March 31, 2008

by Louis Bonnette

Being the weekend sports anchor for KHOU-TV in Houston makes Butch Alsandor one of the most recognizable media persons in Southeast Texas.

But, the former McNeese State defensive end said that people come up to him to ask about Ophra Winfrey more than anything else.

"This was about nine years ago, before I got remarried," he said. "I was on the Ophra show as one of the single men of TV news. I think that that's what a lot of people know me or remember me from."

A native of Opelousas, Alsandor has covered all of the nation's top sporting events in his role at the station, from the World Series to the NBA playoffs, Super Bowls and baseball all-star games.

He's been to countless events - collegiate, professional and otherwise.

Two weeks ago he covered his alma mater as it played in the Southland Conference basketball tournament in Katy, TX, just outside of Houston.

His interviews have been with such sports figures as Cal Ripken, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer and Charles Barkley.

He has shaken hands with former president George Bush (41) and almost rubbed shoulders with Prince Charles.

He's gone from pirogues on bayous around Opelousas to a Ted Turner yacht in the Atlantic.

And, he's enjoyed every minute of it.

"I have really been blessed," he said one recent day while racing to Houston's Reliant Stadium for an interview with players and coaches of teams in the NCAA basketball tournament round of 16.

"At 48, I haven't had to jump from station to station like a lot of people in this business," he said.

He's been successful in a profession in which he didn't make a favorable first impression.

Coming out of McNeese State with a degree in radio and tv (now mass communication), Alsandor's first job was as a reporter for the local NBC affiliate, KPLC-TV.

He had been a three year football letterman at McNeese State, had played on two conference championship teams (1979 and 1980) and had appeared in two Independence Bowl games.

"Chan Perry and I alternated at end," he said of his football days where among his teammates were Buford Jordan, Theron McClendon, James Galloway, Murphy Rachal and Mark Helms, who he still keeps tabs on.

"I always liked to write and wanted to get a degree in journalism in college. But, the only offering at McNeese was for radio and tv and that's what I went into."

A short period after first starting at KPLC, there was an opening for an afternoon anchor and Alsandor applied.

"I really got ripped. The guy interviewing me said I couldn't be an anchor because I didn't look good on tv and had a bad accent. It really bothered me.

"The owner of the station was G. Russell Chambers and he was a big McNeese football fan. His wife was the manager of the station and she sought me out one day, telling me not to worry that something would come my way."

Soon after that Rick Sarro, who was the sports director, left and Alsandor got the job.

He later moved to a station in Baltimore and has now been at KHOU for the past 14 years.

"I think that one of the most enjoyable times I have had was covering the Rockets when they won those two championships. I went with them to the world championships in Europe and that was a great trip," he said.

He's covered six Super Bowls and at one he met up with former McNeese teammate Leonard Smith.

"Leonard was playing for Buffalo and they played Washington in one of the Super Bowls. He wasn't playing because of a staph infection but it was nice getting together again with him," said Alsandor.

He's been a fixture at the Houston Open for the past few years and he said he had interviews coming up in the next weeks with K. J. Choi and Adam Scott.

He interviewed Tiger Woods several years ago during a Tournament of Champions event at the Champions golf course in Houston and just last week he had NBA commissioner David Stern on his show.

"One of the strangest interviews I ever did was with the wrestler The Big Show. Tennis star Roger Federer was a big fan of his and I got them together when the clay court championships were here in Houston and that was a blast.

"I went out to NASA once to interview a Texans' cheerleader who was also a NASA engineer. We did the entire interview in a mockup of the space station. Man, I really enjoyed that.

"I also covered Clyde Drexler's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame and it was so cool interviewing all the players I grew up watching.

"One of the best interviews I ever did was with former Orioles star Boog Powell. He was opening his bar-b-que business at Camden yards. We stood out in the rain. My producers thought the whole thing would be a bust but it turned out great.

"I was also in Sarasota (FLA) when Michael Jordan was trying out for the White Sox and that was a total zoo. So much media that it looked like a Super Bowl.

"A story I almost forgot about was when the Super Bowl came to Houston. I did a story with former McNeese wide out Jeff Delhomme and his family. They were in town for the big game because Jeff's brother Jake was the quarterback with the Panthers. We also did a great interview with Jake because of the McNeese connection with Jeff."

One interview that he is still hoping to get is with former president Bush.

"He lives right here in Houston and is a big Astro fan and I met him at one of the games. I was standing in the hall and he comes around the corner with his group of secret service men. He walks up to me and holds out his hand and says, `Butch I want to shake your hand.

"That was something."

Butch Alsandor is pictured with several McNeese cheerleaders at the Southland Conference basketball tournament in Katy, TX.