Maria Taylor made the transition from two-sport star at Georgia to versatile broadcaster at ESPN by keeping the same mantra in both arenas.
It explains Taylor's ascension up the ESPN ranks as she begins the 2017 season with a new assignment as a reporter for ESPN's flagship program "College GameDay" and sideline reporter for ABC's "Saturday Night Football." She took those lessons as a volleyball and women's basketball star with the Bulldogs into her profession.
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"I think when I got into broadcasting I told myself, ‘I don't ever want to be pigeonholed as one thing,'" Taylor told Sporting News on Tuesday. "I didn't want to just be an analyst for women's basketball and volleyball. I didn't just want to be a sideline reporter. I didn't just want to be a host. I wanted to be someone that my producers or coordinating producers could call on me for any event, any subject matter or any role."
They see us rollinnnnn'. They hatinnnnnn.
— Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor7) August 28, 2017
Florida State vs Alabama, you're up first! pic.twitter.com/ttCpazJV80
It's hard to argue with the results. Taylor brought a vibrant personality to the SEC Network the last few seasons not only as a reporter of football, women's basketball and volleyball, but also as a host of "SEC Nation." In her words, every one of those roles offers "an opportunity to be great."
She jumped at the chance to work with the crew of "College GameDay," a show that "sets the bar for what we expect when you're here for college football." That job entails being an insider who is both knowledgeable and entertaining. That cast, which features Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbsreit, David Pollack and Lee Corso, is a mainstay on college football Saturdays.
Samantha Ponder was the other member of that team before moving on to her new assignment with "Sunday NFL Countdown."
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"Sam was one of the first to reach out to say congratulations and asked if I needed anything to let her know," Taylor said. "I learned that all you need to do is be yourself. Sam isn't trying to be anything that she's not. That's what makes her great and unique, and that's what I want to do."
Taylor, an Alpharetta, Ga., native, begins her new assignment Saturday on site in Atlanta for the blockbuster opener between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Florida State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. She's still taking those lessons from the court to the camera.
"I'm energized by this idea that's live television," Taylor said. "In the same way as an athlete when they get on the field or on the court, you have to perform in that moment or it's past you and you've missed."
Taylor is working with Pizza Hut for a promotion on "GameDay" each week — in her words, "Pizza and college football go hand in hand." She will name a "Sign of the Week" during each week's broadcast. Fans can also enter to try to win a year's supply of pizza by signing up for a rewards loyalty program starting Sept. 2 at GameDay.PizzaHut.com.
