The editorial staff in the Journal-World sports department works around the clock year-round to be your best source for breaking KU sports news, features and opinions. Here's your chance to get to know the men behind the bylines a little more personally.

Tom Keegan - Journal-World sports editor
Tom Keegan, sports editor/columnist/Spodcaster/panelist for "The Drive" television show for the World Company, has a diverse media background as a baseball writer, author, and sports talk radio host. A 1981 graduate of Marquette University, Keegan has written for the Orange County Register, National Sports Daily, Daily Southtown, Baltimore Sun and New York Post. Keegan also was co-host of an afternoon drive-time radio show on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York.
Keegan, born March 22, 1959, has written three baseball books. During his career, Keegan has interviewed, among others, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Jim Brown, John Hadl, Michael Jordan, Sandy Koufax, Tommy Lasorda, Willie Mays, Liza Minelli, Denny McLain (in prison), Terrell Owens, Cal Ripken, Jim Ryun, Wes Santee, Gale Sayers, Mike Tyson and Dwyane Wade.
Favorite teams: Marquette basketball, Rochester Red Wings.
Favorite sports moment: Kirk Gibson's Game 1 home run in the 1988 World Series.
Favorite sports quote: "I'll always take your calls, but don't ever call me again." -Told that by George Steinbrenner.

Gary Bedore - Journal-World KU men's basketball beat writer
Gary has covered KU basketball exclusively since Roy Williams' first year. Before that, he also covered the Royals, Chiefs and Lawrence High when it was the only school in town. He's from Chicago's South Side, as well as the Western suburb of Lisle, and a fan of both Benet Academy and Brother Rice, where he split his high school years before attending KU.
Favorite teams: White Sox, Bulls during Jordan era, Bears, Illinois Institute of Technology basketball, Brother Rice and Benet High football and basketball, Gabe Kaplan (poker), Anna Kournikova (tennis).
Favorite sports moment: White Sox World Series title two seasons ago.
Favorite sports quote: "My mom said I woke up from a dead sleep one time and said, 'I need some hot dogs from Steak and Shake.' I didn't even remember saying that. I was pretty messed up. -Jeff Graves commenting to me about his recovery from a car wreck at KU.

Matt Tait Journal-World KU football beat writer/'Hawks in the NBA blogger
A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He attended Pinckney Elementary School for two years, West Junior High for three and graduated from Lawrence High in 1996. After that Matt attended the University of Kansas, where he graduated in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. While in college, Matt covered the KU baseball and basketball teams for the University Daily Kansan. In addition, he was the publisher of a KU sports web site run by Rivals.com, which he continued to do for a little more than a year after graduation. Matt joined the World Company in June of 2001, when he was hired to become the sports editor of the Bonner Springs Chieftain and Basehor Sentinel weekly newspapers. In 2004, Matt's position grew to include becoming the sports editor of the Shawnee Dispatch, another weekly, which he helped start from the ground up. In July of 2007 he made the move to the big leagues when he was named High School Sports Editor at the Journal-World. Throughout his career Matt has covered a variety of sporting events from KU basketball games and NASCAR races at Kansas Speedway to minor league baseball games and school board meetings. But his favorite always has been high school sports. Matt credits the enthusiasm and passion of the young student-athletes for his love of the beat, and prides himself on the relationships he creates with the athletes and coaches he covers.
Favorite teams: Any and all Colorado sports teams.
Favorite Sports Moment: John Elway's helicopter dive for a first down during Denver's 31-24 victory against Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII
Favorite sports quote: "I cannot really hear what Jeremy says because I've got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears." - former Colorado Avalanche goalie, Patrick Roy, responding to criticism from Jeremy Roenick

Jesse Newell KUsports.com online editor
Jesse Newell has been online editor at KUsports.com since August of 2008, coming from The Emporia Gazette, where he covered Emporia State sports. A native of Emporia, Jesse double-majored in journalism and communication studies at the University of Kansas, graduating in 2006. In addition to sports, Jesse enjoys sleeping in and Royals baseball games, even though his record at the "K" is usually uninspiring.
Favorite teams: Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Chiefs.
Favorite sports moment: Trying out for the KU men's basketball team as a senior in college.
Favorite sports quote: "Come after me! I'm a man! I'm 40!" - Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy