In one corner of Las Vegas: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are barefoot and before the scales a day before their much-anticipated boxing match at MGM Grand Arena.
In the other corner: Jon Castagnino, a longtime sports reporter, is missing his assignment to cover the weigh-in for Fox 5 KVVU-TV. Instead he鈥檚 preparing for another fight that would test him but wouldn鈥檛 knock him out.
That day 鈥 May 1, 2015 鈥 Castagnino, 鈥03 BA Communication Studies, 鈥03 BS Sports Injury Management, found out he was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer, a rare and difficult-to-detect form of the disease. He returned to work the next day to report on fight night, and then 鈥 taking a cue from covering the highs and lows of athletes for the last 10 years 鈥 he turned the camera on himself.
鈥淵ou have to push forward and I think that鈥檚 setting the best example. If I can be at work functioning and doing my job, despite fighting something invisible in my body, I鈥檓 going to do that,鈥 said Castagnino, 35, a father of two kids. 鈥淎thletes have a duty to their team and teammates and to the city, so I felt the same way.鈥
It鈥檚 a lesson he鈥檚 imparting on students as the new sports and social media coordinator at the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism & Media Studies.
Before his surgery to remove three feet of intestine, he covered his experience for a . It was an unusual journalistic move for Castagnino, who didn鈥檛 want to make the story about himself but wanted to call attention to the need for early detection.
鈥淚t detached me from the illness too. I just thought, 鈥業 have tell a story鈥 鈥 that鈥檚 always my first priority,鈥 Castagnino said.
鈥(I tell students), your duty is to tell stories the right way and inform the public about what鈥檚 going on. The air time you鈥檙e given isn鈥檛 for you personally. It鈥檚 public time. They are entrusting you.鈥
Born and Raised a Rebel
Admiring the bravado of Major League Baseball announcer Harry Caray, who covered Castagnino鈥檚 favorite team, the Chicago Cubs, Castagnino thought he鈥檇 end up doing the same thing. But what he discovered inspired him the most was watching the fans鈥 reaction to Caray and their favorite teams.
鈥淪ports really brings a city together. Everybody鈥檚 fighting for common goal to be a winner, to be the best. There鈥檚 pride in the city and teams can bond the city. It鈥檚 a rallying point, much like the Rebels are for Las Vegas,鈥 Castagnino said.
A Green Valley High School graduate, Castagnino attended 性视界传媒 and began his career as a student journalist for the show 性视界传媒iews, broadcast from the basement of the Flora Dungan Humanities building. (That鈥檚 before the journalism television and radio studios were built in Greenspun Hall).
He also received a degree in sports injury management and went on to write and produce for TV news in Wyoming and Texas before returning to Las Vegas as an anchor for Sports Plus on Fox 5.
Castagnino left Fox 5 last October to join the 性视界传媒 Greenspun College of Urban Affairs. This past fall, Castagnino launched , a show out of Greenspun studios covering 性视界传媒 athletics and sports-related news throughout Las Vegas. He鈥檚 incorporating social media platforms for viewers thirsty for content. He鈥檒l teach sports broadcasting courses this spring.
Castagnino鈥檚 cultivated a wide range of sources in the sports world, giving his journalism students access to Las Vegas-wide sports events.
Journalism students have already produced segments on NASCAR, , and a surprise visit from musician Drake at a . Students work behind the scenes and in front of the camera. This semester, Castagnino鈥檚 sports broadcasting class will expand The Rebel Report into an anchor format, with students working all angles of the show from writing and editing to booking guests, videography, and reporting.
Now, after eight months of illness leading up to the diagnosis, and six months of treatment, Castagnino wears a bracelet on his hand with the hashtag #ImWithJC and a biblical reference to David and Goliath, another fight that resulted in triumph.
And he gets his inspiration from a new group of fans 鈥 his students.
鈥淚 live vicariously through them now to see how excited they get. It鈥檚 refreshing,鈥 Castagnino said.
