To use a sports cliché, David Schiele's tweet on Sunday, Nov. 4 was a Hail Mary.
The Georgia State University senior took to Twitter to showcase a highlight reel of his experience as a university sports reporter in 2018.
After only four days, it's clear that "Deacon" David Schiele's unconventional decision paid off. His video has been viewed more than two million times, more than 60,000 people have retweeted his plea for a sports anchor job and thousands of individuals — including a handful of professional sports reporters — have sent him encouraging messages recognizing his talent. A few stations have even contacted him with potential job opportunities.
Before David reaches ESPN stardom, I reached out to understand where his passion for sports comes from, to discover whose Twitter comment had the biggest impact on him and to see if he'd be willing to make a bold sports-related prediction.
When it comes to David, one thing is for sure: He no longer has to worry about being unemployed this December.
20 questions with David Schiele
1 - How would you describe yourself in one sentence?
David - A God-fearing man, with a passion for sports and telling stories.
2 - How old were you when you knew you wanted to become a sports reporter?
David - Sports broadcasting became my passion in the 8th grade. I was on the football team at the time and I was the backup’s backup. Also, I talked on the sideline…a lot. I literally stood off to the side and did play-by-play.
So, fast-forward to a moment when I was on the phone with my aunt one afternoon. She asked how football season was going and I said, “Good, but I don’t really play. I mostly just pretend to commentate on the sideline.” Her response to me changed my life, although it was only 5 words. “Just like a sports journalist?”
I Googled what that was and what I found was amazing. I knew it was what I wanted to do, and I’ve relentlessly pursued it since.
3 - Who is your favorite sports reporter/anchor?
David - My favorite sports anchors are Elle Duncan, Tiffany Blackmon and Steve Wyche. My favorite commentators are Gus Johnson, Kevin Harland, and Wes Durham.
4 - Your recent Twitter highlight reel was viewed 2 million times and received more than 60,000 Retweets. What was your reaction when you observed how much attention that video was getting?
David - I was shocked. I still am, truthfully. I was at work when it really started to take off so I had plenty to catchup on when I clocked out.
5 - Quite a few successful sports reporters and anchors responded to your tweet by explaining that you have what it takes to make it. Of all the responses you've received, which was your favorite?
David - Easily, Robin Roberts. She’s a living legend. At the NABJ conference in 2017, she told me she liked my bow tie. I nearly fainted then. Skip to this year and she sees my reel, retweets it, says I have what it takes and then follows me. I’m still in shock.
6 - Have you had any job offers yet?
David - I’ve had a few news directors reach out and tell me about openings at their stations. I’ve emailed them and am in the process of setting up interviews.
7 - Considering this experience (and the power of social media), what role do you think social media networks play in the current sports reporting environment?
David - News is immediate, and Twitter is the perfect platform for immediacy. The downside to this comes from folks trying so hard to be first that they give out false information.
8 - You've gone out of your way to respond to most (if not all) of the comments under your Tweet. Why do you feel this is important?
David - Every single person who saw my reel on their timeline did not have to watch it, retweet it or respond at all. Yet, they did. I am forever grateful to all of them and I wanted to make sure they knew that. Many of my retweets came from people who probably don’t have sports media connections, and some of them said they didn’t think their retweet mattered. Well, I want those folks to know that it did matter.
9 - What was your most memorable moment during your time at Georgia State's student-run sportscast, PrimeTime Sportz?
David - The 2017-2018 men’s basketball season was an absolute roller coaster ride and I was there for the whole thing. That year, I saw our team walk into McCamish Pavilion and beat the NIT runner-up Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in an exhibition game. From there, the regular season got rocky at times. The losses against Liberty, Troy, UL-Monroe and Georgia Southern really stick out. They were ugly. The Panthers didn’t win the regular season Sun Belt title, but there was this quiet confidence around them that nobody would stop them in the Sun Belt tournament.
With that attitude, they traveled to New Orleans (and I followed them) and wreaked havoc in the conference tournament. They took down Troy, who handled Georgia State the previous 3 times they did battle. They beat their arch rival Georgia Southern in the second round. Then they took down top-seeded UT-Arlington to win the Sun Belt championship and punch their ticket to the big dance.
I followed the Panthers to Nashville where they matched up against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first round of the NCAA tournament. They lost 68-53, but the players were all smiles in the locker room. And so was I, because I saw those guys fight their tails off to get there.
10 - What is the most important thing you've learned throughout your journalism studies?
David - If this is what you want to do, then do it. My reel didn’t come from a class or by just being a journalism major. I was a member of Georgia State’s student-run TV station for three years (two years as sports director) and spent most of my free time in that office, working on my craft. There were days where I went to games and returned to the office to edit the highlights, losing many hours of sleep. The goal was to have a reel that can compete with the thousands of other reels a news director will get in their inbox. Sleep had to wait.
11 - You minored in African-American studies as well. What was your biggest takeaway from those studies, and how will this education strengthen you as a sports reporter?
David - I was taught to look at things through a certain lens. Most of those classes involved critical thinking and deep conversations. Critical thinking skills are vital in sports media, because it can lead to some good stories.
12 - What sports are your favorite to cover?
David - Football is my favorite sport to cover; however, I’d like to do more hockey because I enjoy that sport as well.
13 - What sports do you personally play?
David - I played football and basketball growing up. Now, I stick to playing sports that involve having a PlayStation controller in my hand.
14 - Which current sports team is your favorite?
David - I cheer for all of the Atlanta teams (Falcons, Hawks, Braves, United and Dream). A lot of heartbreak, but it’s where I’m from so I stick with them. I also root for the Georgia Bulldogs for college football and will always have an affinity for Georgia State basketball. I am also a huge Nashville Predators fan.
15 - Who is your favorite athlete?
David - Growing up, nobody was greater than Michael Vick. I imitated everything I saw him do on TV. Now, I really don’t have a favorite athlete. If I had to pick one, it’d be Julio Jones. The guy is a monster.
16 - If you could attend any sporting event, what would it be and why?
David - I’ll throw a curveball here and say WrestleMania. I’m a big wrestling fan and have been to 12 shows, but never the grandest stage of pro wrestling. I want to attend WrestleMania one day.
17 - In your opinion, what is the greatest sports play of all time?
David - This is a tough question. I’ll say the helmet catch in Super Bowl 42, because it was such an improbable play that was made by an unknown player. It led the Giants to taking down the undefeated Patriots, which is still an amazing story.
18 - What is one bold sports-related prediction you're willing to make?
David - The Nashville Predators will hoist the Stanley Cup this year and nobody will laugh at the banner they raise next season.
19 - You get to have dinner with three people, living or dead. Who are you eating with?
David - President Obama, The Rock and T-Pain. I think all three of these guys have wisdom gained from their own fields that I can soak up and use in my field.
20 - What is one thing very few people know about you?
David - I used to be a valet in metro Atlanta.
I look forward to keeping a close eye on David's career as it's clear he has a bright future ahead of him.
As always, thanks to all of you for taking the time to read.
Who would you like to see me throw 20 questions at? Drop me a comment below and I'll work on setting up the interview.
If you like what you read, be sure to follow my blog!
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