Struggling to Find the Words

Greenwich and Darien before the Winter Classic in 2019

I've been wrestling with the post tonight.

Oh, I do that sometimes.

But, earlier today, I heard the news and, oh boy, it wasn't good. I began trying to see if any of it was legitimate.

Not long after, Dave Ruden posted the news: Greenwich High School boys ice hockey head coach Chris Rurak was dead.

He was 47.

Dave Fierro has more from the Greenwich Time.

At the moment, information is swirling and we'll learn more I'm sure. I've heard some -- that's all. No matter what, I'm speechless .

I truly gasped -- no exaggeration -- when I saw Dave Ruden's tweet.

I got to know Coach Rurak a little. Obviously, I don't cover Greenwich hockey with the intensity that I used to. But he was a joy to talk to, and very easy to get along with.

I had lunch with Chris and former GHS football head coach John Marinelli a few years ago to discuss some broadcasting ideas. At the time, Coach Rurak was all-in on a plan to have me call Greenwich hockey road games, even if only as a radio call on WGCH or Robcasting.

Sadly, it never came to be.

But, Chris would stop up and see me at the Winter Classic or if I was around the team, either covering them for a story or to call a game.

As a coach, Chris helped stabilize a team that lost head coach Bob Russell a few years ago. Under Coach Russell, the Cardinals went to the state championship but lost to Darien.

Under Coach Rurak, GHS also went to a state final but lost to a loaded Fairfield Prep team. Chris also guided the Cards to the FCIAC championship game in 2018 and 2019.

I'm babbling here. I'm truly sad for Greenwich, the hockey community, his wife Jen and their two sons and all of his loved ones.

Hockey will go on. His players are paying tribute.

But hearts are heavy.

Some things don't make sense.

Rest well, Coach.

Workin' For a Livin'

It would have worked!

First off, it might be a time for a change.

Every now and then, I ponder leaving Blogger (as much as I've loved them). They're about to change the interface and, admittedly, I'm not a big fan of the changes. But, I've also been with them for nearly 14 years.

Still, I feel like I haven't taken the necessary step and have had a (dormant) account on WordPress for at least two years. In fact, it still said something about "Greenwich Sentinel" it in for some reason.

I'm sure they didn't get paid either.

I digress.

Then I could consider a whole reboot to Robcasting, which I've also considered, as opposed to explaining the Mixlr account name (mixlr.com/robcasting-radio). So, these are things that occasionally pop up in my mind.

But, all of that co$t$. The amazing thing is, I have an audio page that is also unused but I don't have the widget to actually publish it. So, if anyone knows anything about those things, I'd love to chat. We could have a Robcasting Revolution!

OK, so to the picture above. I was supposed to call Greenwich/Wilton baseball at Greenwich High yesterday. I think it would have been my first call at the place I call "Cardinal Yard" since...well...the Greenwich Sentinel days.

And not getting paid. Hmm, what am I trying to say here? Anyway...

The sky yesterday was rough, my friends. It had poured hours earlier in New York, but when duty calls, you go. I literally can count the number of truly missed broadcasts on one hand. You get in this business, you do the job. You exhaust every last option before you give up.

I considered calling basketball and hockey the day Sean was born. I didn't, and I had the excellent Sean Kilkelly ready to go, so WGCH didn't miss a beat.

Very few things have kept me from a game.

So if, I don't know, a bad internet signal was to keep me from being live, I would record the broadcast and air it later.

At Staples in 2003 for football, all we had was a cellphone and nowhere to recharge the battery. So, we stood in the crowd and people handed us their phones. Then they would go recharge them. And, so on. We got the job done.

Shawn Sailer and I called a game by standing on chairs and looking
over that tarp. We used bread trays for the equipment.

Yes, you have to be a bit insane to do what I do. That insanity has driven people from this industry because they realized it ultimately wasn't for them.

You have to be willing to crawl to do setup and breakdown. You have to be willing to have it take a physical and mental toll. You have to deal with certain levels of abuse (yes, really) due to jealousy and power and entitlement.

And you have to understand a level of creative thinking that I can only describe of "MacGyveristic." In short, the wheels start turning in my mind as to what equipment I have with me and what cables I can make it all connect with.

The heavy stuff is about to arrive.

So, when the sky is awful at 3:45 and you have a show to do at 4:00 and then a baseball game to call at 5:30, you dig into your bag of tricks. That bag often means financial cost and acquiring things over the years.

You dig out your Behringer audio interface and your MacBook. You grab a headset and a few cables. You park in a spot where you can ping off the Greenwich High School guest wifi (the cell service there is, simply, pathetic).

And you drive around the parking lot to find the best signal.

While wearing the headset listening to the feed of the radio station*.

*The parking lot was mostly empty and I'm a professional. Or something like that.

And then? THEN? After you've done that, and have even decided that's the setup you'll likely use come gametime because you still have lineups to write?

Then Alex LoParco texts you, followed by Michael Genaro.

"Game called."

Sigh. OK, now you're talking to Bob Small at WGCH and you explain it all to him. He's prepared to stall to let you get to the studio because -- in these lazy, hazy, crazy days of COVID -- the station is within 10 minutes away.

So, you get out of the parking lot, make two rights, a left, a right, a left, and a right and you're at WGCH. You hustle into the studio and you're on the air around 4:16!

With NO notes (PREPARATION, Y'ALL!) you launch into a stream of conscience radio show for the next 45 minutes (including commercials) that eviscerates Greenwich for the molasses-drip of red tape to get things done, go rip city on DeSean Jackson and hypocrisy (all is still quiet on the social justice front, including friends), take a call from Chris Kaelin, and wrap up the show at 5:00.

