The Broadcast Brings Peace

 

In the booth at Brunswick. Any booth is my sanctuary.

Let's start with the good news.

Today's broadcast went much better. Working solo isn't easy but I find it works for me. Oh, I'm probably best with a partner, but it has to be a good partner. Obviously, Dan Murphy and I have that chemistry, for instance.

I felt like I saw the action better today at Cosby Field for Brunswick's home game against Phillips Exeter Academy. That's not easy to do as the press box there is set lower, making the field somewhat tougher to see to the right.

So despite feeling exhausted, I felt a bit better about the broadcast. As always, the booth is my comfort zone and I can generally leave any troubles behind there.

Oh, and before the game, I walked into Cosby Field and took note of the assembled families as they waited for the Senior Day ceremony to begin. As I walked, I noticed a certain feeling in the air before I heard someone say "Oh!"

My gut took note and wondered. Sure enough, as I said hello entering the booth, I was asked if I could be the announcer for the ceremony. In other words, I became the host, introducing each senior player and interpreting the notes that I was handed literally before I began the ceremony.

I've hosted several of these ceremonies so I know the drill. Enunciate. Allow each player to have their moment. Keep it moving.

As far as I know, it went off without a hitch and I'm happy. The ceremony is really for the parents as coaches and players are anxious to get to game time and play.

With that all said, on the downside, the Bruins lost 36-27.

As I've often said, I can't allow myself to be emotionally involved too much. I'll always feel for players and coaches and families but I have to withdraw from that. It's not about me. If anything, in a loss, the words are even more magnified on the air than usual, in that criticism can be difficult for the audience to accept. Tensions are frayed.

I came home after the final whistle, leaving quietly, other than chatting briefly with someone I know who got me a copy of Brunswick's hockey schedule. I'm not looking to get to winter sports yet but it's nice to be thought of.

Not everyone thinks so kindly of me and I'm pretty bummed about that. I wrote not too long ago about being exhausted playing the bad guy.

Or the perceived bad guy.

In truth, I think I'm fairly easy to get along with. I have my opinions -- oh, you bet -- but I also listen when spoken to and have a good respect for others. That doesn't mean I'm going to blankly agree with things. However, I might just politely nod and that will be the end of it. Yet if I truly respect you and the topic at play, I'll debate things.

But I also pick my battles, believe it or not.

However, not everyone feels that way and, in the process, I become persona non grata. 

But I'll never have patience for phonies. And enablers. Among other things.

I hate this kind of middle-school nonsense. That's the word. "Hate."

And I have a disdain for conflict.

I also don't like cutting people out of my life but it has become a necessity in recent times.

Thus, I simply have to move on.

And I am.

I know who my friends are and have to reduce the toxicity.

I'll get a break from Connecticut Junior High School after tomorrow when I head to California for a few days. That will maybe do some good. Hope they have fun in study hall back here. Maybe they can pass notes to each other.

Bennie Rose will be my guest on "Meet the Beatles" tomorrow morning at 9. Join us on WGCH and Robcasting.

Maybe Not My Best

 

In any part of life, regardless of the circumstances, we all have a day in which we just feel off.

I called a fascinating and weird game between Greenwich and Wilton last night at Cardinal Stadium. I came home and watched the Yankees/Cleveland game and crashed into bed after it was over.

Dan Murphy was along for the entire evening and, at one point, we talked about calling a game when we just don't have "it."

Well, that was me today.

I called Brunswick's homecoming matchup against Andover today. The circumstances were joyous. Jovial. Fun.

And yet I felt I was sort of just OK on the air.

As I sit here tonight, I look back and think about what could have been off, if anything.

Lack of sleep? No, I don't think so. By my standards, I had a decent night.

In the morning, I had breakfast, including a cup of coffee. I eventually cleaned a bit, sweeping and vacuuming before reviewing notes and making sure I had everything I needed.

I stopped at a deli to grab a small sandwich just in case there was food at Brunswick. We sometimes get offered things and I wanted to be ready either way. The sandwich would suffice otherwise.

I parked at Brunswick and got to work on setting up. It was mostly nothing unusual, except for having to climb to the roof of the press box a few times to thread an audio cable.

The only other factor was that I began to feel a little bit of sinus pain last night. Nothing too bad though I did take something for it before I went to bed. It did not linger through the Brunswick game.

At game time, I set about doing my opening and getting down to business.

And from there, I was fine. That's it. Just fine.

I'm hoping to the listener there was nothing unusual to take note of and that it was just in my head. That, overall, it didn't sit to my high standards but so what?

Look, the fact that Brunswick won 42-7 doesn't help things though I contend that a broadcaster should be at their best in those moments. Most of the time, I handle this with ease. 

The truth is, I laid out a bit more today. I wasn't quite as glib.

In this business, you generally have to fight through whatever it is that's going on. Sometimes those things are tangible. Sometimes they're not. But, unless something makes it physically impossible, I do whatever I need to do to make it work.

Maybe, ultimately, the sinus thing bothered me more than I let on. Maybe I was just overtired. Maybe I'm run down. Maybe it was Friday night's game that sapped me.

Who knows?

The goal is to not have the audience be aware of it. From what I gathered, nobody noticed.

So, I have to do "Meet the Beatles" tomorrow, with guests Sun Kings: A Beatles Tribute.

I can chill out after that and enjoy sports on TV.

A full week awaits before games next Friday and Saturday.

As always, I'll be ready.

No Suffering in Suffield

 

The assignment was to call Brunswick football at South Windsor but I'd also been told that the setup wasn't necessarily "broadcast friendly."

Well, the people were friendly.

Let's start by cutting to the chase. It took me three hours to get from Greenwich to Suffield, CT. In no world should that happen but this is Connecticut after all. In fact, my Waze app told me to go up I-684 in New York and come back to Connecticut.

That, to be clear, was the better option.

I was slowed up in Brewster. Danbury. Newtown. Waterbury. Southington. I lost track after a while.

But I made it with some time to spare. I parked and ran into Gus, our trusty videographer. He suggested I speak with the man who let him into the press box.

OK, now that was a nice discovery: that there was a press box at all. However, the many turned out to be the athletic director and, while he was great to work with, he didn't have great news.

Sure, there was a press box but, in his view, there was no room for me. Suffield Academy runs its own broadcast so a student would be in the booth calling the game. Plus an official would be sitting in there to run the scoreboard.

In hindsight, there was actually plenty of room but there would have been the problem of two broadcasters talking out loud close to one another. I've done it. Many times. But it's not ideal.

I volunteered to take the landing outside of the press box. There was more than enough room for what I needed to do.

In the end, the Suffield Academy AD had no idea I was even coming and, in his view, "This is a first. Opposing teams normally don't bring a broadcaster." That, friends, is an issue to me.

I've covered Greenwich High football for 26 years now on WGCH, Robcasting, HAN, and so on. Especially on WGCH, every game was covered, home and away.

It should be expected in my opinion.

It's not some lavish thing that Brunswick does. I'm there to bring their audience a familiar voice and knowledge of their team.

One of my goals over my time with Brunswick was to reach a point where other schools began to expect to see someone broadcast their game. That someone hopefully being me.

We still have work to do there.

Nevertheless, the night went flawlessly. Sure, there were Suffield Academy parents nearby doing their thing and sometimes glancing back at me but there was no harm. I had a job to do and I did it, even if I did talk in a bit of a softer register due to the circumstances. But there's no way I'm staying quiet on big plays. The kids deserve that, regardless of the team.

In the long run, the Bruins won 35-7. Everyone seemed to depart with a smile on their face. The Bruins are 5-0 and have their Homecoming game next Saturday at 3.

I'll be there and happy to do so.

I think a few people know who I am there.

The drive home was far less eventful, taking roughly 90 minutes.

But, again, I was five minutes from the Massachusetts state line and roughly an hour from Vermont.

A state I haven't called games in.

That seems like a goal.

My Kind of Saturday

 

That's Dan on the left. Not Chris Erway.

Oh, let them question my sanity.

As I type these words I'm sore and tired after calling two games today at two different sites.

I have a heavy schedule tomorrow.

But today, thankfully, went well.

Sure, it seems nuts to embrace the idea of running around like I did but I enjoy the challenge.

Heck, there was a moment as I drove across Greenwich and thought about why I do what I do.

But then I told myself I'd miss the rush of days like this if I wasn't doing it.

I left the apartment and went to Brunswick, where I went into a quiet press box to set up in the window that I've generally used for years. 

It's not that difficult. I set up my small Zoom mixer and one headset. I put a crowd mic in place and ran a cable upstairs for the videographer. 

Things were in place pretty quickly. 

I walked out, knowing I'd be back in a few hours.

Then came the drive across town, sitting at every traffic light and following every slow vehicle. But I had time.

I needed water. 

And food.

A quick stop at the nearby Stop & Shop meant I could grab some water.

Then, it was onto Cardinal Stadium where things were buzzing. A water polo tournament meant there was plenty of life in the parking lot.

I walked into the stadium, made my way upstairs, and, eventually, went into booth number 204. Dan Murphy and Sean came over a few minutes later. Sean was with us in case I needed to leave early to return to Brunswick, thus they would have to pack up the equipment. Sean would bring it home.

I showed Dan some of the intricacies of setting up and how to run things.

From there, it was food we needed and I think there was some time confusion because the usual array of food trucks were very timely in their arrival to the stadium. We each grabbed chicken nuggets and fries and headed back to the booth where we got on the air just a hair after 2:50 p.m.

Greenwich took care of business from there, blocking two punts for touchdowns and rolling to a 42-14 win.

My time to leave for Brunswick was 5 p.m. We were close to that as the third quarter ended and I thought I could finish the broadcast while still being a little bit late to leave.

Off the air, Dan said he was ready to call the action. That was enough for me, knowing it would allow me to be there for a few minutes, serving as a mentor if necessary.

Imagine that? I could help Dan as a broadcaster and I wouldn't charge him for it!

He took the balance of the game and did a good job. Eventually, we talked about a few things that I noticed but his evolution as a broadcaster has been a wonder to watch.

I shifted to doing analysis for the rest of the game. In the end, I never left early, but I found out that Dan could definitely serve as a backup for me.

From the 2024 Greenwich Football program

Earlier in the day, I was given a copy of the 2024 Greenwich Football program, a color book of pictures, ads, and other items. I have basically all of them back to 2000. A few years back, the team was kind to start including the broadcasters.

Except, it was long after the publication date when I realized they might not know that Dan is now in the booth.

So I flipped it open and, yeah, it wasn't Dan.

It was Chris Erway.

Oops. I apologized and realized we'd have to change that in 2025.

With the Greenwich game over, we packed in a few minutes and headed to the parking lot. Sean helped us get out to the car and he took off.

I was getting ready to go to Brunswick and Dan, it appeared had the broadcasting bug. He followed me over, volunteering to join me for that broadcast.

The lot at Cosby Field was overflowing but I found a space near the Hartong Rink and headed down to the booth. Dan joined a few minutes later.

Mission accomplished, we were on the air in time and called the Bruins 35-14 win.

Dan just wanted more reps and it was great. The audience wins in the long run.

I'm back home now and a few people have asked what I thought of the day. I want to say we crushed it but I'm sure it wasn't perfect.

Still, to have the day work out like that is great.

Now, it's onto tomorrow, where I have "Meet the Beatles" with guests at 9 a.m. and onto New Jersey for Rockets Hockey Club action at 3 p.m.

Oh, and the Yankees won tonight. They lead the Royals in their best of five, one game to none.

So yeah, it was a good day.

A W For Wick

 

I mean, this view. From a football field.

It's not a short commitment to go to Salisbury, CT.

If you've never been, the northwest corner of the state is truly nice. There are towns straight out of New England central casting with some breathtaking views. The Taconic Mountains come into view, especially from the hilltop at Salisbury School.

There are plenty of charming restaurants, cafes, antique shops, and other treats. It's always a pleasure.

I was in Salisbury to call my first Brunswick contest since I did lacrosse in May. Final score: Brunswick 34, Salisbury 14. It frankly wasn't that close.

I saw a few familiar faces and said hello but, otherwise, I was on my own. I made the drive up from Norwalk along U.S. 7, stopping a few times for things like gas and a new charge cable for my phone to use in the car.

I even stopped in Gaylordsville to see the "spite house" Atlas Obscura has more about this curiosity.

The Gaylordsville, CT "spite house"

Eventually, I came into Canaan, where Routes 7 and 44 converge, and grabbed a cup of coffee. A few minutes later, because I'm me, I drove up 7 into Massachusetts.

Then I turned around and came back to Connecticut.

Why did I do that? Because I could. 

I'm weird, I suppose, and I accept that. But it also made me smile.

It was to make the point that this was a long day but still indicative of how reachable things are.

I was soon at Salisbury's campus, where I was greeted warmly. I set up in the booth, strolled the field, set up my notes, and steadied myself to call the game.

I was eventually joined by a scoreboard/clock operator and two Salisbury fans. I realize I impeded on their territory but I do wish people would remember that my presence means there are microphones around. They talked, using "we" when referring to Salisbury but they also said a few things that caused me to mute the mics a few times. Nothing scandalous but I just prefer to keep conversations off the air.

They left as the clock was winding down. I packed up and chatted with Salisbury's media advisor, who was intrigued by the fact that I teach sports broadcasting, and took off.

I added a third state to the day as I crossed into New York to come down Route 22, the most direct way home.

The Cat was waiting when I walked in.

I needed a night like this. I'll take it.

Another game awaits tomorrow as Greenwich plays at Stamford.

I've got a similar road trip next week, as I'm heading to Kingston NY but we'll address that sometime before Friday.

Right now, the focus is on turning towards tomorrow.

No Celebration Necessary

 

While worth nothing, I'm here to point out that I'm going to broadcast my 1,900th game tonight.

Yeehaw.

Waterford and Stamford take the field in the Babe Ruth 13U state tournament tonight at 7 p.m. As of now, I'm flying solo for the call.

Such numbers are notable, of course. It's an achievement. But it's not about me.

I know someone in the business who was all in on noting his reaching 900 broadcasts. I applaud him. It took over 40 years to get there but we all have our stories and our reasons. In my case, I'd prefer to have much more than 1,900 since I started counting in 1999.

I'll note when 2,000 gets here, just as I did upon reaching 1,000 seven years ago.

But, especially with age and wisdom, I know hope the number -- however many it is -- has included quality broadcasts. I'm hoping they were all quality, in fact. I'm not here to be a broadcast factory. I want each game to sound nuanced and professional. So the number is just a nice feather in the cap.

The other thing to keep in mind when crowing about quantity is that there will always be the person who wants to one-up. There are also the people who will count basically any time they walk into a stadium. Now, when counting, I don't include working the PA for the Renegades, for instance. It's a totally different skill set. 

So, yes, everyone has their own system of counting. But say you've done 100 games for 2024 and immediately someone will be saying how they've done 200 or whatever. It's all such a weird and egotistical thing.

I do marvel at 1,900 games because it's been a grind. I've worked with wonderful people and have watched amazing athletes. I love that I've been able to be the one to document the games.

It took years to finally get my professional play-by-play career off the ground and there have been some really dry spots along the way. But through hard work, I've been on the call for over 1,200 games in a little over a decade. 

Again, it feels like it should be more, but it's better than nothing.

