If you're from the Midwest you've probably noticed a prevalent East Coast bias on this site. Well that's all gonna change right now. We're heading back back to Ohio Ohio!

Question: What happens when you're an announcer who's been jailed for tax evasion and have a myriad of alleged gambling charges?

Well you get your job back of course!

Ohio's Bruce Drennan completed a five-month sentence at a federal penitentiary in West Virginia for filing false tax statements Friday and returned to his Strongsville home. He may be given the opportunity to use his gravelly, boisterous voice to bellow the familiar, "I love ya, Cleveland," once again.

Drennan, who has bounced around Northeast Ohio's radio dial and served as a play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Indians in the late 1970s, will meet with executives from the Tribe's regional sports network, SportsTime Ohio, today.

I guess things in Cleveland are in such dire straits that they're turning to ex-cons now. Wikipedia actually says that Bruce is responsible for coining the phrases "the ducks are on the pond" and "the bases are juiced".

Let's take a look at the rap sheet:

• In 2001 Bruce moved to WKNR to host morning drive sports talk.
• May 1, 2003 was a special day for Bruce as then Cleveland Mayor Jane L. Campbell offered her proclamation in recognition of Bruce's accomplishments celebrating his 25 years as a broadcaster in the City of Cleveland. (Aww. That's cute. Let's get to the good stuff)
• In September 2004 Drennan's home in Strongsville, Ohio was raided by FBI and IRS agents as part of an illegal gambling sting. He subsequently lost his job at WKNR because of the investigation. (Now we're talking!)
  
• Since 2005, Bruce is now the mid-morning talk show host and Program Director for sportstalkCLEVELAND as his show now reaches the world via the Internet. (Boooring)
• In April of 2006 Drennan was charged with two counts of filing false tax returns. He served 5 months of a three-year sentence. (Ah...the crime life always sucks you back in)

America is a country known for giving second chances (and third, fourth, and fifth), so I wish Bruce all the luck in the world.

P.S.- Bruce.....call me. I've got a good angle on the Butler-Wright State game. The line is Butler by one, but a huge contingency from New Jersey (The Mafia) should swing the spread to WSU -2. Go against the public my friend.

Broadcaster Eager to Get Back on the Air (Akron Beacon Journal)
Bruce Drennan (Wikipedia)