Friday, December 29, 2023

Pack It Up for the Year, Part II

 


Today was the last edition of "Doubleheader" for 2023.

I saw that Greenwich had coverage of the hockey Winter Classic and while I wanted to be there I just didn't see the point. Maybe I'll feel differently next year but it felt unnecessary. As I've alluded to, my feelings are more involved than that but so it goes.

I heard a little of each broadcast and all I can say is that I was available. Or at the very least, I'm available to help and advise. 

Beyond that, I did the show.

I discovered that it looks like this was the year with the least shows since we began in 2016. I'm disappointed in that but there were too many other things going on. I'll at least consider doing a show when I go away but often that's just not possible. Unless I'm flying, my radio equipment is normally with me.

Today's show wasn't much of a year in review as I tend to avoid going down that road. Certainly, there are a few things always worth discussing I suppose, including noting some of the people the sports world lost in 2023. Otherwise, it was a standard show, recapping last night's Jets/Browns game, noting the Greenwich Winter Classic, and previewing the weekend in the NFL.

Oh, and how I'm sort of tapped out with college football. The bowl games just don't mean as much to me anymore. I used to embrace as many of them as possible but it feels like they're too many of them and too many gimmicks (mayonnaise, Pop-Tarts, etc). That works for some and I understand that. To each their own. I just want to see the game.

I'll watch the playoffs and, of course. 

I'll watch the NHL Winter Classic on Monday. That's a huge change from when I used to spend all of the first of the year watching college bowl games. Times change.

But the microphone is now officially turned off for the year unless I decide to do any production around here. The next show is Tuesday and, as of now, the next game is next Friday.

One thing I realized I need to do is rerecord the closing of all Robcasting broadcasts. If they're self-produced (that is, not co-produced with LocalLive, WGCH, etc) then I need to change it. Any proprietary Robcasting events include a closing tag that mentions Twitter and the account for Robcasting Radio.

Well, two things: 1) it's not Twitter anymore (dumb) and the Robcasting Twitter/X account was shut down by the people at Twitter/X for some reason. I've asked and never received an answer.

So, yeah, whatever. It's honestly no problem and I don't miss it but I have to change that tag. That's the kind of maintenance I have to do to update the channel. Hardly important. Just nitpicking for my own accuracy.

Being a talk show host was never a goal of mine. I always found it a bit toxic and I won't deny I've occasionally gone off the rails while trying to put on a show that is thoughtful and rational. Most of the time I'd like to think I've succeeded while giving the audience a way to check out and, occasionally, think.

And, occasionally, a good rant is cathartic.

Yet despite not intending to be a talk show host, I've consistently been one since probably 1999. They've had multiple titles and have evolved into podcasts but the gist has generally been the same. Oh yeah, I've also dabbled in non-sports talk as well. Hopefully, that enhances the "Renaissance Man" label that I've been given.

But that's all for 2023.

"Doubleheader" will be back on Tuesday. We'll keep looking for new stories to tell and voices to talk to.

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