As this Babe Ruth experience gets closer to the end, I am beginning to gear up for the Cal Ripken New England Regional coming this weekend in Oxford.

That means there will be more games, new experiences, and new stories to tell.

And more athletes who will be the stars.

That's why 1,900 isn't really that big of a deal.

No cakes are needed. No banners. 

I like cheesecake, for what that's worth.

Regardless of teasing a couple of people about this "milestone," the truth is my milestone is always the next one.

So bring on 1,901 tomorrow and so on.

I'll pause and raise a glass for 2,000 to take a moment to salute the many great people I've worked with.

But we'll deal with that when it arrives, hopefully in 2025.

Up On the Roof

 

The pressbox roof at Hunterdon Central Regional HS

OK, let's see. I needed eight rosters.

I needed four score sheets.

I needed equipment. Audio and video.

Just in case, I needed one of my pods. I also needed sunscreen.

I wasn't sure I'd have a booth to work in.

In short, I was ready. I left in plenty of time, heading across the Hudson River and then down I-287.

I was in Flemington, NJ by 9:00. That was the site of the 2024 NJSIAA Groups 3 and 4 lacrosse championships.

Two boys games began and ended the day, with two girls games in the middle of the day.

Oh, I had breakfast before I arrived at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. A Wawa was less than a minute away. Adding to my preparation, I picked up breakfast and lunch.

Plus coffee. And a big bottle of water.

I'm always nervous when I get to a site and I don't see a lot of activity. That was the case at Hunterdon Central. They'd show up but just not as early as I was.

So my thing is to always walk over and investigate things. In this case, I found an open door on the press box and plenty of room inside. 

I picked the first seat inside and put my stuff down.

But there was a camera to set up, as my videographer was going to miss at least the first game. (Narrator: The videographer never showed up.)

Note: The camera I set up is a remote camera that is controlled offsite.

So I climbed the stairs and walked out the door to the roof of the press box.

The door was spring-loaded and closed behind me.

I went about setting up the remote camera that Kevin Devaney Jr. dropped off with me. I worked on extending the tripod and putting it in a position to face the field.

Then I walked back to the door on this beautiful sunny day with the temperature in the mid-70s.

I reached for the handle.

And it was locked.

If you're paying attention, I was stranded up there.

At that moment, and for the next 30 or so minutes, there was literally not a person who paid any attention to the person on top of the booth.

I did not panic. I have to make that clear. I did pound on the door several times but nobody answered.

I watched one lone man -- a fan of Ridge High School* -- who stretched out in the stands and never looked my way.

* Funny thing about Ridge High School. They are the Red Devils but their colors are black, green, and white. This is because nearby Bernardsville High School -- Ridge's rival -- has red uniforms. Ridge's team name, however, is the Red Devils after the tool company owned by George Lee, who donated land for the high school to be built. 

Eventually, the lone fan below realized that Ridge fans would be sitting closer to the booth and he moved his spot. As he did so, I asked if he would open the door.

With a polite chuckle, he obliged.

At that point, I propped the door open with a chair, given that I had to go back up there to connect a microphone cable and extension cord. Plus I had to connect the camera to the internet.

With that, the roof drama was over and I went about completing the audio setup. Chris Gross at LocalLive assisted me from his perspective to make sure we were good and the day was off and running.

The four games rolled by with Moorestown, Chatham (in triple overtime), Morristown, and Westfield winning their respective titles.

It was over and I packed it all up, making sure to pry the upstairs door open.

I grabbed dinner for Sean at Wawa and began the long drive back home. Some 15 hours after I left, I walked back into the apartment.

A special shout out to the guys that I shared the booth with. We kept each other laughing and engaged all day. When they got criticism from the crowd, we laughed it off.

We did the same when it happened to me.

And so I'll leave you with this:

"A critic is a man who knows the way, but can't drive the car." -- Kenneth Tynan

"When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself."  -- Oscar Wilde

At Least I'll Get Wawa

 

I think I'm working here on Saturday (Google Maps)

It has been confirmed that I am heading to New Jersey this weekend to call four lacrosse championship games. 

The coverage will be via LocalLive on NJ.com.

The teams and details aren't confirmed yet but I'll be out in Flemington this Saturday.

That means learning the ins and outs of a new facility, which is at least something to take into account. Based on the setup, that often means no press box or there isn't room for me in the press box. In 2022, for instance, I worked on top of a press box on a considerably warm day with the sun baking on me.

Foolishly, I had no cover of any kind. Including a hat.

So this time I have to be more prepared in that regard. I'll need one of my pods in the car, a hat, and sunscreen. All just in case there's no indoor access.

And food. Yes, you need food. You can't rely on a concession stand for several reasons, including trying to get to it in between games. There isn't always enough time. Simply making a restroom run can be a challenge.

Oh, Wawa, my sweet Wawa. I'll be visiting you for sure in the morning.

Of course, that also means staying hydrated and taking care of my voice. The adjustment there is that I'll likely have a videographer with me which means I don't have to be completely detailed on the minutiae of the game. Thus that cuts down on some words.

The audience can see the game so it's not an audio/radio call.

But I still have to bring the energy and attention. These teams have earned a professional broadcast.

As for Connecticut, well, that's not my problem, is it?

They have what they have and I have to go where I'm wanted.

New Jersey will get me for what appears to be my 20th championship call there between baseball, wrestling, soccer, and lacrosse. I've also called some regional basketball and hockey championship games also.

I'm hardly "The Voice of New Jersey Sports" (cringe) but I've come to do quite a few events there.

I don't quite have the respect in NJ (shocked, right?) to have a larger say in which games I call and I try to be flexible. So it goes and, in this case, it's lacrosse.

Unfortunately, it's not playing out like last year, when I got to do a six-game swing of lacrosse and baseball spread out through a Friday and Saturday, with a hotel room included.

I'm happy to be working. I'm happy to take my talents somewhere.

After that, it will likely be a few weeks before the next calls, as Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth baseball will be heating up. I've come to love this being a summer tradition for me and am looking forward to those games.

For those asking, we have not found an apartment yet. Yes, it's nerve-wracking but there are people working with us on some ideas. 

We're staying upbeat and believing it will all be OK.

In the middle of this week is also a Hunt Scanlon conference, our last before a summer break. So I have to stay on my game for that also. But, hey, I handled the Renegades double-dip of PA and booth producer on Saturday and I likened that to being a conference moderator.

I'll be ready to go on Thursday morning.

And I'll be ready for lacrosse on Saturday from New Jersey.

Where I'm wanted.

On Hope and Losing

 

Cosby Field from the new Tailgating Pavillion

Game 7 of the Knicks/Pacers series just ended.

So let's recap. It was Game 7. Eastern Conference Semifinals. At Madison Square Garden. A home game. At the "Mecca."

Do we need any more buildup?

And yet? 

It was a big, fat, nothingburger.

Pacers 130, Knicks 109.

The Pacers had a historic day shooting the basketball and full credit to them for sure.

The Knicks dealt with a rash of injuries, including Jalen Brunson, who left this game with a fractured hand.

But I don't play the excuse game. 

And I also don't deal with the loser mentality of "it was a great season," which I saw before the game started.

No. Screw that, to be blunt.

Sure, marvel at the season eventually but, right now, no shot. The Knicks were the second seed in the Eastern Conference. You would be fine to have expected more.

Instead, it ends like this.

It's a shame.

I'm glad I don't have a show tomorrow because there would be fire.

I got a text from someone at WGCH about last Monday's show, when I eviscerated "phony" fans (you know, Town Hall types who disappear when their team stinks). He told me how "on fire" I was.

Well, I would have been off the charts tomorrow because this attitude makes me nuts.

I don't stand for it with any team that I support.

I want the Jeter stare, where you watch the other team celebrate and carry that feeling into the postseason.

