Jeff De Forrest, a ’73 graduate of Syracuse University, began his journalism career in California as Sports Editor of a suburban L.A. daily newspaper. But after he branched into radio, he was hooked – as were his loyal fans!
“Defo” rose to the top of the Miami ratings when he first hosted a nightly talk show on sister station Newsradio 610 WIOD back in 1981. As Miami expanded from a one pro franchise Dolphins town, to the Heat, Panthers, Marlins, and major college powerhouse University of Miami, Jeff and sports media grew with the city.
Jeff was ultimately tapped to host morning drive on Miami’s first all-sports radio station WQAM. By 2002, it was time to branch out. “Defo” left there and broadened his career and profile doing shows for both the Miami/Fort Lauderdale radio market, but got a big base of fans in West Palm Beach/Boca Raton. He left in 2005 to work for Miami’s second all-sports station. Seems like Jeff moves around a lot but hopefully, this will be his final move as he comes full circle and returns to the WIOD family with 940 WINZ – The Sports AnimalLesley Visser Biography
Lesley Visser brings 30 plus years of experience to The First Team. She has covered nearly every sporting event and interviewed the biggest names in sports. In fact, she was voted the #1 female sportscaster by the American Sportscasters Assocation.
Visser added another first to her long and prestigious trailblazing career as the first woman to be recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the 2006 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award which recognizes long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.
Visser became the first woman sportscaster to carry the Olympic Torch when the International Olympic Committee honored her in 2004 as a "pioneer and standard-bearer." She is the only sportscaster in history who has worked on the network broadcasts of the Final Four, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Triple Crown, Olympics, U.S. Open and World Figure Skating Championship.
Visser served as lead reporter for CBS’s coverage of the NFL, working with CBS Sports' No. 1 announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms in 2004. This year she again is a part of THE NFL TODAY team. Visser worked her 28th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship last March, an event she also covered in the past for the Boston Globe, ESPN and CBS. This past season marked her 34th year covering the NFL.
Visser was a reporter for THE SUPER BOWL TODAY, CBS Sports' Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII pre-game broadcasts. She also contributes reports for CBS News and serves as a reporter for HBO Sports' "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." She spent nearly seven years with ABC Sports and was a sideline reporter for "Monday Night Football," becoming the first woman assigned to the series and the first woman ever to report from the sidelines during a Super Bowl.
Visser was born Sept. 11 in Quincy, MA and is married to FOX/Turner sportscaster Dick Stockton. They reside in Boca Raton. You can hear her every Friday with Jeff right here on 940 WINZ – The Sports Animal.
“Defo” rose to the top of the Miami ratings when he first hosted a nightly talk show on sister station Newsradio 610 WIOD back in 1981. As Miami expanded from a one pro franchise Dolphins town, to the Heat, Panthers, Marlins, and major college powerhouse University of Miami, Jeff and sports media grew with the city.
Jeff was ultimately tapped to host morning drive on Miami’s first all-sports radio station WQAM. By 2002, it was time to branch out. “Defo” left there and broadened his career and profile doing shows for both the Miami/Fort Lauderdale radio market, but got a big base of fans in West Palm Beach/Boca Raton. He left in 2005 to work for Miami’s second all-sports station. Seems like Jeff moves around a lot but hopefully, this will be his final move as he comes full circle and returns to the WIOD family with 940 WINZ – The Sports AnimalLesley Visser Biography
Lesley Visser brings 30 plus years of experience to The First Team. She has covered nearly every sporting event and interviewed the biggest names in sports. In fact, she was voted the #1 female sportscaster by the American Sportscasters Assocation.
Visser added another first to her long and prestigious trailblazing career as the first woman to be recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the 2006 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award which recognizes long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.
Visser became the first woman sportscaster to carry the Olympic Torch when the International Olympic Committee honored her in 2004 as a "pioneer and standard-bearer." She is the only sportscaster in history who has worked on the network broadcasts of the Final Four, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Triple Crown, Olympics, U.S. Open and World Figure Skating Championship.
Visser served as lead reporter for CBS’s coverage of the NFL, working with CBS Sports' No. 1 announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms in 2004. This year she again is a part of THE NFL TODAY team. Visser worked her 28th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship last March, an event she also covered in the past for the Boston Globe, ESPN and CBS. This past season marked her 34th year covering the NFL.
Visser was a reporter for THE SUPER BOWL TODAY, CBS Sports' Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII pre-game broadcasts. She also contributes reports for CBS News and serves as a reporter for HBO Sports' "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." She spent nearly seven years with ABC Sports and was a sideline reporter for "Monday Night Football," becoming the first woman assigned to the series and the first woman ever to report from the sidelines during a Super Bowl.
Visser was born Sept. 11 in Quincy, MA and is married to FOX/Turner sportscaster Dick Stockton. They reside in Boca Raton. You can hear her every Friday with Jeff right here on 940 WINZ – The Sports Animal.
