fˈɑːloʊɪŋ hɪz ɡɹˌædʒuːˈeɪʃən fɹʌm pɹˈɑːvɪdəns kˈɑːlɪdʒ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn, mək ˈædəm spˈɛnt fˈoːɹ jˈɪɹz kˈʌvɚɹɪŋ spˈoːɹts æt wˈiːn, ɐ ɹˈoʊd ˈaɪlənd ɹˈeɪdɪˌoʊ tˈɔːk stˈeɪʃən, bᵻfˌoːɹ dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðə pɹˈɑːvɪdəns dʒˈɜːnəl æz ɐ ɹᵻpˈoːɹɾɚ.
Following his graduation from Providence College in 1981, McAdam spent four years covering sports at WEAN, a Rhode Island radio talk station, before joining The Providence Journal as a reporter.