DMV Sports Debate and March Madness with Ric Chill on Listen In With KNN

By John Luke ChaparoNBA, Washington Commanders

On this special episode of “Listen In With KNN” sports talk radio show/podcast presented by FOX Sports Radio, award-winning broadcast host Kelsey Nicole Nelson welcomed special guest Executive Producer, The Donnie Simpson Show on Magic 102.3 & 92.7 On-Air Personality Ric Chill. Chill is a highly dedicated radio personality in Washington, D.C., known for his hard work and extensive experience in the industry. Starting his career in media at a young age as an intern, he quickly progressed to become an on-air personality at WPGC-FM. Throughout his career, he worked at 10 different radio stations in the D.C. market, showcasing his versatility and adaptability. Notably, he led the on-air staff at the first hip hop/go-go station in the area, “Flava 1580,” and later transitioned into producing sports talk shows for renowned figures such as Tony Kornheiser, Doc Walker, and Al Koken. Chill achieved great success during his time at Jam’n 99.5 (later HOT 99.5), becoming the station’s top-rated personality. He rejoined the Radio One family in Washington, D.C. in 2009 and eventually joined Majic 102.3 as the executive producer and on-air contributor for the “Donnie Simpson Show,” where he continues to make significant contributions.

Nelson welcomed Ric and expressed her excitement about his energy and their upcoming conversation. She asked Chill about his journey into radio, mentioning his role as a producer for the Donnie Simpson show and his on-air work at Magic. He explained that he initially aspired to be a rapper and saw radio as a way to eliminate the middleman and play his own records. Chill started his career at WPGC 95.5 on Election Day in 1992, working in the promotional department. A few years later, the station transformed its AM frequency into a hip-hop station called Flavour 1580. Chill was hired as the night jock and became deeply passionate about radio. “I wanted to be a rapper, and I thought, okay, you know what? How do I eliminate the middleman radio and play my own records? So I started at WPGC 95.5” said Chill.


Nelson expressed her agreement as Chill shared his extensive experience in the radio industry. Chill mentioned working at various stations such as PGC, Hot 99 Five, and the Team 980. He then joined Urban One at Magic 102.3 around twelve years ago. He highlighted his hiring by Donnie Simpson,seven years ago.

Kelsey acknowledged Donnie’s trust in him and his transition from aspiring to do mixtapes to pursuing a career in radio was pivotal. She commended Chill’s extensive work across the DMV area, emphasizing the value of his experience. Kelsey also brought up Chill’s collaboration with Cathy Hughes, referring to her as the “godmother” of Urban Radio, and inquired about his experience working with her. Chill affectionately spoke about Hughes and expressed his awe of her presence and impact. He described her as phenomenal, highlighting her contributions to the community and her company’s growth from a single station to a network of multiple stations nationwide. “I have worked with her on several occasions, had the opportunity and been blessed to be around just her presence, her aura, and you kind of fall into the timid thing when she’s around.” said Chill. Chill also expressed his pride in being a part of the largest urban radio network in the country.

Returning to the topic of the “Donnie Simpson Show,” Kelsey acknowledged Donnie’s iconic status and asked Chill about his experience producing the show. Chill shared that he had already met Donnie when he started working at WPGC, which contributed to their comfortable working relationship when Donnie joined Magic. Chill expressed admiration for Donnie, describing him as a cool brother and a source of immense knowledge. He mentioned learning from Donnie and Tony Perkins, feeling blessed to be a part of their expertise in both radio and television.

Nelson expressed her admiration for Tony Perkins, highlighting his iconic status and the inspiration he provides in the DMV. She congratulated him on his new venture and praised The Donnie Simpson Show for its great laughter, music, and vibes. Kelsey then shifted the focus back to Chill. Chill, acknowledging his significant work in the DMV area and inquiring whether he was a native. Chill confirmed that he was indeed a DMV native, born in D.C. and raised in Oxon Hill, Md. and Fort Washington, Md. He currently resides in Montgomery County, Md.. Kelsey, a Montgomery County native, playfully mentioned that Montgomery County is the best county and engaged in a lighthearted discussion about it.

Building on the DMV connection, Kelsey, described the area as a special place, blending culture, music, and sports. She explained that the DMV’s unique combination of being the most powerful city in the world and having everything one could want, including politics, has kept her rooted in the nation’s capital. Following the local theme, Kelsey asked Chill about his motivations for continuing to inspire, grow, and lead in their hometown. “I mean, that’s kind of what’s kept me here so long, it’s because, one, we live in the most powerful city in the world, and then, two, everything’s here, literally everything you want, politics, everything is right here.” Nelson noted.