Then -- there's more! -- you edit the show and upload it to Mixcloud and Archive.org for your files and for Jonathan Rios to run on WON 920 The Apple and WEAF 940 The Liberty.

Then you drive home, catching up with Paul Silverfarb before ordering dinner for your mother and son.

You get the job done.

All for zero money.

Learn from this, kids. Don't act like entitled, spoiled brats because you talk to big names and suck up to them. The cliched calls and pithy hashtags won't win the day. Pay attention to the world and realize how out of touch you look.

If you simply walk away because the internet didn't work or something else, there's always a chance that someone will show up and step in.

You know, like Lou Gehrig.

Robcasting Replay

Wibbly-wobbly, Timey-wimey: I need a TARDIS...or a DeLorean

Sometimes I just have to go for it.

I've been toying with playing games out of my archive on Robcasting, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and I finally pulled it together today.

I began to sketch a format in my brain and made sure to not get overwhelmed.

So, with the help of Twitter (thanks to both Shawn Sailer and Matt Hamilton), I came up with the first couple of games that I wanted to play, and euphemistically called it the "Robcasting Replay."

Robcasting Rewind also would have worked but oh well.

I spent a few hours making sure to come up with a disclaimer to open and close the broadcast because I want listeners to understand that these aired on outlets beyond just Robcasting (think WGCH and HAN Radio) and that the ads listeners might hear are quite outdated.

Also, sound quality might be an issue and some of the games might have "off air" comments.

With all of that said (and recorded) I then looked around for some theme music, coming up with a punk song that I grabbed* the beginning and end of to create enough for a theme song. It was a good drum groove with a guitar lick that I liked.

*Royalty-free music, I might add.

Selecting music is always my least favorite job. Of course, if I really had my way, I would have taken "Back in Time" by Huey Lewis and the News but I didn't want to run afoul of HLN and their lawyers.


Matt Hamilton suggested the 2014 FCIAC football championship between Greenwich and Bridgeport Central. A few notes:

- Matt is just a kid, and I knew that, but he knows his stuff. It should surprise no one that he's now a star at the NFL Network.

- I talk too much. Too fast. Damn, Rob, but shut the hell up.

- Tom Kane and I have a nice rapport. Clearly we're having fun (Matt and his dad were also in the booth).

- Some in that booth in New Canaan were very much rooting for Central and I'd forgotten I politely called them out on that. I don't want them to root for Greenwich either. It's a neutral site. Be neutral.

- Central scored at one point and I said, "Touchdown, New Canaan." Oy. Sixteen years later, I cringed.

- Anthony Kalogrides, reading the halftime report, read a story that was cringeworthy at halftime. It happens but I remember standing in the booth just begging for it to end.

- But, to be fair, it does sound like a professional broadcast, so I suppose mission accomplished.

- Anthony Morello was among my guests that night postgame. Polished, professional, and a natural leader, it's easy to see why he's a head coach now.

- We had a lot of sponsors. We had sponsors for drive summaries and starting lineups and the pre- and postgame show and halftime. It was absolutely great.

I really enjoyed rerunning this game. Like, I loved it. Like, I surprised myself how much I enjoyed it.

What I also loved was that this game didn't exist on an internet archive before tonight (it will after tonight). It hadn't aired or been archived since that night in 2004.

I've already set tomorrow's game up. We're going to hockey (probably Shawn Sailer's number one requested game) as Greenwich plays Glastonbury in the 2015 Div I semifinal.

I've also had requests for the 2014 FCIAC football championship, my first Renegades broadcast, and my first game broadcast. I have a few others rolling around in my mind.

With the exception of Wednesday (leaving space for The Clubhouse), I'm going to try to play one each night at 5. That is subject to change, and please check my social media accounts as I'll update things there. I might play one earlier on Wednesday. We'll see.

Basically, any game from 1999 to today is up for being played so long as I have it in my archive. In some cases I'll have to convert it from cassette and I might just do that live for the fun of it!

Do you have a request? Let me know!

Greenwich Family Ties

Scooter Braun Instagram page

There's a lot of Greenwich in that picture.

Scooter Braun is a media mogul who has found ridiculous success in music and more. He's second from left in that picture.

I knew him as Scott Braun.

That's his father Ervin -- a dentist -- on the right.

In the back are three more Braun boys: Sam, Adam, and Cornelio.

At one time, I knew them all.

Scott -- sorry, Scooter -- Sam, Adam, and Cornelio each played basketball at Greenwich High School and I was their broadcaster.

Sam Manhanga and Cornelio Guibunda were brought to Greenwich by Dr. Braun to join the family and play basketball. That season was interesting, as the Cardinals went 22-3, making their way to the FCIAC championship, and producing my "Insanity" call, as GHS fell to Trinity Catholic on a buzzer-beater by Dave McClure, who would go on and play at Duke.

I'm sure (oh, who I am kidding? I know)  if I were to dig through the the archives, I'd find plenty of scoresheets and programs featuring these guys.

Sam and Cornelio brought attention (not all of it great) wherever they went. Their arrival was considered a controversial. For the record, they were great with me and our broadcasts.

From what I've seen, the Braun family has done very well in their lives. Congratulations to all. They were each always nice to me in any interaction I had with them, so I wish them well.

A quick side story: Greenwich played Bridgeport Central in the state tournament in that 01-02 year. I was approached by two people from ESPN who were doing a story on Cornelio and Sam. They connected into our WGCH broadcast for audio to use during the story.

The Cardinals lost that night and the season came to an end. I gather that squashed the story.