I loved this Knicks team. 

I wish it didn't end this way.

*****

Once again, I'm here to stand up for having the ability adjust on the fly.

I struggled with a "Meet the Beatles" topic coming into this week. Something popped into my brain late yesterday but I just wasn't sure if I liked it.

I went with it. I decided to highlight some of the lads' contemporaries.

And I loved it.

But I completely slapped the whole thing together on the fly.

Broadcasting has to be spontaneous in spaces. In this case, it worked magnificently. 

I enjoyed every moment of it and was ready for another hour.

Next week, I'll be stumbling after the Greenwich Town Party.

I better start thinking of topics now.

*****

It was Lawerenceville's day again
(From the LocalLive broadcast)

The Prep Nationals Lacrosse Championship was today.

It wasn't meant to be for Brunswick, as Lawrenceville came out and cruised to a 14-5 win at Cosby Field.

The Big Red were nasty, putting bodies on the ball constantly. The pressure was intense and they cruised to the title.

They won the Prep Nationals for the second year in a row and will be the number one team in the land.

I loved calling it and working with a great crew including Dan Arestia, David Berry, and Josh Drebsky. Great pros.

Before I head into the wasteland that can be the summer, I'm shifting over to the FCIAC baseball semifinals tomorrow, featuring No. 5 Wilton vs. No. 1 Warde in the early game and No. 7 Staples vs. No. 3 Trumbull in the nightcap. The broadcast will begin at 3:55 p.m. with the "Your Business Name Could Be Here Pregame Show."

But I do want to pause and thank everyone at Brunswick for another wonderful year of game broadcasts. I'm blessed to have these people in my corner to get me to call as much as I do. Kevin Devaney Jr at LocalLive either just puts up with me or likes me. I probably drive Wayne MacGillicuddy at Brunswick nuts as well.

But I'm truly blessed to have Kevin, Wayne, Director of Athletics Cedric Jones, Associate Director of Athletics Ron Van Belle, Head of School Tom Phillip, and so many others supporting me. I get to work with amazing coaches in McGillicuddy, Mike Kennedy, Steve Juricek, and Connor Redahan closely.

Plus the parents and students have been remarkably supportive. The kind words, the occasional tweaks, and the food delivered to the press box all mean so much. A mom introduced herself to me today and said that I nearly made her cry talking about her son in a recent game. Others have said I'm the best part of the game or that it's not a game unless I'm broadcasting it.

It's humbling and I'm beyond grateful.

Thank you, Wick. 

See you in September.

*****

Dan Arestia hands the Prep Nationals trophy
to Lawrenceville

Hope is inspiring.

Hope can make you want to run through a wall.

Hope is also dangerous.

But I suppose it's something.

So I'm hopeful.

Fang Gang Celebration

 

They are the champions

I was handling public address duties tonight for the Renegades.

Unless you're new around here, you know my first desire is always to be in a booth.

Any booth.

With a headset on calling the play-by-play of a game.

And I could have been in a couple today, but I was committed to the Gades so I worked there.

Roughly 575 miles away, the Hudson Valley Vipers hockey team played in their ultimate game.

After winning the Eastern Conference title last week in Niagara Falls, the Vipers traveled to Toledo, Ohio tonight to play the Mobsters for the APHL championship.

I always want the big call. I would have preferred to be in Niagara Falls last week and would have loved to be in Toledo tonight. However, doing road games was never in the cards so it wasn't something I pursued. 

Keep in mind, had I attempted to do it, we would have been driving and needing a place to stay. All on our own dime.

So given the many balls in the air right now, along with my commitments back here, it just wasn't in the cards to do it.

But I always want to complete the job. I was, basically, the Vipers' play-by-play announcer in 2024 having called most of their home games.

That's how I feel about Brunswick, Greenwich, and any other team I get attached to. While I don't like the term "Voice of the (insert team name here)" I do understand that there's a connection that the broadcaster represents the team to an extent.

The Renegades didn't broadcast road games in 2021, so I had to push to get the one road game that I wanted to call at Brooklyn. 

But I have called championship games many times, of course, including Greenwich's titles in football at both the conference and state level, as well as FCIAC championship wins in baseball and boys ice hockey.

With Brunswick, I've called their football bowl game wins and FAA conference titles in baseball and basketball. I've also called their lacrosse Prep Nationals title in 2022 and I'll call their attempt to win another one tomorrow. If they win that, they'll likely wrap up being the top lacrosse team in the country.

Those are just a few examples.

But, tonight, I had to watch the Vipers on my phone via the YouTube stream provided by the Toledo Mobsters.

With no announcers.

Broadcast aside, it was a happy night in the Hudson Valley. The Vipers beat the Mobsters 7-4 to win the APHL Championship in the league's first year. It's a wonderful accomplishment for the team and everyone associated with it. I texted with team president Pat Manning to congratulate him.

In the meantime, we talked it over at Heritage Financial Park and decided to make an announcement to congratulate the Vipers.

I had the honor of announcing the result to the assembled crowd of over 3,000 who reacted with a loud ovation.

A championship has come to the Hudson Valley and it deserves to be noted.

So, in some small way, I feel pride in being the broadcaster for the Vipers. But, as always, we are the smallest of parts of the story. We're the storytellers and it's not about us.

To that end, regardless of how many titles I've called for teams, I don't get a ring or a jacket or any of the spoils of winning. Generally, it doesn't work like that, at least not for me. It's a higher-level thing and I get asked about it often. In fact, someone told me that I should get a ring tonight.

I take pride in doing an honorable, professional broadcast. I don't think my place belongs in the domain of the players. 

But I was very proud of what the Vipers achieved tonight. 

*****

Sean and I went to the memorial service for our friend George Chelwick today. It was an honor to be there to support George's family. The speeches from his sons were a reminder of what a remarkable man he was.

The family was extremely touched that Greenwich football head coach Tony Morello and the 2024 Cardinals captains were in attendance at the church. I thought that was pretty great.

That's the love of the community that is well deserved for someone like George, who gave so much in his lifetime.

I don't have any particular reason to explain this to you but I wanted to honor George, Nancy, and their family one last time. 

Let it serve to remind us how good people are located everywhere.

The Prep Nationals Semis

 

Thanks to the fates working my way, I have the honor of calling the Prep Nationals Championship again.

Brunswick is the number one team in the country and they host the tournament. Thus, I'm the broadcaster.

I will offer that if my work wasn't acceptable, I probably wouldn't be on the call. But I'm proud to say it seems to be pretty well-received. Plus I worked with an incredible crew tonight who made the games look stunning.

Tonight was the semifinal doubleheader with Lawrenceville beating Deerfield and Brunswick knocking off Salisbury.

Thus it will be the two best teams in the country for the title on Sunday. And I'll call it.

It just wasn't in the plan when I first started. I didn't think I'd become a lacrosse broadcaster or a soccer broadcaster or a wrestling broadcaster. 

Somehow I've done it.

I can still remember the first lacrosse game airing on WGCH roughly 20 years ago. I wasn't initially going to be the play-by-play announcer (it was a different time back then) but I volunteered to come down and do some sideline reporting (with a very little Sean keeping me company).

Then, the plan changed and I was asked to call the second half of the game.

So, how did I learn? I recognized that there was a bit of a similarity to hockey in terms of the description and that taught me to use a similar approach. It worked and I kept practicing, getting more reps during the days with HAN.

Then Brunswick wanted me to call their games and I picked that up.

I try to not overthink it and just describe it.

Apparently, it has worked.

So I suppose I've earned the right to be the Prep Nationals broadcaster again. Or maybe I'd like to think so.

