Teach your students well

 

I got to teach play-by-play today and I couldn't possibly be happier.

Oh, I couldn't be more exhausted either. But that's a different topic.

I teach two classes (normally) at CSB Media Arts Center: Radio Sports (and Sports Radio Performance) and TV Sports Highlights. Original, I know.

In reality, the TV Sports Highlights class becomes more of a talking class in which I can explain a bit about what goes into a TV report but unless I have someone to run the TV studio controls, we stay in the classroom.

So, in this case, with two students especially interested in the play-by-play world, I focused on that today.

It's a difficult balance. There are inevitably students -- the majority of them -- who see "sports" on the schedule and curse the day I was born. My goal is to always have students understand that what I'm teaching can be applied in many aspects of broadcasting and even life. 

Play-by-play is describing. It's reporting. You will use it somewhere other than sports if only to tell your loved one what's available at the grocery store when you were sent to get something completely different.

So long as the students are respectful (if not engaged) then we're good and this group was very much that. Believe me, I'm not dumb. I know a couple of students were completely bored with me. One literally darted out the door the minute I wished them luck and ended class.

But, on the other hand, one of the non-sports students approached me to say that what I taught today included lessons he will live by for the rest of his career.

I preach having that ability to be multifaceted. It's why Susan calls me a Renaissance Man, which is a title I greatly appreciate. I treasure it.

I told the story of Marty Hersam and I interviewing someone from a women's boutique a few years ago. People laughed at two guys doing that but I thought we were great, having the smarts to ask about trends and letting our guest promote the business.

"Fake it to make it," I told my class.

I was asked what makes a good broadcast and I outlined RIEE in detail, in which a good broadcaster should Report, Inform, Educate (or Enlighten or Elaborate), and Entertain. To that end, I used The Great Scully as an example. Just hear Vin's call of the Koufax perfect game and everything is right there.

I was able to utilize Doc Emrick and Al Michaels and others as examples of the greats.

I played the three calls of Hank Aaron's 715th -- Curt Gowdy, Milo Hamilton, and Vin -- to compare and contrast.

I was also asked what makes a good analyst. To that end, I explained what makes Chris Erway work so well. He watches basically everything but the ball to focus on filling the pieces that I don't. Plus he knows my cadence and knows when to interject. Chris also knows where to add humor.

The chemistry of a booth is so important. Always. I'm blessed to have worked with so many great analysts and am able to adjust when I have someone thrust upon me, which I think is a difficult and dangerous thing to do.

But I also explained what not to do. Who not to be. Don't be the constant circus clown. Don't make it about you because, despite what you might think, the broadcast isn't about us. It's about the athletes and coaches. We inject some of our personality.

Your highlight reel needs to indicate that you can call a game. I don't care how cute your pithy lines are.

Your reputation and personality matter a bit also. Again, chemistry. If you've been called "a disease" then that's tough to come back from.

And, no matter what, not just anyone can really be a play-by-play announcer. Oh, anyone can try. Anyone can put the money up to be one, I suppose. That doesn't mean you have the ability.

I offered examples of all of this to the class. I offered video and audio samples to let them decide for themselves.

But it gives me great joy to pass whatever I've learned onto them. I love telling the stories -- personal and otherwise. I love explaining HAN and Majic 105 and WGCH and WREF and everything else.

I love telling the tales of sleeping on the floor at GCH and of the rush of covering breaking news and how, as a "sports guy" I've done everything to stay relevant.

"You have to be a little crazy to do what we do," I said.

If a student is open to hearing it, I love passing it on. I love infusing that passion.

"Just don't take my job," I always say.

But I'm equally pleased that I didn't fall asleep while teaching. I explained that I finished the video depo at 4 a.m. and literally climbed into bed as soon as we were done. Before I knew it, the alarm sounded to get me up to drive to Stratford. Plied with only one cup of coffee, I did the class and I admit I was getting weak at the very end.

I came home and, with Rascal at my side, I passed out for a nap.

And with these words typed, I will enjoy some Yankees baseball before I head back to bed. Another video depo awaits tomorrow.

The schedules changes. Constantly. So we try to be adaptable.

It's all part of what I teach.