This is Not a Baseball Post

  

Whitey Ford delivers to Bill Virdon during
1960 World Series at Yankee Stadium

I was going to write about baseball tonight because it is so prominent right now.

You know, playoffs and all, with the Mets playing.

Oh, you say another team is playing? I should check that out.

OK, seriously, I'm probably not going to write a lot about baseball because, sometimes, I just don't feel like posting about stuff that no one reads.

I'm not kidding. The lowest-read posts are generally baseball-related for some reason.

Sometimes, I just write and don't worry about it. Tonight, I'm not feeling it.

So, baseball is on. The Yankees (you know, that other team) are winning. That pleases me.

But I'll spare you any words of wisdom about any of that.

On the other hand, I started something new tonight, helping to get a show off the ground. Rick Zolzer -- you know, "The Zolz" -- and I have been talking about doing a show for a few months. He did one on Z93 in Poughkeepsie and I joined in 2021-2022.

He has since moved over to the Pamal radio cluster and the process began to put a new show on the air. Of course, it's viewed as a "Zolz" show when, in reality, it's Zolz, me, and Sheriff Kirk Imperati.

It will air every Monday night at 6 on "The Beacon," a six-frequency group led by WGHQ, along with WBNR and WLNA. We're on AM and FM as well as the internet and, of course, Robcasting. "The Beacon" is part of the old Hudson Valley Talk Radio that I used to do the Renegades on.

I realize I'm often involved in shows because I'm the glue. What I mean by that is I keep things on the air, run equipment as needed, and act as a voice at times. It's essentially the role I play on "The Clubhouse." In that case, I'm the lead in that I open and close the show, as well as take us into and out of breaks. 

"The Clubhouse," by the way, returns Wednesday night on WGCH. While I'm at it, this is my entire schedule this week:

Mon, 6pm: Zolz's Are You Kidding Me...Again

Tue, 11:30: CT Roughriders/HC Hockey Club

Tue, 4pm: Doubleheader

Wed, 7p: The Clubhouse

Thu, 4pm: Doubleheader

Fri, 6pm: Wilton/Greenwich Football

Sat, 3pm: Phillips Andover/Brunswick Football

Sun, 9p: Meet the Beatles

So, if you're keeping score, I'm (still) on WGCH, fill in on football on WALL, do occasional interviews on WICC, appear on this group, and of course, do Robcasting, LocalLive, FloHockey, and so on. Did I miss anyone?

If only it, you know, paid, but those are minor details.

In the case of tonight's premier show, I got a crash course in running the studio* before we went live at 6 p.m. We had a few hiccups -- including 30 seconds of dead air -- but the content and chemistry were all solid.

*I ran Renegades games and worked in that very studio on and off for a bunch of years. The equipment is mostly the same. However, the automation that runs the commercials has evolved over the years and that's the part I needed training on.

As for the dead air, apparently, there was a hiccup within the automation software. Beyond that, things ran well.

It's a show that will evolve as we move forward. 

And it will be fun.

That's what sports talk should be.

We'll be back next Monday night at 6. 

National Radio Day

 

My 1955 Granco radio

I'll note my 34th anniversary in radio broadcasting in a few weeks.

But today is National Radio Day.

I love TV. In fact, I love all forms of broadcasting. That's why I embraced internet streaming also. From a talent perspective, a lot of things remain the same in terms of how we present games and shows.

There are obvious differences in terms of the vehicles we use. 

But radio, much like baseball, was my first love.

Turning an AM radio dial and picking up Atlanta, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C. during the overnight house always fascinated me. St. Louis, Toronto, Detroit, and Cincinnati were among the other far-off places I could get late at night.

There was a time when I had to rely on a radio station in Wheeling, W.V. to listen to the Steelers. WWVA had a 50,000-watt signal that I could pick up in Mahopac at night. However, day games couldn't be heard that far off.

But my radio story begins with WABC, the famed music radio station. It also included listening to Yankees games and other sports.

I was enchanted.

Eventually, I caught on to Don Imus On WN...hold on...WNNNNNNNNNNBC.

Then along came Z-100 in the formative years of the 1980s. What I wanted to do began to crystallize.

So it came that I found myself behind the microphone at Majic 105 as Sep 2, 1990 began. 

I was where I belonged.

But it was never that easy. I was fortunate to get my foot in the door but, as we know, the broadcasting business is rough and tumble. Politics, egos, and the grind are just a couple of pieces of the story.

And so it was that I was actually out of broadcasting for a few years. I used the time to work and continue going to school.

A fateful phone call in 1996 brought me back into the business at WREF in Ridgefield. As my corporate career was closing due to our jobs relocating to Chicago, I thought I had found a radio home.

I was wrong. WREF was sold just a few months after I started working there part-time. I helped close things by being their "assistant general manager." I was the last radio voice heard at the studios on Route 35 in Ridgefield.

It took a story in the Ridgefield Press, handed to me during that air shift, to find out that we were done.

But friends from WREF recommended me to another radio station and shortly after I began at WGCH.

I've been there for 27 years.

Since then, I've been heard on a lot of other outlets like Z-93, WLNA, WBNR, WVIP, WGHQ, WLIE, WMVL, WICC, and so many others as part of networks that I got to be on. Plus, of course, all of the internet work I've done, most notably on Robcasting.

It remains a joy. A happy place. A place to forget my troubles.

I know the pitfalls of radio. I know how programming frustrates me and, believe me, I'm happy to have at least a small say in the events at WGCH. I think I've earned that after all these years.

We can still do radio -- or audio broadcasting if you will. It needs to be live, local, and relatable. 

And it needs support.

It doesn't need the same three songs played every hour. It definitely doesn't need to be network programming delivered via a studio hundreds of miles away.

Radio is still meant to be a pace of information and discovery.

A place of community.

And it still, in my opinion, matters.

Sadly, I won't be on the air anywhere today. I'll be doing PA announcing for the Renegades on "Bhutan Night" at Heritage Financial Park. I suppose, in that way, you'll hear me on the Renegades Baseball Network broadcast.

But I'll be back on the air soon enough to talk sports or The Beatles or call a game. Or maybe I'll be needed for news (it's been a while).

You never know. That's part of what I love about it.

To the many who have enriched this wild ride of a career, I wish you a happy National Radio Day.

Turn it on and leave it on.

Moments of peace among chaos

 

Greetings from the stadium.

