By Colleen Kane
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In six weeks, Mike Hall went from an ultimate Frisbee-playing actor-turned-journalism-student to the envy of sports fanatics nationwide.

On March 28, Hall beat out 11 other finalists - not to mention the more than 10,000 people who originally auditioned - to win ESPN's Dream Job contest to become the network's next sportscaster.

For now, Hall, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., is back at the University of Missouri, scrambling to catch up on schoolwork so he can graduate. Come the end of May, he'll begin what he calls the "pinnacle of what I want to do in my whole life," his one-year, $95,000 stint as an ESPN SportsCenter anchor.

Q: You did your first SportsCenter Monday. How was it?

A: It was pretty surreal. Dan Patrick was sitting next to me, and he's the reason I've wanted to do this, why I came to school 400 miles away to go into journalism. ... and he was sitting there throwing out a catch phrase next to me. It was pretty amazing.

Q: What are the ESPN studios really like?

A: Dan Patrick talked to me right away. Everybody was very warm. The producers were nice. ... As for the studios, yes and no they were what you see from T.V.

Q: Why did you audition for Dream Job?

A: I didn't want to at first because I thought it was such an open cattle call - What could I do to stick out? But then I had two girl friends e-mail me the press release on the same day ... and they said, 'If you don't do this, we'll hurt you.' And girls frighten me, so I said OK.

Q: Didn't you originally want to be an actor?

A: I always wanted to act. In high school, I did plays and drama club. I did two musicals at Mizzou. ... It was my passion. But really, it's just the idea of performing anything.

Q: Biggest mess-up?

A: On the first Dream Job episode, I tried desperately to be funny ... and it turned out really stupid ... And everybody criticized me for the time I said, 'Here's that shot sheet,' but it's funny, I didn't even remember saying that.

Q: Best moment?

A: Sitting next to Dan Patrick ... and people said they liked my 1 a.m. SportsCenter best, but I haven't seen any yet.

I thought I'd be able to catch the 1 a.m. when I got back to my hotel room (after taping), but my T.V. didn't work...My friends taped it, but I've been so busy since I got back studying, I haven't had a chance to see it.

Q: What do your friends think?

A: There's a wide range. Some are absolutely thrilled, and some are keeping me grounded. I had one friend say, 'Dude, it's just basic cable.' That was pretty funny.

Q: When you were answering questions to earn your salary, you dropped out on one that would have had you making six figures; what was it?

A: How many Grand Slam titles has Andre Agassi won? I had an idea, but I went in saying if I know it, I'll guess it, but if I don't, I'm not even going to risk it.

Q: Do you know it now?

A: Eight.

Q: Speaking of money, what's the first thing you're going to buy when you get your first paycheck?

A: A stick of gum. No, the real answer is I really don't know. Going into journalism as a kid, I knew realistically I was going to get a salary between $18-22,000. If I had gotten a salary of $30,000, I would have been thrilled. So I'll probably just be a dork and put it in savings.

Q: Favorite sport?

A: Baseball and ultimate Frisbee. I played baseball growing up, and I was a two-year starter on Mizzou's ultimate Frisbee team.

Q: Favorite athlete?

A: Michael Jordan. I know that's clichÈ, but I grew up in Chicago.

Q: Person you most want to interview?

A: Before this I would have said Dan Patrick, but now I don't know.

Q: Event you most want to cover?

A: The World Series.

Q: So Sox or Cubs?

A: White Sox.

Q: Any advice for other "Dream Job" hopefuls?

A: You're not going to win unless you're yourself. I wouldn't want to do SportsCenter unless they let me be funny...but it's also important to keep an open mind.