Varsity Punks

3 Weeks ago today it was announced I was no longer with FanDuelTV. For practical reasons and quite honestly, emotional ones, I stayed off Social Media since then. However, during that time friends would forward me some of the incredibly kind posts so many of you made. I’ve now had a chance to look through all of them, and I’m humbled and grateful to my core. Also, many of you ‘slid into my DMs’, each of you will be getting a response from me. Thank You. When you give 26 years and 8 months to something, it is heartening to know that dedication was appreciated by those you worked alongside and those who watched and listened. My greatest reward has always been the immensely talented people I’ve been privileged to work with and the viewers I’ve been able to connect with. In a Sport that leans heavily into stats, Two significant numbers for me during my time at TVG/FanDuelTV are: *1,022,434 Miles Flown *2,112 Hotel Stays When you fly enough miles to circumnavigate the World 41 times, spend nearly six years in Hotel Room stays, not to mention the countless miles driven; all in pursuit of Broadcasting the amazing Sport of Horse Racing, you can’t do it without the Love, Support and sacrifice of your Family and Friends. It is why I understand as John Mellencamp once wrote: “My Family and Friends are the best thing I’ve known, through the eye of a needle I’ll carry them Home…” And through all the travels and the Broadcasts, an amazing blessing happened; I got to meet many of you, the TVG viewers. This has given me more friends than I could ever imagine. On-air you’ve learned some of my Life’s Story and when I met you in-person I was privileged to learn yours. The viewer has always been my North Star, and making a connection with you through all the Broadcasts or in-person has been the reward of a Lifetime. It is that connection that will never go away, it will always be. I never liked to look back at a Broadcast I was on and critique how I felt about it. To me, that was always up to the Viewer. There have been innumerable moments we have shared together, but there are Two I’m asked about the most: One, wrestling Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. (Which is a phenomenal behind the scenes story I’ll tell one day.) Two, is my Closing Words for the Final Day of Racing at Hollywood Park. Whenever I was given the responsibility to do a Close to a show, there was never a script, it was ideas I’d write and then try and present in a way all the shows I worked on would be; a conversation with you. In other words, I always got to speak from the Heart. I speak from the Heart now when I tell you how grateful I am for all the years I’ve had a platform to speak with you on TVG. In lieu of an on-air Goodbye, I believe that day at Hollywood Park covers all the sentiments I feel now and about this ending. (I’ve attached it to this post.) With one caveat, this is not goodbye forever, it is goodbye for now. I’m going to take a short break from Social Media, but I will re-join the conversation about the World of Horse Racing which has been my Community since I was a teenager, in short order. To that point, my next on-air appearance will be with my Broadcast Family @LEX18News for KY Oaks and @KentuckyDerby a role I’ve enjoyed for 18 years. Beyond that, we’ll see. Most importantly, our connection will endure. And for all you have given me, I can only hope I’ve been worthy of your time. In the end time is our greatest Gift and my time at TVG has left me with nothing but immense gratitude - Todd T. Schrupp