It was back in the day when WGCH did everything. Every game.

It was just one piece of what made for a crazy winter of 2001-2002.

Oh yeah. I also became a father that season, but that's a story for another time.

Like next month.

Now It's High School Football

Image found on CNN

Shots were fired at a high school football game in Pleasantville, NJ tonight.

The Greyhounds were hosting Camden.

Yes, I know. I've already heard Pleasantville isn't the nicest place and of course, the same has been said about Camden.

But, still, we can't go to a high school football game without fearing for our lives?

Obviously, I go to a fair number of football games, along with myriad other prep and high school sports annually.

Sure, there have been some hostile surroundings. I was once part of a police escort following a Greenwich/Ridgefield basketball game (yes, you read that correctly). But, I otherwise never feel concerned for myself.

So it is that I foolishly feel I shouldn't worry about my safety.

But, again, shots were fired at a high school football game tonight in New Jersey.

As of this writing, reports say two people -- an adult and a child -- were injured.

The game obviously doesn't matter at that point. People were running for their lives.

Video captured the moment gunshots rang out at a high school football game in Pleasantville, New Jersey. The shooting left at least two people injured.

THE LATEST HERE: https://t.co/TVE63PaJM9
🎥: @JSZ_Sports pic.twitter.com/sDkJperpNt

— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) November 16, 2019

Once again, please spare the thoughts and prayers.

I have a game of my own to call tomorrow, and I still have no concerns, but I can't deny this story will be somewhere in my mind.

It's astounding to me that we have to be on our guard at the movies or in a restaurant or literally anywhere.

Including a high school football game.

*****
Speaking of high school football, Greenwich football is mourning the loss of a loved one. Assistant coach Wayne Gioffre's mother died earlier this week. Mrs. Gioffre, her husband, and their entire family are a big part of the fabric of Greenwich high school football. Mr. and Mrs. Gioffre have also been incredibly kind to me over the years.

They were always found in the stands, especially at home games, just a few rows below the booth.

I'm terribly saddened by her passing. My condolences to her loved ones.

*****
I really have nothing left to offer on the Myles Garrett/Mason Rudolf kerfuffle. There have been enough dumb takes.

Eight Crazy Days

I said I needed more work.

I said I wanted more work.

I got more work this week.

It started last Saturday with Greenwich/Trinity football. Then I did the four Section 1 girls soccer championships on Sunday. Monday featured the FCIAC girls soccer semifinals. Tuesday had the FCIAC boys soccer semis. Wednesday took me to New York City for the Hunt Scanlon conference then back to Mount Kisco for The Clubhouse. Thursday saw me call another FCIAC championship, as Trumbull topped Fairfield Warde. On Friday I jumped back to Greenwich football, as the Cardinals played Fairfield Ludlowe. I finished the madness with today's three NEPSAC water polo contests.

Did I love every minute of it? No, I wouldn't say that, but I'm smart enough to recognize how blessed I was to cover every minute of those games. I scratched, clawed, and worked my tail off.

I know that I'm lucky to do what I get to do, and I also hope I've earned that right.

I witnessed some behavior this week that had me literally biting my tongue. It's an indication that not everyone understands the opportunities they've been afforded while developing grace in certain circumstances.

Being a diva simply doesn't make you friends.

Look, we all have moments that are less than graceful. I flip out (obviously) but also try to retain the basics of how I was raised.

If I ever spoke to my father in a disrespectful tone I'd be a dead man.

It's never a good thing when you become a topic of conversation. I've feared that I've had those moments and I'm never happy about it.

Look, nobody says that we have to play "the game" necessarily and, trust me, I don't. But there is a certain way that things work.

Don't be described as a "disease."

While I'm at it, I have to say something.

Just get it right out there.

When someone has a headset on, they're likely on the air.

So, my advice would be to not talk to them.

Also, don't crowd them or have lengthy conversations near them.

Or curse.

Chances are, there's a crowd microphone nearby.

Just don't be like that.

I'm only here to help.

Get 'em Next Week

So, week one has come and gone.

After a scoreless first quarter, Greenwich found themselves down 3-0 to Danbury before roaring to a 49-3 win.

I was ready in the booth. I swear.

I saw all of the old gang.

The rosters looked OK. Not great, but OK.

The equipment set up easily.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't show up at Cardinal Stadium expecting peace and quiet for setup. Literally, your only hope for peace is to be very early.

Which I was. I was there over three hours before kickoff.

So, thankfully, setup was sort of uneventful.

The sweat poured off of me as I crawled around, plugging into electricity and ethernet ports.

Soon, I was set. I went to the tailgate outside of the stadium and grabbed some food at the tailgate. (Note: thank you to everyone there).

All was good.

Then...the internet appeared to crap out.

Then...the Greenwich roster that I had printed was reprinted with new numbers.

OK, we'll survive.

Wound tighter than a baseball hit by Aaron Judge, I steadied myself as the theme music swelled.

The lump built in my throat as I thought about what it all meant to me.

But I could hear the theme music garbling -- a sure sign of internet problems.

Undeterred, I stayed the course and began talking as I felt my emotions push at me.

I was back. We were good.

I wasn't sure I would be back, but here we were.

I stumbled through pregame, having had too much time on my hands.

Then, as kickoff approached, I glanced at the field and saw number 42 for Danbury ready to kick off.

There was no number 42 on the Danbury roster.

I made the best of it, but it was frustrating.

Mostly, I'm mad at me for not pushing people for better information.

Yes, in a perfect world, rosters would be online and accurate. They weren't. It's on me to dig deeper.

So, to recap, the internet dropped on us occasionally and the rosters were a headache.

