Saturday in Three Acts

Coke Icee for the win

Act I:

Today was a good day.

I woke up in Atlantic City, went to Brunswick, and am now home.

It started with a debate of Icees. Or slushies, Slurpees or whatever you call them. Chris Erway made it clear to me that Coke Icees are disgusting. Oh, how I beg to differ beyond a shadow of a doubt. I've loved those since, say, 1971 when I had them in Florida.

This parting of the ways was not what pushed me out of the hotel room we shared, to be clear. 

I passed on one at Wawa as I grabbed coffee, breakfast, and a sandwich to be eaten following my broadcast. From there, it was on to the highways.

I enjoyed my drive up the Garden State Parkway (this alone is breaking news) as I negotiated the always-delightful New Jersey drivers while cranking out some good road tunes. It was around then that I considered that it was, indeed, a good day.

Whether or not this was despite being in New Jersey is up for debate. Having to pass a rest area named for, blech, Jon Bon Jovi did not deter from the drive.

He gives rest areas a bad name.

But, yeah, I could use more of that road-trip comforts.

*****

The Wawa sandwich has nothing to do with this part of the post.
It's a Wawa sandwich. A hoagie. That's enough.

Act II

I'm very proud to announce that the Super Bowl will air on Robcasting Radio beginning in 2023. Next month, Robcasting will also run the Final Four as well as The Masters. Later in 2022, we'll air the Indianapolis 500, the World Series, and whatever else I damn well please.

I mean contracts don't matter, right?

Local Live has a contract with the FCIAC so it should make sense that nobody -- literally no one -- airs the FCIAC semifinals and championship, which are supposed to be exclusively on their stream. Sure, exceptions are made, including Wilton High School's student channel taping the games that their boys basketball team played in so they could run them on YouTube. 

But no non-student group can do that, right? I mean, if I wasn't working the game, I couldn't just run Robcasting out there, could I?

No, of course not. I'd have to get the approval of FCIAC Commissioner Dave Schulz, as well as the likely okie dokey of whatever facility I planned to broadcast from.

That's the way it works with anything I do. I don't even get a table without someone's say-so.

So, no, Robcasting won't be broadcasting any of the above. The NFL, Augusta National Golf Club, the NCAA, and other organizations wouldn't be too pleased with me just strolling in with my equipment and setting up.

Yet that's happening.

This isn't supposed to be the Wild Wild West of broadcasting and everyone would be well-served to stop before controls really get put into place. I've heard horror stories from other states. I don't want the ones I work in to become like that.

*****

Act III

After considerable thought, I went to Brunswick today for their hockey semifinal against Nobles in the Large School tournament. I had the option to go to the FCIAC Championship in Danbury but decided Wick was the right call. The FCIAC game was a magnificent affair that I watched on Local Live, sans announcer. Ridgefield and Fairfield put on a show that many won't forget.

Part of what made Brunswick the right call was the later start time (2 p.m. vs. Noon in Danbury) and that it was on the way from Atlantic City. I cruised to the Hartong Rink in a little over two hours. Of course, Wick's loyalty to me is also extremely important. 

I'm loyal if you don't know, and I am also loyal to the FCIAC, given my nearly 25 years with them.

I watched Ridgefield go to overtime and win 1-0. Admittedly I almost missed the winning goal because Brunswick had already started. I glanced down at my phone just when the Tigers scored.

I considered calling the game myself remotely since Josh Drebsky's camera work on Local Live was so well done. I had the rosters and notes (yes, I prepared for that game also). I know it's pronounced "Eff-see-ack," for what it's worth.

But I went to Brunswick.

It was the right move, as I said. While the game wasn't quite as nail-biting as the one in Danbury, the Bruins still won a tight 3-2 contest.

They will play for the Large School championship tomorrow at 2 p.m. against Kent School. I will call that game.

That will end the insane stretch of games, though there is a likely doubleheader (other than the show of the same name) this week. I just have to confirm things but, as I said, I've gone through the proper channels.

Respect is so 20th century, I guess.