Sunday will, in fact, be my last Brunswick broadcast for the school year. Thus ends the eighth year as Brunswick's lead (and, often, only) broadcaster. It happened because Brunswick wanted a professional approach and I'm thrilled that it was me who got the chance. My relationship with Brunswick goes back a lot further than that but I'm just about the only person who remembers that.

Sunday will also serve as the beginning of the end of my 26th year broadcasting sports though there are still more to come. 

Anyway, I'm just writing and babbling here.

Lacrosse happened tonight. Brunswick and Lawrenceville have punched their ticket to the Prep Nationals Championship Game.

Dan Arestia and I will have the call Sunday at 2 p.m.

No Championship For Me

 

Brunswick beat St. Luke's today in the FAA baseball semifinals.

The Bruins won 2-0 over the Storm in a game that featured fantastic pitching.

Four times, the Storm had a runner in scoring position with less than two out, and each time the Bruins found a way to escape. Full credit to Teddy Bancroft for keeping those runs from scoring, as he pitched six solid innings to get the win.. The righthander came up with big strikeouts and the defense behind him made every play.

The Bruins only had five base hits of their own but came up with the ones that counted.

It's the kind of game that is a joy to watch.

It's also a joy to do a scorecard.

And, most of all, it's a joy to broadcast.

But, as these things go, it also meant it was the end of my season with Brunswick baseball. I don't call road baseball games for the Bruins with rare exceptions. So that means I won't be at the conference championship game for the second year in a row as the Bruins head to Hamden Hall on Thursday.

It would be a great story for the Bruins, as the Hornets have beaten them twice this year.

But I'll be elsewhere.

A broadcaster always wants the big calls. 

I've made it clear I want every call. I like to work.

Instead, I'll head to Cosby Field this weekend to call the prestigious Prep National lacrosse tournament. I get to call the semis on Friday and the third annual championship on Sunday. I'm proud to say I've been the only play-by-play announcer in the brief history of the tournament.

Next week, I'll handle the FCIAC baseball semis and championship. It will be the seventh time I've had the honor of calling the baseball title. 

After that, it will get tricky for a bit. I'm told I will be heading to New Jersey for some games and there's always a chance I could pick up something else.

Maybe there will be some local playoff games that I can grab. Someone might want me.

Plus the Babe Ruth tourney season is on the way though is there any way we could ever match the journey of 2023 that led me to Rhode Island and Virginia? Maybe but I'd like to find out.

Of course, the Renegades will keep me jumping as well.

Did you notice what state I didn't mention?

I'm probably heading off to New Jersey. You never know if a New York opportunity will pop up.

How about Connecticut?

Let's just say I've heard from a few people who are disgruntled with the state (see what I did there?) of broadcasting at the state level in Connecticut. For the record, I currently have no role whatsoever in that decision-making.

So I'll leave that right there.

I'll find other ways to be busy but there's no question I want to be doing the big games on my home turf.

But it's not meant to be for the Bruins in their FAA baseball championship game on Thursday.

So I'll teach. I'll get ready for two conferences over a little more than a month. I'll do other things.

And I'll find some local playoff games, perhaps with Greenwich or Trumbull or Ludlowe. Or someone else. Or I won't.

I can't bemoan what I can't change and I can't change this at the moment.

So when the game ended today, I wrapped up, packed up, took a picture of the scoreboard, went to my car, and went home.

Lacrosse is next.

Winning Ugly Can Be a Good Thing

 

The game had just ended and two Brunswick players came out to right field to take the camera back to put it away.

"That was a tough one," I said.

"You say that every time," came the response. "But you're right."

The scoreboard said the Bruins won 4-3 over King School.

For me, it started with four trips to and from my car. So, follow along here.

1) Walking to my booth in right field with my backpack, equipment case, and table, as well as a cup of coffee.

2) Walking back with the camera in its rolling case and the tripod.

3) Realizing I needed a different audio cable from my mixer to the camera, I made a trip over for that. In the process, I stopped in the dugouts to get the lineups.

4) While fixing the snack table that I use, I dumped a large portion of the coffee*. So, I walked back one more time to get a towel.

* For the record, no equipment was damaged. In fact, only the grass and the table took a hit. I used the towel to mop it up.

Then I could finally write the lineups down and set my defensive alignments on my scorecard.

I then checked LocalLive to make sure we were on the air. The stream will often go live for a stretch long before the game. It's not uncommon to have a 20-minute head start, which allows me to tune in remotely and listen to my voice. I'll do some kind of a preview hello to hear if I'm too loud, soft, etc. Most importantly, it's to confirm we're on the air.

In this case, there was no picture. So, I called the office. I don't know how it ultimately got fixed but that crisis was averted. Otherwise, I was preparing for an audio-only call.

But with no return call from the office, I went on and called the game.

It was a warm day, with the sun glaring on all of us. After the multiple trips to and from the car, as well as the setup and stress of that, I was worn out.

Hopefully, the audience couldn't tell as I called the game. It became business as usual.

The game, however, was anything but normal.

In the King School first inning, the Bruins allowed three runs -- unearned, I might add -- on no hits with four walks, a wild pitch, three errors, and three strikeouts. Also, the Vikings left three on base.

The Bruins cut it to 3-2 on a Connor Jones double that looked like it was going over the wall for a grand slam. It would have given the Bruins a 4-2 lead but they had to settle for being down one.

So the game marched on. 

Both teams would miss chances to add to the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth. The Bruins already had two outs when the Vikings committed three errors in a span of four batters. The last error produced the tying and leading runs.

So, if you're keeping score, the Bruins scored two runs on no hits with three Vikings errors and three runners left on base.

When it was all over, the Bruins won 4-3. There were eight hits total in the game with eight errors and 21 runners left on base.

The Bruins had picked up their 12th win of the year and were secure as the two seed heading into next week's FAA conference playoffs.

I'm back at it with lacrosse and "The Clubhouse" tomorrow.

Games like today happen. They're ugly in nature but prove the mettle of a team when they can grind out a win. They build character and serve as a reminder that it's a team game.

Oh, they're hell to keep a scorecard on but it's also a solid win when a team gets the "W."

I packed up and went home to watch hockey and get ready for the next one.

That grind I talk about never ends.

Last Minute? No problem!

The camera sits in the right field corner at 6:55 p.m.

 I do love the grind.

The hustle of pulling things together and seeing if it can all happen. It's a challenge.

When the morning started, I had one game: baseball, between Brunswick and Hopkins.

I started gathering for that when my phone rang.

There was also lacrosse at Brunswick, but the Bruins wouldn't be playing. It was a neutral site game between Lawrenceville -- the number two team in the country -- and Deerfield.

Oh, by the way, Brunswick is number one in the country.

So, yeah, I was being asked to do that game also.

Thus -- baseball at 3:30 and lacrosse at 5:15. Both games would be on the same campus and I had access to set up whenever.

I quickly got a roster from Deerfield and went to work on setting that up for the broadcast.

No roster came along from Lawrenceville. OK, I'd finish prepping for baseball instead.

So I put the baseball scorecard together and updated my computer for a deposition tomorrow. It was nice to pick up some extra work.

I also went about setting up two cases of broadcast equipment to go to Brunswick with. 

In truth, I should have stopped at WGCH and borrowed their stuff but I didn't. That was a mistake but I knew it would be OK. 

Before I went to Brunswick, I needed something to eat so I made a quick deli stop and drove up King St. to the campus. It was a little after 2 p.m. when I walked into Cosby Field.

The booth was wide open, so I quickly set up in the first window, putting a mixer, headset, crowd mic, and cables in place. 

Then I drove to the baseball field, where I grabbed the LocalLive camera and huffed my way out to right field.

Again, I set up a mixer, headset, natural sound microphone, and cables, along with setting up the camera.

Then, it was lineup time. 

The game started at 3:36 and I ate my sandwich just before the first pitch.

We were off and running.

