Bill Raftery joke had John Fanta’s wife worried he was necking with a bartender

If you’ve worked with Bill Raftery, you have a good drinking story with the legendary announcer, which John Fanta and his wife can attest to.

Fanta joined this week’s episode of SI Media with Jimmy Traina to discuss his career and the NCAA Tournament. And Fanta, who calls NBA and college basketball games for NBC, obviously won’t be working alongside Raftery during the tournament, which might be good news for his wife.

During the interview with Traina, Fanta recalled the first time he worked with Raftery, when the legendary announcer had his then-girlfriend wondering what the heck he was up to the night before.

“Well, kid, I don’t know if you can talk, but you sure as hell can eat.”

– John Fanta with a tremendous Bill Raftery story on this week’s SI MEDIA PODCAST.

Apple: https://t.co/iOhfjxCpys
YouTube: https://t.co/BaYbPwIEQp pic.twitter.com/6XCpy2V8tb

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 19, 2026

“I’m 24 or 25 and the whole time I’m sitting there, and I’m like, ‘I can’t actually be working a UConn-Creighton game the next night with Bill Raftery,'” Fanta told Traina.

Fanta said he and Raftery both ordered steaks and “[started] throwing them back” at Max’s in downtown Hartford. At one point, Raftery noted he was done with his potatoes and passed them over to Fanta, who eventually took a bite as the night progressed.

When Raftery decided his night was done, he stood up and told Fanta what time to meet in the hotel lobby the next morning. “He goes, ‘Well, kid, I don’t know if you can talk, but you sure as hell can eat!'” Fanta recalled.

But the jokes didn’t stop there, with Raftery telling one during the broadcast the next night that had Fanta’s girlfriend, now his wife, on edge.

“The next night rolls around, and I am like three months into a relationship,” Fanta said. “There’s a stoppage on a collision for potential flagrant, and Raf goes, ‘That was Husky on Bluejay crime right there. What a collision, what a meeting! Kinda like you and the bartender last night!’

“My girlfriend, now my wife, she doesn’t know Bill Raftery. She’s watching the game, she texts me and goes, ‘What the hell is he talking about?’ I go, ‘it never happened!’ So, now I gotta go home because of this guy, Hall of Famer to my right, and explain that he’s one of one.”

And that was the day John Fanta’s wife learned about Bill Raftery. Thankfully, Fanta was able to convince his then-girlfriend that Raftery is indeed one of one. And years later, not only are they married, but Fanta and his wife recently welcomed the addition of their first child.