Bill Gonillo Six Time

Before I get to the BG Six, let me just ask the following:

What the hell was that on Friday night?

I mean, I've seen Greenwich lose.  I've seen them fall in some amazing ways.  But jeezus, that was an annihilation!

By the way, many thanks to everyone at New Canaan High School for finding room for us inside the Dunning Field press box.  I got a phone call late Friday afternoon from their AD, assuring me that they would accommodate us (and Matt Levine of WSTC/WNLK).  But golly, I sure am sorry we were in the way of MSG Varsity, who decided to set up the screen for their opening shot in the area where we were going to broadcast.  This, of course, got under the skin of some MSG cameraman, based on the fact that I had the temerity to have my suitcase open and on the floor next to me while I was setting up.  That's when the following happened:

MSG Cameraman, who we'll call "MSG-C" (speaking to somebody back in his truck): "Some guy is in the way.  I don't know who he is.  He's setting up audio."
MSG-C: "I don't know.  He's setting up for a radio broadcast."
MSG-C: "He's still there."
MSG-C: "OK, we'll move him."

Finally, he approaches me, and says, "Look.  You don't need this suitcase here.  We're trying to set up."
Me: (looks at him...doesn't say...a...word)

Then he proceeds to move my suitcase.  Why the EFF didn't he just call himself "the most important person here?"

Ryan DeMaria and Nick Fox were witnesses to the whole thing.  Amazing.


By the way, Friday night proved that MSG Varsity is determined to bring the circus to YOUR town!  They had a fan experience!  It...was...sublime.  They actually had a football throwing game, and they asked yours truly to participate - three tries to throw the football through a hole.  I was close on the first two, and nailed it on the third!  My prize?  An MSG Varsity bag!  Now I can die in peace!

Nice of Varsity play-by-play voice Jimmy Cavallo (he of the famous "Thanksgiving" meltdown...and I kept Chris Kaelin far away from him) to stop by and visit....as I was trying to give an interview to the "Mary Anne Show" on WGCH.  See, here's the thing: when a broadcaster is wearing this thing called a headset - the same thing Jimmy would have on to "broadcast" the game about a half hour later, and he or she is talking into it, you might want to leave that broadcaster alone.  Jimmy just wanted to point out to me that Greenwich quarterback Liam O'Neil was wearing #14.  As you, the dear reader, would imagine, I sort-of know that.

*sigh*  Soooooooo much more to say....soooooooo not worth it!  I was fairly grumpy as a result of Friday night anyway, so let's move on!

But I will say, again, that there are a lot of good people associated with MSG, and I spoke with several of them Friday night.  I had some laughs with some of the other camera guys and the tech guys, as well as some of the security people.  And they now have a new good dude working for them in former Greenwich Time writer Jesse Quinlan.  Best of luck to him in his new endeavor.

Again - if MSG ever wanted me to join them, I would be honored.  But I won't treat others rudely, especially those just trying to do their job.  I find I always enjoy speaking with others in the industry, as opposed to trying to bully them.

To the BG Six!

1) Staples (Last week: 1)  They remain number one, to me.  Maybe I'm just being too stubborn about the FCIAC.
2) Masuk (2) Somebody has to be number one...somebody gets my second-place vote.  Wish Masuk and Staples could play each other!
3) Darien (3) Has a clear course to play either Staples or Trumbull in the FCIAC Championship Game (to be broadcast on the TV...live...with the helicopter...yay).  I can tell you who WON'T be broadcasting it.  That's right.  Me.
4) New Canaan (4)  Never doubt the Rams, I guess.
5) Trumbull (NR) They're back.  They deserve to be back, even though I should make a bigger push for somebody else, like Brookfield.
6) St. Joseph (NR) I get to see the Cadets first hand on Saturday (pregame show 1:20 on WGCH).