Gold Circle - Sports
The Gold Circle is not an award, but a society of honor. It was established to recognize individuals who have devoted fifty years or more to the television industry and have made a meaningful and significant contribution to broadcasting and/or new media.
These honorees represent the spirit of innovation, passion, creativity, and commitment that are the hallmarks of excellence in the television arts and sciences. We salute them for their efforts, successes, and for the enduring mark they have made on our broadcasting communities.
The broadcast pioneers, and those who have followed, who become part of this distinguished group have had significant careers in many different aspects of the industry — engineering, management, on-air, technical, production, administration, and talent.
The Lone Star Chapter of NATAS has been honoring and celebrating our Gold Circle members since 2004.
Gold Circle Honoree
2018
Silver Circle - Sports
The Silver Circle is not an award, but a society of honor. It was established to recognize individuals who have devoted twenty-five years or more to the television industry and have made a meaningful and significant contribution to broadcasting and/or new media.
These honorees represent the spirit of innovation, passion, creativity, and commitment that are the hallmarks of excellence in the television arts and sciences. We salute them for their efforts, successes, and for the enduring mark they have made on our broadcasting communities.
The broadcast pioneers, and those who have followed, who become part of this distinguished group have had significant careers in many different aspects of the industry — engineering, management, on-air, technical, production, administration, and talent.
The Lone Star Chapter of NATAS has been honoring and celebrating our Silver Circle members since 2003.
Silver Circle Honorees
2025
2025
2025
2025
2024
2023
2019
2019
2019
2018
2018
Gold Circle Honoree
Verne Lundquist
Verne Lundquist has been blessed with all the opportunity a sportscaster could dream of covering many of the major sporting events in America for more than fifty years.
Lundquist began his career at KTBC-TV in Austin, a station owned by President and Mrs. Lyndon Johnson and quickly advanced to becoming the voice of the Dallas Cowboys (1972 – 84), where he was the sports director at WFAA-TV in Dallas for sixteen years. He won seven consecutive Texas Sportscaster of the Year Awards (1977- 83) and was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. Lundquist was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. It was the first time in the 55-year history of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame that members of the media were inducted. Lundquist was part of the inaugural class along with seven other legendary sportscasters and sports writers.
Lundquist went on to an illustrious career at CBS Sports where he continues today as a play-by-play announcer for College Football, the NCAA Tournament, and Golf.
Verne Lundquist joined CBS Sports in 1982, and during his tenure has broadcast more than 20 different sports for the Network. He is CBS Sports’ lead play-by-play announcer for college football teaming with Gary Danielson and Allie LaForce to call the popular SEC on CBS package featuring the “SEC Game of the Week.” He also is currently a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports’ coverage of NCAA basketball including the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. He was also the lead play-by-play announcer for figure skating at the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
In addition to his long career at CBS, Lundquist worked at ABC Sports from 1974-81 and three years as play-by-play announcer for TNT’s NFL, NBA, golf and figure skating coverage (1995-97).
Lundquist earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Texas Lutheran University in 1962 and received the school’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also is a member of Texas Lutheran’s Board of Regents. He lives in Steamboat Springs, Colo., with his wife, Nancy.
Silver Circle Honoree
Mike Anastassiou
Mike Anastassiou, widely known as “Mike A”, was raised in Queens, NY and began his
professional career after graduating from the University of Houston, in 1981. In the ensuing years he helped reshape the RSN media landscape transforming it into the 20 billion dollar industry it became.
In November of 1983, Home Sports Entertainment (HSE), began operations in the Southwest Region. Mike worked his way up through the production ranks and a few years later began producing and directing Houston Rockets, Astros, and a full slate of SWC collegiate and Championship events
The years to come were a period of growth. In 1988, Mike, now Sr. Producer/Director, helped launched two new RSNs, Sunshine Network in Florida and Prime Sports Network in Colorado. Two years later the group consolidated, forming Liberty Sports, and Mike added Coordinating Producer duties. Playing a key role in the launch and development of Prime Network’s national programming back drop service. As HSE grew, so did Mike’s role. In 1994 he was named Executive Producer. In his new administrative role he was now responsible for overseeing all aspects of production, creating network standards, managing budgets and developing original content.
