Standard Nerves

 

Hilton Stamford Hotel

I'm deep into prepping and studying for upcoming events. Shockingly, not all are broadcasts.

Well, OK. Two of them are.

Tomorrow night (and something tells me I need to write earlier than I normally do), I'm stepping into a co-hosting role at the annual Greenwich Old Timers Athletic Association Awards Dinner in Stamford.

Now, you're saying, "Rob, you host these huge conferences. You're used to this!" You're right. I do and I am.

And that can be a completely overwhelming thing with intense personalities and egos (and that's just me).

But that's also settled into a rhythm. I know with my Hunt Scanlon colleagues, there is a rhythm and a great team.

Tomorrow night, I will step slightly into the shoes of Mark Yusko, whom I've known for years at WGCH. To many, Mark was Greenwich sports. He was Mr. Greenwich Sports Voice. Since I'm not a Greenwich "Townie" I could only hope to be spoken in the same sentence.

Mark and I are friends and it has been discussed for a few years that I would likely start lending my voice to the Old Timer's banquet. Mark is fine with it. I always said I wouldn't step on any toes.

This is a gathering I've been to numerous times, never feeling like I truly belonged on the rather august dais that often included pro athletes, Greenwich and other local coaches, media stars, and me.

But they keep asking, even after I wasn't around for a few years. So, yeah, I was dragged back in. Joyfully, I might add.

Tomorrow, I will only step to the mic for a brief stretch, unless Mark wants me up there longer. I leave this in his hands (he's done it for over 30 years) and the others who make the Greenwich Old Timers so remarkable.

Oh, and Chris Erway will be there, so buckle up, friends. "The A-Team" will be in the house.

But it's a daunting audience and I always admired how Mark could quiet them down. I keep that in mind every time I'm in front of a Hunt Scanlon audience. Mark's a bit more ribald in his approach.

On Friday, I'll head to New York to call the Class B regional football game between Pleasantville and Port Jervis. The Raiders of Port have all of their games carried on WDLC radio and I'll be filling in for the great Kevin Halpenny.

Kevin -- a true class act -- loaded me up with notes and a script and a run-of-show breakdown. Did I actually write a pregame opening? Me?

Yes. Yes, I did.

Will I -- noted ad-libber, lover of working on the fly -- read said script? You never know. Probably. I'm fairly adaptable.

I'm nervous for the obvious reason of a new audience, equipment concerns, broadcast partners I've never met or worked with, etc.

But, more, Kevin said that the Port audience is much like our Greenwich audience. So what that means is Port Jervis is used to Kevin, not some yahoo from Connecticut. 

I just want to do a good job. To that end, I'm reviewing everything. I know I'll be ready. It's at a school I'm familiar with in a booth I'm familiar with in an area I'm familiar with featuring two towns that I'm familiar with.

Still, consider it a sign of respect that I get so tightly wrapped about it.

Saturday will feature Brunswick in their bowl game appearance at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, CT. The last time these two teams met -- in 2018 -- isn't a game I like to remember. It's not necessarily a broadcast I prefer to remember either, though I always enjoy working with AJ Szymanowski and Shawn Sailer. It was just one of those days.

So, yeah, we'll see what Saturday brings. Championships always make me a little nervous.

These are all good nerves and nerves that aren't wrong to have. It's all pure and exactly as I expect to feel. Each day will produce a share of butterflies. 

Next week? More!

I'm pleased to announce that I'll be on the call of West Haven at Fairfield Prep next Wednesday night. Then I'll come home and head back out early on Thanksgiving morning for Greenwich and Staples in Westport. Then, on Friday, I'll likely call some youth football for the annual GYFL Graduation Bowl, but we just have to confirm the details for that.

Then comes the Connecticut state playoffs for Greenwich as well as getting ready for hockey and basketball.

More nerves.

Just less than these next three days.