Chill enthusiastically responded, echoing Kelsey’s sentiments about the DMV. He expressed his love for the city, acknowledging its flaws but also recognizing its incredible qualities. Having traveled to other places, Chill affirmed that although they may be nice, they are not home like D.C. is to him. Kelsey agreed, emphasizing that there’s no place like home. She humorously mentioned her desire for a touch of palm trees in the area while appreciating the beauty of the cherry blossoms. Both Chill and Kelsey expressed their hope for warm weather to arrive soon in D.C.

Nelson thanked Chill for sharing his story and shifted the conversation to local sports news. She mentioned the recent hiring of Ed Cooley as the new head coach for the Georgetown Hoyas basketball team, following a 29-game losing streak and a lackluster record over the past two seasons. Chill expressed his thoughts on the hire, stating that a change was necessary due to the team’s struggles. He reminisced about the glory days of Georgetown basketball, particularly the intimidating 1984 team, and his personal involvement with the late John Thompson’s show.

Both Kelsey and Chill acknowledged the decline of Georgetown basketball in recent years, with Kelsey noting that the team had only reached the NCAA Tournament once in the past seven years under Coach Ewing. They emphasized the importance of Georgetown reclaiming its status as a basketball school and recruiting local talent from the DMV area. Kelsey referenced the success of neighboring school University of Maryland – College Park in attracting DMV players and expressed hope that Ed Cooley could achieve similar results. They discussed Cooley’s previous accomplishments at Providence College and his opportunity to revive Georgetown’s program in the Big East.

Chill expressed his approval of Georgetown’s decision to hire Cooley, believing that it was necessary to break away from the Thompson family lineage and try something different. He acknowledged that rebuilding would take time and urged fans to be patient. Kelsey emphasized the desire to restore Georgetown basketball to its former glory and compete in the Big East once again, mentioning the team’s previous successes and the importance of attracting new generations of fans. They then shifted their focus to discussing the Maryland Terrapins’ performance in March Madness, noting their strong start against Alabama but their struggles in the second half, leading to turnovers and missed shots.

Chill commented on Maryland’s performance, mentioning their struggles with shooting and foul trouble. However, he considered it a successful year for the program, given their previous absence from the tournament. He expressed optimism about future recruiting efforts and predicted a potential return to national championship contention within five years.

Kelsey acknowledged Maryland’s achievements under Kevin Willard in his first year as head coach, particularly their strong home record. She noted that the team’s shooting woes affected their performance against Alabama but commended their defense. Both agreed that shooting is crucial in basketball and discussed the surprises of the March Madness tournament, including the impressive performance of Ivy League teams and the underwhelming performance of the Big Ten. They touched on Princeton’s upcoming game against Creighton and expressed doubts about Alabama’s chances against San Diego State. They also mentioned Gonzaga quietly making strides in the tournament but facing tough challenges ahead.

Chill expressed his frustration with the performance of certain teams in the tournament, particularly Kansas, and Kentucky, emphasizing his desire for new champions. He highlighted the unpredictable nature of March Madness and the excitement it brings. Kelsey mentioned Maryland’s women’s basketball team and praised Brenda Freeze for her coaching prowess and the success she has brought to the program. They both expressed support for the team’s continued success. 

Shifting to the NBA, beginning locally, Chill criticized the Washington Wizards’ lack of progress and advocated for a rebuild. He expressed disappointment with past playoff performances and questioned the decision to give John Wall a supermax contract. Chill also expressed frustration with the team’s inability to capitalize on leads and criticized the handling of crucial games. He encouraged Bradley Beal to consider leaving the team and called for a complete overhaul of the organization. “You have to blow this thing up because we are soaking in a sea of mediocrity. We haven’t been for years. It’s just, first of all, me personally, I would have never given John Wall a supermax contract. I’d have never done that.” Chill noted.

Nelson brought up a recent Sports Illustrated article discussing Bradley Beal’s loyalty to the Wizards throughout his 11-year NBA career. The article mentioned trade ideas for struggling NBA teams, including the Wizards. One proposal suggested trading Beal to the Knicks in exchange for RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, and draft picks. Chill expressed his support for making that trade and emphasized the need for the Wizards to tank and accumulate lottery picks to rebuild the team. He referenced the successful rebuild of the Philadelphia 76ers and stressed the importance of aiming for championship contention.

They also discussed the Wizards’ standing at the time, in the playoff race, with the Milwaukee Bucks securely at the top and the Wizards in danger of missing the play-in tournament. Chill expressed his frustration with the team’s mediocrity and lack of progress over the years, calling for a complete overhaul of the organization.They touched on Bradley Beal’s individual performance, acknowledging his scoring prowess but also mentioning his injury and decreased shot attempts per game. The conversation briefly mentioned the signing of Xavier Cooks by the Wizards and the team’s defensive struggles. Chill criticized the coaching staff and highlighted the need for significant changes to improve the team’s performance.

