Petros Papadakis
Petros Papadakis has taken the local and national sports media scenes by storm since graduating from the University of Southern California in 2001.
The USC football star got his start in broadcasting fresh off the field by doing television analysis for Fox Sports Net and radio work on the Trojan flagship station.
Papadakis broadened his TV duties over the next couple years adding sideline reporting and magazine show hosting roles. In 2003 Petros began hosting a Monday through Friday mid-morning radio show on radio
The “Petros Papadakis Show” started in January 2004. Every afternoon Petros touched on all aspects of sports, entertainment and life in general. His passion, rapid fire delivery and ability to zoom past politically correct boundaries have made him a controversial figure and a lightning rod for attention. Petros was named L.A.'s number one sports radio host in 2006 by the Daily News.
Papadakis debuted as FSN’s lead college football analyst in September 2004 working in the booth with Barry Tompkins. Petros has become one of America’s leading authorities on college football and he works on other FSN programming like the Best Damn Sports Show, the BCS Ratings Show and Totally Football.
Petros has guest starred on several television programs; the CBS hit series CSI-New York, Outside the Lines and Cold Pizza plus “I Love the 90’s” on VH-1.
Papadakis is in his second season as the host of Spike-TV’s “Pro’s vs Joe’s” and he has also been on E, the Game Show Network and the KTLA Morning News.
Petros, his father John and his brother Taso all played football at USC. Petros played tailback for the Trojans and in 2000 was the captain of the only last place team in USC history. He scored 16 touchdowns for the Trojans and was voted Most Inspirational Player for the 2000 season.
The Papadakis family owns and operates the Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro, one of America’s top Greek restaurants. Petros still waits tables at the Taverna, except during football season
A Little Bit About Me...
Favorite Movie: Blue Velvet
Favorite Sports Moment: Xavier McDaniel choking out Wes Matthews.
Favorite Food: Cheeseburger
Favorite place to Travel: San Pedro, CA
Favorite Quote: It is not news that we live in a world where beauty is fleeting and suddenly ruined-we are often alone in a dark town and are sorrows cannot be translated into a language understood by others.
Favorite Sports Quote:” If you need two yards I will get you three, if you need ten yards I will get you three.” Leroy Hoard
Favorite Sport: NCAA Football
Favorite Athlete, and why: Vinny Del Negro, Chest Hair.
Favorite Hobby: Collecting Music
Favorite Actor: Bill Murray
Favorite Music/Band: Louis Armstrong (tough question)
Best Childhood Memory: When my mom threw a comb at my dad and it got embedded in his chest.
Favorite Family Memory: Seeing my dad after scoring my first TD at USC
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Favorite Restaurant: Papadakis Taverna
Favorite TV Show: Degrassi: Next Generation
Favorite vacation destination: Palm Desert
Favorite Beer: Fat Tire
What was your first car: 1989 Cadillac Deville sedan white with gold grill
What was your first job: Dish Washer at Taverna 9 years old and Carrot Peeler
Matt “Money” Smith
In 1994, after completing his junior year at Pepperdine University, Matt Smith decided it was time to start thinking about his career. As a Pre-law Student (Double Major: Political Science and Speech Communications) he did the logical thing; took a job answering phones on a morning show at a Modern Rock Station.
Waking up at 4 A.M. caused Matt to lose a year of his college social life, but those 18 months proved to be invaluable. He turned KROQ PD Kevin Weatherly on to some great new music, including a little band called Sublime. He not only worked with Kevin and Bean, but his love of sports brought him close to then “Sports Guy” Jimmy Kimmel. He was given the nickname “Money” and soon found himself on the air doing an assortment of comedy bits.
After graduation, realizing he needed to support himself (and pay back 38K in student loans) Matt left KROQ for a job at Polygram Records. He quickly moved through the ranks, and after 2 years, left Polygram as one of the first hires at newly created DreamWorks Records. One of the great things about both jobs was Matt’s insistence Lakers season tickets be included before signing a contract.
In 1998 while drinking a Bud Light in Kimmel’s backyard, Jimmy, Kevin Weatherly and Kevin and Bean’s Kevin were discussing what they should do about sports with Jimmy having left to start “The Man Show”. They decided even though Matt had a full time Job, he was the only person that had a shot to successfully follow Kimmel.
For the next 5 years, Smith worked 2 jobs, KROQ from 6 A.M. until 8:15, and DreamWorks from 9 until sometimes as late as 11 PM. To say he has a good work ethic is an understatement.
With Universal purchasing DreamWorks in early 2004, Matt was courted by Weatherly to work full time at KROQ. He acquiesced, became a much bigger part of the morning show, and also served as KROQ’s Music Director.
The constants through Matt’s life have always been his family, his sense of humor, and of course, sports. His playing career ended in High School, but he woke every morning to sports radio, read the Sports pages front to back, and survived for years on Top Ramen and PBR to spend what little extra money he had going to games.
After 7 years of 13 hour workdays, Smith finally realized his dream. For the 2005-2006 season, he will be part of the AM 570 Lakers broadcast team. Tackling Pre-Game and Half-time Host duties.
It’s a long way from Constitutional Law, but Matt will tell you it’s where he always knew he would end up.
A Little Bit About Me...
Favorite Movie -Shawshank
Favorite Sports Moment -Heckling jim Mcilvaine from the fourm stands and having him try to hop the railing to beat the crap out of me.
Favorite Food: -PB&J
Favorite place to Travel: Hate traveling
Favorite Quote: -Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat. -Teddy Roosevelt
Favorite Sports Quote: -We Make a lot of Money, but spend a lot too-Pat Ewing
Favorite Sport -To play-baseball, to watch-basketball
Favorite Athlete, and why -walter payton....no explanation necessary
Favorite Hobby -reading
Favorite Actor -Morgan Freeman
Favorite Music/Band -Punk/Hardcore-Naked Raygun, Decendents, Fugazi
Best Childhood Memory -having sex for the first time
Favorite Family Memory -playing mush ball at family reunions
Favorite Holiday -Thanksgiving & 4th of July....tie
Favorite Restaurant -The Salt Lick (Austin, TX), locally Mustard's (Los Alamitos)
Favorite TV Show -Larry Sanders Show
Favorite vacation destination - Somewhere close.....or hawaii
Favorite Beer -Old Style
What was your first car -79 Olds Cutlass Supreme......with a bench seat
What was your first job --Paper Boy @ 11, Janitor @ 13
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