Communication Matters

 

Schedules change all the time.

They get shifted around for various reasons and it's up to me to adjust as necessary.

We were on the air today calling Greenwich/Stamford at Boyle Stadium and I was promoting next week's broadcast.

The Cardinals -- according to my original schedule -- were scheduled to play Bishop Henricken from Rhode Island on Saturday at 1 p.m.

I continued calling the game when I saw my phone light up. An intrepid listener -- and friend -- messaged me to say the game was now Friday.

So I confirmed that the game is indeed next Friday at 4:45 p.m.

The good news is that I quickly alerted Dan Murphy and Sean Kilkelly because they were both nearby. I texted Bob Small to ensure it would be scheduled on the air.

So, we're set, right? Er, not entirely.

I was scheduled to call Middletown/Kingston on WALL Radio in New York next Friday. I had been looking forward to the trip to Dietz Stadium as I hadn't called a game there since 2004.

My heart sank, knowing I'd have to back out of that game. Oh, that gnaws at me because I'm such a believer in honoring commitments and being reliable.

I messaged my friend Kevin Halpenny and delivered him the news. Keep in mind I did this while I was on the air.

Kevin was also on the air, likely calling Middletown/Port Chester in the annual matchup for the Erie Bell.

We spoke later on and he could have been more gracious and understanding. It helped that he already had someone to take my place.

With that, I'm now looking into picking up Brunsiwck's game next Saturday in Massachusetts. It's possible that all's well that ends well.

Although I'm sensing it might not and I'm going to have next Saturday off (just in case anyone would like me to call something).

But of course, it's not the best feeling to find out about the change while on the air, also feel like I'm the last to know.

It's also the second time it's happened this week. Today's game was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. but was backed up to Noon. I got a note from another fan and friend this week to note that change. Again, Bob, Sean, and Dan all needed to know so that we could make the necessary adjustments. 

Again, no big deal but sort of a big deal. It's all part of the organization to keep our ducks in a row.

The overall point is how grateful I am to the Greenwich football community for having our back. We've had all kinds of hiccups over the years where I've driven to a game site to find out that the game I was there to cover had been postponed or canceled.

A little communication can go a very long way, so I'm grateful to those who messaged me.

This serves as a reminder to everyone that I cover that I'm happy to get on whatever form of communication that keeps me in the know. It also allows me to keep the audience informed.

A little communication truly goes a long way.