They acknowledged the lack of enthusiasm among fans and the difficulty of being a Wizards supporter in a city that has experienced more mediocrity than success in basketball. “It’s why I always say it’s hard to find people rocking. Like, you don’t really see people rocking Wizards Gear around the city. You just don’t. Because it’s hard to be a fan when, like you said, we just get used to the more mediocre. Nobody wants anything mediocre in life, let alone the basketball team that you so love,” Nelson exclaimed. The two reminisced together about the glory days of the Washington Bullets and expressed disappointment that the younger generation may not fully appreciate the team’s past achievements. Chill also mentioned carrying sports grudges, particularly against the 1975 Golden State Warriors, who caused a significant upset in the NBA Finals. Overall, they agreed on the need for a drastic rebuild of the Wizards, aiming for higher aspirations than just making the playoffs or the play-in tournament.

Nelson then discussed the offseason moves made by the Washington Commanders football team. They re-signed Daron Payne after his successful season and secured a four-year contract extension for him. There were talks about releasing running back J.D. McKissic, while safety Jeremy Reaves was re-signed, which was an emotional moment for him. The team also agreed to terms with center Tyler Larson, although opinions on that signing were mixed. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett generated a lot of conversation, and linebackers, including Cody Barton, were another topic of discussion. The team had several needs to address, such as the offensive line.

Chill expressed satisfaction with the team’s moves in free agency, particularly with the linebackers. He believed Jamin Davis would have a breakout year with disciplined linebackers around him. The defensive line, including Chase Young, Daron Payne, and Jonathan Allen, was also praised. Offensively, the acquisition of tackle Orlando Brown Jr. from the Kansas City Chiefs was appreciated, potentially pushing Samuel Cosmi to guard. The offensive line’s protection of the quarterback was deemed crucial. Chill expressed excitement about rookie quarterback Sam Howell, highlighting his accomplishments at UNC and his dual-threat ability. Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett was also regarded as a solid addition.

The discussion shifted to the team’s new offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, and the upcoming sale of the franchise. The potential sale, involving Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales, was seen as a positive development, bringing fresh air to the team after years of negativity under the current owner. The hope was that the new ownership would bring positive changes and potentially lead to a new stadium at the site of the old RFK Stadium. Kelsey and Chill agreed that the team should play in Washington, D.C., and that the location offered better accessibility for fans. Overall, the conversation conveyed optimism about the Washington football team’s offseason moves and the potential for positive changes under new ownership. “Let’s just build the stadium and get this rolling!” exclaimed Chill.

Nelson and Chill discussed various sports-related topics in a past conversation. Kelsey mentioned that the team should play in Washington D.C., specifically at RFK Stadium. She expressed her dislike for the traffic in Virginia and emphasized the need to bring the team back home. Chill agreed and urged them to stop delaying the decision and just play in Washington, D.C. They also mentioned the great Laker legend Magic Johnson and expressed excitement about the possibility of having him involved in the D.C. sports scene.

They briefly touched on some other NFL free agency news, including the signing of quarterback Joshua Dobbs by the Browns and running back Damien Harris by the Bills. They highlighted the ongoing speculation surrounding quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his potential moves. The Texans signed tight end Dalton Schultz and reached an agreement with running back Devin Singletary, which Kelsey believed were significant moves.

Chill expressed his opinion that the Bills needed a strong running back to improve their performance. They mentioned C.J. Gardner-Johnson signing with the Detroit Lions and compared the current Philadelphia Eagles team to the 2006 Chicago Bears. Kelsey acknowledged that the Eagles had potential but had lost key players.

They shifted the conversation to the NBA and discussed Ja Morant’s suspension for eight games due to an incident involving a gun in a strip club. Rapper Ja Rule blamed hip hop culture for influencing such behavior, but Kelsey and Chill disagreed, emphasizing personal responsibility. They acknowledged Morant’s talent and the impact he had on the Memphis Grizzlies’ popularity. Chill advised Morant to focus on basketball and not let immaturity or bad decisions jeopardize his career.

They also discussed the importance of athletes being cautious with their actions on social media. Kelsey mentioned LeBron James as a role model for handling fame and sponsorships wisely. They expressed hope for Morant’s rehabilitation and his ability to learn from his mistakes. They stressed the importance of taking gun violence seriously and the need for safe communities. Kelsey highlighted the teachable moment for young kids who look up to Morant.

You can follow Ric Chill on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

You can listen to the whole show here!

John Luke Chaparo