Adjusting and Readjusting

Vipers win! Thuuuuuuuuuuhhh Vipers win!

I'm writing another early post since tonight will be late again.

Ah, we're always adjusting on the fly since life is simply not scripted no matter how many charts and graphs I fill in with my colored pens.

I have Brunswick lacrosse today at 3 p.m. against Hotchkiss, followed by Hudson Valley Vipers hockey for their last home game at 7 p.m. That was the plan.

Then an offer came up to do football (!) and I was all-in, thinking I could make it happen.

Then it got pulled due to, well, I still don't know why. A friend was asked to get a broadcaster and came to me. Then the production company said they were going to go with their guy. Was it because I'm an unknown commodity? Who knows? I'm new to this whole play-by-play thingy.

Anyway, it's all sort of amusing and best to just let it roll off. So, it's back to the original gameplan.

Lacrosse at 3. Hockey at 7. There's just enough time between the two to get to the Hudson Valley for the third of four straight days.

It's almost like I should live there or something.

I get asked frequently where I'm looking to live and the correct answer is to still focus on the Greenwich/Stamford/Norwalk area and spread out from there. It's quite possible I'll start packing some stuff up this week if time allows. I'll have to get some openings in my schedule, of course.

Which isn't happening today and likely not tomorrow either. It's lacrosse and hockey today and Beatles/baseball tomorrow.

*****

One thing I want to highlight is leadership style. I'm very hands-off as a manager. I trust the people who work with and for me. If help is needed, I won't hesitate to jump in but, otherwise, I expect everyone to do their thing.

I'm more of a collaborator. I want people I work with to feel empowered and inspired.

I never micro-managed Chris Erway, for instance. I never -- literally never -- questioned his game prep. He could show up empty-handed and sometimes got a roster from me before we went on the air. And it was always a solid broadcast. Why question that?

So I do get a bit tense when I see it happen to others or to me. And I see it frequently during this time of year.

It's just a style that is too "in your face" and makes you feel like you're not trusted.

And that removes a lot of the fun. While it's a job, it's still supposed to be fun.

*****

OK, speaking of fun, it's hours later. In fact, it's 11:35 p.m. so I don't have a lot of time.

Brunswick won with ease. So did the Vipers.

The Vipers wound up playing the Soo Nordiques, though they were originally scheduled to play the North Shore Nighthawks. So, we adjusted and carried on. It's what we do.

Then we were moved to a different place. And we adjusted. It's what, you know...

Dan Murphy joined me for the hockey call and the saving of my sanity since we foolishly sat near a speaker that blasted music and announcements at us all night. Those are the types of things that I make a mental note of for when it's time to discuss if we'll do this again next season. 

But it was fun and, as always, we made the best of it.

With that, I'm exhausted and there's still Sunday to go before I can breathe again.