Adnan Virk Make Way For the (Good) Bad Guy! Written by Unnati Gandhi

If Tony Montana were around today, he'd be proud: Montana a.k.a. Scarface has a lasting image of himself in Adnan Virk. Or better yet, Adnan Virk has a lasting image of Scarface in his pocket - er, on his money clip. Same thing.

Virk, 25, takes his Scarface money clip out of his pocket and admires it for a second before giving his buddy some cash to pick up his lunch. "Pacino is the man," he says as he puts the clip back into his suit pocket.

Pacino was, indeed, the man: he never had to go and get his own lunch because he'd be filming. Well, Virk doesn't have to go and get his weekly Shanghai noodles either because he's on the air at the top of every hour at The Score, one of Canada's leading television sports stations.

Virk isn't a Cuban refugee and he's not Italian (even though he's been mistaken for one many times). He was born in Toronto but spent his formative years in Morven, Ont., a small town just outside of Kingston, Ont. His parents, who immigrated to Canada from Pakistan in 1972, owned a gas station/convenience store there.

"I was always aware that I was different from everyone else," he says. "I was a bit isolated." But being the only brown kid on the block (and in the town of 500) didn't bother him; he saw it as a unique trait. When he wasn't playing street hockey or hanging out with his family, Virk would be working at the convenience store with his dad. He started when he was 10.

"I'd scoop the ice cream and stuff like that, but I wasn't allowed to pump the gas," he recalls. "My dad was scared that I'd spill it everywhere. That obviously added to my inferiority complex."

I always tell the truth. Even when I lie. (Tony Montana)

Contrary to popular belief (his being a sportscaster and all), Virk wasn't violent and his fists didn't get him into trouble when he was a child. But sometimes his mouth did. "I was one of those kids that always had to get his two cents in." Kind of like Montana.

But Virk is always joking around. He likes to tell people he's into horseback riding, snorkeling, yoga, and other seemingly interesting activities. "It's great seeing people's reactions," he says.

Other people's reactions are very important to Virk. "My dad wanted me to be a lawyer because I could always dance my way out of situations. He told me my strength was in my speaking."

So after graduating from Ernestown Secondary School, Virk came to Toronto to take Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson University. It was the middle ground between being a lawyer and being a film director (movies, aside from sports, are his other passion). He got an internship at TSN in his second year of university and ended up working there for two years after graduating in 2000. He was then seen on OMNI's Bollywood Boulevard and OMNIculture before coming to The Score.
"People would always tell me, 'You'd be great on air, you'd be great on air,'" he says. "It can piss you off after a while so you just say, 'Fine, I'll go air!'"

"I'm doing this because people have told me I have an aptitude for it," he says.

Tony: Me, I want what's coming to me.
Manny: Oh, well... what's coming to you?
Tony: The world, chico, and everything in it.

Since he was very young, Virk was into sports and movies. "My parents thought sports and movies were a waste of time," he says. "But I always saw them as a sort of escapism."
At exactly noon on Mondays, Virk escapes into his own world for 40 minutes: the world of The Score. Sitting at a tall, round glass table and facing the teleprompter, he's ready to go.

"Fifteen seconds? Okay, thanks," he says in the studio. "Hey, Tony, did you get the rice or the Shanghai noodles?"
And he's on the air.

"Good afternoon, I'm Adnan Virk and this is the The Score Today. Thanks so much for joining us..."

He keeps his hands very still on the table while on camera, but as soon as shots of the previous nights Pro Bowl are on the air, Virkís hands take flight. "The Pro Bowl's about as uninspiring as the Grammy Awards, but there was more scoring at the Pro Bowl than at the Grammy after-party..."

He moves from football to basketball, enthusiastically describing the Sunday night game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks. "Marbury through the lane for two: bring me to life," he shouts. "Marbury spin moves around Keyon Dooling and a basket! Rock your body! Forty-two points for Marbury gives him his season high, HEY YA!" A justified tribute to the Grammies.

And we're back on camera. Hands down.

"There's a lot more to come on The Score Today so please stay tuned."

Done and done.

His producer pats Virk on his back as he returns to his Shanghai noodles, "Another flawless performance," he tells Virk.

The television in the newsroom plays what Virk just pre-recorded on channel 53.

I got ears, ya know. I hear things. (Tony to Frank Lopez)

"Oh man, it's still weird listening to myself. I'm always thinking about what I can improve, whether I should've had that inflection in my voice there, if I raise my eyebrow every time I say Raptors." He mentions Pacino used to fret over his acting roles.
But unlike Pacino's character in Scarface, Virk is very grateful for what he has.

Everyday above ground is a good day. (Mel to Tony)

"My family's wonderful, my parents are phenomenal, and I'm happy."

His one 'pet peeve' though: "I wish girls would find me more attractive."

Here's what Montana would have to say:
In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, you get the women. (Tony to Manny).