From Ice Side

 

I'm home for a few minutes after calling the Connecticut Roughriders 4-3 overtime win over the Providence Capitals.

It was the kind of game in which one team scored. Then another. And they alternated until the extra session when the Norwalk home team got the W.

I'll be back with them again next week.

It's one of the most unique setups I get to encounter. I call the game from inside the visiting team's penalty box, which is also part of the scorer's booth. It's from there that I get power and access to plug equipment into the setup fro the broadcast.

To that end, an important piece of equipment couldn't be found at first, leaving me to think that I'd have to see if I had one of my own with me. 

Left to my own devices, I found the item, wedged in among other things. If you've ever worked in a hockey rink, you know that the chance exists to find anything. Al Capone's remains might be in some hockey rink.

In the end, all was well. OK, sort of.

Obviously, the FloHockey broadcast is the primary outlet. I provide Robcasting for those content to just listen. It also gives me access to an archive given I'm not paying FloHockey for my own broadcast.

I plugged in my podcaster, which gives me more control over the sound, including access to a mute button, thus cutting down on extraneous noise. It also allows me to run it through Robcasting.

Except it didn't work today for two periods, so I broadcast 90 minutes of just rink noise.

I put that squarely on my shoulders.

It's a unique setup from which to call a game. There's no booth and, to be closer to the camera and audio connection, I have to stand in the penalty box as I mentioned. As a result, I also serve as doorman for the penalty box.

And, as I'm sure you'll not be surprised, there's no edit button on players coming into the penalty box.

Yup, F-bombs a plenty.

More to the point, I call it as if I'm invisible. Sure, my voice can still be heard but I try to keep things under control as best as I can.

Oh, and the view isn't ideal. I couldn't see a goal score and one point; something I apologized for.

But, again, I'll take the challenge and run with it. Many think this is above them and I don't see things that way.

And in the middle of that are texts about other things in my wackadoodle world that also need attention. So it's always a wild ride.

Which is just how it goes.

The week continues. 

The grind rolls on.

Not everyone will sign up for this.

But I will.

*****

Today is John Lennon's birthday. The member of the Quarrymen was born on this day in 1940. We lost him in 1980.

John is a man who needs to be studied in context. He was complicated. That's the short version. For every "Run For Your Life," there was "In My Life."

But I'll be curious what post-1980 would have been like. Sadly, we'll never know.

Shine on, John. We all need that.

We all shine on.