In 1996 FOX Sports purchased the group from Liberty. Mike now in Dallas, found himself in the center of another era of explosive growth. With FOX’s commitment to sports, and production excellence, FOX Sports Southwest entered in what Mike calls the “Golden Age of Sports Broadcasting." Now Sr. Executive Producer for Fox Sports Southwest, Oklahoma and New Orleans, Mike managed the day-to-day operations of all events, studio and original content production. As well as
overseeing the field operation, crewing and engineering departments.
For the next 20 years as technology pushed the industry into the digital age Mike led the network through many structural changes. Most notably was overseeing the network’s transition from SD to HD, the adoption of a new “dual feed” production workflow, and the creation of IATSE local for the benefit of freelancers in Texas.
Mike was a passionate and determined leader who took his management role seriously. He believed in serving the needs of the network first. He believed in promoting from within by advocating for the continued growth of his staff, he believed in providing the resources, guidance, and opportunities for career development.
Mike A never lost his love for production. You could always find Mike in the truck or studio. He always loved watching his teamwork and found great satisfaction in seeing everyone’s efforts all come together to create great TV and lasting memories.
Mike has won 26 Lone Star Emmys and 10 Telly awards. He shares his success with his colleagues, staff, and freelancers. Also, with team and conference partners. But especially his wife Susan and daughter Leigh who sacrificed more weekends, holidays, and vacations than any one person should.
Silver Circle Honoree
Matt Musil
Matt Musil worked in the TV News/Sports business for 48 years. 43 ½ of those years were spent at KHOU-TV in Houston.
Matt arrived in Houston in 1980, and he spent the rest of his career covering the most important sports stories in the city. Matt got to Houston just in time to cover the Houston Astros first ever playoff team in 1980. He then covered the team all the way through the 2023 season, which included many playoff appearances and two World Series
Championships in 2017 and 2022. Matt covered the Houston Rockets first ever run to the NBA Finals in 1981. He was with them when they made the Finals again in 1986 and he was on hand in 1994 and 1995 when the Rockets won their two NBA Championships.
He covered the Rockets through the 2022-2023 season. He covered NFL football in Houston from the Luv Ya Blue days of the Houston Oilers, of Bum Phillips and Earl Campbell through the Warren Moon years
and the departure to Tennessee. When the Houston Texans became an NFL franchise, he covered the team from the lean David Carr years to the emergence of the talented C.J. Stroud. Matt was the only Houston
reporter to cover both of the Houston Dynamo’s MLS Cup Championships in 2006 and 2007. He covered all of the Houston area Olympic gold medalist athletes such as: Mary Lou Retton, Carl Lewis, Simone Biles,
Chad Hedrick and others. He also loved covering Houston area high school and college athletes and then watch them excel at the next level, like Channelview High School’s Jalen Hurts.
Matt has always been committed
to community service. For 20
years he held low cost/high
quality youth basketball camps for
kids. Offering the chance for kids
to attend specialized camps, who
otherwise couldn’t have afforded them.
Matt will host his 35th annual Charity
Golf Tournament next month. Over the past
34 years his tournament has donated $3.5 million to
Houston charities.
While at KHOU-TV, Matt also did radio play by play for
Rice University Football for 25 years and Rice University
Basketball for 15 years. He also did multiple years of TV
play by play for Raycom-TV and ESPN/Plus.
Matt graduated from Kansas State University. He
started his career in radio at KNDY AM/FM In
Marysville, Kansas. He also worked at KWNS AM/
FM in Pratt, Kansas before getting his first job in TV,
at KWCH-TV in Wichita, Kansas. He later worked at
WTVM-TV in Columbus, Georgia before moving on to
KHOU-TV.
