Patience, Old Grasshopper

 

A lonely equipment case

I should be driving home from my first broadcast of 2022 tonight.

Alas, it was not to be.

Nor will I be calling games Friday or Saturday. They were both on the calendar and are not going to happen.

The reasons aren't necessary. Sure we can guess but I was told the games were canceled or postponed (both are accurate) and that's all I needed to know.

Keep the mixer and headset in the (new) hard-sided case. Hopefully, next week will work out.

Oh, it makes me crazy that's for sure. And, sure, I can go call games elsewhere. But there does come a point where doing it on my dime isn't entirely acceptable. That's not to say I won't make exceptions (there are a couple of those coming up) but I also need to pay bills.

There's no question the FCIAC and even the SCC in Connecticut and maybe even Section 1 in New York could all use a game of the week concept. I'd be happy to put Robcasting audio with Local Live video. Or just audio. Or whatever. But the bottom line is I'm happy to call the games in the style that I know how to do. 

Meaning it's not about me. 

This is sort of what I was talking about at the end of last year. Yes, I'm crazy proud of every broadcast but I don't want to simply call games to add more numbers to a spreadsheet. The games, the athletes, the broadcasts all matter. 

Recently, a topic in the Facebook Play-by-Play group caught my attention. It essentially mentioned broadcasts that feature either just "natural sound" or dead air in breaks.

I bit my tongue as I watched everyone get their high horse out of the barn before I chimed in. I explained how most of the Local Live broadcasts I do feature minimal production because that's what is requested.

Watch a Brunswick broadcast sometime. When I take a break, there's either crowd noise or no noise. I'll turn the mics off completely if I think something will be said that might be bad.

I have first-hand experience in this.

Now, if a game is on WGCH, then that's a different story, but we've only done one of those since 2019.

Still, there was a hint of outrage. 

"LAZY!" came the cry!

"No!" I said. If that's what the client wants then they get it.

I'm not new to this. Look, I can argue all I want for "the right way to broadcast" and have for 30 years. What good does it do me?

I've had those discussions literally everywhere. I had them at Kraft/Philip Morris, HAN, and schools that I've worked with. Still, there comes a point where you lose that battle and win the war.

At the end of the day, digging in for my principles will ultimately be a losing cause.

I could tell you the story of the position we had for a basketball game that I specifically asked to not have. But, you get my point.

So, yeah, I'm all about doing things "the right way" if such a thing exists.

But, at the end of the day, all I can do is adjust and roll with the punches (hopefully, no punches are thrown).

Today, I lost connection to WGCH during "Doubleheader." Bob Small and I ultimately elected to bail out of the radio broadcast and I did the rest of the show on the internet.

No harm. No foul.

The balance of the show was goofy. I picked on people (those without a sense of humor shouldn't listen). I laughed. It was what I had to do.

The alternative is to get angry and I prefer that I don't do that. This was more enjoyable.

Survival. It's what's for dinner.

The next broadcast is coming.

Eventually.

I know Brunswick is onboard.

The question is: Does anyone else want in?