WXIX-TV chief meteorologist Stephanie Roberts admits “there’s a Baltimore Ravens flag in my front yard, but people know why.”
Her Northern Kentucky neighbors know that her son, Ryan Eckley, is the rookie punter for the Ravens, who host the Cincinnati Bengals in a AFC North division rivalry at 1 p.m. Sunday (WKRC-TV, WLW-AM). Eckley, drafted in April from Michigan State, was the Big Ten Punter of the Year and third team All-American.
“I cheer for the Ravens. I cheer for the Bengals. This week it gets a little bit more complicated,” says Roberts, who was hired a year ago from Sarasota by Fox 19 to replace Steve Horstmeyer.
Channel 19 promotes itself as the Bengals flagship TV station, and airs special Bengals programming throughout the season. Many Fox 19 staffers, including Roberts, wear Bengals orange colors during newscasts.
Is she going to hide some Ravens’ purple in her wardrobe?
“I would never sneak in any purple this week. That would be disrespectful,” she says. “We are the flagship station for the Bengals and I love it! The pride and spirit at Fox 19 is one of the reasons I came. I absolutely wear orange and black before every game weekend on the air.”
Roberts was in Cleveland’s Dawg Pound last Sunday when the Ravens played the Browns. She and her husband Mike of 14 years have lived most weekends on the road for years to watch the five children ages 19 to 26 in their blended family play sports.
“Those early years were insane with four little boys 5- to 9-years-old,” she says.
“My oldest bonus son Drew is a senior at Florida Atlantic University studying architecture. My middle bonus son Evan Dempsey just got drafted from Florida Gulf Coast University by the Detroit Tigers as a pitcher. My youngest bonus son Michael is a sophomore running back at Stetson University in Florida,” she says. Her daughter Reagan, 26, who played on a youth soccer travel team, is working in public relations in Chicago.
“We fly all over the place, and have for years, as all the kids played travel sports growing up to get to the varsity and collegiate levels. We don’t take a lot of family vacations as a result. Sports have always taken up our time and our travel budget, but have made a lot of really great family memories,” says Roberts, who played soccer and tennis as a child.
Ryan being drafted No. 211 “was an amazing surprise. We had no idea what to expect. I’m thrilled he is in the AFC North so we can drive to so many away games,” she says.
“And I remind everyone that Bengals fans should always be thrilled to see Ryan, because it means the Ravens offense did not make it very far down the field!”
Her travel schedule might be a little less hectic this summer, if the Tigers assign Evan to the High-A Western Michigan Whitecap in the same Midwest League as the Dayton Dragons. The past two years Evan won the national John Olerud Two-Way College Player of the Year Award for playing outfield when he wasn’t the starting pitcher.
“He’s got a hot bat, and they wanted to get it in the lineup,” says his proud mother.
Roberts, a Chicago native, says she “never stopped being a Midwest girl.” After graduating from Penn State University, she worked at TV stations in Toledo, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Tampa and Sarasota. They “stayed in Florida until the kids were gone,” she says.
“We chose Cincinnati and Fox19 for many family reasons. My daughter Reagan loves Chicago and will stay there. My extended family is all in Columbus and Cincinnati. We were very tired of the heat and high cost of living (in Florida), and I was ready for a career transition back to working evenings,” she says.
Roberts and her husband won’t be in Baltimore Sunday. They’re going to watch the game at home with friends from up and down their street.
“It’s a great way to get to know our neighbors better,” she says.
