Explaining the Nerves

2015 -- Lots of nerves that day (HAN Network screen shot. Wish these games were available online)

Nerves can be a good thing. I guess I didn't make that clear.

Before the start of each school athletic year (which is normally the first Greenwich football game for me), I get this run of emotions.

I miss lost loved ones. I hope the audience is excited. I hope I make them all proud on the broadcast. I hope we have technical issues, and so on.

I felt it on the Darien/Greenwich football game last year that I thought Chris Erway and I, along with the remarkable DAF Media crew, slayed.

A similar thing happens before a championship game. I've called World Championships in hockey, plus titles in the Atlantic League, the FCIAC, FAA, NEPSAC, Section 1, New York State, Ner Jersey, Connecticut, the GYFL, Little League Baseball and Babe Ruth Baseball (regionally), the Philip Morris/Kraft Softball League and, honestly, I can't remember them all. Probably well over 100, I would guess.

In this case, I was talking about the upcoming run that will hopefully take me to four more FCIAC Championship calls.

It's not that I need lessons or advice on how to call them. I actually love the nerves that kick in. It means I still have a solid level of humility.

I can tell you about how I stepped into the bathroom at Harbor Yard to give myself a small pep talk before the FCIAC baseball championship -- probably 2015 or 2016. Likely both.

"You're here because you have earned this," I said, hoping I would listen. "It's your baby and you drive this bus. This crew and the viewers are counting on you for a great call."

It's not that I need it. It's a loving dose of adrenaline kicking in.

The 2015 FCIAC Championship/Turkey Bowl was a explosion of nerves due to one piece of missing equipment. Because of that, I turned into the calming force.

"It's going to happen," I kept saying. "We're going to be fine."

We were. Then I allowed my nerves to kick in and, in that case, I realized I was a little too amped up early on.

It's the exact reason that every time I do something with AJ Szymanowski, he'll look at me before we go on the air, hold his fist out and say, "Take us there, Skitch." It's a reference to That Thing You Do, a movie AJ and I have quoted several times to each other.

(Another quote being, "I led you here, sir, for I am Spartacus.")

From there, it always becomes another game. Another broadcast. It becomes ball meets bat or ball meets tackler or whatever.

Do I really need to explain this? I mean, those first Philip Morris/Kraft games were 25 years ago.

Tonight, it's basketball. Semis tonight. Championship on Thursday.

Tomorrow, it's hockey semis with the championship on Saturday. (EDIT: Not for me, so there's that)

I was wrong, by the way. A quick look this morning in my database reveals this will push my FCIAC Championship total up to 35 for my career.

I get wound up because I take the honor seriously. Because I take this craft seriously. Because there are people -- to this day -- that can quote my calls or tell me that they still have a copy (even on cassette).

So I want it to be done right.

Failure, of course, is not an option.