It was a typical day, I guess.

While it was not up to my standards, we still got the game on the air. We did our best, and there is far worse. Days like this can rattle confidence.

I'll get over it.

We'll see you next Friday night at Trumbull.

On WGCH

I said what I (thought) needed to say yesterday on Doubleheader on the WGCH story in the Greenwich Time.

A day later, I'll tell you I still have issues with it, but my blood is further boiling because an AM radio group on Facebook is having their way with it.

As I've said previously about the play-by-play group that I belong to (and others), I'm normally just a reader. A lurker.

But my FB friend Matt Boland shared the story on the I Love AM Radio group.

Except Matt shared a story from 2011. The current story is linked above (Hearst will love that) though you need to provide an email address to read it. Your mileage may vary.

The comment at the top of this post was the thought of one of the members of I Love AM Radio.

From what he says, Mr. DiBello once worked at WGCH, and apparently had a much larger listening audience than I do. I realize his comment about WGCH not having a listener "since the 1980's" was an exaggeration.

Still, it bugged me, as it would hope it would bother any current member of the WGCH family. I'd also hope it bothers any past member of the WGCH family unless they have an ax to grind.

Perhaps Mr. DiBello does, or he simply holds on to his vision of what 1490 was, and thus it hasn't been good since he left.

I've been there since 1997, as you know, and I've seen the good, bad, and...well...

I remember the days of John T. Becker, who wanted whatever was best for the community. We'd cover the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Election Night, myriad events, and of course, sports. We were at every single baseball, basketball, football, and hockey game for Greenwich High School.

We dabbled in softball and lacrosse.

We jumped on a bunch of Brunswick games in the early 2000s. We added some Bridgeport Bluefish games, along with the 2002 Babe Ruth World Series.

I stayed extremely active and made a (fair) salary under the circumstances, given I wasn't even full-time.

We did talk shows. Lots of talk shows. Shows that I hosted and shows that I assisted with.

Then ownership changed and so did my work. It became less about the community, and that was their right. I had four shows the day the change took effect. I had zero by the end of the day.

The Bluefish were gone from WGCH. Soon, I was down to roughly 10-15 games. A year.

Yes. A year.

Simply put, things were different, but I still worked and actually had a full-time position for a stretch.

Again, eventually, more things (and ownership) changed.

And I'm still only doing 10-15 games on WGCH a year, and that's sad.

Don't worry, everyone at WGCH knows how I feel about this.

I was at the mic for Superstorm Sandy and given "nobody is listening" I'm curious how this letter got to the aforementioned Greenwich Time. I can assure you that no member of the GCH family wrote it. In fact, full disclosure, the writer asked if it was OK, and the station was pleased to say yes.

Given the transient nature of WGCH (as so many of our shows are brokered) I don't know everyone and am often there in different hours (if I'm on-site at all).

But despite everything you're reading here, I'm as passionate about WGCH (and other places that I've used a microphone at) as ever. I want it to succeed and thrive. If done correctly (and there is a way) WGCH can be a large part of the Greenwich media landscape. But it needs a better marketing push. It needs a local leadership, and that's what current owner Rocco Forte wants.

I have no issues with the Forte family. We didn't always agree (who does?) but I like my relationship with them.

WGCH can be special, with its "antiquated modulation" or whatever another commenter said. It does have an intriguing signal that can hit Long Island Sound (thus the reason we carried Hofstra sports for a few years).

It would help if those of us who know WGCH the best (like the silly sports director) had a stronger voice in the decision-making process.

We know what we are at WGCH. But don't give up on this little station that can and will.

Come On, Greenwich

The scoreboard got installed last year

There was supposed to be a Greenwich Parade of Champions.

It's not going to happen.

Conceived after the Cardinals won the 2018 Class LL football championship (called by Chris Erway and yours truly on WGCH), the parade was initially set for December and was supposed to feature the fall sports champions. It was also to make up for the homecoming parade being canceled due to bad weather.

Then it got moved to June to honor all of the championship teams.

Earlier tonight, the Greenwich Free Press reported that the whole thing has been shelved. Blame is being bounced around, but one thing I know is that members of the football team wouldn't be there because the scheduled date (this Saturday) is the annual Red and White Football Game (which I expect to call).

So it sounds like schedules were the ultimate problem.

While it's a shame, let me say that this is the least of the Greenwich athletic problems. There had to be a way to get everyone together, but apparently not.

No, the bigger problem sits just off of East Putnam Ave. (aka US 1, which stretches from Fort Kent, ME to Key West, FL).

Cardinal Stadium still has hulking bleachers that are closed for business. GHS will need temporary bleachers to even hold graduation. What will happen for the Red and White, scheduled for this Saturday at 5 p.m.?

In truth, is there a place to film? Will there be a place for a PA announcer? Can I broadcast the game?

I have an email out to Greenwich athletic director Gus Lindine, and I know he'll not only get back to me but do everything he can to accommodate a possible broadcast.

In truth, I'm not here to assign blame anywhere. There are people far smarter than I am who know more. So I'm just giving my perspective from what I see and hear behind the microphone.

But I know that Greenwich can be glacially slow when it comes to working things through. I was here for getting that concession stand built, and the installation of the lights.

Cardinal Stadium is important to Greenwich High for graduation, track and field, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, and football. It should be a point of pride.

We've been through this before (I wrote about it on April 15, in fact). Nothing has happened since then.

Despite the upgraded scoreboard and turf, virtually everything else has seen its day. The bleachers being closed simply amplified things.

