John Letasky

Infobox Person
name = John Letasky


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birth_date = birth date and age|1976|12|06
birth_place = Billings, Montana
occupation = Sports Columnist
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John Letasky (born December 6, 1976, in Billings, Montana) is an American sportswriter and columnist. Letasky is currently the Club Boxing, MMA and prep wrestling beat writer for the "Billings Gazette". He also covers various other sports for the "Gazette", including state prep football. In the summer Letasky has written the "Gazette" fishing report. He is well known throughout the state of Montana and is better known by his nickname "Chopper."

Letasky graduated from Rocky Mountain College with honors, holding a degree in English and History. Despite the English degree and years in the newspaper business, he doesn't know that "history" shouldn't be capitalized. In June 2003, he coined the term "jet leg" (as opposed to "jet lag") in describing a baseball pitcher's discomfort while sitting on a plane. [cite web|url=http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2003/06/24/sports/export111331.txt|title=Royals bounce back with 12-1 win over Laurel] Letasky is also known to interview himself on occasion. [cite web|url=http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2002/09/15/sports/export78055.txt|title=WWE] He also once threatened to file what he called a "defecation suit" over remarks in a fantasy baseball newsletter.

Letasky has interviewed various World Wrestling Entertainment stars including Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and Eric Bischoff. Letasky has also interviewed Montana boxer Todd Foster.

Letasky has an ever-changing personality, mostly defined by the "hip-hop ring tones" on his cell phone, he says.

Red Wire

Letasky was one of the first writers for a Montana Newspaper (and first for the "Gazette") to have an online-exclusive column. From 2002-03 "Gazette" online readers could get Letasky's take on various local and national sports issues in a column entitled "Red Wire". He likes to catch catfish and eat them.

Awards

*ABC Bowling Pride Award (Best Dressed, Well-Mannered) - 2002

Resources

* [http://www.gazprepsports.com Gazette Prep Sports Blog]
* [http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/11/03/sports/local/45-bischoff.txt November 3, 2006 interview with Eric Bischoff for the Billings Gazette]
* [http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2003/08/15/sports/export117902.txt REDWIRE: Thursday Night Fights set for September return]
* [http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/22/sports/local/20-mma.txt MMA takes over Babcock Theatre]
* [http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/18/sports/local/21-prepbarta.txt Falcons' Barta ready to return to top of AA wrestling ranks]

References