The Dutch.

Dutchess Stadium.

We are 29 hours and 20 minutes away from first pitch as I type.

It was pretty quiet when I arrived, shortly after 11 a.m. There were people working but things were peaceful. I came straight to the booth. Thankfully, it was open. It's never fun to run around wondering if someone has a key.

I tried cleaning the windows. That didn't go so well. 

I cleaned the visiting radio booth too because I like it when I get that same treatment. But, sadly, that booth is also prime real estate for storage. So, for now, there's that.

Having called a few games from storage rooms, I get it.

There's still more I want to do. There are wires I want to cut and a table I want to move and yada yada yada. But it's come so far already. I've swept the booth -- my booth -- and the visiting booth. I wiped everything down. I labeled the mixer. I set and reset microphones.

I decided the Sennheiser headsets I found yesterday would do quite nicely. Plus I have to do minimal setup and breakdown every night.

I found President and G.M. Steve Gliner walking around. After wishing him a happy birthday, I asked him how he was. I knew the answer.

"Oh, you know," he said. "The day before Opening Day."

I did my podcast with Zach Neubauer. That one is a lot of fun because we're just two guys talking about the team.

People complain about the protocols in place. It's not our call. 

People grumble about the lighting of the podcast. Zach was able to fix that.

Tomorrow, I'll speak with Gades' manager Dan Fiorito for the first time. Zach had him on the phone and said he'd be on "Rob's Recap."

"That's the name of it," he said. "I just made that up. Rob is laughing because he wasn't consulted."

Left hand, meet right hand.

A staff member -- I've been trying to meet everyone but can't remember names -- is currently trying to clean up the entrance to the stadium with a blower. The goal is to repaint it before tomorrow night.

The batting eye in center field is also being painted.

I was able to have a few moments to myself. After talking to Steve Gliner, he got pulled in another direction which gave me a reason to take a walk. I soon found myself out near the clubhouse. The gate was open to the field, and I stood there, in the rightfield corner.

It might be the only time I step on the field all year.

The emotions -- the enormity -- began to hit me.

I visited my parents this morning. I was able to see the fresh engraving of my mother's information on their headstone.

Nancy Lee

1937-2020

I told them I really didn't know what to say, other than I wish they could be at the stadium tomorrow night or settled into the living room to watch it on MiLB.tv, assuming we could get it on their TV.

I hoped they were proud of me.

Then I drove to the stadium.

Where I was now walking diagonally from the right field corner. I passed second base, then third, then I stepped back into the stands to return to the booth.

Workers were on the field in the dugouts. They saw me but paid me no mind.

In the middle of the madness, here were my few minutes of zen.

Earlier in the day, I texted Susan and told her I was "grumpy and anxious."

I've had six days of listening to everyone else.

It's my turn.

It's our turn.

Radio gaga

 

Courtesy of the team I work for

You might have already seen this piece of news on social media but allow me to tell you here that the Hudson Valley Reneagdeshave a new radio partner.

After years of being on the group of stations including WLNA and WBNR, and other years of being only on the internet, the Gades head to FM on Z93, WBWZ.

What this means for fans is that you'll have multiple options to catch my call of the game. You can watch us on MILB.TV and listen to us on Z93 as well as online at hvrenegades.com and the MiLB app.

As you know, so much of my heart is invested in radio, so I'm glad to see games truly on the air. Obviously, I'm no stranger to internet only (um...Robcasting?) but I still love the magic of a terrestrial station.

The Gades have been on FM before, as part of their package with the WLNA/WBNR group in later years but to my knowledge, this will be the first year of being on FM exclusively.

Baseball and the radio work so perfectly together and I'm excited to paint the word pictures for everyone. I've spent too many hours turning a dial to listen to games at night from Boston and Baltimore and Toronto and Montreal and Pittsburgh and Detroit and Cleveland and Cincinnati and Chicago and even St. Louis. 

There are still things to learn, of course, with just two weeks before the first broadcast. We have to determine equipment and how we're delivering audio to the radio station along with other nuggets. I have to learn who the board operator (or operators) will be. They need to learn me and my cadence. I have to learn what the outcue is. Or am I creating it myself?

All questions -- like it or not -- will soon be answered.

Joining me on this journey in his own position is my son. Sean has accepted a role as a camera operator and whatever else the team would like him to do. That might mean he winds up working a camera in the booth with me, meaning we would be working together.

The thing about this is that I want him to fly on his own so I only suggested Sean's interest to the team and it was up to him to get the job. From here it's his to make or break. I've got my own things to deal with.

I also recorded the first episode of a new podcast series today, "Renegades Weekly," in which Director of Digital Media and Video Production Zach Neubauer and I break down the previous week and look ahead. Keep an eye out for that, as well as my interview with Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders lead broadcaster Adam Marco.

Things are definitely happening and it's getting more exciting and nerve-wracking. New York's Gov. Cuomo has opened up more seating at Dutchess Stadium (and around the state, of course), meaning more fans can come to the ballpark (and hopefully bring a radio or smart device!).

I should say again that this does not end my time on WGCH at all. I intend to be doing "Doubleheader" and "The Clubhouse." I plan on calling Brunswick sports and anything else that I can. I've been asked to call Babe Ruth baseball once again in Trumbull this summer and there's talk of Little League coming back to Robcasting. These are all things to be weaved into the calendar.

But, to be clear, I'm currently exclusive to no one. 

The long journey to Renegades baseball being a reality is inching closer. A week from tonight, the team will open the 2021 campaign in New Jersey. In two weeks, it's showtime at Dutchess Stadium.

Sean and I will both be there.

A deep dive

 

Is Dropbox the answer?

I'm in the process of trying to figure out the best way to archive old digital files.

You might recall I had a bit of a scare when I couldn't access files on an old external hard drive. Well, I finally bought a device to help me and, today, got around to emptying the hard drive off (thanks, Marc Ducret!).

Now it's a question of where and how I store all of these old game broadcasts and other files. Sure, Dropbox is nice but it's also not cheap. But is another external drive the answer? Or some other service?

As always, I've been reading and researching and overwhelming my brain.

But this process meant diving into the rabbit hole of broadcasts from the Gades, HAN, WGCH, Local Live, and more.

Remember the Georgian Court basketball games I called in a snowstorm and wound up stranded at Post University? Those broadcasts are there.

