McDonald returns to local airwaves

Over the past few weeks, Mac McDonald has heard it over and over.
When relaying the message that he was returning to the airwaves, sports fans throughout the state of Virginia were elated.
Today, just over a year after resigning from his position as Virginia’s play-by-play announcer, McDonald makes his debut in a forum that is unique to the long-time, award-winning announcer.
McDonald will host a three-hour talk show, which is called “Inbounds,” that will air locally on WKAV (1400-AM) starting at 3 p.m. It will also be broadcast on numerous statewide affiliates in markets that include Harrisonburg, Roanoke and Lynchburg.
“The reaction has been great. A lot of people can’t believe I am coming back,” said McDonald, the voice of the Cavaliers from 1996 to 2008. “It has been very humbling. It has been great.
“Plus, it is all I know. It is all I have done my whole life.”
There is an interesting twist with McDonald’s return — the show will be broadcast daily from The Boathouse restaurant in Albemarle Square.
“I said something to the owner, Al Chadsey, and Al just jumped all over it,” McDonald recounted. “I wanted to have a place where people could hear it and walk up and talk.
“We also plan to bring in some of our guests in person such as a Howie Long or a Bob Rotella or a Pete Gillen. That is something that I am really excited about.”
In order to make the endeavor click on all cylinders, McDonald turned to John Freeman, Virginia’s play-by-play voice for men’s lacrosse, to serve as his executive producer.
“John is a Virginia graduate and his role is going to be very, very important,” McDonald noted. “Chemistry is the ultimate factor.”
In conjunction with McDonald’s return, Adam Gottschalk has moved from his previous time slot to handle a morning show that will begin airing today at 7 a.m.
“I am thoroughly excited about this opportunity,” said Gottschalk. “I really look at this as an exciting move.
“There is not a local sports talk radio show that airs in the morning so this provides something unique for sports fans in Central Virginia.”