Pack It Up for the Year

 

At Norwalk High School

Barring anything strange, the 2023 game broadcast schedule came to a close tonight.

I don't care who called more games. I don't need to hear anyone's numbers.

Mine is 151, a new high for me personally. It's also a new high for Robcasting to go along with all of the editions of "Doubleheader" and "The Clubhouse" that aired on the channel. Then add in the games I did public address announcing on, the podcasts, and every other time I opened a microphone and you can say it was a rather robust year.

Since my focus is always on quality, I frankly don't care if anyone needs to prove themselves by saying they called more, less, or the same.

I called 151 games. I've not called exactly 1,800 for my career.

It's not enough, of course.

But I've scratched and clawed for basically all of them.

I didn't go looking for the final four -- the Norwalk Holiday Basketball Tournament. They asked me.

Yet, as I sit here, the Fairfield Prep Holiday Tournament -- the one I've called several times -- has no broadcast for their championship game. That, of course, makes me nuts. I actually sat in my car and thought about making a mad dash to Fairfield but I would have missed part of the game.

So I called Norwalk's tourney and I was blessed with two close games that both needed extra time. Brien McMahon beat Amistad in overtime and Hamden rallied to beat Norwalk in double overtime.

The mantra remained the same in 2023. Give everything I have for every game, every day, every night. No matter what level, make it sound professional.

Put the effort into finding rosters, pronunciations, storylines, stats, and everything else I can dig it. Then, prepare to adjust and find more.

Leave every site as I found it.

Hope that each location will welcome us back in the future.

Brunswick and Boomslang dominated January and February with basketball and hockey, as well as the middle school championship basketball game in Monroe.

March was a combination of hockey in New Jersey, basketball in New York, and lacrosse at Brunswick. Plus it was another FCIAC boys basketball championship call. I'm proud of that.

April opened with Brunswick lacrosse and, finally, baseball came into the picture. Greenwich and Brunswick were both stars and there was even Greenwich softball broadcast.

Brunswick also dominated May with lacrosse, including the call of the second Prep National Championship as well as baseball.

Boomslang was also quite active.

Plus I was on the call for the FCIAC baseball championship as well as a couple of CIAC state playoff games in baseball. (Yes, please, and let's do more, OK thanks).

In June, I had a hotel room and called lacrosse and baseball championships in New Jersey.

I wouldn't call another game nearly a month but then began a stretch of Babe Ruth Baseball that I won't soon forget.

From July 10 until Aug 18 I called myriad games and the more Trumbull won, the more I traveled. My suitcase landed in Providence, RI and Fredericksburg, VA.

Oh, and there was the softball doubleheader on Staten Island, but don't remind Kathy Dempsey of 1) nearly getting ejected from a game and 2) running to play first base at the wrong base.

Suddenly, it was September and it was football time. Greenwich, Brunswick, and even Archbishop Stepinac. Plus soccer at Brunswick. And hockey. Wait, what?

The Connecticut Roughriders appeared for the first time and while there have only been a couple of games it's still been art of the story of 2023. It will continue into 2024.

That rolled into October. All of it.

November and December were active to finish the year with more football at Brunswick and Greenwich. Plus New York games at Mahopac (remember that place?). The GYFL also returned, with the call of their championship games.

And the Rockets Hockey Club of New Jersey. 

And Brunswick basketball.

And Iona Prep basketball.

And, finally, four games at Norwalk stretched over these two nights.

I thought about, and wanted to, go call tomorrow's Greenwich Winter Classic Hockey event. I figured I wasn't needed and, sometimes, it's just best to rest my voice and my brain. But know that I'd like to be there as I've loved the previous times I've done those games.

There's more to say there, including my frustration with WGCH (honestly) but we'll let it go at that. The games should be on WGCH and they're not.

So I'll just skip tomorrow.

Will 152 games happen next year? I'd rather not speculate and, frankly, who knows? Regardless, I'll take every call I can get and put my stamp on it as best as I can.

A good barometer is a night like this, when I drive away feeling a certain level of exhaustion. Plus a tinge of sadness because it's over.

Unless something happens before Sunday night, this game broadcast year is over. The next call is a week from tomorrow, as I dive into the Brunswick home schedule for hockey and basketball.

I remain overwhelmed by the love, support, and encouragement I receive for each broadcast. I remain honored that you would listen and even pay for me to do these games (silly me, I like being able to pay my bills).

I don't do it alone. Chris Erway, Bob Small, Sean Kilkelly, Shawn Sailer, Jeff Alterman, Dan Murphy, Kevin Devaney Jr, Wayne McGillicuddy, and Sean ... Adams, of course, all should be noted for the various ways they're a part of this. Then there are the many in this community that I talk to for one reason or another. My world of friends but also fellow broadcasters like Kevin Halpenny and others. So many others.

It's not an easy business but I do my best.

I'll fight hard for every call in 2024. I'll fight for its professionalism and integrity and that they're called appropriately.

I'll fight hard to train and support up-and-coming broadcasters as well. The job is to report, first and foremost. 

But, for tonight, I just want to express the pride I feel and the gratitude in my heart.

I'll do "Doubleheader" tomorrow to wrap up the year. Then we'll saddle up for the 2024 ride.

Please know I'll give it everything I have.

But, for now, with the last location being Norwalk, goodnight everyone.