WKAR is expanding its sports programming with a new TV special.
"Beyond the Score" explores the intersection of sports and society and is hosted by WKAR's Al Martin.
Martin is no stranger to sports reporting. He previously hosted WKAR’s "Current Sports" for 10 years and contributes regularly to our radio programming.
WKAR's Megan Schellong spoke to Al Martin about what to expect from his latest TV special.
Interview Highlights
On the inspiration behind "Beyond the Score"
I always thought to myself, what if we took that format, like a "Real Sports," where they do these in-depth future stories and you get to know these athletes, not just for touchdowns and slam dunks, but really get to know who they are as human beings. What if we took that format, but also made it look cinematic, right? Gave it that feel. It's always been a big idea that I've never gotten the chance to do at WKAR until this year.
On how it felt to say goodbye to "Current Sports"
Change is inevitable, and especially in the world that we live in, this journalism world that we live in today, you have to embrace change because the way that we consume our news is always shifting. So even though it was bittersweet to say goodbye, I certainly missed the regular callers and guests that we had on the show throughout those 10 years. I am very excited about this opportunity.
On the story he's most excited for
I think our flagship story, Meg, is a story entitled "Kneel To Knockout" that centers on Michael Lynn III. He's a former quarterback for Lansing Catholic High School, and he decided to take a knee to protest racial inequality back in the day, he was met with some very harsh realities because of that decision.
Interview Transcript
Megan Schellong: WKAR is expanding its sports programming with a new tv special.
“Beyond the Score” explores the intersection of sports and society, and it’ll be hosted by our very own, Al Martin.
Al is no stranger to sports reporting. He previously hosted WKAR’s “Current Sports” and contributes regularly to our radio programming.
Al joins us now to discuss what’s beyond the score.
Al, thanks for joining us.
Al Martin: (Laughs) I like that. Hello Meg.
Schellong: Hey, so tell us where did the inspiration for the show come from? And why is it called “Beyond the Score”?
Martin: That's a really good question. You know, when I first came to WKAR, really the seed was planted then, Meg. My background is in television. And you know, I had always been fascinated and just really captivated by shows like "VICE News," ESPN’s "30 for 30," and my favorite sports show of all time, "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel."
And I always thought to myself, what if we took that format, like a "Real Sports," where they do these in-depth future stories and you get to know these athletes, not just for touchdowns and slam dunks, but really get to know who they are as human beings. What if we took that format, but also made it look cinematic, right? Gave it that feel. It's always been a big idea that I've never gotten the chance to do at WKAR until this year.
Schellong: That's amazing. I'm so excited to watch it. And I've been seeing a lot of the social media teases and reels that you've been posting. Going back to "Current Sports," you hosted that show for us on the radio for nearly a decade. Was it difficult to say goodbye?
Martin: No doubt. You know, it's funny, you asked that question because I am sitting in the exact same chair right now in the exact same posture in which I would host that show every weekday from one to two o'clock. Look, Meg, you do something for a whole decade.
Schellong: Yeah.
Martin: Of course, it's going to become a part of you in your DNA. But I will say also, change is inevitable, and especially in the world that we live in, this journalism world that we live in today, you have to embrace change because the way that we consume our news is always shifting.
So even though it was bittersweet to say goodbye, I certainly missed the regular callers and guests that we had on the show throughout those 10 years. I am very excited about this opportunity because it just presents a different challenge, if you will. It allows me to kind of stretch myself in different ways that I previously haven't been stretched. So yeah, bittersweet for sure.
Schellong: Definitely. And speaking of embracing change, what can people expect from “Beyond the Score”? What stories are you most excited to share?
Martin: Definitely, yes, we have three stories in this special that will be airing tonight. One is centered on pickleball, the pickleball boom.
Schellong: I love it.
Martin: Right? I didn't know how wild the pickleball boom was previously before doing the story. And I tell you what, I got the message very quick, Meg. And what I want you to hear right now is just a quick snippet.
This is Kathy Deshambo, the director of Parks and Rec for the City of East Lansing along with members of the Patriarche Park Pickleball Association, Gary Beaudoin and Rick Coy discussing the growth here in the East Lansing area when it comes to the sport of pickleball.
Kathy Deshambo: When we started this, I think the original pickleball court out here was done with tape and we were approached, you know, hey, we want pickleball could we do this?
Gary Beaudoin and Rick Coy: We decided to form a nonprofit. We raised $170,000. This is as close as anybody in the region has at the moment and we're not done yet.
Deshambo: Eventually, we split the cost of just a couple of courts so that they could start playing.
Martin: And then I think our flagship story, Meg, is a story entitled "Kneel To Knockout" that centers on Michael Lynn III. He's a former quarterback for Lansing Catholic High School, and he decided to take a knee to protest racial inequality back in the day, he was met with some very harsh realities because of that decision. And actually, here's him describing his decision to kneel and the conversation that he had with his parents about that decision.
Michael Lynn III: I get tackled to the ground and as I'm standing up, I flipped the ball to the ref and I hear "f*** you monkey" and monkey noises. I was like in disbelief. I've never dealt with it.
Michael Lynn III’s mother: It was like the way he was talking to us about it was such conviction, such passion, in fact that he brought this to us like we had never had a conversation about that. And then he walked us through, “like no, this has been on my mind for a while now.”
Martin: And what's interesting about that story, Megan, I think that's our flagship. No, I don't think I know that is our flagship story. If there is any story that exemplifies what "Beyond the Score” is all about it is certainly "Kneel to Knockout." And what's interesting about that story, what we want to really focus on with that story is an athletic transition that Michael Lynn III has made, I'll just say that that's called the tease.
Schellong: Well, Al, I’m so excited to watch. Al Martin is WKAR’s sports reporter and host of "Beyond the Score."
It premieres tonight at 8:30 on WKAR-TV 23.1 and streaming.
Thanks Al.
Martin: Thank you so much, Meg.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.