Matt grew up on a farm outside of Frankfort, Kansas.
The population of his hometown was 1,200 and he
played every organized sport that there was. Matt
and his wife, Rachel, live in New Caney. He has two
sons, Adam and Will, a daughter, Sarah, and a step-
daughter, Allison. He also has two grandsons and one
granddaughter. After leaving the TV News/Sports
business Matt became the Communications Manager
for the Houston Parks and Recreation Department,
where he’s currently employed.
Silver Circle Honoree
Paul Melton
Paul Melton has worked in television broadcasting since 1985.
Paul began his career at KLST in San Angelo while attending Angelo State University. He would later work for the City of Fort Worth, Jeff Watts Productions, and Gameday Productions with high school sports coverage being a large part of each job along the way.
In 1999, Paul joined WFAA to launch a weekly 30-minute program called High School Sports Special. Paul oversaw production of the show in addition to shooting, writing, and editing highlights, interviews, and feature stories. High School Sports Special ended in 2024. Paul estimates that he's covered more than 5,000 high school sports events in his career.
Over the years, Paul's role at WFAA has expanded into all aspects of sports programming. Since 2023, he's held the title of Sports Photojournalist while continuing to contribute as a producer and editor.
Paul and his wife Jan have been married for over 30 years. They have one son, Britton, who was born the same week in which High School Sports Special premiered on WFAA.
Silver Circle Honoree
Newy Scruggs
NBC 5 Sports Director Newy Scruggs is a multiple Emmy Award-winning sportscaster.
NBC 5 Sports Director Newy Scruggs has been in broadcasting since 1992. Along the way, the stops have included gigs in Florence/Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Austin, Texas; Cleveland, Los Angeles and since April 2000 at
NBC 5 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
From anchoring TV sportscasts to hosting his own nationally syndicated talk show on NBC Sports Radio, from co-hosting podcasts to color-commentating on college football and basketball games, and writing for print media, Scruggs has put his hands on it and found success. He is also the author of several books.
You can catch Newy weeknights at 6 PM and 10 PM. In the fall, he hosts the Emmy Award-winning show Big Game Sunday after NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Scruggs is known as 'NewDawg.' The name came from his Omega Psi Phi Fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He was named the fraternity’s 1992 National Leadership Award winner.
Thankful for the many opportunities and awards he received, Scruggs created the Dr. Sylvester Wooten Omega Psi Phi Scholarship for fellow Chi Mu chapter members in 2007. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 1994 and served two terms on the UNCP board of trustees. The Newy Scruggs Sports Broadcasting Scholarship was established in 2003 for students pursuing careers in sports media. He invested in DFW higher education by endowing the Newy Scruggs Scholarship for Student Enrichment Opportunities at UT-Arlington.
Silver Circle Honoree
John Rhadigan
John Rhadigan is one of the longest tenured Sports Broadcasters in Texas. His
career spans 40 years; with 34 in Dallas-Fort Worth. He has been the recipient
of 10 Lone Star Emmy® Awards and 8 Texas Katy Awards.
Rhadigan started his broadcast career in the same city where he was born, Flint,
Michigan. In 1984, WJRT-TV Flint hired him as a Sports Reporter. He earned a
reputation in the small Michigan market as a funny, creative, sports kid with “big
hair.” One of Rhadigan’s very first “live shots,” was from the champagne-soaked
club house of the World Champion Detroit Tigers. He finished his 6-year run at
WJRT as Weekend Anchor.
In 1990, Rhadigan was named Sports Reporter at KXAS-TV in Dallas-Fort
Worth, and assumed the Weekend Anchor chair a few years later. Rhadigan
covered Nolan Ryan’s 6th and 7th no-hitters, and was on the air when Ryan
won a famous bench-clearing brawl with Robin Ventura in 1993. He was on the
beat for Cowboy training camps, seasons, and ultimately Super Bowl victories
in 1992, 1993, and 1995. He covered the Dallas Stars as they won the Stanley
Cup in 1999. Rhadigan traveled to Cowboy exhibition games in Tokyo, Japan and
Monterey, Mexico. He had the opportunity to travel to Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
with both Juan Gonzalez and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez to visit their hometowns. In
2000, he spent 27 days in the outback of Australia, covering the XXVII Olympics
in Sydney.
