Airing of grievances in three parts

I'm hoping Frank Costanza won't mind if I use the Festivus pole for a few minutes

 

The day kicked in with nonsense. Let us address.

1) Similar to my post of last weekend, it was discovered that the NCAA women's volleyball tournament wouldn't have announcers. So Purdue coach Dave Shondell let his feelings be known. That brought out the "high and mighties" who then launched into, "How dare you suggest we all-knowing of the microphone work for free?"

Look, we all prefer to get paid. Of course, I do. But -- fact -- I'm not where I am without a few strategic decisions in my life. I don't get into the Gades booth at all if I don't offer to join Sean Ford back in 2001. Now it did bring me some pay as a board operator and free food but any time in the booth was on my own.

I might not be in play-by-play at all if not for sticking around my "real" job back in the 90s to work on softball videos. I almost definitely wouldn't know Harold -- one of my closest friends. It's with a tape of me calling softball that I got to be sports director and call games at WGCH.

At other times I've fought terrible emotions and it was getting out to call a game that helped me. Thus it brought me to Fenway Park and other places. I'll tell you right now I would have called the game the night my mother died for free simply because I wanted to be a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e but home.

Oh, Brunswick. Right. If Joe Early doesn't reach out about wanting a professional broadcaster on games? And I offered them my time in the hope that we could build something. Bingo. It built a relationship with Brunswick and a friendship with Joe.

And Mahopac baseball? I've made friends there and got to go back to my high school. They paid me with a treasured sweatshirt. I'd like more there and maybe one day that will happen.

I've got more in the arsenal but here's the overwhelming fact: don't judge. You don't know the whole story. You don't know why I did what I did. Sometimes it was an escape for me. Sometimes it was about building important relationships. Sometimes it leads to huge opportunities, as in 31 days from now.

Basically, it's none of your business and so many of you are hypocrites anyway.

2) To quote Ferris Bueller, "Isms in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an ism. They should believe in themself." I saw a tweet that had me so outraged, playing the "ism" card that I nearly screamed (I've decided to not share it here). I also nearly responded to the blue checkmark. I declined on all counts. Short answer: I was asked the same questions you were asked. I was asked if I wanted to be the "next (insert name here)" years ago when I showed any interest in broadcasting. My gender had nothing to do with it.

Don't fall on the easy "ism" sword. It's lazy and unnecessary.

This is my shortest and most polite way to address this because, well, you probably know why. Nothing good comes from it.

3) You all saw DMX died yesterday. To be fair, I know he had great popularity and was a legendary rapper. Can I tell you anything about his music or about his career? No. 

But I can tell you that for a few brief minutes one night years ago, he was a great guy.

Mark Jeffers and I were sitting at Fuel restaurant, inside of Grand Prix New York when this guy walked over and started chatting us up. He was just there to have fun with the family. You know, some bowling, maybe drive a go-kart and play some arcade games. Stuff like that.

Mark is one of the nicest people you'll meet. He'll happily chat away. He's a true people person. I'm more reserved but always try to be polite.

Well, anyway, you can guess where this is going. The guy just wanted to talk with these two radio broadcasters as to why they were sitting at a bar in Mount Kisco, NY inside a big family entertainment center. We told him about "The Clubhouse" and he was genuinely interested in what we had to say.

He couldn't have been nicer, ending our time together by buying each of us a drink.

"You know who that was?" someone asked.

Yeah. DMX.

Talented. Troubled. But for a few minutes with total strangers, a true gentleman. 

Mark and I were the perfect clueless audience to just talk.

Condolences to all.

*****

Last point: I called my first game on the radio today in 1999. My only grievance here is that I don't have a game to call in honor of that as everything got canceled.

Be nice to someone today.