Tom Gelehrter Leaving The University Of Cincinnati

Do you remember a time when you’d peruse the GoBearcats website, toggle over to the section that houses UC’s media content, and not see Tom Gelehrter’s face on just about every thumbnail? When he wasn’t standing next to UC’s football or basketball coaches, an up-and-coming player, or a seasoned veteran to get the run down on the team? When he wasn’t on your TV during Cincinnati’s exhibition games against Nobody Cares State?

I know I can’t.

Tommy G, as he’s been playfully called by his legion of fans for the last nine years while leading UC’s Media and Broadcasting staff, has literally been the face of Bearcats athletics during the modern age. Coaches and players have come and gone but he’s been the mark of consistency for the last decade.

Now that era is coming to an end. Tom will be leaving the University of Cincinnati for bigger and brighter things, as he announced via his Twitter account this morning.

Personally, I’m not even sure who preceded Tommy G or how robust UC’s Audio/Visual department was prior to him coming to the school in 2006. It’s a good bet it wasn’t nearly like it is today.

Over the last decade the Bearcats’ media department has evolved from a few interviews here and there to coverage for every single sport, complete with live streams and even flying video drones. What was once just an amalgamation of random videos has been transformed into a behemoth of athletics coverage under the “Bearcats TV” name. Much of that was driven by Tom’s leadership, who instilled change and innovation within the department to broadcast the UC brand far and wide.

That’s the legacy he leaves behind at Cincinnati.

I’m not sure what’s next for the one I’ve dubbed “The Man Behind The Mic”. Tom be around the school, which is obviously great news, but just working for a private firm. I’d be curious if that winds up being WLWT (NBC affiliate) or WKRC (CBS affiliate) who don’t have a reporter devoted to Bearcats coverage. Or Fox Sports is looking for some new blood to compliment Kevin Goheen, as Tommy G is perhaps giving away above.

As for his successor, well that’s also unclear. One thing’s for sure though, he or she will have massive shoes to fill. And that’s not just because of the enormous shoes the six-foot-infinity Gelehrter plods around in everyday. Tommy G left behind a legacy of top notch UC coverage. His interviews always had the right balance of entertaining and informative, toting the line perfectly between giving the people what they need and giving them what they want.

Luckily he also left behind an army of hard working, energetic future reporters. They will surely pick up much of the slack in his absence. Still, I’d be curious to learn who UC tabs as Tom Gelehrter’s replacement to head the entire Media and Broadcasting department.