X GAMES AUSTIN 2014 TELEVISION TALENT BIOS Hosts/Commentators Brandon Graham Brandon Graham joins X Games Austin 2014 as co-host and serves as play-by-play commentator for select skateboard events. The Bay Area native grew up skating and surfing without any idea that an actual career in this industry would be the result. That changed in 1999, when at 14 years old he witnessed his first X Games at Pier 32 in San Francisco. As a college intern at ESPN Radio, Graham was asked to cover the X Games in 2006 on behalf of the station. This content would eventually serve as the basis for Late Night Action, ESPN's first action sports radio show, hosted by Graham. Along the way, he became the host of X Games digital content, including Inside X and the Athlete Chat Series. Graham was then hand-picked by Rob Dyrdek to become the new play-by-play voice of Street League Skateboarding on ESPN2, before tackling the same duties for X Games in 2013, working alongside Tony Hawk calling Men’s and Women’s Skateboard Street. Brandon received a degree in journalism from California Lutheran University in 2008. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Nadia. Louie Vito Snowboard SuperPipe competitor Louie Vito will serve alongside Brandon Graham as co-host of X Games Austin 2014. Hailing from Bellefontaine, Ohio, Vito attended and graduated from the respected Stratton Mountain School for snowboarding in Vermont where he spent his middle school and high school years. Growing up riding a 300-ft hill, Vito is an X Games Aspen bronze medalist and has a medal of every color from the X Games Tignes event, two being gold. The first rider to land a double cork in competition, Vito was one of the first riders to throw back-to-back double corks in his runs. In 2009, Vito competed on ABC's Dancing with the Stars and in 2011, Vito was featured in ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue. In 2012, Louie did an 18 episode web series called, Living Louie Vito, which featured his life on and off the slopes. Deeply committed to philanthropic causes, Vito holds the “Louie Vito Rail Jam” each year in his hometown at Mad River Mountain. This event supports local charity, St. Vincent De Paul, through money raised from auction items and food donated to the food bank by those attending. Louie calls Sandy, Utah, home, with his rescue pit bull, Gucci. Analysts/Commentators: Tony Hawk Skateboard Analyst Quite possibly the most talented athlete ever to step foot on a skateboard, Tony Hawk is also one of the most popular athletes in the world. Hawk has consistently maintained his iconic status within the core action sports community, while simultaneously leading the charge for growth of the commercial popularity for all of action sports. In addition to being the first person to land a 900 on a skateboard, Hawk has won 10 X Games gold medals, developed one of the most successful video games in history and built one of the largest brands in global sports. Hawk also has become a talented member of the X Games broadcast team and will once again join the telecast team as an analyst for all of the Skateboard competitions at X Games Austin 2014. Corbin Harris Skateboard Play-by-Play A TV personality and professional skateboarder, Corbin Harris began his professional career at the age of 15, when he landed his first ad in a magazine and earned himself a spot on the legendary Vert-X team in Sydney, Australia. At the age of 19, Corbin began his career in broadcasting, with a job at action sports network FuelTV. Corbin then followed that up hosting two of his own TV shows, Corbin Presents and later, Popgun – a Rove-inspired action sports talk show. His goal with his future projects is to help take Australian skateboarding into the mainstream, and he views his involvement in TV and with brands such as Red Bull and X Games as the perfect platform from which to do that. Harris joined the ESPN X Games telecast in 2013 and returns to X Games as the Skateboard Vert and Big Air analyst. Jimmy Coleman BMX Play-by-Play TV personality Jimmy Coleman has been participating in and covering action sports events for more than a decade and has made an occupation out of being the “Man on the Mic.” Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Coleman is on the road so many months out of the year that he often jokes that he “resides in hotels across America.” Having hosted numerous action sports events and demonstrations all over the world, Coleman has had the opportunity to watch and work with many of the biggest names in the industry. Coleman joined the X Games broadcast team in 2001 at X Games Six. For X Games Austin 2014, Coleman will provide play-by-play for the BMX competitions alongside Kevin Robinson. Kevin Robinson BMX Analyst Driven and passionate in every aspect of his life, Kevin Robinson joins the BMX analyst team for the X Games Austin 2014 telecast. A true BMX legend, Robinson has made many contributions to BMX over his career and took his victory lap last year at X Games Los Angeles 2013, as he retired from a long and storied career at age 41 Over the years he won a total of 10 medals in BMX Vert and Big Air, with four being gold. Robinson resides in East Providence, Rhode Island with his wife Robin and their three children. Tes Sewell Moto X Play-by-Play Tes Sewell worked his first X Games event in the summer of 1999 as the original sport organizer for Moto X Freestyle in San Francisco. At X Games 2003 in Los Angeles, Sewell expanded his responsibilities to include broadcast analyst. Since that time, he has worked on every X Games in a variety of capacities, including as a Moto X analyst and reporter, Rally analyst and Snowmobile analyst and reporter. Sewell will be the play-by-play commentator for the X Games Austin 2014 Moto X competitions. In addition to his many X Games roles, Sewell has been an analyst and host for the ESPN Global RallyCross series, Red Bull X-Fighters series, TORC Offroad Championship series, PowerSports ATV Tour, PowerSports Snowmobile Tour, Terracross Championships and as a sideline reporter for the LG Action Sports Championships. A native of Newcastle, England, Sewell now resides in Reno, Nevada with his wife, Gaby. Jeremy McGrath Moto X Analyst One of the most dominant racers in Supercross history, many attribute Jeremy McGrath with catapulting freestyle motocross into the mainstream in the 90s. With seven Supercross titles and 72 wins, McGrath retired from full-time motorcycle competition in Jan. 2003, but has continued his involvement with the sport. He popularized the Nac-Nac, a trick that is commonly performed by X Games competitors on the freestyle course that is comprised of with one foot on the peg while the motorcycle is turned sideways. McGrath will join the X Games Austin 2014 telecast and provide the Moto X analysis. Toby Moody Rally/Stadium SUPER Trucks Play-by-Play One of the most recognized faces and voices in motorsports racing, Toby Moody has maintained a solid presence in the racing world. With his excitable, quickfire sports commentary and witty expressions, Moody has served for seven years as a TV reporter for the Paris Dakar Rally. He is in his 17th season as the play-by-play announcer for the MotoGP series on Eurosport TV and also provides play-by-play for the British Touring Car Championship for ITV Sport. His vast knowledge of motorsports and undying love for his job set him apart and continue to make him a mainstay on the air today. Moody will provide play-by-play for the RallyCross and Stadium SUPER Trucks at X Games Austin 2014. Paul Gerrard Rally/Stadium SUPER Trucks analyst Paul Gerrard joins the X Games Austin telecast as the Rally and Stadium SUPER Trucks analyst. Since 1991, Gerrard has raced professionally with success in nearly every category of racing. From formula cars in Europe to factory GT touring cars to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, he has set several records and won many prestigious races. As the Director of global training for emotive - a company that owns the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, the Jim Russell Lancer Evolution Experience, the Audi Sports Car Experience and the Audi Driving Experience - his responsibilities include all design of curriculum, training of professional racing instructors and the hands-on teaching of all of emotive’s worldwide programs. Additionally, Paul has done and continues to do a variety of television work as a presenter, host and driver. In addition to motorsports, Gerrard is also an avid skier, mountain biker, free diver and enjoys photography and travel. An English-born American citizen, Paul is married to his wife Karen and has two children. Reporters: Jamie Little Reporter Jamie Little joined the X Games broadcast team in 2002. Over the course of her X Games career, she’s been featured as a reporter for a large variety of disciplines, and she’ll again cover several competitions at X Games Austin 2014. A well-known motorsports veteran, Little has worked for ESPN since 1998. She’s served as a pit reporter for the IndyCar Series on ESPN and ABC since 2004 -- including the Indianapolis 500 -- and joined ESPN's NASCAR coverage in 2007. Before joining ESPN, Little worked as a reporter for NBC, TNN and Speed Channel for a variety of motor and action sports events.
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