As we sit here in June, we can now only wonder what will happen come the fall sports season. Where will those games take place? Where will those broadcasts and coaches films be created?

I'm quite sure everyone is ready to run to the Cape or wherever the summer takes decision makers.

Greenwich, your town needs answers. Residents, visitors, parents, concessionaires, writers, and broadcasters (Hi!) all need answers.

Your coaches need answers.

Your students and student-athletes need answers.

Don't be dictated by anything or anyone else (looking at you, Old Church Road).

You're Greenwich, Connecticut.

Let's go.

I Had a Post Written

I wrote a post tonight.

It was about the Yankees losing to the Padres, and how the Earth would still be turning tomorrow.

And it sucked.

It would have come off as historically-driven and, likely, obnoxious.

So I deleted the whole thing.

Some nights, it's harder to find a topic, let alone the energy.

This is just one of those nights.

Nothing grabbed me. Nothing felt important enough to discuss.

When all else fails, I do play-by-play. Because that's me.

I have a sleeping cat passed out at my feet. Not exactly Earth-shattering.

I'm watching The Office. Michael Scott is starting a paper company.

And I'm writing the basics of my evening.

Oh, The Clubhouse is back on tomorrow at 7 p.m. on WGCH (and wgch.com wherever your heart desires).

Lastly, there's some wacky weather out there, including devastating hurricanes out in "Hirnland" known as Ohio (home of Michael Hirn). The pictures are heartbreaking.

These are the things on my mind tonight.

I had a post written.

A little slice of life seemed like a better idea.

Upgrade Cardinal Stadium. Now

The press release from Greenwich Public Schools hit hard.

Superintendent of Schools Ralph Mayo has announced that the Greenwich High School Cardinal Field home side bleachers are closed effective immediately pending repair to bring them up to current code and/or replacement as part of the Cardinal Field development project.

To say this is overdue is simply understating the issue.

The Cardinal Stadium bleachers (and press box) are laughably outdated.

Let me count the other issues there.

No restrooms (I've used porta potties there for almost 20 years). A brick concession stand shell that hasn't been used for years and is now a storage shed. So, therefore, food trucks (outstanding ones at that) are brought in.

If they want to use the locker room, teams have to basically head to Cos Cob, where they might as well grab a bite at Caren's Cos Cobber while they're at it.

Lights? Haha, I say. First, they're not very strong. Second, they've got a bit of a ... er ... problem with a neighbor.

PS: Do NOT play the music/PA system too loud.

(Incidentally, the neighbor in question still has an invitation to discuss all of this with me on WGCH, and will not)

At this point, Cardinal Stadium has two things going for it: 1) the turf. 2) the scoreboard.

People come to Greenwich and marvel at how woeful Cardinal Stadium is. Yes. You've read that correctly.

My mother is 82 years old. Once in a rare while, there's an idea of her going to a game to watch me in action. But no dice. There's no elevator. There's no ramp (!). The bleachers -- the old, crumbling bleachers -- far predate the Americans with Disabilities Act and thus are grandfathered. Indeed, when the press box got a touch up a few years ago, why do you think it wasn't rebuilt?

Correct: It wouldn't have been ADA compliant. Thus the bleachers wouldn't have been.

The wonderful (interim) Greenwich superintendent Ralph Mayo says in the press release: “We realize this is an inconvenience for upcoming athletic and ceremonial events, however, we will not compromise the safety of our staff, students, families or visitors to our schools. The high school is working on alternative plans for graduation and athletic events and will issue details as soon as they are available.”

Yes. Safety first. Absolutely. That should have been a topic years ago.

So now what? In a town that can take a ridiculous amount of time to allow so much as the aforementioned concession stand to get built (let alone the lights fiasco), I can imagine there will simply be a patch job to make it safe.

Indeed, graduation is approaching, but the spring season is likely lost. Enjoy sitting in the visiting bleachers, which might not be a huge hardship. Or standing on the perimeter of the field. But in football season? Oh hells-to-the-no.

As opposed to, you know, actually upgrading Cardinal Stadium the way that it should be.

I'm not a Greenwich townie, as you probably know. People have been kind to me in the 22 years since I first arrived at WGCH. But I do know a thing or 22 about Greenwich. I certainly know a lot about Cardinal Stadium, having spent so many hours there, and actually considered trying to stay there once due to being snowed in (I know I wouldn't have been allowed, but it is heated after all).

Besides, after 22 years, I still don't have a key to the place.

But in the name of safety. In the name of graduation. In the name of the myriad events that take place there, it is time to do it right.

Don't piecemeal it.

Greenwich is seen as being the gateway to the "gold coast" of Fairfield County. There is money for these projects. Plus the Greenwich Athletic Foundation would like to help (I'm not speaking for them, of course, but just reading the "tea leaves").

New Canaan has a nice facility. So does Darien. Staples also.

How about Greenwich?

Indeed. How about it, Greenwich?

It's Time To Talk

Just being an open book.

As you probably know, I opened up about some of my challenges last week, in an effort to get the ball rolling on mental health. (Read part 1 here, Read part 2 here).

The posts did have an impact, though it became a little more about me than I wanted it to, just as Thursday's post turned into more of a "pity party" than I intended.

After having breakfast with a friend on Friday, I figured it was time to explain things. You see, I have often been a voice on the air, and I thought I walked the fine line between the radio/video and the blog.

What I found out is that nobody really knows me or what is going on. So...

- Don't be fooled by my writing and social media posts. I might be busy, but it's not generating the revenue to pay bills.

- I'm currently completely and undeniably unemployed. I freelance some for Local Live and a few other gigs that I get (such as the great Hunt Scanlon, who brings me on as moderator for their conferences).

