Colin Jose Media Award Nominations Announced

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ONEONTA, NY (March 8, 2007) – The National Soccer Hall of Fame announced today the nominees for the 2007 Colin Jose Media Award. The award, a tribute to former SoccerAmerica and World Soccer correspondent and North America's preeminent soccer historian Colin Jose, is designed to honor members of the media who specialize in communications with respect to soccer in the United States. It is awarded to those whose career contributions in the field are deemed to be of exceptional and sustained quality.

Nominations for the 2007 Colin Jose Media Award include television personalities JP Dellacamera, noted ESPN and Women's National Team broadcaster, Jim Karvellas, the voice of the New York Cosmos, and Bob Ley and Tommy Smyth of ESPN. Nominated reporters/columnists from the print media include; Grahame Jones of the Los Angeles Times, Paul Kennedy of SoccerAmerica, Ike Kuhns of the Newark Star Ledger, Michael Lewis of the New York Daily News and bigapplesoccer.com, and George Vescey of the New York Times. Also nominated were Ernesto Motta, Senior Director of Spanish Communications for the New York Red Bulls, and noted freelance and Sports Illustrated photographer George Tiedemann. In addition to those who have been nominated by members of the media, the National Soccer Hall of Fame reserves the right to consider a list of historical soccer media members who have made a significant contribution to the game. The list includes but is not limited to, historical media members such as Bill Graham, prominent reporter for the Brooklyn Eagle from the 1940s to through the 1960s, Joe Marcus, contributor to the New York Post and SoccerAmerica through the 1970s, and Ernest Viberg, columnist for the New York Telegram and Soccer Weekly during the 1920s. Those on the historical lists as well as those receiving nominations are eligible for the Award.

"The media landscape for soccer in the United States has been changing rapidly since the 1994 World Cup and the advent of Major League Soccer," Hall of Fame President George Brown (Hall of Fame Class of 1995) said. "The previous award winners and those under consideration this year have been important to the increased coverage soccer is now receiving in the mass media. We applaud their individual and collective efforts and look forward to honoring the individual selected should that occur."

The Colin Jose Media Award Committee, comprised of National Soccer Hall of Fame official historian Colin Jose, previous winners Jerry Trecker and Seamus Malin, the Director of Communications at U.S. Soccer, the Director of Communications at Major League Soccer, and noted NASL Public Relations executive Jim Trecker, review the nominees and determine by consensus the recipient of the Colin Jose Media Award. Absent consensus, the Committee has the option to not present the Award. The Award has been given twice since its inception in 2004. The first recipient of the Award was Jerry Trecker who covered soccer for the Hartford Courant for the last fifty years including over 150 U.S. Men's National Team matches. The award was presented again in 2005 to Seamus Malin, renowned radio and television broadcaster since 1966.

The Colin Jose Media Award is one of four elections conducted annually by the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Other elections include Player, Veteran, and Builder, each with a distinct election process. If an award is given this year, the recipient will be honored at Induction 2007, August 24 – 26 in Oneonta, NY, along with recently announced player inductees Julie Foudy and Mia Hamm.