Alone Again (Naturally)

Greenwich jerseys on display Saturday to honor Steven Sudell, a 14-year-old battling brain cancer (My photo)

For more on Steven Sudell, please go here.

On Saturday, I hit another one of those "now I've seen everything" moments.

I've called baseball solo many times. Same with basketball. Hockey. Lacrosse.

I've called football alone. However, prior to Saturday, I had never broadcast Greenwich football alone.

By my count, my previous 188 broadcasts had a partner, or even the makings of a clown car as a big crew would ride along.

Things fell through on Saturday. Paul Silverfarb didn't feel well. Chris Kaelin had to tend to a family matter. Chris Erway was scheduled to be away.

By the time I could reach out to anyone else, it was too late.

For my 189th broadcast of Greenwich football (five of which were on the HAN Network in 2014 and 2015), I was on my own.

It was weird.

Don't get me wrong, I'm OK with "Scullying" games (named after the master, of course). There are drawbacks to working solo, but there are a lot of positives as well.

I did the Brunswick/Loomis Chaffee game on Friday night alone, and it was fairly blissful.

In the case of Greenwich and Trinity Catholic on Saturday, I think it was just something I wasn't used to. No Erway to laugh with and do lists of top five songs (or whatever) in the second half with the score 49-0. No Paul to joke with about the Buccaneers and Steelers. No Kato to complain about the Mets.

The booth at Greenwich was as usual, even if the faces change. We're still getting used to the new things this year. But that didn't deter the broadcast.

Anyway, I'm not trying to make a big deal of this. It was just something I noted. Jake Zimmer has already volunteered to ride shotgun for the next game, at Norwalk on September 28.

Incidentally, if it all lines up, my 200th Greenwich football game might be a state championship contest.

Just saying.

Oh, one other thing. the post I ran in honor of September 11 was called "At Seventeen," in honor of the seventeenth anniversary. I used that title because it matched up with a 1976 song by Janis Ian. This post -- titled "Alone Again (Naturally)" -- also takes its lead from a 1970's hit song. In this case, it's the monster 1971 depressing hit by Gilbert O'Sullivan. Just trying to inform those who don't know.

Highlights from Saturday, as Greenwich beat Trinity Catholic 56-0.
   
Highlights from Friday, as Brunswick beat Loomis Chaffee 35-13.