Vic Jacobs - Early Years

Early Years

Jacobs grew up on the streets of Queens, New York. He is a graduate of Cornell University, and got his start in broadcasting in Guam, back in 1979. Jacobs also had other sports broadcasting stints, working at KTVV (now KXAN-TV), in Austin, Texas, KMPH-TV in Fresno, California, and radio and television outlets in Phoenix, Arizona. Jacobs began his broadcasting career at Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Virginia. Announcing games for the Warriors, Victor often found himself in conflict with legendary basketball coach and BC Eagle, Darren Maynard. Maynard would frequently question Jacob's wealth and would ask him to, "Put your money up." In 1988, Jacobs arrived in Los Angeles and at KCOP-TV, where he was the station's sports Anchor. It was starting there that Jacobs' eccentric personality came to light, and was most remembered for throwing a foam brick at the camera, for anything that he disagreed with. However, the "Brick" was used on his Austin, Texas sportscasts as far back as the mid-1980s. During that time, antics also included bringing a pig into the studio to publicize the University of Texas/University of Arkansas rivalry, and wearing of mascot hats of Longhorn rivals for the same reason. He signed off his Austin broadcast segment by shaking his finger and announcing, "From the nation's capitol!". Jacobs also used the phrase "You see the brick? You got the brick!" as he threw it at the TV cameras during his "Austin days". Jacobs also provided sports reports to the Rick Dees' radio program on Los Angeles' KIIS-FM in the early 1990s. Jacobs also used the phrase "You see the brick? Eat It!" on the radio. Jacobs began to approach sports reporting in a very unorthodox manner, accounting for his curious appeal and derision.

The stint at KIIS led Jacobs to help launch the new sports-talk format at KIIS's AM sister station, the newly-renamed KXTA (1150 AM, now KTLK). The new station was based on the popular XTRA Sports 690 in San Diego, a sister station then-owned by Jacor Communications (now part of Clear Channel Communications). On March 10, 1997, Jacobs was first voice heard on the new XTRA Sports 1150, as a solo host of a midday program. Later on, he was teamed with NBA superstar and future Hall of Famer Karl Malone and NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw in hosting duties.