From Zero to Ten

 

Calling the FCIAC at Wilton, 2022 (Photo: Shawn Sailer)

I was pretty glum when Monday morning opened its eyes to the world.

The previous week had been a less-than-stellar collection of doing a lot of nothing. 

The broadcasting world felt dead to me. All the gigs were going to others.

Yes, I had the wonderful experience of the two Brunswick FAA playoff games, including a conference championship win on Saturday but not having the FCIAC girls basketball or hockey tournament had me feeling a bit lost.

In fact, I felt a bit done.

I looked around. Then I looked in the mirror. Blah blah blah, Taylor Swift, it's me, hi, blah blah blah.

Around the same time last year, I called the FCIAC girls semifinals in both hockey and basketball, Brunswick's run to the FAA championship game, along with Section One finals in hockey. Oh yeah, I also went to New Jersey and did wrestling. Oh, and the FCIAC wrestling championship.

The once-promised moniker of "Voice of FCIAC Championships/Voice of the FCIAC" or whatever seemed like a bit of a reality.

In a stretch from Feb 12-Mar 6, 2022, I called 21 events. In 17 of those, I worked solo. Chris Erway joined me for the other four.

Beginning with Feb 11, 2023, until last Saturday, I called five.

So, yeah, I definitely looked in the mirror. 

I offered to do things for free and got turned down. So, yeah. That.

But, darkest before dawn as it often seems, my week went from zero to, maybe, 10.

First, I heard from Boomslang Basketball. We're on for a playoff game on Saturday and, if they win, a championship game on Sunday.

Then, with an assist to Ben Talbott, the FCIAC boys basketball tourney was back in my lap. The games, thanks to the snow, have been moved to Wednesday and Friday.

Then Kevin Halpenny called me this morning to see if I was interested in four basketball section championship games in New York. They'll run on NFHS (pay-per-view) but it's work and it's more games. I could only do three and they were OK with that. Thanks to Kevin for putting me in touch.

So, if you're keeping track, there are two FCIAC basketball games tomorrow, the FCIAC basketball championship on Friday, Boomslang Basketball on Saturday, and three Section IX championships on Saturday. Lastly, there's a potential Boomslang championship game on Sunday.

Then I heard from Kevin Devaney Jr. He needed someone to go to New Jersey for boys ice hockey on Thursday. I've come to enjoy being a part of NJ.com sports broadcasts so, yes, let's break up the basketball with a few hockey calls.

So here's the final damage:

Wednesday: Danbury/Trumbull, 5:30 p.m. Staples/Ridgefield, 7:15 p.m. -- FCIAC boys basketball semifinals at Wilton.

Thursday: Westfield/Hillsborough, 4:30 p.m. Ridge/Livingston, 7:00 p.m. -- NJSIAA Group A ice hockey semifinals at Codey Arena, West Orange, NJ.

Friday: FCIAC boys basketball championship, 6:00 p.m. at Wilton High School.

Saturday: Boomslang Basketball, 9 a.m. -- Playoff game at The Leffell School, Hartsdale, NY. Section IX Class B Boys Championship, Noon. Section IX Class A Girls Championship, 2 p.m., Section IX Class A Boys Championship, 4 p.m. all at Monroe-Woodbury High School,  Central Valley, NY.

Sunday: Boomslang Basketball, Noon -- Championship game at The Leffell School, Hartsdale, NY (if necessary).

I'm grateful to have the opportunity to tell the stories of these events.

Now, of course, I expect my phone to buzz with offers while I'm in Florida. I mean, it would be just my luck. Alas, I will not be available. I'm also not bringing any equipment with me.

In a time in which I'm checking a few things off the checklist from the past several years, I was in no rush to end the play-by-play portion of my life. Though thoughts about making changes for a more consistent lifestyle are still in the back of my mind, it's nothing I need to address tonight.

Instead, I got to work on prepping for these games. There are scoresheets to create and rosters to print and notes to tuck away.

Right now, I'm fairly ready for the games tomorrow and Thursday. I'll adjust off tomorrow and set up for Friday. I need to see who is actually playing in Saturday's Section IX games before I can get to work on those.

It's a lot of moving parts but I love the rush of it all.

Incidentally, the winners of the New Jersey hockey semis meet at the Prudential Center in Newark early next week. Yes, that's the home of the New Jersey Devils. Also, yes, I'd love to call it.

That's the feeling I want to have: that I should be calling these games. I say that with all humility while pulling my confidence back up from the depths of Long Island Sound.

It feels like maybe I need to be greedier. More aggressive. Something.

Or, I was in the wrong place last week. Now I'm in the right place.

Tonight, I'm in a good place.

Far better than I was on Sunday.