Spouting Online

 

I saw two prime examples of frustration in the play-by-play business this week.

One was deep and dark and personal and no, it was not me who wrote it.

The other wasn't quite as dark.

But in each case, the simple answer comes down to how business and/or life isn't fair.

In the first case, the writer spoke of being mentally shot with the business. It was concerning and spoke, obviously, of mental health concerns.

I get it. I truly do.

The other one was a snarky comment on a potential job opening about nepotism.

I get that also.

Broadcasting, like almost any desired job, is about politics and who you know, and being in the right place a the right time. I'd be lying if I didn't acknowledge my own frustration at how the business has kicked me in the tuchus.

I've long said that quality doesn't necessarily matter and I believe that. There are too many outstanding broadcasters who don't get the opportunities they deserve because they didn't kick the right, again, tuchus. Or they don't look a certain way. Or they somehow are the square peg that simply won't fit in the round hole.

It's tough to not get down about this stuff. I speak from experience and dealt with a horrible case of that a few weeks ago. I do often remain baffled at a lot of stuff that goes on and it's very difficult to not take it personally.

But, on the other hand, reasons aren't always clear or even truthful. I flashback to a job I looked into in Allentown, PA back in my corporate days. They even brought me out for an interview. In the end, the pieces didn't come together. I wondered where I screwed up -- even if I did screw up -- but I never got an answer.

In truth, no answer would have been sufficient but I wanted to know how I could improve.

I do often wonder how that job could have changed my life but instead, I stayed in New York and here we are. I've been back to Allentown many times since.

But there are other situations that sit in the back of my head. Still, I'd literally go crazy if I thought about it too much.

I've long said that I wish I could back to talk to 14-year-old me when I talked with people from WPUT radio at a job fair at my middle school. They told me to call the station to find out how I could help them out.

I was on my way...

Except the person on other end of the phone said they had no idea what I was talking about.

The point is I have stressed networking, remembering how that kid should have been more diligent about calling again and building the list of names.

That's why I stress not burning bridges either but, alas, that's also dicey because people are fickle. You can burn a bridge or turn people off in the smallest and silliest of ways.

But it's still easy to get down about it. Trust me, I understand all too well. I keep getting overlooked and/or ignored and that's where I look in the mirror. 

Sometimes I'm not getting myself in front of the right people (again, back to that 14-year-old).

Sometimes it's simply people don't like my talent.

But the bottom line is there are reasons and that doesn't mean they're acceptable. Or personal.

Then there's the nepotism issue. Look, there are many -- many -- who get a door open thanks to their name. Yes, I will acknowledge my own child in this as I advocated for him to get a look. In each case my approach was that my son could be interested. From there, I'm out. If you don't want to hire him there's nothing I can do.

There was a logic to each situation for Sean and each one worked out.

Still, I can understand the frustration that builds with the number of broadcasters who get gigs because their name was Albert or Brennaman or Caray or Collinsworth or Eagle or Golic.

Or Buck.

But.

In most of the cases they have the chops. I mean, you can debate me all you want about Joe Buck, for instance, but you won't change my mind.

And there are a bunch of other examples. I think where it's frustrating is when you know the nepotism happens for publicity purposes or out of laziness by a hiring manager.

But still, especially in the case of PR, it's logical. Teams crave that kind of attention.

From there, the person has to earn their keep.

That's not going to change the frustration -- or minds -- of the critics.

There's a third frustration that doesn't get discussed as much but is rampant in the broadcasting business. Much like nepotism, it's an advantage.

It's money.

Why can you go to the sports broadcasting camp? Why can you go to the college with the sports broadcasting program? Connect the dots.

I see stuff in the business literally every day. Some of it makes me nuts. I discuss these things with friends.

Honestly, growling privately to friends is probably the best thing to do and I say this as a person who has made public comments before. I try to be more judicious with those comments now.

We have long said that there is a quality issue in the broadcasting business and there are varying reasons for it -- not the least of which is, frankly, low salaries.

I've seen some of this stuff. I've lived some of this stuff.

But I also live to call games and it's a struggle when I don't. In truth, I probably could have done some this weekend but I had to decide if I was willing to do so on my own dime. I have done games in the past for no money and will likely do so again. I have my reasons why. Sometimes I see it as a donation. Sometimes it's because that's the closest I have to a social life (yes, that is sad) so it gets me out of the house.

But, personally, I'd like to think I still have the talent to do what I do.

These are all things that my fellow voices have to struggle with.

Realistically.

Baseball is next Saturday for me. The temperature will be in the mid-50s.

I can't wait.