1989 (Rob's Version)

 

It probably goes without saying that this picture was
not taken in 1989.

Actually, nah, Taylor Swift can have 1989, given my 1989 was pretty terrible.

I turned 21 that November and you'd think that would be great.

But I had also lost my father that March and, as a result, sort of felt rudderless. Sure, I'd gotten a promotion that year but it led me into a job in corporate finance with General Foods (then Kraft General Foods and later just Kraft Foods).

I didn't belong in corporate finance, though the job actually worked to my strength of organization but, eventually, the company I worked for stopped paying for my education because they knew I wanted be in broadcasting.

The funny thing is I would have stayed there if the money was good and if I was happy.

But, in the long run, our department got laid off, my job was relocated to Chicago, and I was out of Kraft Foods by the end of 1996. It's safe to say that I've spent many more years in broadcasting.

I don't always look back on that job with the most fondness, mostly because I guess I was a fish out of water. I was a 20-something going to school part-time (and paid it all off myself with no student loans), who didn't have the college experience and my colleagues had a tendency to look down on that and more about me.

I suppose it helped toughen me up a bit. Or something.

Anyway, I initially thought I'd dabble in the (Taylor's version/Rob's version) of 1989 but, well, I didn't love that time in my life.

Like many things, there are still scars, I guess.

*****

Dalling Field (upper field)

Greenwich improved to 7-0 today with a 23-9 win over St. Joseph in Trumbull. 

I've only broadcast from St. Joseph High School a few times over the years. The first time I was there, we worked from the field at the top of the hill. Eventually, a a second football field was built down the hill, creating a sports complex with the baseball and softball fields. 

But the last time I did a game from the upper field it was 2002 and my partner was Dave Rothenberg, who is now a star on ESPN Radio in New York.

The upper field is now turf versus the grass field of the early 2000s. Otherwise, the scoreboard appears to be the same and the booth, well, it's the exact same.

It's a small booth made of wood with basically enough space for, maybe, five people comfortably at the window.

St. Joe's AD and the staff in the booth were welcoming on this hot Saturday in October.

This kind of atmosphere allows for the rest of the booth to hear everything you say and, while that was clearly the case, nobody tried to help me call the game. I appreciate that.

I had to call this one solo as nobody was available to join me. It was just as well, I suppose, given the space constraints. I know we would have made it work but in this case, we didn't have to.

When I work solo like that I can let the game breathe more, and that's exactly what I did. I didn't need to fill every second with commentary. Plus I was keeping an eye on my computer, which I moved away from the window because the sun had been so bright that it was shining on my computer and thus risking overheating.

It wasn't ideal but it worked out.

Not every booth is perfect. Even colleges don't always have the most heavenly places to call a game. 

In the St. Joseph booth today, some of the other people began talking about the best booths in the area. After years of having a serviceable place to work in Greenwich, I no longer hesitate to say that Cardinal Stadium's booth is a palace. It's the best -- by far.

But today, this was just fine. OK, except for the weak cell phone signal and lack of wifi. We survived (barely).

The game was tense before a late interception was returned for a touchdown to close out the Greenwich win. They play at Westhill next Saturday and Chris Erway reunites with me.

Oh, and fear not! The Jersey Mike's (greatest ever) Postgame Interview is ready to run on Monday.

Framed jersey to honor St. Joe's legend (and former 
Pittsburgh Steeler and current Buffalo Bill) Tyler Matakevich