The long, hot summer baseball tourneys? Got 'em.

The first lacrosse game I called -- back in 2005? Yes.

And all kinds of wacky Hersam Acorn audio when I was literally the only person who knew what we were doing (thus...Robcasting). 

Some of the files might be bad or weren't complete for one reason or another. That highlights a huge bummer for me. When HAN went primarily to video, we initially talked about keeping the audio element.

Then, we didn't and the audio came to an end so it was on me to create an audio recording if I wanted one.

Eventually, HAN made a business decision to put many of the game broadcasts -- including games that I called -- behind a paywall.

So, at this point, I don't have access to them and that's a shame. I recorded the audio of some but not all.

There are certainly a few I'm quite proud of, such as the 50th FCIAC Championship football game. Chris Erway and I were on fire for that one. I mean, there are so many others.

Hopefully, I'll get that audio one day (even if it's video).

Of course in those files are stories -- good and bad. There's blood and sweat and tears. There are a lot of long nights and exhausting drives home. There are a lot of late-night conversations to give me the energy to make those exhausting drives home.

This is true of every stop I've made along the way.

There are a lot of great memories.

And yet...

My eye drifted to Sep 11, 2015. John Jay of Cross River at Yorktown football. The internet was terrible. We struggled all night. The broadcast felt like a complete disaster on multiple levels. I had to go to the athletic director's office to sign a waiver for us to broadcast the game.

The next day we held our breath at Notre Dame of West Haven for football as we lost power a few times and nerves were raw.

Those are just a couple of the horror stories.

But the triumphs. That 2015 FCIAC Championship. The Cooperstown game between McMahon and Norwalk. The long stretches of hockey and basketball championship runs.

Broadcasting at Webster Bank Arena and Ingalls Rink and Mohegan Sun.

I could go on but I sense you're getting the idea.

These are files that are important to me so I have to find the right place to keep them safe. With those files comes even more memories.

It really could be a book but I don't know that anyone would ever care to read it.

The Dirty Thirty

The earphone pads have been replaced but the headphones and the label are original

It was a Saturday and I was nervous.

I went to Jefferson Valley Mall -- just down the road in Yorktown Heights -- because I needed a pair of "cans."

For the uninitiated, that's slang for headphones.

I bought a pair of Koss HV/1A-Plus and I think they were $30. Something like that.

Honestly, it was probably more than I'd ever paid for headphones but I was told everyone should have their own.

It was Sep 1, 1990.

I tried to sleep a little during the day.

That night I had dinner, Then I steadied myself and drove to the studios of WMJV in Patterson, NY.

I sat in the parking lot in the middle of the woods and waited for an appropriate time to go knock on the door. In the meantime, I'd brought a thermos of coffee with me and, somewhere along the line, I took Nodoz.

It was now around 11:30 p.m.

I knocked and the current on-air host "Jim Heartman" let me in.  I stood in the studio uncomfortably. I waited. I tried not to think.

It was now after midnight and my journey to be a professional broadcaster had reached its first stop.

Sep 2, 1990. Thirty years ago this morning.

Heartman finished his last song, offered to stay, and wished me well as he left.

I sat down at the console.

There was no automation. It was all CD's, with a bunch of "hit songs" on multiple discs. There were also carts (they look like 8-tracks if that works to tell you what it is) for the imaging (liners, sweepers, themes, IDs, etc).

We would have dead air if I didn't press play on the next element.

James Ingram was singing (again, it was 1990). I tried to tell myself I was ready.

"You're all I need," Ingram crooned as the song faded.

Nope. I wasn't ready. I pressed play on a song called "Time For Letting Go" by Jude Cole.

Time for a pep talk -- the one I've given to students for years.

"OK, you have a few choices: 1) You can press play on this stuff all night and never say a word then deal with whatever fallout in the morning. 2) You can run and probably never work in the business again. 3) You can turn on the mic, open your big mouth, and start yapping."

Obviously I chose the third option.

In short -- I was there for a reason. I needed to understand that this was good anxiousness, and I'd come to understand that eventually. It's healthy.

I sound like a "DJ" at first and I promised myself I wouldn't do that. It's easy to do the "fake voice" and I just needed to relax and be me.

I chose to go with "Robbie" as my first air name, having told my father's best friend earlier that day that I was going to use in honor of my dad, since he and my family called me that. He had been gone almost a year and a half at that point. I'd eventually shorten it down to Rob once again since that's what the rest of the world called me.

To this day, "Robbie" makes me smile. In moments of being funny, Chris Erway calls me that, as do members of my family.

I was told I had some leeway in what I played. It was preferred that I played the "hits" of the moment, but I allowed myself "The Heart of Rock and Roll" to help calm those nerves.

I could also take requests, and I got a few phone calls.

It was a long six hours. My family and friends listened for a while but by 3 a.m. things were quiet.

I'd read. I'd walk around. I'd stretch.

I reached the end of the shift at 6 a.m. and left for home.

Then I tried to sleep and the Nodoz won out as my heart raced like it was at Indianapolis. That was the first and last time I ever took that and have never done the Red Bulls and Monster drinks of the world. The stuff -- and the way I felt -- scared me.

I look back 30 years later and cringe listening to the audio (which you can enjoy in its awfulness here). Yes, the music is fairly painful, but so am I. I'm raw. I'm trying to be a DJ with the "Live and Alive" thing that I thought would be my "thang" and the canned signoff and stuff like that.

I let songs fade too long. I probably talked in spots for too long also.

It would all get tightened up and I'd relax and be myself eventually. I was also allowed to do a sports report at 6 a.m. during John Harrison's show. John trained me a few nights before the first shift and became one of my closest friends.

In total, I did it for almost a year. I think I did exactly 52 shows before I got hung up in radio politics. Jim Heartman would get both John and me out of the way, even though we actually had very good ratings.

I was devastated and not sure I'd ever get back in. But I continued to go to college, worked in corporate USA, even tried college radio at Western Connecticut (but I think my being experienced meant I was a threat).

The real comeback began first with calling play-by-play of softball for Kraft and Philip Morris, and I'm eternally grateful to Harold.

Then John was offered a spot on WREF in Ridgefield. He declined and recommended me.

Only a few months later, WREF announced it had been sold and would close.

Thankfully Steve Goodwin and the late Luke Michaels at WREF and they told me they would recommend me to another station -- WGCH in Greenwich.