- I don't work at WGCH full-time, and Doubleheader is nothing more than a passion project. I do it to keep me active and they're great in that it doesn't matter if I make it to the studio. But there's no money.

- I haven't worked at my last full-time position since mid-2017 (and stopped being used as a freelancer there in early-2018), and truth be told, they're the ones who owe me a significant amount of back pay for my work. Astoundingly, I can't even get a response to my requests for pay.

- Robcasting makes little to no money at all.

- I've built relationships with Greenwich High, Brunswick, Fairfield Warde and Fairfield Ludlowe, Fairfield Prep, Greens Farms Academy, and King School, along with Darien (including the Darien Athletic Foundation), the SCC and their commissioner Al Carbone, the FCIAC, Mahopac and Carmel High Schools and more. This is all great. Sadly, it's not come to fruition in terms of work to get "a life."

- I can teach. I teach pretty well. I've mentored a lot of people. However, Connecticut School of Broadcasting gets me some teaching gigs. It's not full-time.

- The state of New York harasses me about child support, and even Sean is counting down to when it's over because it bugs him. I saw more courtrooms in 2018 than I've ever seen in my life. As with everything else, I have little support. No lawyer. Nobody to stand up for me. So of course, I lost everything. I have no way to pay what I owe, and that's all I should say about that. For now.

- There are no magic answers to this. I need a job. A real job. One that helps me pay my bills. One that helps me get my life back. Any free time is spent at home. I don't go out or socialize much because I can't afford it.

- I'd like to stay in broadcasting. I'd like to help fill the void that was lost with the end of HAN, and I hope Local Live (with me) will be the answer to that. I'd like to see more games get covered, with a professional broadcaster. This goes for Connecticut, New York, or wherever I'm wanted. Our student-athletes deserve that.

- Yet the reality is that I will put 100% into any job. I have experience in marketing and database marketing and writing (hi!) and a lot more. I'm a sponge. I want any job that will allow me to use the myriad skills I have.

- Would I love to stay in broadcasting full-time? Of course, but I don't have to.

- I'm more than willing to make covering games as a second gig (but NOT as a hobby. Your athletes deserve better than that.)

- Oh, and I'm not a salesman. I. Can't. Make. That. Clear. Enough.

That pretty much sums it all up. I realize now that nobody quite knew my real story, and I gave off the impression that I was doing great.

Until I opened up.

I hope now you understand, and you'll help me brainstorm to reach the next phase of my life. I need connections, networking, and ultimately, a job.

I need someone to take a chance.

My email is rda5512@gmail.com. My LinkedIn page is here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steelyankee/.

Thank you.

Afraid to Talk

A (hopefully) innocuous picture of my setup at Brunswick for lacrosse.

I talk.

Sometimes for a living.

I'm responsible for my words, and occasionally I say things that get me in trouble for one reason or another. I get that it's the very nature of the beast, of course.

Yet sometimes we say things that aren't even remotely intended to be inflammatory, and yet...

Yet...

Take what happened to Brian Davis, play-by-play announcer for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Fox Sports Oklahoma. Davis, in his eighth year with the Thunder, used the phrase "cotton-picking mind" in relation to guard Russell Westbrook.

For that, he earned a one-game suspension and had to apologize.

No. That's not a joke. Here's the recap from Yahoo! Sports.

Given that we speak on the air extemporaneously for hours at a time, I would hope there would be a certain amount of understanding. However common sense must also be considered, and I'd like to believe most of us know there are a variety of words and phrases that shouldn't (and can't) be used.

I don't think I use "cotton-picking" in regard to anything, and I suppose I understand its "offensiveness" to a degree. I won't simply play the "That's Not/Is Racist!" card.

But a suspension? I'm not so sure about that. I think it would have been fair if Fox Sports Oklahoma said, "Look, Brian, we know you meant nothing by it, but it's an 'old school' term that can be construed as racist. Do us a solid and don't use it again, OK?"

There. All done.

Instead, this guy now has a stigma attached to him. It brought him attention that no broadcaster wants. Unfairly.

It can make many of us weary to talk or write.

To that very point, I was calling the New Canaan/Brunswick lacrosse game Saturday night. Now I recognize that the rights of Brunswick games are governed by Brunswick, since I'm there for them. So I do choose my words carefully to begin with, but I don't stand there and censor myself.

I use common sense.

Still, I brought up the topic of the Brian Davis suspension and didn't completely elaborate, except to say that viewers and listeners could find the story online.

Yes. I was nervous about saying the offending phrase.

Continuing with that, I felt a certain level of trepidation in bringing up Jackie Robinson, as it occurred to me that we were up against the 71st anniversary of his joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. Players all around baseball will wear the number 42 in honor of Robinson.

While it's a lovely and deserving gesture, I have never been in favor of it. Not because I'm "anti-Robinson." What Jackie did can't be measured. It's legendary, and the story needs to be told. Yet I feel that when the message is pushed with the "all-42 movement," things get lost.

So I feel I have a better idea. Each team should have one member -- anyone -- who exhibits the spirit of Jackie Robinson. That person should have the honor of wearing 42 that year on April 15. Then the team can hold a ceremony before the game to introduce the player and present the message of equality that Mr. Robinson wanted.

As it is, there is still a long way to go, and we all know that.

Yet why do I have to feel nervous about saying that? Why do we worry that everything we say could get us fired or suspended?

Don't actions speak louder than words anyway? Well which is it?

Heck, I'm even concerned about pressing "Publish" on this post, and that's become more frequent in the past four years or so.

