Mike Bristol

Bristol is the host and founder of “Inside High School Sports” on ESPN Radio 97.7 and 100.1. For 11 years IHSS has covered high school sports in Section 3 and around the state of New York. Mike is also creator and host of ESPN’s, “Syracuse Legends Show”.

Mike is the official publicist and marketing manager for Syracuse University head basketball coach Jim Boeheim and his wife Juli, and a project manager for NY Knicks star and Syracuse-great Carmelo Anthony. Bristol is also active in the fight against cancer as a marketing coordinator for Coaches vs. Cancer.

Bristol’s work with Boeheim and Anthony extends to fundraising. He directs the fundraising for the Jim Boeheim Foundation and is the project manager for Carmelo Anthony and Boeheim’s “Courts for Kids” project. Bristol also works closely on fundraising for the Carmelo Anthony Foundation.

Mike’s ties to Syracuse University extend past Boeheim and Anthony. He represents Syracuse lacrosse coach John Desko and he is currently working with Assistant SU Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Hopkins and former Syracuse basketball star Gerry McNamara on projects and endorsements.

Mike also has more than a decade of professional sports broadcasting experience in radio, television and online. Besides ESPN, his voice has been heard on Time Warner Sports and Syracuse.com. Mike has also provided play-by-play coverage of high school playoffs in New York State for the sports of football, basketball and lacrosse.

The SUNY Brockport graduate (Class of 1997) has been responsible for creating some of the best and most exciting marketing campaigns in Central New York, working with both national companies and local charities to get their message out. Mike’s “7 Enterprises” Sports Marketing Firm helps companies create advertising campaigns and reaches out to celebrity athletes and coaches for speaking engagements, appearances and endorsement opportunities.

In his spare time, Bristol is an accomplished singer and musician with the band New Day, a very successful musical group that has played all over Syracuse and New York State (www.newdayband.com). Bristol’s song “Lost Girl” is going to be featured on the “Lost Girls” soundtrack. They wrote a travel memoir published by Harper Collins, and the movie rights were bought by Warner Bros.

The Marcellus alum (Class of 1993) brings passion and enthusiasm to the ESPN microphone as the host of Inside High School Sports and Syracuse Legends. He has assembled a talented and enthusiastic supporting cast that continues to put both shows at the top. He entertains listeners and delivers a positive message to the high school sports and Syracuse community year after year.

Damien Rhodes

Damien went to Syracuse University on a football scholarship I 2002. He went on to set a Syracuse Freshman Game record with 84 yards and 2TDs in his first career game against BYU. He scored the game winner in a triple overtime thriller, against then #8 Virginia Tech.

His sophomore year was cut short after, 3 games, breaking his ankle at Virginia Tech.

In his junior season, Damien earned All-Big East honors. He led the team in rushing with 870 yards and 10 TDs. He, and running back mate Walter Reyes, became the first backs since 1979 (Joe Morris and Bill Hurley) to each rush for over 800 yards in a season. He led the Orange with 1,373 all-purpose yards. Damien ran for over 100 yards four times, and over 200 yards and 3TDs against Temple.

In the final, regular season game against Boston College, Damien scored on the first play from scrimmage (69 TD). He had 107 yards in 1 quarter before injuring his knee. Syracuse went on to win and claim a Big East Champion ship.

Damien’s senior year as a team didn’t go the way anyone had planned. He led the team with 900 yards rushing and 7Tds. He had a career best 236 yards (16 yards shy of breaking Joe Morris school record) rushing and 4 TDs against Buffalo. At Notre Dame, later that season, Damien rushed for 112 yards in a losing effort. He left Syracuse, at the time, third in career all-purpose plays , fifth in all-purpose yards, seventh in rushing touchdowns, ninth in career rushing, all in 3 season.

Damien played briefly in the NFL with the Houston Texans. In his first preseason game, Damien was able to score a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. After leaving Houston, Damien played a season in the NFL Europa in Germany.

A native of Manlius, NY, Damien graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School where he was an All-American Running Back and All-State Sprinter. He helped lead F-M to their first AA Championship in 2001, where he was named the CNY Player of the Year. He won in the 55m Section Championship in 2001, and 2002, and the 100 and 200 meter Championship in 2002.

After football, Damien has started a great professional career. As a professional he brings experience from a diverse financial services background, as well as leadership and team building skills from his football days. He is the Business Development Director for N.Y. for Midwestern Securities Trading Company. He manages Investment programs, and the program Advisor, for Financial Institutions in NY State. He also works with individuals and business for their own investing or advising needs.

Sports hasn’t left Damien as he is the Head Football Coach at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, where he took over for long time great Paul Muench. He also coaches sprinters in outdoor track.
In the spring and summer months, you are sure to find Damien on a local golf courses across CNY