The Bruins played pretty quickly, building up an eventual 9-1 lead over the Hilltoppers. Still, I was running out of time. Josh Drebsky -- trusty videographer -- was down at Cosby Field waiting for the lacrosse game to start and curious if I'd be showing up.

I would, I assured him.

It was just about 5:00, so I knew I could break my baseball equipment down, jump in my car, and hustle down to lacrosse.

I stretched my baseball call to the very end of the sixth inning and broke down my audio. Then I drove to Cosby Field, finding the only available parking spot. I walked towards the field, spying the game clock counting down at 6:42.

Cool! I'd made it! I'd plug my computer in, say hi to Josh, and it would be game on.

Except...

1) Lawrenceville still had not sent a roster. Keep in mind that Brunswick was providing a broadcaster for the game (that's me) and we sent a request for a roster. This is the second year in a row that it happened, as they ignored my request in 2023 and then refused to give me one at the game site. But put a pin in that...

2) The 6:42 on the clock was the time left in the first quarter. For whatever reason, the game started at 5:00 and not the scheduled 5:15. So I hustled, plugged in, and went live. Josh was already sending a signal so it wasn't like we weren't on the air.

3) OK, back to the roster pin. I messaged Ty Xanders, an outstanding reporter in the lacrosse world whom I've known for a few years. He sent me a Lawrenceville roster last year and he sent me another one this year. I'd just read the roster off my computer!

So, we were ready. The game, initially competitive, turned into an easy win for Lawrenceville but I'll still need that roster anyway. We'll see them for the Prep National Championship in a few weeks.

It was heading past 6:45 when everything wrapped up. I packed my lacrosse set up and headed to the car. I turned right out of the campus and started down King Street towards home when I had a thought: what happened with the camera at the baseball game?

I turned around. Sure enough, it was still set up. So, I pulled back onto the campus, parked at the baseball field, packed up the camera, and put it away.

Then I drove home. Finally.

If I told you all of the nonsense that goes into broadcasting you would be astounded. Literally. It's like middle school.

Like the person who would have never taken this gig today because he wouldn't have enough time to prepare his notes, charts, graphs, and whatever else.

I'm comfortable knowing I can make it work with whatever I have, so long as there's a roster.

I'll do it because if I don't, someone else will. I've worked too hard and will continue to do so. 

This day didn't work perfectly but the job still got done and I feel pride in that.

And I'll do it again.

What Could Be

 

Donte DiVincenzo reacts after hitting a three-pointer to put the
Knicks ahead (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

The lacrosse game ended and I was ready to go home.

Thanks to the kindness of a Brunswick parent, I'd already had dinner, as she picked up a chicken quesadilla from the food truck at the game.

So I just needed to come home and enjoy some hockey.

It has the chance to be a really fun spring around New York sports. The Rangers are playing in Game 2 of their first round playoff series with the Washington Capitals. As I'm typing, the Rangers lead 4-3 so there will be some nervous time.

Last night was about as epic a night of basketball as this area has seen in years. The Knicks found themselves down late but scored six points to take the lead in a blistering pace during the last minute of play.

They hit free throws and held on for the win.

Donte DiVincenzo's three-pointer off a mad scramble brought about a rare double "BANG!" from the great Mike Breen, calling the game on MSG. 

Breen is the best basketball announcer and I won't hear otherwise (though you're certainly entitled to your opinion).

But I'll admit I yelled "BANG!" as DiVincenzo's shot went through the net.

It was an intense win and the Knicks lead 2-0. 

The Garden was rocking. I sometimes roll my eyes at the marketing of "The World's Most Famous Arena" but it's truly a special place at times like last night. The level of insanity will only grow as the Knicks and Rangers win games this spring.

Oh, it reminds me so much of 1994, which was a truly treasured time around here. The Knicks got to Game 7 of a gutwrenching NBA Finals series that they lost to Houston. There are still so many "ifs" that fans torture themselves with. After O.J. Simpson's famous van ride during Game 5 of the series, the Knicks needed just one win and it was nowhere to be found.

On the other hand, the Rangers also went to a Game 7 after a thrilling series. All anyone has to say is Mike Richter/Pavel Bure and we know the image, as Richter stopped Bure's penalty shot in Game 4.

We all gnawed away at our fingernails the night of Game 7, hoping the Rangers could erase the demons of 54 years. The euphoria at the end of the night was unforgettable.

New York is a big event town. We love the World Series and the Stanley Cup Finals and will go nuts if an NBA Finals comes here for the first time in 25 years.

The Knicks haven't won a title since 1973 so there's a hunger. Beyond that, New York hasn't had a professional championship in the four major sports since the Giants won Super Bowl Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.

So, yeah, it would be fun to have that feeling of 1994 again, especially if the two Garden teams can win. There was another team that was threatening to win a title that year but lost out due to a player's strike.

The Yankees would get back on top of the world in 1996 but they were close in '94. It would have made for an epic year in New York.

We could feel that this year. I'm not saying we will but it would be fun.

*****

A quick side note about lacrosse. Brunswick won the game after initially being in a tight battle with The Hill Academy from Canada. It was a great team effort as the Bruins continue to be the best team in the country.

However, a couple of students popped in the booth at one point for the weirdest of reasons: me.

They. Wanted. To. See. Me.

They both kind of stammered, called me "the man," shook my hand, then realized I was working and they left.

I was astounded and a bit overwhelmed. It was humbling.

I'd actually like to talk more with them if only to thank them.

I'm not deserving of the attention.

Perfection

 

A memorable pitching line

The time was 6:18 p.m. on Tuesday night, April 16, 2024.

Brunswick right-handed pitcher Calder Glassman was set to throw his 91st pitch of the day. The Bruins led St. Luke's 4-0.

Up until 6:18 p.m., Glassman had struck out 12 Storm hitters.

He had walked no one.

He had allowed no hits.

In fact, nobody had reached base against the Notre Dame commit.

He was a strike away from a perfect game.

He was working effortlessly. Efficiently.

And now he was on the verge of something extraordinary.

According to my scorecard, he had thrown 90 pitches.

"Dare I say," I offered, trying to craft words delicately, "you want the ninety-first pitch to be perfect."

It was, except, hold on.

Glassman flirted with a no-hitter last week before allowing an infield single with one out in the sixth inning.

Today, I watched his stuff and, honestly, after an inning, I thought he looked nasty. The Bruins were handling any ball hit their way and Glassman was racking up the strikeouts.

But these things don't happen without drama. At one point, with the bases empty, he got called for an illegal pitch. Even after the game, nobody could quite explain what the umpires were thinking.

Still, in the sixth, Glassman went to a three-ball count, which he only did three times in the game. But, in this case, the pitch was ball four.

Except...

The first base umpire saw a checked swing that went too far. Strike two. Full count. Glassman finished the hitter off seconds later on a liner to short.

Around the field, some fans knew what was going on. Others didn't.

But I watched the outs pile up. On the air, I don't get into the no-hitter/perfect game talk until after six innings. In high school baseball, that only leaves the seventh inning.

I mentioned Calder had retired eighteen straight after six. The score was only 1-0. The drama was magnificent.

Except...

The Bruins scored three in the bottom of the sixth to feel more confident about the game. The tension changed from win and loss to Glassman's perfecto.

It was so tempting to echo Vin Scully in the moment and for sure there were tips of the microphone to the maestro. As Glassman took the mound, I mentioned "the toughest walk of his life," a reference to what Vin said as Sandy Koufax walked to the hill in 1965.

Then I dropped in a few time checks and mentions of the date. At times, I gave a hint of extra detail, such as Glassman pulling at the brim of his cap. Those are lessons learned from Scully.

Beyond that, it had to be my call.