I served as "Assistant General Manager" of WREF during the ownership transition and did a Sunday afternoon DJ shift.

WREF closed in March, 1997 (I was the last voice heard in the Ridgefield studios) and I trained immediately at 'GCH.

Doors closed. Doors opened.

I've never looked back.

I used to keep track of all of my radio/TV appearances but gave up, especially after HAN gave me a daily diet of too many appearances to track.

The number at this point is well into the thousands. If there's a baseball game tonight, I'll call that -- my truest calling in this business.

I loved doing DJ work, and have had chances to dip my toe back into music many times since, including hosting three Greenwich Town Party broadcasts.

I've loved news reporting and anchoring.

I've enjoyed behind the scenes, be it production, engineering (I'm an amateur at best), office work (obviously, not ideal), or anything else.

I've loved sports reporting.

I've loved hosting shows -- any shows. "Coaches Corner," "The Press Box," "Doubleheader," "Spotlight on Sports," "The Clubhouse," "Tee Time," and on and on and on. I've hosted my own talk show "The Rob Adams Show" and co-hosted shows on religion, self-help, home improvement, and so many others. I even hosted a radio flea market/swap meet called "The Trading Post."

I've reported on storms, 9/11, the Columbia disaster, the Roy Halladay plane crash, and more than I can remember.

I've been a flat-out pain in the ass because I believe in certain styles of broadcasting.

But, most of all, the very thing I wanted to do was play-by-play, and I got my first opportunity with those softball games in 1995 before being able to call games on the radio beginning in 1999.

I've tried to entertain listeners (and viewers). I've tried to be honest and fair and strike all emotions.

Thirty years haven't really flown by. The memories are strong of friends made (and lost), relationships built, arguments had, moments marveled at, and a lot of words out of my mouth.

I achieved a lot of cool moments and a lot of goals. It has also almost killed me and broken me at times.

And I still love it.

I'd go to the station -- any station -- in almost any circumstance, and I still will.

I can only hope I have thirty more years in me.

Sean -- who was basically born on the radio -- was sitting with me at the rehearsal dinner a few weeks back for Meaghan and Eric's wedding. Eric's dad Rob (nice name) had just retired that day from working in TV (he did a lot of production work for Dateline).

Sean looked at me.

"No," he said. "I don't see it."

"What's that?"

"Retire. I don't think you'll retire from radio or broadcasting. I think you'd rather die at the microphone."

You're right, Sean. You're absolutely right.

Thanks for being along for the ride, friends. Thirty more? Who knows?

Let's just start with today and see where the road takes us.

Notes On August 9th

Sean Ford (left) invited me to Fenway

Two items struck me today in the memory department.

First, I played softball on this day in 2013. It was there, after a hard-fought game (I know no other way to play) that I popped the question on HAN Radio (and the Network, etc). It would take three months to bring it to fruition and Paul Silverfarb was partner-in-crime for the whole thing.

Despite literally everything, I'm still awfully proud of it. The stories will live on and they'll only grow. I'd one day like to see all of us recall how special it was but I fear that's a pipe dream. Too much to work through.

And, yes, that includes me.

Then there's Aug 9, 2008. After working in the studio as the game analyst (yes, I really did), I wrapped up the broadcast, went home, got some sleep, picked up Harold, and drove to Boston.

I kept saying I'd believe it when it really happened but I walked into Fenway Park as a professional broadcaster. I kept waiting to be stopped. They wouldn't have my credential. We weren't allowed on the field. Something wasn't going to thwart us.

I deal with this crap of "#YankeeBoy" which is truly something you can't say if you really know me.

Susan, who was at that softball game but didn't talk to me, knows that I bleed baseball. Then comes the Yankees. I'm more about the game -- the sport.

And so, as a lover of history and the sport, I was overwhelmed at being a broadcaster at Fenway Park. ALL of my heroes worked there at one time or another. Seriously. Think about it. Vin Scully not only called games at Fenway but much of his career STARTED at Fenway, thanks to the Maryland/Boston College game that he was assigned in 1949.

Doc Emrick and Red Barber and Mel Allen and Dick Enberg and Scooter and White and Messer and...

Me.

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams played there. Bobby Murcer played there. Don Mattingly. Paul O'Neill.

And I was broadcasting a game there. I was sitting in the dugout, doing an interview. I was inside the Green Monster. I just stood there and soaked it all in.

I've probably told all of these stories. It was a weekend of an enormous high, and a fairly dreadful low, when I found out why my son didn't hear his father on the air at Fenway Park. No, I'll never quite get over that.

When the game was over, Sean Ford (the true "Voice" of the Renegades) packed up and headed out to catch the bus. Harold and I sat and watched some of the next game before convincing ourselves to make the walk back to my car at the Prudential Center. We really didn't want to live but we went and had a good dinner before heading to Lowell for more baseball the next day.

It's a weekend and an experience I'll always treasure.

Back to baseball tomorrow, and hopefully not for the last time in 2020. (Robcasting, 5:30).

Will ... and Grace

Hudson Valley and Lowell lineup on the baselines at Fenway Park, 8/9/08.

It might have slipped through the cracks, but Will Middlebrooks retired.

That news might seem unspectacular to you, but I was immediately transported to August, 2008.

I was at Fenway Park. Yes, I know. In theory, that's enemy territory. But when you're a baseball nut, it's Fenway Park.

Nirvana.

Sean Ford, the long-running, um, Voice of the Hudson Valley Renegades (a title he earned in a decade of games) invited me to Boston to call the Futures at Fenway game, as the Gades took on the Lowell Spinners.

I asked Harold if he wanted to come along as a producer, and he immediately accepted, and even got us a place to crash so that we could call Sunday's Gades/Spinners game in Lowell.

But Saturday was all about Fenway.

It was a good (and mostly great) weekend, tinged with some hurt.

You see, things were in the middle of a breakdown through '08. The Renegades were, in part, a way to keep my mind occupied and happy.

When I left for Boston that Saturday morning, I left my computer set up for a button to be pushed so that Sean (my son) could listen to his dad from one of the most prestigious places in all of sports.

I literally wanted him to listen for a minute. Long enough to hear my voice.

It was not to be.

Sean would not be home that day. To be clear, he never heard a word I said from Boston, and in fact didn't even speak to me until Sunday, when I found out he spent the night at another house.

