He's already been the play-by-play announcer for two universities.
He's done pregame work for the Houston Astros and been the arena announcer for the Houston Rockets. He was the basketball P.A. announcer at the 1996 Olympics and at the World Basketball Championships in London. He's done play-by-play for everything from Arena Football to the WNBA.
With a rsum like that, you'd think Matt Thomas was the one about to retire rather than replacing Bill Marcroft as Utah's play-by-play announcer.
The 32-year-old Thomas, who has been in town for less than a month, has certainly packed a lot into his young life already. Nevertheless, he's excited to be in Utah and plans to stay here a long time.
Thomas also hosts a three-hour talk show every afternoon on Hot Ticket 700 (AM-700) and will begin his play-by-play duties for Utah basketball later this month. Thomas will do both Ute football and basketball beginning next year.
Thomas lived in Houston most of his life and has been involved in radio for 14 years, either behind the scenes or on the air.
He became the public address announcer for the Houston Rockets at the tender age of 22 and was on the job when the Rockets won a pair of NBA titles in the mid-1990s.
Thomas became the play-by-play announcer for the University of Houston in 1996. He thought he had his dream job, doing play-by-play for his alma mater, even if it wasn't his alma mater yet.
Thomas was still a student at the time ("I was on the eight-year plan") and covered the Cougars for a couple of years. He was "crushed," however, when the University of Houston changed stations. So he became the play-by-play announcer for Rice University, which he has done for the past six years.
Although he liked Houston, Thomas wanted to go to a "big-time college program."
He had come to Utah in 1995 when the Rockets played the Jazz in the playoffs and again last year when Rice played at BYU in basketball. He liked the area, so when the opportunity came up in August, he jumped at it.
His wife, Kimberly, and two sons joined him two weeks ago.
So is Thomas just passing through town on his way to a bigger and better job?
He says no.
Perhaps a big-time NBA job could lure him away someday in the future, but Thomas says he's here for the long run.
"I'm not going to another college program like Michigan or UCLA," he said. "I plan to equal Bill Marcroft and be here 37 years."
E-mail: sor@desnews.com