Put Some Respect on My Name

 

Maybe Reggie Jackson had the right approach

I was talking with a friend recently when the topic of ego came up.

"I think some people think I'm arrogant," I said.

"I disagree," she responded. "If anything, I don't think you're arrogant enough."

Her point was actually more textured than that. In reality, what she was saying was that I don't advocate for myself enough.

There's no question that's a struggle for me. I feel like anytime I do take a stand I come off like an egomaniac. In short, I don't go about it the right way.

I watch people who shamelessly promote and promote and promote. They post the same couple of things every few days to make themselves seem relevant and popular.

But it just looks, I don't know, wrong to me.

I don't want to be like that.

Chris Erway got me to be a bit more assertive in this regard with our "A-Team" persona. That credit belongs to him.

I've received compliments. Plenty, I'm honored to say. But while I might share them in the moment, they otherwise go off into the archive, just sitting on a timeline.

I will say that one of my favorites came from the Hamden Little League Baseball team back during the COVID-impacted state tournament in 2020.

"Robcasting is the best casting," they said.

But how do I go about advocating for myself? Stomping my feet isn't exactly the best look.

For instance, as I've alluded to before, the Connecticut high school state tournaments are going on right now.

How many games have I called? 

Zero.

I suppose my question is: why?

The same goes for college sports around here. 

Again. Zero.

I have other (fairly obvious) examples but I'll stop there.

But even when I've made inroads in each case, things dry up. I mean, am I doing something wrong? I think I do a decent job on the games I broadcast. I report accurately, I bring energy, I tell stories, I get along well with whatever crew I'm working with, and so on.

So what in the name of Vin Scully is going on here?

I still recall the baseball doubleheader I called at Yale several years ago. According to a friend who was in the booth that day, mouths were wide open listening to me call the doubleheader between the Bulldogs and Columbia.

"He knows more about this stadium than I do," said one person.

I haven't worked a Yale game since.

The reviews are often very kind but I've heard whispers of how I'm intimidating, or there's jealousy towards me, or fear. I don't know. It's just what has been mentioned to me.

Next weekend, as Connecticut crowns their champs, I might be in New Jersey.

Or not. I'm not sure yet. 

I guess I don't understand how those who get to be "the man" get to hold that position.

I'd like to think that, respectfully, my years of experience have earned me that opportunity and, well, respect.

And yet, you start to understand exactly where Rodney Dangerfield was coming from.

But I'm stumbling my way through trying to advocate for myself just within this post.

I took a stand last night -- I'll keep the details private -- but I did take a stand about something that I think I should do but it doesn't mean that I will.

The point is that this is a work in progress.

But I know that I deserve better. Some respect. Some resolution.

And some opportunities.

At least I think I do.

I suppose I could be wrong.