A house he now lives in most of the time.

I had no idea, and had tried calling him a few times on Saturday night. Keep in mind, he was six at the time.

I was crestfallen. Absolutely lost. In fact, I didn't even want to go home Sunday night, and it was Harold who got me to go.

For the record, broadcast recordings weren't always immediately available to me. As I recall, I stumbled upon an archive months later and recorded it on my home computer.

I wrote about the experience in three parts, and it's interesting to see how I side-stepped the topic at the time (in Part 3):

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

That leads me back to Will Middlebrooks. The Red Sox prospect played third base in the Futures at Fenway game for Lowell.

I had the duty of opening the broadcast, as I normally did when Sean and I worked together. I was nervous, and had the concept of how surreal it all was in my mind when I did the opening.


Check this out on Chirbit

Middlebrooks was the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the 11th inning of the game, won by the Spinners 4-3 in 12 innings. Sean normally called the first three innings, with me taking the middle three, before he called the last three. Extra innings would be as we figured it out, and he gave me the 11th. Here's the bottom of the 11th inning:
As I said, the Spinners would win in the bottom of the 12th. The game-winning hit?

A Will Middlebrooks single.

Enjoy your retirement, and thanks for that memory.

Sunday Thoughts

Another day of watching mediocre football, so...

- I appeared on Hudson Valley Sports Talk this morning on the Real Country combo (including WBNR and WLNA). Thanks to the guys for having me on, and to #YourBoyTrav Travis Jackson (Five Minute Major) for inviting me. I was able to catch up with my old friend Jay Verzi, who was there to keep the show sounding good. This is why you keep your connections, and networking is the most important thing. Never know what doors will open (or reopen).

I enjoy getting to see other programs in action. Carl, Tony, and Carl have the feeling of "controlled chaos" that I've had on every show I've done since 1998. It was fun and they were gracious hosts.

- On a completely different topic, there's literally nothing good to say about R. Kelly. If you've read about the documentary "Surviving R. Kelly," then you know what I mean. This is actually a deeply disturbing story.

Never mind the simplistic idea of respect for women (and all people, silly me). But these stories are disgusting.

- I'd talk politics. But nah.

- Back to happy stuff (like sports), I was sad to discover the MLK Jr Basketball Classic, played at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, is off the schedule this year. I had the pleasure of broadcasting it a few times and thought it was a great day for basketball fans in Connecticut.

I've heard various reasons about it (socioeconomic and so on). I've heard the people who wanted it are gone. Whatever the case, days like that are good. In my naive view, I'd love to see a big sponsor step in to support the day, make ticket prices super low, and involve a broadcaster (oh, hi, that's me). More sports should do it. There are hockey tourneys everywhere. Make one happen at Webster Bank Arena. A baseball day at Cubeta Stadium in Stamford would be fun also.

In football, while such a thing is harder, there is the 7-on-7 tournament in New Canaan. I've been to that a few times and it was great fun to watch.

- The FCIAC playoff schedule is out, with some new (or just different) facilities in the mix for hosting. The boys hockey championship will be at Dorothy Hamill Rink in Greenwich, while the girls will be at the Darien Ice House (Rink). Trumbull is the host for girls basketball, while Wilton will again host the boys. There are all kinds of moves going on. Interesting stuff. I hope I'm heavily involved.

Most curious to me is the disappearance of Terry Conners Rink as the home of the FCIAC Championship games in hockey. I'm sure it's business.

There's stuff I don't understand, and so I put my trust in Dave Schultz and the FCIAC braintrust.

- There will be more details to come, but it looks like Mick McGowan and I will lead the way for the 2019 Connecticut girls hockey championship broadcast, as we did in 2018 (with Shawn Sailer). I'm guessing the game will be on March 10, but again, details to follow.

- As we've made it January 6, just a note of support for John Nash, as he started this ball rolling on his Project 365, and thus encouraged me to do a post every day as well (we're on day 8, actually). Here's his latest, and I actually love the idea in this one. I might have to try that one.

Radio Interview This Sunday

Greenwich and Darien shake hands following the Winter Classic on 12/29/18.

Roughly a week ago, my friend Travis Jackson (aka Five Minute Major on Twitter/Instagram) asked if I would join him for a radio interview on a show in the Hudson Valley.

Who? Me? Radio interview? Sure!

So this is going to happen:

I'm super excited to appear with my man, @double5 on the inaugural episode for 2019 of "Hudson Valley Sports Talk" with host, Carl Garofalo Jr.! The show will air live on "Real Country" beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 6th! #HVpucks
https://t.co/yqatZfSzHf pic.twitter.com/2HNPrPjnXj

— Five Minute Major™ (@travjax71) January 4, 2019

The show will air on WGHQ 920 AM and W22CR 92.5 FM in Kingston, WBNR 1260 AM in Beacon, WLNA 1420 AM in Peekskill.

You can also find it on TuneIn Radio and at Real Country.

Does any of this sound familiar?

What's currently known as "Real Country" was once called "The Sound of the Valley" and "Hudson Valley Talk Radio." It was also the home of the Hudson Valley Renegades, Mount Saint Mary College basketball, and a talk show called "The Tailgaters."

If you're new, or don't remember, I joined the group (owned by Pamal) in 2001 when I asked if they wanted help with Renegades broadcasts. I soon became one of their board operators (I prefer the term "studio host") and joined my friend Sean Ford for Gades games at Dutchess Stadium. This continued on and off through 2017 (the Gades have since shifted to being online only).

They also handed Sean and I a unique opportunity in 2008 when I not only ran the board but served as color commentator from the studio (nope, not kidding). On other nights, I went to the ballpark with Sean. In the process, we created a talk show called "The Tailgaters."

That was also the year of the game broadcast at Fenway Park. A treasured time for sure. I also went to Lowell (along with Harold), as well as Brooklyn, Aberdeen, and Oneonta. Good times. I'd eventually add in Troy (Tri-City) and Staten Island as well. I miss that.

Finally, I was given the chance to be the first play-by-play voice in the history of Mount Saint Mary College for the 2009-2010 season. I called a bunch of games in both men's and women's basketball, often with my Sean (then nearly eight-years-old) in tow, working with the great Christine Baker, as well as John Spang (who always wanted to do basketball) and Chris Kaelin.