It shouldn't be like that. Common sense should prevail and I'd like to think we can look at what's in a persons heart.

Brian Davis shouldn't have been suspended.

Common sense isn't all that common.

GHS Football Begins Today

Later today, at 2:20 pm, WGCH will begin its 54th year covering Greenwich High School football.

For me, it will be the start of my 16th year doing the play-by-play, and my 19th year around Big Red.

Having spoken with GHS head coach John Marinelli earlier this week, I can tell you I like this group a lot, but they open with a good test against Trumbull.

(Please read my preview of the 2017 Cardinals for the Greenwich Sentinel)

Our broadcast will only be on the radio today (and next Saturday, at Trinity Catholic as well), but fear not. If you want to hear how we call it, you will have your chance. We will archive it and replay. I'm thinking we'll air it in the two-hour window of 2-4 pm on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

As late as Tuesday, I had no crew. Chris Erway is on baby watch. Chris Kaelin is training for another gig. I need to compile a list of people who would be willing to join me.

Anyway, Paul Silverfarb has come on board, and will be on the sideline. Next up, WGCH (with an assist from me), recruited Josh Somma to do color. Then Ian Barto said he'd love to be back. Finally, Shawn Sailer said "sure. Happy to be there."

So from one to five.

We're live around 2:20, as I said. Kickoff is set for 2:30 at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Hope you join us.

Oh yeah, this is the 52nd anniversary of complete and total perfection -- on the air and on the field.

Listen to the Babe Ruth New England 14U Regional

Join me throughout the weekend with Dan Gardella, Jake Zimmer, Shawn Sailer, and Josh Somma for the Babe Ruth New England 14U Regional.

Listen live at http://mixlr.com/greenwich-sentinel/ or click play below.


Greenwich Sentinel is on Mixlr

You can also join us on Facebook live at https://www.facebook.com/1490WGCH/.

The games are all archived and can be downloaded at this link: http://mixlr.com/greenwich-sentinel/showreel/

Quick Note on Rallying

We often get bundles of these

Today was just one of those days.

A mixed blessing if you will.

It didn't start great. At one point, I was basically shaking over something.

I fumbled through a disjointed radio show (ah, summer).

But I rallied thanks to two things:

1) Baseball. Yes. Really. Baseball.

Calling baseball (and other sports certainly) is often my salvation. Putting that headset on allows me to go to a different place for over two hours. It's why I'm so excited to call the Babe Ruth 14U New England Regional starting Friday in Trumbull, CT. Sixteen games in four days? Heck yes!

2) Love of friends and family.

No, that's not all. It's more than love. I don't talk about faith a lot, and for good reason. That being said, the faith they show in me -- and I in them -- can be unyielding. I keep asking to be told it's all going to be OK. But don't just say it if you don't believe it.

Tonight, after a really meh day, it was the combination of baseball and love (and faith) of friends and family that pulled it all together.

Once one the air, I felt like me. And I laughed. That's a good thing.

Two random people also added some kindness about stuff that I've done over the years. A fan at the game told me that he's a big fan of my work.

Like, really?

Another fan -- a parent -- said his son's highlight tape included my play-by-play, and that brought more kind words.

I know, I know. All about me. Well when handed lemons (and I didn't think Paul Silverfarb and I would get this game on the air tonight), it's nice to make some lemonade.

But despite no power, we came up with a generator.

Despite running late, we still got lineups.

Despite Middletown's lineup not having first names on it, we got through it.

Despite all of this being pulled together at the last-minute, we put on a solid broadcast.

We scratched and clawed our way through a game in which Greenwich beat Middletown (CT) 8-1 in American Legion baseball.

And we saw a head coach lose his marbles and get ejected from the game (not sure I've ever seen that).

Instead of being low, sad, and scared, I drove home excited and happy.

Problems weren't erased tonight.

Pain was eased.  I'll take it.

On The Call of Cal Ripken Baseball

The current view in Banksville as Greenwich warms up (Photo: Me)

I'll be live at 4pm today for Greenwich and Norwalk in the Cal Ripken Baseball district tournament at Banksville Field.

Cool fact: you have to be in New York to drive to the field. In Connecticut.

Anyway, listen live below or click here (or go to Greenwich Sentinel). Greenwich Sentinel is on Mixlr

1K

This touched my heart.

It's not as easy to write about "me" as you think.

First, there's my own inner concern that I'm being narcissistic. Then there's the (inner) demon that says I'm "making it all about myself."

Blech.

But I want to to tell you all that Saturday, when Greenwich plays their annual Red and White football game (10 am, greenwichsentinel.com and later on WGCH), there will be an extra feeling of nostalgia.

It will be my 1000th game broadcast.

OK, that's not entirely true. When I was at Kraft (General) Foods, I called a bunch of softball games. We produced them as video "broadcasts" (yes, that means I started on TV) but I didn't count them officially.

The count began on April 10, 1999 when I called Greenwich and Port Chester in baseball. It was really on the air. It was on the radio.

It was on WGCH, which is where I've called the majority of my games (549).

I've worked with so many great people, and described the exploits of so many great athletes. They're the ones I want to talk about the most. They're the stars.

But I never want to forget those I worked with, from Miguel Villafane, Ron Lemp, Kevin Jaffe, Harold Turk, and Joe Mingoia back at Kraft (And Philip Morris/Altria, of course) to Russ McCarroll on that first WGCH game all the way to AJ Szymanowski, Shawn Sailer, and Jake Zimmer, who have blessed me by saying yes to being there this Saturday.

Chris Kaelin is the one I've worked most with (172 games). Sean Kilkelly (171 total games) holds the title of most games as lead analyst (169 games).

