How?

 

Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Breen

Someone who wants to be in sports broadcasting recently reached out to me and asked if we could speak via phone. I made some time today and we chatted.

He had some good questions, besides the simple, "How do I get into the business?"

He has no experience at all. Thus my first suggestion was to get to a game -- any game -- and call it into his phone. Sure, he can practice off a TV at home (I've done that also) but getting the real flow of it all means being on-site.

I advised that he get reps. Lots of them. 

Of course, I suggested that he make friends because, as I've said many times, who he knows will be every bit as important as what he knows.

He says he'll be considering going to a school where a certain someone might wind up as one of his instructors but that's not happening anytime soon.

He asked about the downside of the business. I advised him about the politics and power struggles -- for the love of Mel Allen, can I speak to that? I told him about the entitlement that has become more prevalent than ever.

I told him that, so often, quality doesn't matter anymore.

He asked about who I studied. The truth is I never had a mentor so I paid attention to a collection of broadcasters who helped me grow. But, ultimately, I talked to him about Vin and how I learned the things that I believe -- on reporting, informing, educating, and enlightening before entertaining. I talked about integrity and that the game is the star. The athletes. The coaches. 

Literally, I talk.

I take no credit when an athlete does something great. I only hope they allow themselves to associate with me.

Ben Casparius -- who was a star at Staples High School -- was drafted over the weekend. His being drafted had nothing to do with the times I called games involving him on the HAN Network.

He told me he was a basketball fan and that Mike Breen was his guy. I said that was a great broadcaster to learn from but that he needed to be himself. Mike Breen already exists. You'll hear things related to Vin Scully in my broadcasts but I don't try to be Vin. 

I told him to study up on Marv Albert and, even more, Marty Glickman, who essentially created the terms that we use in broadcasting basketball. He sounded interested in that.

Did I stress that he needs reps? 

It was a productive, nice conversation and I wish him well. His openness to learning and his sense of integrity makes me root for him.

There needs to be more like him.