So it will be fun to walk back into the studios of the Broadcast Center Sunday morning to see not only Real Country, but WHUD, K-104, and WBPM.

I have no idea how much I'll actually be on "Hudson Valley Sports Talk," but I'm looking forward to it.

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

Pathetic

I'm sort of a damaged soul, if you haven't learned by now.

There are reasons various and sundry for that. Some of it is not caring what people think.

Some of it is caring too much.

I'm not to be pitied, nor am I looking for such. There are a lot of stories in the world. This is where I get to tell mine.

I don't write everything of course. Honestly, how can I? For one thing, not every story is for public consumption. For another, stories are open to interpretation because I often don't name names.

Such is the risk.

Among the things that has damaged me was the time that someone I cared greatly for called my pursuit of a broadcasting career "pathetic." I can still hear it. The truth is that it could have been said specifically to hurt me. Eventually, I didn't know what to trust or believe.

Still the words stayed with me.

It was a different world when I started my career, almost 25 years ago. I kept working full-time while going to school part-time and dabbling in radio on the weekend. Eventually I slid over to WREF and WGCH and began an odyssey of so many things.

Life decisions had to play into all of that. I stayed in New York for family and friends. I passed on a chance to go away to college at 23 to finish up my Bachelor's Degree. Eventually Sean came along and I couldn't see the point of relocating. I was 33 by then and it didn't seem likely that a play-by-play job would pay the bills to raise a family.

Generally, despite layoffs, I made some good money in other worlds, which led to a house and a decent life.

Yes I made some attempts to move on, but I never left.

I continued to soothe my broadcasting jones by calling whatever I could. I handled Greenwich football and jumped on Hudson Valley Renegades broadcasts and a lot more.

Of course, that life came crashing down.

Pathetic.

Tomorrow I will handle, arguably, one of the biggest assignment of my career. From the radio calls in Greenwich of multiple sports to the Renegades and Sound Tigers and Bluefish and Mount Saint Mary College and interviews and other amazing experiences, I've done a lot.

Satisfied? Hardly. Would I still love a team of my own or to make the jump to a big league? Of course.

Yet tomorrow I will call all three state lacrosse championships in Connecticut. I will be "the voice" of them. Nobody else is supposed to have that duty and, beyond that, they will run on CPTV (yep, television) next week.

I've never taken a championship assignment lightly. It doesn't matter if it's a league championship, state championship, or youth football league. I care about that call, just as I do about all games.

Somebody cares about it. I've learned that. People tell me - years later - what I said in that moment. They remember. It's shocking.

I often say it's an honor. That's not just a line. I mean it.

I called two lacrosse semifinals on Wednesday night. They didn't run on HAN Radio but we produced them, and the same will go for tomorrow. At first, I was a little off my call because I felt like I was out of my element. Call it putting too much pressure on myself, but I felt like I might hyperventilate in the opening of the first game.

Eventually I pulled it together and it became another broadcast. Yet it wasn't.

The same goes for tomorrow.

Let me be quite clear: I'm fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I'm fortunate that the powers-that-be elected to have HAN Radio take this lacrosse assignment on. I'm fortunate that my powers-that-be want me to be the lead broadcaster.

Don't think for a second that anyone said they had to have us because of me. Not at all. We're a great team.

Tomorrow I'm the voice - the face (YIKES) - of the 2015 CIAC lacrosse championships on the NFHS Network.

No matter the result, the broadcasts will get the same attention, passion, and energy that I've given the others. If it's awful, it won't be due to lack of trying.

I'm sure I can give you other reasons that I'm pathetic.

My broadcasting isn't one of them.

Is Honesty Truly Best?

**MY NOTE: I started writing this back in early January, and I've never held onto a post this long (at least, not that I remember).  The subject of the post, Steve Hyder, and I have played phone tag, because I really want his thoughts.  As I told him when I reached out to him, I think there is a certain amount of shared experience between us (minimal, but if you know my story, then you'll get it).  I'm going to post this as is, but I still hope to talk with Steve in the future.

In my daily job search quest, one of my stops is always at STAA (Sportscasters Talent Agency of America).  I do a lot of reading there, as well as check out the job listings.  Jon Chelesnik does a good job of pulling together articles of interest (like the one about "The Press Box" by Paul Silverfarb!), as well as driving business for the agency.

Recently I came across an article linked from Boston.com about former Pawtucket Red Sox announcer Steve Hyder.  It should be noted that the PawSox play-by-play job is prestigious in minor league baseball circles, as most of the guys who have worked there have climbed to the majors.   (And yes, I have applied to them before)  Hyder served as the "number 2" voice of the PawSox and never got the top spot with the team.  The most recent hire was 28-year-old Aaron Goldsmith.  Hyder isn't a kid.  Based on his Twitter account, he has two children, and some salt and pepper in his beard.

Therefore, he feels like he hasn't been "valued" by the PawSox.  He feels like he's done his time and earned more.  The quotes he gave in the article were very forthcoming, and I certainly can't fault him for his honesty.  It's refreshing.

Or...

On the other hand, one could whip up a lot of criticism here.  "Hey Steve", any of you might say, "be happy for what you have.  Rob Adams/Insert Name Here would die to have your job!"  If you were to say that, of course you would be right.  I would run - NOW - to Pawtucket, headset in hand.

But there's more.  This kind of honesty can sometimes be construed as "career suicide", or detrimental at the very least  A few of the comments on the Boston.com page indicate a certain amount of ungratefulness.

Let's be clear.  I don't know Steve Hyder.  I am not ripping him.  In fact, he would be welcome on "The Press Box" to talk about this.

To be honest, I'm conflicted.  Like I said, I respect and admire his honesty.  On the other hand, it could come off as sour grapes.  Plus, there's the book factor that is mentioned in the article.  That also could be dicey if he wants to work in the biz again.  But hey, can you blame him for feeling overlooked and undervalued?

Yet, has he burned a bridge?

And then, of course, we have the "youngin" factor.  I don't know anything about Aaron Goldsmith at all, so I won't critique*.  There has been, however, a move towards the young bucks because they'll take low-pay (not that I wouldn't).  There is a belief that youth brings a lack of quality broadcasting (lack of experience, etc).  At 28, Goldsmith isn't straight out of college, and I have enough respect for the PawSox to believe that he's good.

*For whatever it's worth, another layer to the story has hit the proverbial fan, because Goldsmith is on his way to joining the Seattle Mariners.

