Get To Know: "BULLDOG"
There are a lot of people doing "SPORTS TALK" these days. Take some time to learn more about them/us...
Damon Yaffe (105.7 fm Online Bio)
Damon Yaffe grew up in Owings Mills. He began playing sports at age 8, playing Little League baseball for the Owings Mills Rec. Council. A year later he started playing football and wrestled for the Randallstown Optimist / Junior League. At 10 he started playing youth lacrosse for Pikesville Rec. Council, later playing for LTRC.
Damon attended The Boys' Latin School where he lettered in football, wrestling and lacrosse. He went on to attend Johns Hopkins University where he studied International Business & Policy, and Psychology. He later attended Towson University; seeking a degree in Sports Management / Administration. Damon attempted to play both varsity and club level sports in college but injuries ended his competitive playing days. From 1989 – 1993 he played club lacrosse for both the Glyndon Generals and then Towson Lacrosse Club (CALL).
"The Bulldog" has coached football, basketball and lacrosse at the local youth and high school levels since 1992. Yaffe ran the basketball and lacrosse programs at Roland Park Middle School in Baltimore City for four years, while coaching youth football for TRC. After a four year stint coaching varsity football and lacrosse at Poly; Yaffe returned to Boys' Latin where he coached both sports for more than a decade.
While at Poly Damon developed one All Metro/All City punter, one All City kicker, two All City defensive ends and one All City fullback. Poly made the state playoffs for four consecutive seasons and "Beat City" all four years. In lacrosse he helped re-establish Poly as a city powerhouse. The Engineers finished 19-2 and won the city title in '99 - his final season.
At Boys' Latin he helped rebuild the football program which has won/shared or played for five B/C Conference Championships in the past decade. He developed eight All Conference linebackers, four All Conference tailbacks, three All Conference fullbacks, three All Conference kicker/punters during his tenure at BL. This past fall (2009) Laker tailback Patrick Steele rushed for a school record 2,113 yds. and 34 td's. Steele was named All State, All Metro and All Conference while setting the All-Time rushing yards mark at Boys' Latin - finishing his BL career with 4197 rushing yds in three varsity seasons. Damon coached Frosh/Soph and Middle School lacrosse for five springs before joining the varsity staff. He was on the varsity lacrosse staff for three MIAA " A" Conference title shots - the 2006 BL squad was crowned National Champions - finishing 21-0. That '06 squad was recently named the top high school lacrosse team of the decade by Inside Lacrosse Magazine.
Damon recently joined the coaching staff at MIAA "A" Conference power – Loyola Blakefield. He'll begin coaching football for the Dons next fall; under the tremendous leadership of head coach Brian Abbott. He hopes to join the storied Loyola Dons lacrosse program next spring – coaching under Jack Crawford and long-time friend and coaching mentor Joe McFadden.
Damon began working in local sports media in 1994 interning for Stan "The Fan" Charles. He's worked for WWLG, CBS Sports, ESPN College Gameday, WJZ-TV, CBS Radio, ESPN Radio, Ravens Radio and Press Box Weekly. Damon has contributed as a producer, statistician, TV and radio personality, writer, columnist and local entrepreneur. Yaffe worked as the Ravens game day spotter from 1996-1999, also writing for Gameday Magazine He's completed internships for the Ravens Player Personnel Department and Public Relations Department. In 1998 he co-created SYMCOM Sports Marketing & Productions, Inc. Yaffe also penned a popular weekly column (The Boneyard) for Press Box for more than a year. "The Bulldog" has been a color analyst and contributor for The Baltimore Bayhawks, Johns Hopkins Lacrosse, University of Maryland Lacrosse, The Turkey Bowl and numerous MIAA Sports broadcasts. He has covered twelve Super Bowls including the 2001 Super Bowl as a on-site producer/show host for Ravens Radio. During the fall, you can catch Damon on WJZ-TV 13 (CBS) co-hosting "Football Talk" with Marty Bass after Ravens games.
Mark Viviano and Damon Yaffe launched The Mark Viviano Show in January, 2005. Since then the show has become one of the most successful radio shows in the region. Named "Baltimore's Best" by Baltimore Magazine in 2005 and 2007 and by The City Paper in 2006; while garnering similar kudos from The Sun, The Examiner and various local websites and polls.
In a 2007 Jewish Times cover story, Damon was named "the voice of Baltimore sports". He credits Tom Davis, Vince Bagli, Phil Wood, and his broadcast partner Mark Viviano with being his professional (media) role models and mentors.
