Jan. 15, 2010

PHOTO GALLERY

Check Out Ronald's Chat

The Siena men's basketball team enjoyed a two hour tour of ESPN Studios in Bristol, Conn. Friday afternoon, rubbing elbows with on-air personalities and exploring the back stage operations of the sprawling media giant's headquarters.

The team was divided into two groups upon arrival and senior point guard Ronald Moore was ushered off for an internet chat, becoming the first college basketball player this season to be featured in ESPN's chat series.

The tour included visits to several studios, including an on-set appearance during the filming of Sports Center and NFL Live. Sports Center anchor Jay Harris invited several players on set to pose with him for photographs.

One group sent time chatting with talk show host Doug Gottlieb, while the other met Scott Van Pelt who complimented the team's recent rise to national prominence and suggested the program was close to becoming a "Gonzaga of the East." Other notable encounters included a visit to the Baseball Tonight studios where Karl Ravech and Buster Olney were filming Baseball Tonight and a John Clayton sighting during a taping for a Sports Center segment. NFL Live's Mark Schlereth also stopped to chat with the group.

The tour was put in place with the help of freshman manager Joe Stinton, whose father Michael is a producer for the network.

Siena plays Fairfield in Bridgeport Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.