But...

I guess it all comes down to perspective.  Hyder's perspective seems to be that he's tired of the grind and let down because he clearly wanted more.  He wanted to be the lead dog.  He felt he had done his time.  This sounds all too familiar to me.  At the same time, Hyder's departure has broadcasters drooling at the prospect of jumping into his former position.

There are only so many of these jobs.

It's now a question of if his honesty was truly the best policy.

Back to Hoops

This is a basketball.

It is hard to believe that it's been almost three years since I last called a basketball game.  It was a doubleheader to end the regular season for Mount Saint Mary College on Hudson Valley Talk Radio, called by Chris Kaelin and I.

I shook the rust off last Saturday.

Tom Prizeman, a junior at Pleasantville High School (in Pleasantville, NY - not home to Reese Witherspoon) is working hard at becoming a sports broadcaster.  I first met him a few years ago when Ryan DeMaria and I were doing the national edition of "The Press Box."  He was eager and confident, to be sure, and definitely had the drive to make it.  He has grown since then, becoming the "voice" of the Panthers in various sports for their local TV broadcasts.

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to broadcast a national youth football tournament.  The uncertainty of the Greenwich Cardinals' playoff run made me feel like I would be holding the tournament organizer up*, and I didn't feel that was professional.  So I turned it open to my friends on the discussion boards at STAA.  Andy Towne was the first one to get in touch, and he got the position.

* Of course, we know now that Greenwich lost to Xavier, and I could have broadcast the tournament.  Instead - and hardly a consolation prize - I was offered the chance to be the public address announcer for a basketball tournament at Monroe College.  The college was willing to wait to see if my schedule opened.

In the process of all of this, I thought of Tom.  It would have been a good situation for him.  But Andy got to me first.  Tom reached out to me not long after.  The byproduct of this was that it opened up a dialogue between Tom and I.  Before long, I found out that Tom would be calling basketball this past weekend, and that I was welcome to join him.

Sean and I jumped in the car and drove to Rye High School (a place I'm familiar with) and joined Tom for the call of the Panthers and the Garnets.  My contribution to the event, besides serving as a mentor, was bringing some of my equipment (as old as it is!) to step the production value up just a notch.

Tom had not called basketball yet, so I took the first half and a brief stretch into the second half when I noticed that both Tom and I were doing play-by-play.  During a time out, we talked it over and decided that Tom should drive the bus from there.  He was fine, and my color was decent (I've never been a great color commentator, in my opinion), though I was prescient in the thought that the Panthers' emotional play might be their undoing, and indeed a technical foul late in the fourth quarter was the turning point of the game.  Rye would go onto the victory.

As for my play-by-play, Tom was kind in his praise of my work, but sheesh, I'm better than that.  I know - I only saw the roster minutes before we started, but that's my thing: always be my toughest critic.  I liked my energy, and most of my attention to detail, but the names weren't as sharp as I wanted.  Oh well, it's not initially like riding a bicycle.

Anyway, I've been asked to do more, and I just might.  I'm going to check into the schedule and see what fits.  It would be nice to get back to doing hoops (and hockey).

Quicky Radio Notes and Some Linky Dinks

I'm proud to say that I was interviewed on the "Louis Live" show on Israel Sports Radio a few hours ago.  I'm not sure if they will podcast it, or preserve it in anyway, but I thought it was fun and insightful.

I love being interviewed (despite how much I don't like questions!) but hey I love covering sports.  It was my pleasure.

Speaking of radio, I'll be with you (well, sort of ) tonight on "The Clubhouse" from GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, NY.  Never forget that this is Brian Crowell (of GlenArbor) and Mark Jeffers' show, but I serve my nifty role as producer, engineer, third wheel and Sports Director of WGCH just fine and dandy.  It airs live tonight at 7:00, and we podcast it at the WGCH website.

As an opener to "Linky Dinks", here's a sad post from Ken McMillan.  Sad, only because the Renegades - my Gades - aren't on the radio anymore.  Yes, it's not uncommon for teams to be online, but I always enjoyed being able to put the game on the "wireless" to check in when I wasn't calling a game.  Life moves on.

Plus I miss calling baseball.  Miss it terribly.

News to me...CC Sabathia is going on the DL (Chad Jennings, LoHud Yankees Blog).

Also, I like that the Yankees do their HOPE Week, and it is so nice to see players grabbing the spirit of doing good in the community.  But...I sometimes wish it wasn't so public.  The Yankees' work after 9/11 was done very much under the radar (which George Steinbrenner was a big fan of - he didn't like that kind of publicity).  The Mets, conversely, were very out in the open.  Neither is wrong,  but there's something nice about doing things without the credit.  Still, kudos to the team for such great work.

Chad Jennings has the details of a terrible job by umpire Mike DiMuro, and a sufficient acting job by DeWayne Wise, along with other notes from last night's Bombers win.  None of this has convinced me that this team can win a World Series.

Last note from Chad.  Sunday is Old Timers' Day at the Stadium.  I'm most likely not going as I'm probably heading for some camping in the Catskills, not too far from Kaaterskill Falls with the lovely Lisa and friends, but Chad has the list of attendees for the annually gathering in The Bronx.  Of course, my new "friend" Kay Murcer will be there. 

Chris Berman and Trent Dilfer.  Together.  Calling an NFL game.  Budding broadcasters (and our ears) everywhere weep. (Sports Media Journal)

Not long ago I talked about my enjoyable night at Tropicana Field.  According to Deadspin, it appears that a stray bullet pierced The Trop recently.

Ten years ago this week I was in Wyoming for the marriage of my former brother-in-law to his lovely Gretchen.  Ten years later, they're living in Washington state and have two beautiful children (Eleanor and George).  Both kids have strong resemblances to Michael's family, and I see a lot of Sean's mom in Eleanor who - gasp! - turned FIVE last week).  I guess, with the divorce, I'm not really their family anymore (one of the saddest byproducts of relationships ending), but I still read Gretchen's blog that she updates.  Her writing is fun and witty, and the pictures are cute.  It's a great way to stay in touch with family 3000 miles away.  Recently, Gretchen sped right on by post number 1000.  Congratulations to them, and here's to thousands more!

Love him or not (you know how I feel), I'm pretty confident that sports talk would not have succeeded without one Mr. John Donald Imus (in the morning).  Jeff Smulyan, founder of WFAN (celebrating 25 years) tells Ed Sherman, "I can’t minimize his impact."