I've called no-hitters. But this was different and I knew anything that could be construed as "jinxing" Glassman would be held against me. But I still have a job to do, regardless of superstitions. I was cautious but still mentioned "perfect game" when I mentioned Koufax in the seventh.

I mentioned counting the outs and how close he was to something he would never forget.

He struck out the first two batters of the seventh. One to go.

But he battled with Nate Kesselmark, the number three hitter in the Storm lineup. Kesselmark struck out on a three-two pitch back in the first. He struck out again in the fourth.

Now, it was three and two and he fouled off a pitch.

One more time. Pitch number 91.

I could feel myself leaning over the fence in right field as I strained to get the best view possible.

The payoff pitch was served to second base. Jayden Montanez went to his right but, at least from my view, it looked like the ball had a little extra spin on it.

Was this going to be an error? The perfect game would be gone but a no-hitter would still be possible.

Except...

Montanez did what every player is ever taught: stay with the ball. He did.

He recovered, picked it up, and threw it to first where Michael Yeager was playing.

Kesselmark was flying down the line as the ball reached Yeager's glove. He ran past first, and threw his arms open, hoping for what he thought would be a safe call.

Except...

The first base umpire was right there and he had a different view.

Out.

It was a perfect game.

I wish I was a fountain of history for Brunswick. Was this the first perfect game in team history? Hard to say though I suspect it isn't.

Glassman knew what had happened. Clearly, his teammates did as well. They mobbed him off the mound, in a dogpile of euphoria that lasted only seconds before they had to go shake hands with the disappointed Storm. Sportsmanship should always prevail.

One thing I do know about this perfect game was that it was my first. I've never called one.

I can't say I'm happy with the final out call but does it matter? I did stumble as the ball got to Montanez. But did I report it accurately and give it excitement? Yes, and yes. 

I might have yelled too much. I'll let Mike Hirn be the judge.

Will Calder be happy with the call? Will his teammates enjoy it? Will families enjoy it? Did the viewers like it? I hope so.

"Calder Glassman has pitched a perfect game at 6:18 p.m. on Tuesday night, April the 16th, 2024. Bruins win 4-0," I said.

It will have to do.

The time check was a reminder from Vin Scully to put that on the call so that Calder would have it forever, just as he did for Sandy Koufax.

I went to find Calder after the game to congratulate him and tell him what a thrill it was. He said he couldn't wait to watch it. I also talked to a few of his teammates to congratulate him but they were focused on recognizing Calder. To that end, I congratulate all of the Bruins because it takes a team effort to complete a perfect game, with a special nod to catcher Jerry Guzman. Pitcher and catcher have to be on the same page.

They were.

Sports are great. They soothe the soul.

Thanks, Vin, for the lessons.

And thanks, Calder. Congratulations.

You were perfect.

Severe Snark Warning In Effect

 

This would not be ideal today

Our wacky weather, combined with a long day ahead, gave me pause to sit at the keyboard this morning.

Heavy rain. Earthquake. Aftershock. Eclipse. It's mass hysteria!

So here I am, your (hopefully) favorite "VERY upset" talk show/podcast host, preparing my little heart out for today, per the provisions set forth in the Preparation Accord of 1964*.

* Patent Pending, of course 

First, for your late lunch/early dinner pleasure, we head to Carroll Varsity Soccer Field for lacrosse. Yes, that's correct. Due to Cosby Field being unplayable at the moment thanks to the weather, today's Brunswick lacrosse game against Loomis Chaffee has been moved to the soccer field across King St. I've worked from there several times and it's an outstanding facility, even if it lacks the amenities of Cosby Field.

As such, there is no press box or large grandstands. But it will absolutely suffice and we will broadcast it in all its glory. I'll head over in a bit to see exactly where we're setting up. I have a suspicion but I'm not 100% sure yet.

But we'll be there and it will be spectacular. Oh, nothing to do with me but everything to do with two top-10 teams. Excellence will be seen.

The game will begin at 2 p.m. and will wrap up around 4. You can watch it on LocalLive. That will give me more than enough time to jump on 684, grab food somewhere, and head to Poughkeepsie for tonight's Boston Gold Kings/Hudson Valley Vipers hockey tilt. I've done what I can to cover the Vipers in their first year and it looks like I'll wind up calling nine of their home games in the first season.

The Vipers game begins at 7 p.m. and I'll likely be live around 6:55 on Robcasting.

The idea was to help get them off the ground from a coverage standpoint with the hope of expanding somehow next year. We both know that and will hopefully talk about it after the season.

I'm hoping in the midst of all this to avoid hurricanes, typhoons, blizzards, sinkholes, locusts, pythons, and stink bugs. 

And, since there's a chance of showers, to hopefully stay dry. A fellow broadcaster noted working outside and his concern over the equipment. I assured him it's duly noted and, believe me, it's always a concern to me, whether the equipment is mine or not. I'll have the umbrella and rain gear with me. Honestly, that's all I can do.

So, let's have a day, shall we? Let's be positive and have fun!

Oh, was there a basketball game last night? Yes, in fact, there were two. South Carolina dispensed with NC State in the first one while Iowa survived UConn.

First, a note about the broadcast. I had it muted until the very end. That's the only way to survive it. But I felt I was duty-bound to hear how it ended.

Oof. That was a bad decision. In an incredibly crucial moment, the broadcast team of the Fordham Flash (no, not Frankie Frisch -- look him up) and the UConnLegend neglected to give us any details of the offensive foul at the end of the game.

Bad. Bad Bad. Did I say "bad?"

Were they too busy coming up with the next location Caitlin Clark would sink a three-pointer from? (Note: it's not new or unique. Kickoffs and run backs and home runs have ended miles away since at least 1999)

The offensive foul call was one that I was surprised about in that spot. I asked someone I trusted about the call and the person I talked to said the call could have been let go. But that's sports. Most people saw it with their hearts. 

A few things to keep in mind: UConn also had a double-digit lead and did they let Iowa get back in the game? You Bet!

Did Clark -- who couldn't find a shot in the first half -- heat up? You bet! She began hitting shots from Sandusky and Findlay (where Ben Roethlisberger played in high school).

Did UConn fail to box out after Clark missed her free throw? Bingo.

Bad calls happen. I've seen them. I've been a part of them. They've hurt and helped every team I've ever been involved with.

But the game didn't end thanks to that call. It was a call I wish they didn't make in that spot.

But they did.

Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and both teams deserved to finish things on the floor. Both coaches -- especially Geno Auriemma -- were incredible.

That's what I'd rather be talking about today.

But, here's the thing. We're talking about college basketball today. Women's college basketball.

And that's a great thing.

Game over.

Snark Warnings mean that an abundance of sarcasm and humor will be mixed in with scathing commentary about events. Readers are advised to prepare to laugh or check their lack of a sense of humor. Preparation is subjective but it is advised that learning to laugh is wise.

OK, I'll Call the Game

Own it.

 

Let's get this out of the way: it was my mistake.

I own it.

You know me and my schedule. I'm on top of this stuff. It's part of what I do. I'm diligent about putting everything on my spreadsheet and calendar.

So I knew, for instance, that I had to teach at CSB this morning.

A new class awaited. Most of the time we do radio before TV but it was flip-flopped today so it was a bit different and in that case, there's also someone to teach with me, mostly because he knows how to run the TV equipment better than I do, thus freeing me to critique the student's delivery of the sports news.

But it also has an impact on the class versus when I'm on my own. So it goes.

And students have questions. And different abilities.

So the plan was to head to the Hudson Valley after teaching to attend orientation for the 2024 Renegades season. 

After leaving CSB, I thought about driving towards the Hudson Valley and doing "Doubleheader" from my car.

Ultimately, I decided to head home, do the show, and hit the road as soon as it was over.

But, I glanced at Instagram and saw a story from Brunswick Baseball, promoting a game at 4:30 p.m. today.

