some of it is indicative of the pedestal we place athletes on in society. They become role models by virtue of athletic prowess, which is ridiculous."
After being drafted in 1987 by the Oilers, Tillman was employed as a reporter by KPRC-TV in the Houston area during the seven-month off season, then was sports anchor for ten years. Tillman went on to work at New York City's television station, WABC from 1997 - 99. Today hes at CBS as lead studio analyst for College Football Today with both pre-game and halftime shows, and studio host for NFL Sunday Ticket. Tillman has led audiences through sports lineups, replays and certainly sports history.
We're delighted to have Spencer back home to lead us through one of the nation's most notable sports awards events&the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Awards.