Jeff Pearlman is seeing what I see.  This song is everywhere.  There are countless parodies out there!

The Third "Press Box" Promo

Here's the last of the three original promos for the new show. In this one, I've "reopened" The Press Box after a few years. I like the sound of it. Simple and efficient.

Gotta love some sound effects! It's a combinations of Hudson Valley Renegades baseball, Greenwich Cardinals hockey, Mount Saint Mary College basketball, and Rye football play-by-play calls, along with the Greenwich cheerleaders (circa 2003), Bob Small saying "hockey" (from the opening of our Brunswick School hockey broadcasts) and a few other sounds.

It wasn't what I originally had in mind, but I like it.

Family Guy's Radio Parody

I'm sure I've posted this sometime before in the past.  And I'll probably do it again.

But as someone who has listened to and worked in radio for way a long time, I find this hysterical. I saw it again tonight, and wanted to post it.

What's Wrong With Broadcasting (Edition # 1,795,833)

I love the broadcasting biz.  Love, love, love it.

I haven't been on the air (other than my weekly Friday chats with Tony Savino) in months.

I haven't called a Renegades game (my schedule among other things).  No high school action.  No news reporting.  Nothing.  I do the Friday interviews to keep my voice on the air - slightly.

And I continue to be confounded by those who make decisions.  This is not a reflection on my bosses at WGCH (they know I want to be on the air - we're long-overdue to have a sports talk show on).  But it is what it is and, Marconi-willing, the team will be back in a few weeks for Greenwich Cardinals' football.

Over at The Peak (part of the Pamal family of stations, which I've been on via Hudson Valley Talk Radio), those in charge have decided to give the ol' heave-ho to Chris Bro and his "Next" show, which highlighted new music.  In an era in which quality music appears limited (I'm still not sold on Madonna: the Next Generation), "Next" gave listeners a chance to find something new.  I was a fan long before Chris allowed me to write for the Next Blog, which he says will continue.  He also says "Next" will find a new home.  As Chris writes, it could be time to rethink the "Next" format anyway, so he's overall taking the positive, high road approach.

Still, why drop the show?  The Peak has been a solid station for several years now.  They don't do a lot of shtick.  Their morning show is low-key.  That show is shifting from Rob Arrow to Caroline Corley (who still insists on calling the Rolling Stones "the world's greatest rock and roll band").  Caroline - I get it.  It's their nickname.  They're not the Beatles, and they never will be.  So do we need to promo every...freaking...playing of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or whatever the same way?

I'm teasing, somewhat, if only to bring my blood pressure back down.  I'm told I need to switch to decaf (I'm laughing as I type this).

The Peak hasn't often failed.  They did here.

Staying on my broadcasting rant, I read an interview with Curt Smith, the author who once appeared on "The Press Box" (hey - remember that?) with me to discuss his Vin Scully bio.  Smith, who was very generous with his time that day, has a new book out, called A Talk in the Park.  This book tells anecdotes from the world of baseball broadcasting.

In that interview with Michael Hiestand in USA Today, Smith hits the nail (and the very bane of my existence) on the head:

The problem, Smith says, starts with "obscene fixation with statistics" by the powers-that-be.

In short? BINGO!

In the Gades booth during the Sean Ford years, he and I would hang up some stat sheets - just for the intros of the players. I'd carry a media guides and a few notes. But overall, Sean and I wouldn't dazzle the listener with numbers. Sure it might be fun to reach for an occasional stat of player versus pitcher or something like that, but our bottom line was to report...and keep people listening.

We entertained. We informed. We invited you into the booth.

Once again, allow me to impart the wisdom of the Great Scully:

"Statistics are used much like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support, not illumination."

That might be (no, it is) my biggest beef with the youngins' who have jumped into the various radio booths (and of course TV as well).

And once again, we see where quality flies out the window.

Baseball, Work, Life, Writing, and The Renegades

Me - Dutchess Stadium, 2009

From Coach over at the All Things Next Blog comes a bit of pure genius.  Fans tend to get a little punchy (read: stupid) over three-game sweeps in May (imagine what might happen if the Dodgers...I mean, the Mets were to sweep the Yankees this weekend).

In a week in which certain people (like those who have too much time on their hands to comment on everything on Facebook, and a certain Cleveland Indians fan) have been throwing a little dirt on the grave of the 27-time Champs, Coach's post brought me a good laugh.

NOTE: Said Cleveland Indians fan hasn't been that bad.  I'm just messing with my friend, because he has a good sense of humor and that's what friends do.  No dirt has left his hands...yet (insert smarmy smiley-face here!).

Oh, since I brought up Coach and the Next Blog, I've been withholding the news that I've joined the "Next" team as a sports writer.  I'll get paid about as much as I get paid to call Renegades games (and yes, I've been asked to return there as well), but since I am working a little bit again (part-time and no, it's not in radio), I can afford to do these hobbies when I have time.

How many games I'll call for the Gades has yet to be determined.  Hopefully more than the, count 'em, two that I did in 2010, but we'll see.

While I'm talking about the Renegades, the longest-running voice in team history has returned to radio.  My friend and colleague Sean Ford has left New York (where he called the Gades from 1999-2008) for Missouri, where he will be a Sports Director.  He'll be settling into his new life there next week.  I'll miss seeing him around these parts.

That sort of brings us up to date.

Top 10 Sports Broadcast Calls of All Time

RealClearSports put together a list on Yahoo! for the top-10 calls.  It's a pretty basic list with a lot of the usual suspects.  I'll give them points for not including Gus Johnson, which is surprising because several of these calls are over-the-top drool fests (Russ Hodges, Joe Starkey, Johnny Most, etc).

It will come as no surprise what I think number one should be.  Eight minutes and forty-three seconds of utter perfection, on the field and on the radio.


As for the rest, I don't love Michaels' "miracle" but I get it's place in history, and I would leave it in the top-10.  Most of the rest of the top-10 does little for me (I've never been a fan of Hodges' "Giants win the pennant!") but again, I get it.  The Jack Buck call of Gibson's home run isn't quite as good as his "Go crazy, folks" call in the 1985 NLCS.  Of course, Vin Scully had the TV call of both Gibson and Ozzie Smith's home runs.

Again, as lists go, it's not bad.