In 2001, Rhadigan was offered the lead Anchor position at FOX Sports Net,
which eventually became Bally Sports, a regional network. At FOX Sports
Net Rhadigan had the opportunity to move shows out of the studio and into
arenas, where excited fans could watch. He partnered with 2-time Stanley Cup
Champion, Craig Ludwig, to cover the Dallas Stars; with Hall of Famer, Nancy
Leiberman, to cover the Oklahoma City Thunder; and with MLB legends Mark
McLemore, Steve Buechele, and Hall of Famer, Pudge Rodriguez, to cover the
Texas Rangers.
In 2010 Rhadigan was approached by Nolan Ryan and the Rangers to become
their Play-by-Play announcer for the 2011 season. Although a short-lived gig, it
remains one of his most treasured career highlights.
Rhadigan has been blessed with a front row seat and voice to Texas sports
television history. He’s interviewed and shared the stories of Texas professional,
collegiate and Olympic sports legends, owners, players, coaches. He’s done
stories with presidents, celebrities and numerous die-hard fans. He became a
broadcaster before cell phones or social media…and was one of the few people
allowed to broadcast from an empty Globe Life Field on Opening Day 2020,
during the height of the pandemic, when the brand new stadium was filled with
cardboard cutouts instead of people.
Today, Rhadigan continues his work with a variety of teams, hosts a podcast
with Cowboys 3-time Super Bowl champion, Nate Newton, and remains in the
great state of Texas with wife, Kathy, and their grown children, McKenna and Kal.
Silver Circle Honoree
Noah Bullard
Noah Bullard’s life changed when he tried sports photography for the first time in a 1992 media technology class at Socorro High School in El Paso. The result of that eye-opening experience was an emerging passion for photojournalism and a clear natural ability to see and capture powerful and memorable video.
Now, in his 30 years as a professional photojournalist, Noah has been blessed to shoot some of the biggest and best sporting events in the world. He has been on-scene at three Olympics, three World Series, two NBA Finals, two Stanley Cup Finals — including the Dallas Stars championship run, two NCAA football national championship games, ten Super Bowls, over 400 Dallas Cowboys games, and thousands of high school sporting events.
After attending New Mexico State University, his professional journey began in his hometown of El Paso at KDBC-TV. That’s where Bullard spent three years covering high school sports and the legendary Don Haskins at UTEP. He then moved east to WAWS-TV in Jacksonville, Florida, focusing on the Jacksonville Jaguars, Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators for four years.
That is when his new home city came calling.
KDAF-TV in Dallas hired Noah to cover his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars. In 2005, KXAS-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth added Bullard to the NBC 5 team, where he continues to cover sports today with long-time sports anchor and multiple Emmy® award winner Newy Scruggs.
What sets Noah apart is his ability as a storyteller. With over 25 regional Emmy® awards, a national Edward R. Murrow award, and several regional Edward R. Murrow awards, his true gift is in creatively shooting and producing feature stories that leave an audience inspired, moved and captivated.
That creativity and love of sports should come as no surprise though. Noah’s grandfather, Augustine Quiroz, was a famous Mexican wrestler known as “El Gargantua,” He displayed memorable creativity in his occupation, teaching him to love the Dallas Cowboys at a young age. His parents, George and Micaela Bullard, also provided support and faith in his career dreams, believing he would absolutely succeed in his photography goals.
But now, 30 years later, what Noah truly believes has increased his passion for his craft and changed his life for the better is the love and support he receives from his wife, Cheryl, and two children, Lauren and Jace. They are his everything, and he works daily to make them proud.
