Weber leads broadcasters in coverage of 07 Shrine Bowl

WEBER LEADS BROADCASTERS IN

COVERAGE OF 2007 SHRINE BOWL

Veteran Kansas sportscaster Stan Weber will reach a milestone when he provides color commentary during the telecast of the 34th Kansas Shrine Bowl on July 28th. It will be Weber's 20th broadcast of a Shrine Bowl game, including nine on radio, eleven on television.

Weber is himself a former Shrine Bowl player, a member of the West squad in 1980 that beat the East 30-15 at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. Weber was named Most Valuable Player, tossing two touchdown passes and scoring one TD himself. He's a long-time color commentator on Kansas State University football radio broadcasts, and provides color commentary for both radio and television during the Wildcat basketball season.

This year, Weber will again team up with play-by-play announcer Mark Ewing, who will be calling his 7th Kansas Shrine Bowl. Ewing is Sports Director at WIBW-TV in Topeka. Former Kansas State University and Kansas City Chiefs player J.J. Smith will join Weber and Ewing as a sideline reporter.

The game will be carried for the 4th straight year on a network of public television stations in Kansas. The network includes KTWU, Topeka; KPTS, Wichita; and KOOD, Bunker Hill.

The 2007 game will also be broadcast on a statewide radio network of 12 stations, with WIBW-AM in Topeka serving as the flagship station. The radio broadcasters will include the team of Bruce Steinbrock and Mark Elliott. Together, they cover Washburn University football and basketball for WIBW. Steinbrock is the play-by-play voice of the Washburn University Ichabods football and basketball teams, with Elliott providing color commentary. The two switch roles for Washburn Lady Blues basketball, with Elliott calling the games, and Steinbrock providing the color.

The radio broadcast will feature a reporter on each sideline. Greg Akagi, farm reporter for WIBW-AM, who also reports on many sports events throughout the year, will report from the sidelines for the 13th time. Reports from the opposite sideline will come from Dave Riggert, sports director for KSAL radio in Salina.

Shrine Bowl network radio stations will included KINZ-FM, Chanute; KSSH-FM, Dodge City; KOMB-FM, Ft. Scott; KKCI-FM; Goodland, KKQY-FM, Hays; KNZA, Hiawatha; KXKU, Hutchinson; KMAN, Manhattan; KKOW-AM, Pittsburg; KSAL-AM, Salina; WIBW-AM, Topeka; and KULY-AM, Ulysses.

For his part, Weber says he's honored to be part of the Kansas Shrine Bowl tradition. "Every since my first experience with the Shrine Bowl as a player in 1980 I have been impressed by the Shiners' work," he says. "Being on the winning team and the MVP in the 1980 Shrine Bowl game is one of my top personnel moments as an athlete. But visiting the Shrine Hospital in St. Louis and seeing the incredible contribution the Shriners make to the lives of children and realizing that our strong legs are running so their weak legs can walk is an even greater highlight in my life. Dave Mize, his staff, and the Kansas Shriners should be congratulated for putting on such a first class event each year."

Proceeds from the event support the Shriner's Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 hospitals that provide expert, no-cost orthopedic and burn care to children under 18. Children are admitted totally free to Shriners Hospitals for Children without regard for race, religion, nationality, creed, or relationship to a Shriner.

The 2007 Kansas Shrine Bowl will be the most family-friendly ever, with several events taking place during the day. Planned events include a 5K Run for Charity, a day-long Arts and Crafts Fair, a Kid's Fair, the annual Kansas Shrine Bowl Parade, a high school football combine, and a Charity Poker Run that will include cash and prizes.

Advance reserved chairback tickets for the all-star game are $20.00 in advance, $21.00 on game night. Adult general admission tickets are $9.00 in advance, $10.00 on game night. Student tickets (K-12) are $5.00 in advance, $6.00 on game night. Banquet tickets are $20.00, and must be purchased in advance. Additional information and tickets can be purchased through the Shrine Bowl office by calling 1-800-530-5524.