I've "Scullied" 51 games (that is, I worked alone).

In case you're wondering, Mark Rosen, John Kovach, and Chris Erway round out the top five of those I've worked with the most.

They're all friends. Ryan DeMaria. Paul Silverfarb. Christine Baker. Dan Gardella. John Spang. Matt Hamilton. Nick Fox. Sean Ford. Jason Intrieri. Tim Parry. Nick Angotto. I can't name everyone. I'll forget somebody.

It's more than that though. It's Sean Adams, the most amazing child (who has credit officially for one broadcast, in 2015 in Norwich, but has been on countless others). It's family and friends who have listened to so much (again, I can't name them all or embarrass them).

Football is the sport I've called the most, followed by baseball, basketball, and hockey.

But I'm making this about me. Sorry.

I'm only sorry it took me this long to get there. Some will read this and say, "Who cares? I did a thousand in five years."

I care because I never thought this would happen. I never thought I'd be blessed with such great people working with me.

I just feel lucky. One-thousand games of lugging equipment, crawling on press box floors, eating questionable (at best) food, and late nights where many questioned my sanity.

From WGCH to Hudson Valley Talk Radio to Hersam Acorn Radio to HAN Network to Georgian Court University to Pleasantville TV to Brunswick and others, we've seen a lot. And we've described a lot.

I will talk about Cooperstown (with HAN) forever. I will remember the Carrier Dome and Ken Strong Stadium and the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. And Webster Bank Arena.

And Fenway Park.

But also Dutchess Stadium and Ripken Stadium and Cardinal Stadium and Kennedy Stadium and Boyle Stadium. And Robert. L. Cosby Field. And Hartong Rink. And Darien Ice Rink...er...ice house. And Dorothy Hamill Rink. And on and on.

And the place where Greenwich plays baseball (Cardinal Yard, people!).

I'm not a major league broadcaster. I probably never will be.

But I'm fiercely proud. Proud to know all of you. Proud to have watched those who made these games possible.

Proud of the grandparent who was listening at 35, 000 feet. Of the sister in Spain. The grandfather in Switzerland. Of the friends in London.

Of the people in Greenwich. Stamford. Norwalk. Fairfield. Wilton. Ridgefield. Danbury. Westport. New Canaan. Bridgeport. Fairfield County.

Staten Island.

Thank you. One thousand times thank you.

See you Saturday.

(These are the amazing people that I've worked with. These numbers are bound to be wrong.)

NAME #
Chris Kaelin 172
Sean Kilkelly 171
Mark Rosen 149
John Kovach 109
Chris Erway 84
Ricky Fritsch 63
Nick Angotto 61
John Spang 60
Nick Fox 56
Paul Silverfarb 55
Matt Hamilton 53
Mark Smallwood 47
Sean Ford 43
Josh Fisher 43
Ryan DeMaria 36
Frank Granito 36
Tom Kane 29
Christine Baker 28
Ian Handwerger 27
AJ Szymanowski 23
Zach Fisher 22
Rob Crowley 20
Eric Gendron 20
Bill Brehm 20
Tom Prizeman 19
Dan Gardella 18
Geoff Brault 16
Jake Zimmer 14
Max Barefoot 12
Tommy Dee 10
Kevin Coleman 10
Harold Turk 10
Alex Hager 10
Mike Suppe 9
Justin Gallanty 9
John Connelly 9
Tim Murphy 8
Nora Delaney 8
John Collins 8
Ron Warzoha 7
Ron Lyons 7
Jason Intrieri 7
Amanda Romaniello 7
Marty Hersam 6
Ian Barto 6
Bill Bloxsom 6
Tom Pollina 5
Dave Stewart 5
Dave Chiappetta 5
Josh Somma 4
Eric Tillman 4
Tyler Ingalls 3
Shelby Vaccaro 3
Russ McCarroll 3
Phil Giubileo 3
Charles Costello 3
Tim Parry 2
Steve Coulter 2
Shawn Sailer 2
Nick Gagalis 2
Mike Cardillo 2
Mick McGowan 2
Matt Narwold 2
JJ Duke 2
Donald Eng 2
Dave Rothenberg 2
Dave Maloney Jr 2
Dan Arestia 2
Carrie Phelps 2
Bob Perez 2
TP Loftus 1
Sean Adams 1
Scott Gentile 1
Raquel Welsh 1
Mike LaHiff 1
Michael Breed 1
Matt Sherman 1
Mary Anne DeFelice 1
Jim Gerweck 1
Ernie Craumer 1
Don Boyle 1
Dave Maloney 1
Chuck Scott 1
Chris Lucey 1
Bryan Tunney 1
Brian Carcaterra 1
Brendan Heller 1
Armstrong Noonan 1
Andrew Mitchell 1
Amanda Sirois 1

Radio Test

I'm trying something out tonight, so hang in there with me.

I'm posting a widget to the new Greenwich Sentinel Radio. Give a listen if you want (and if we're live).

I repeat...this is only a test.


GreenwichSentinel is on Mixlr

Ludlowe/Greenwich Baseball

So here's what we discovered yesterday at the GHS baseball field (aka, "Cardinal Yard"): the wifi and cell service are both unreliable.

As a result, we had a frustrating broadcast with a lot of drops, but fear not! The game has been uploaded to Archive.org (you can download it there) and will be played back in an edited form (think Cardinals in 60...well, more like 49:20) today at 3pm on WGCH (and wgch.com...anywhere).

My great friend Mick McGowan and I had the call yesterday, with the always-legendary Shawn Sailer nearby.

Oh, and here's the game in an embedded form.