The photojournalism journey Noah Bullard has been on throughout his thirty-year career has been nothing short of a dream come true, and he remains extremely grateful he walked into that media technology class in 1992, changing his life forever.
Silver Circle Honoree
Mike Doocy
Mike Doocy was named weeknight sports anchor at KDFW/FOX 4 in March of 1994.
Since then, he has covered some of our region’s most important sports stories. Mike was on the scene for a Mavericks NBA title, a Stars Stanley Cup victory, and two Rangers World Series appearances. He’s been around long enough to have covered a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl win!
Mike anchors FOX 4's 30 minute “Free 4 All” sports show weeknights at 10:30. He also host Sports Sunday at 10pm. Mike makes frequent appearances on FOX 4's Good Day, and hosts several sports specials through the year. On occasion, you’ll hear Mike fill in with the boys on “The Ticket,” and with Bo and Jim on “LoneStar 92.5”.
A native of Bancroft, Iowa (pop 750), Mike began his career in college radio at his alma mater, the University of Iowa. His early radio jobs included stops in Webster City IA and Topeka KS.
After moving into television, Mike worked for stations in LaCrosse, WI and Cedar Rapids, IA.
Mike and his wife Ruth are the parents of two daughters, Christina and Laura.
Mike is proud of his association with many fine public service organizations, including Citizens Development Center, Shrine Children’s Hospitals, Marine Corps Toys for Tots and March of Dimes.
Silver Circle Honoree
Jose Gant
Jose Gant has been a staple of the WFAA sports department for the past 4 decades. He has served as photographer, editor, assignment editor, producer, field producer and assistant sports director over this span. There’s not a person in the market that knows as much about the North Texas’ sports scene, and is known (and loved) by as many athletes and coaches, former and current, as Jose. His nickname is the Mayor of Dallas/Fort Worth Sports Media.
No one can compete with Jose when it comes to mapping out the important stories and logistics that go into our sports coverage on any given day. While at WFAA, Jose has served as producer for the legendary sports anchors, and silver-circle members, Dale Hansen and Verne Lundquist.
Jose has covered Super Bowls, NBA Finals, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals.
Jose was part of the WFAA Sports team that broke the 1987 SMU Death Penalty Scandal that earned both a Peabody and duPont-Columbia Award. He continues to both shoot and produce award-winning sports content to this day.
After starting his career in Shreveport, LA in 1974, Jose moved to WFAA in 1980. He has been a true difference maker in sports coverage in the Dallas/Fort Worth market in those four decades. And he continues to be the ultimate team player with more connections than the most-sourced reporters.
Jose is a proud husband, father and grandfather.
Silver Circle Honoree
Arnold Payne
Arnold Payne is widely known among his peers as one of the most talented sports photojournalists in the country. He has a unique eye for the story behind the story and has covered sports across the globe. Arnold started at KTBS-TV in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1979 before moving to WFAA in Dallas in 1980.
Over the past 4 decades at WFAA, Arnold has covered 13 Super Bowls, multiple NBA Finals, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. He has shot just about every Dallas Cowboys football game, home and away, for more than 30 years… dating back to the Tom Landry era.
The images “AP” captured the day the Cowboys practice facility collapsed are still hard to believe. Showing “it’s never too late to reinvent yourself,” Arnold shot, produced, wrote and for the first time ever, reported a story in 2017. The feature was on amputee boxer, Roy Martin III and Arnold was honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award as a reporter.
Not only has he shot thousands of stories that have aired on WFAA, he has also shot and produced many award winning documentaries, including: Emmitt Smith – On Route 22, The Landry Legacy and Valley Ranch – If These Walls Could Talk.
Arnold has received at least 21 Regional Emmy® Awards, multiple regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, an NATPE Iris Award and 4 Barbara Jordan Awards among other honors.
