Two Friends. Thirty-Five Seasons. One Legacy.
Chris Granozio ’86 and Don Familo ’86 Reflect on What It’s Like to Take the Mic for Le Moyne Men’s Basketball
Chris Granozio ’86 and Don Familo ’86 attended their first Le Moyne basketball game in the fall of 1982 and were – by their own admission – immediately hooked. Nearly 44 years later, what began as a way for these friends to spend a winter afternoon has grown into an opportunity for them to give back to the school they love. This fall Granozio and Familo will begin their 35th season as the voices of the College’s men’s basketball team, calling games for a local radio and web audience. Of all the radio duos now providing commentary for NCAA Division I men’s basketball, only one has been doing so longer.
The graduates’ passion for using the intonation and inflection in their voices to paint a picture of what is happening on the court has guided them through nearly 1,000 broadcasts to date. That includes a regional title, a trip to the Elite 8, and a headline-grabbing upset over the nationally ranked Syracuse University Orange in 2009. The latter remains their favorite moment and memory, with their call of the game’s final seconds – and the winning shot – highlighted on ESPN’s SportsCenter that evening and the following day.
More recently, Granozio and Familo have borne witness to Le Moyne’s transition from Division II to Division I athletics, which they described as “transcendent.” This move has meant new opportunities not just for the team, which has taken on increasingly larger schools, like Villanova and Georgetown, but also for the broadcasters, who have found themselves interviewing legends like former University of Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Digger Phelps and Boston Globe sports columnist Bob Ryan during their halftime reports. They also launched their own show, Dinner with the Dolphins, in which they interview players and coaches from the men’s and women’s teams weekly throughout the season to discuss all things basketball. What’s more, they have seen the team grow exponentially without losing the sense of camaraderie and community that characterize all 22 of Le Moyne’s athletic programs.
I have always felt that we weren’t leaving Division II behind. We were taking the best of what it means to be Division II and taking it to Division I with us.”
But perhaps what this team cherishes most about its journey is how organic it has been.
“If you had asked me on Dec. 1, 1992, when we worked our first game at Pace University in a basement gym underneath the Brooklyn Bridge, how long I’d want to do this, I probably would’ve said: ‘Let’s finish out this season and see where we are after that,’ “Granozio recalled. “There was no way on Earth I could’ve predicted what that would eventually become, and I’m quite certain Don feels the same way.
Being a voice of Le Moyne basketball for all these years and being elected to the school’s [Gold Wave] Hall of Fame have been distinct honors. Announcing Dolphins games alongside a dear friend will be a part of my legacy, and I’m proud to have been partnered with my alma mater this way … This is a way we can give back that goes beyond writing a check.”
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The Le Moyne experience doesn’t end at graduation. From lifelong friendships to opportunities to stay involved and give back, Dolphins find meaningful ways to remain connected to the community they call home. It’s a connection that lasts a lifetime!