Arnold is the proud father of two, Pamela & Stephen. And if it’s true that the smallest things take up the most room in your heart, it’s his four grandkids Kyra, Kruze, Olivia and Grant, that he says, fulfills a space that he never knew was empty.
Silver Circle Honoree
Lee Baker
Lee Baker is the longest serving sports anchor in Amarillo and has been in the market for nearly 35 years.
Born and raised in Indiana, Baker joined the U.S. Navy after graduating high school and served in the Vietnam war in the Naval intelligence and communications fields. He continues working with veterans through the Texas Panhandle chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.
After his enlistment was up, Baker graduated from Indiana University. He started working in TV in Farmington, New Mexico – in a market that doesn’t exist anymore.
For more than fifteen years running, Baker has been voted “Favorite Sportscaster” by the community in a survey the local paper puts out, including a spot in that Hall of Fame. This is because of his dedication to the kids in the area – not just to tell their stories in their respective sports, but to tell what they do in the classroom and their communities.
In addition to working every day, Baker quietly volunteers in the community. He’s worked with Kids Inc., a local sports organization for children and the Lions Club to serve the viewers in a different way.
Among his many awards, one of his favorites was being named “Sports Dude” of the year by the Amarillo Gorillas hockey team. He’s also spoken numerous times to GED graduates at the Amarillo prison through their education program.
His wife, Velma, has put up with him for 22 years. He has two daughters and two beautiful granddaughters who are the light of his life.
Silver Circle Honoree
Don Harris
Don Harris is the EMMY® award-winning weekday Sports Anchor and Sports Director for News 4 San Antonio. He celebrates 28 years with the station.
Don was most recently honored with three Associated Press awards in 2017. He was singled out for his best commentary, best sports special and sportscast. He is a multiple EMMY® winner and nominee for his sports anchoring, storytelling and commentaries. He has won numerous awards from the Texas A.P. Broadcasters for best sportscast and best sports story. The News 4 San Antonio Sports department was also honored in the TV Special category for their “Race For The Rings” Spurs Specials. He has been honored numerous times by the Texas A.P. Broadcasters for Best Editorial/Commentary for his “Don’s Extra Point.”
He also serves as the TV play by play voice of UTSA Football and “Thursday Night Lights,” a local live high school football broadcast.
Harris is actively involved in the San Antonio community. He is a recipient of the prestigious Edna McGaffey Media Excellence Award by the San Antonio Express-News and the local chapter of American Women in Communications for his work on the air and in the community.
In 1998 Harris started the Don Harris Golf Classic, a golf tournament benefiting the Arthritis Foundation and The Family Service Association. Many top local sports celebrities have taken part helping to raise over a million dollars for local children. The tournament has grown into the “Don Harris/Harvey Najim Golf Tournament for Kids” and raised over a million dollars over the years for the San Antonio Family Service Association, The Autism Treatment Center, S.A. Youth and the First Tee Of San Antonio. Harris also serves on the board of the Harvey E. Najim Family Foundation and San Antonio Sports. Both are actively involved in improving the lives of children in San Antonio.
Harris works closely with two other local charities. He is on the advisory board of the Miracle League of San Antonio and of Slam Dunk for Life.
Harris has covered many major sporting events during his 28 years at News 4 San Antonio, including numerous Super Bowls, Final Fours and all five Spurs World Championships. News 4 WOAI’s Race for the Rings (Spurs pregame and postgame shows) were among the highest rated shows in San Antonio television history.
In 2000, Don launched “Sports Sunday” – a unique version of a weekly sports show that climbed to the top of the local ratings.
Harris made broadcasting history when he became the first and only broadcaster to host a live radio sports talk show and anchor a live television sportscast – simultaneously!
He has been named as one of the San Antonio Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” rising stars in the local community, and was named “Best Talk Radio host” by the San Antonio Current readers’ poll.
Harris is married to wife Julie, who, like Don, attended San Antonio’s Churchill High School and the University of North Texas. They have two sons, Landry and Grant.