Wait. What? 

I spent Saturday's broadcast promoting a game against Hamden Hall on Tuesday at 4:30.

I texted Wayne McGillicuddy. Was tomorrow's game moved because of impending rain?

Nope. 

So, yes, back to the beginning. I screwed up.

As such, I had to adjust my day. The drive to Wappingers Falls wouldn't happen. Sean would go to orientation and he could catch me up on any concerns. I emailed the team to tell them I couldn't make it.

I went home and got ready to call baseball.

But -- gasp! -- I didn't have hours to make charts and graphs and find my colored pens! Doesn't that mean I can't do the game?

Ha. Please.

My greater concern was ensuring I was prepared with proper layers for the weather. There was expectation of rain so I wanted to keep the equipment dry and myself warm.

I pulled everything together, got in the car, and headed to Brunswick. I grabbed the LocalLive camera and tripod and trudged to the right field corner.

I set the camera up, set my audio up, plugged it all in, and then set up my scorecard, pulling both lineups and rosters.

I was ready with time to spare.

And it was a better broadcast than Saturday's.

I felt the rhythm. I felt the flow. I felt the cadence. I liked the stories I was telling. I felt like my details were better than they had been.

Everyone prepares in their own way. I was hyper-prepared not just for the game details but for whatever the weather presented.

It got cold enough that I used all of the layers that I brought but never needed any of the stuff to keep things dry. We didn't see a drop of rain.

The thing about being prepared is trusting yourself. I have the notes. Even without a complete roster, I have my scoresheet from Saturday and that matters.

From there, trust the ability to tell the story of the game.

And tell the story of the game.

Saturday's broadcast just didn't feel right. It felt rusty but I was also tired. It's always hard to say exactly what it was.

Today felt right.

Even if I had to hustle to make it.

Because it was my mistake.

My Happiest Place

 

My view from right field

Despite the sunshine, today was a fairly chilly day with the temperature hovering in the mid-50s.

But baseball was being played and I was on the air.

Win. Win.

It was my first baseball broadcast since the "rogue" call of the Babe Ruth World Series in Fredericksburg, VA last August. 

It wasn't perfect. Oh, it never is.

I was just happy to be back to the very thing that I love to do.

Fellow broadcasters grumble when they see our setup at Brunswick.

"Why are you calling the game from beyond the right field fence (harrumph!)?" they ask.

If you know the setup of the field, it sort of makes sense, like it or not. We need power for the camera, and there's an outlet on the scoreboard. It also helps me power my computer for my mixer and the Robcasting feed.

Doing it near home plate tightens things up, including my standing in the visitor's on-deck circle and just outside their dugout. We've done it but it also means the camera is shooting through the backstop.

Again, it's not ideal.

We dare to dream about a press box one day and a permanently installed camera but for now it is what it is.

No, the view isn't perfect from right field. It's hard to pick up a variety of things but, as I said to Brunswick's athletic director, a competent announcer is needed to fill in the gaps.

"I hope you guys find one," I said, and we laughed.

But, oh, baseball. The announcer's game. More to the point, the storyteller's game.

I can beat the proverbial dead horse to explain why the sport is so great but I'm not going to convince people (you know, the haters). Even in a game that ended 10-2 (Brunswick won) with 17 walks, two wild pitches, three hit batters, and eight strikeouts, lasting two-and-a-half hours, it was still mostly blissful.

Oh, and there was nearly a decapitated broadcaster. OK, that's extreme, but hear me out.

Remember, I said we were beyond the right field fence.

Loomis Chaffee's first baseman Gabriel Tirado launched a high fly ball to right.

Now, in the several years I've stood out there and called games, I've always been aware of the possibility of a ball getting to me. Obviously, my concern would be that the ball doesn't hit me, the camera, or my equipment.

And now I'm watching this skyscraper heading toward me.

Brunswick right fielder Reed Hyde drifted back to the fence, knowing he would likely run out of room. As the fence is movable, he'd possibly bump into me, the camera, or my equipment.

I continued to call the action. I watched the ball. I glanced at Hyde.

The ball went over my head and hit the scoreboard. A moment later, the ball rebounded to me and clipped off the back of my calf before rolling under the fence where Hyde picked it up.

Tirado also hit a second one later on and I thought for sure it was gone. It was foul. Oops.

A couple of Bruins players came out and got the equipment from me after the game and we laughed about the foul ball. You can laugh when you win. You can also laugh when the ball goes foul, especially since one of the players was the pitcher who gave it up.

The Bruins are 3-0 and I'll see them again this week.

And whatever was wrong with my call doesn't worry me. It's the first game. 

Baseball is back.

And it was also the 27th anniversary of the first time I walked into WGCH. What started as me being a rarely-used fill-in board operator turned into me being the board op of choice and co-hosting shows that I probably didn't belong on and doing anything the station asked me to do before beginning to work on football broadcasts and, yes, getting my chance to do play-by-play.

Now, I'll do play-by-play for basically anyone who asks. 

This game wasn't on WGCH. I've moaned about that enough times to fall on deaf ears.

Out of that came things like LocalLive and, yeah, Robcasting.

That's where I called baseball today and it made me happy.

We Now Pause For This

 

Current situation

Whether it's a gymnasium in Yorktown Heights, NY, or a hockey rink in Bridgewater, NJ, the games keep coming and I have to be dressed appropriately.

In other words, I need to be bundled up in an ice rink.

Today began at Yorktown High School.

I called two girls basketball games in the New York State playoffs with the winners advancing to the state semis in Troy.

Shout outs to Putnam Valley and Our Lady of Lourdes for getting the victories.

I jumped on those because I was needed and I can't deny that's a nice feeling. Then I turned the equipment over to someone else after my two were over.

There were two more games there but I needed to get to New Jersey.

That's where I am now.

When I first walked into Yorktown, nothing was set up and, honestly, I didn't expect it to be.

Dutifully, I got to work setting up tripods, getting internet, and carrying everything out of the nearby closet.

As I was stringing wires, Kevin Devaney Jr -- unaware I'd be setting up -- came in and relieved me.

And I do mean relieved. He knew what he was doing and I stopped worrying about things falling apart. All I had to focus on was my audio and the call.

To top that off, I had AJ Szymanowski on controls, and that helped even more. His steady hand will chide me as needed or we'll just talk via text.

With the games done, I packed up, got in my car, and began driving.

I grabbed dinner and a much-needed coffee and came to the rink.

These can be funny places. My game is coming up in a little more than an hour but there's another game going on. In this case, it's a youth hockey game.

Thus, there are parents standing where I need to set up.

We're going to have to boot them eventually but I'm trying to be patient for now. I don't like being "that media guy."

So, here I am. Ready to call the third game of the day with a voice that's OK but a throat that's a bit sore.

I have my throat drops and can get a drink if needed.

Other than the coffee, of course.

Tonight's game comes with a broadcast partner, whom I only met a few minutes ago. There's always an awkwardness to that and the fear that chemistry won't come naturally but we'll give it a try and see how it goes.

As the saying goes, this is not my first rodeo.

Or hockey game.

Of course, I'll look forward to the drive back up 287 to get back to Greenwich and a solid night of sleep.

Which we'll lose an hour of tonight.

That's fine. I'll take the tradeoff of longer daylight for being a bit bleary-eyed when doing "Meet the Beatles" tomorrow morning.

So long as I don't get stuck on any highway in traffic for an hour like last night.

It's true, I got hung up on the Hutchinson River Parkway due to what appeared to be a pretty serious accident. Fire engines and other emergency vehicles roared past all of us.

Eventually, I put my car in park and hoped I didn't fall asleep.

That happened on Interstate 684 one time before Sean was born.

In this case, we were eventually permitted to move and head on our way.

The slight inconvenience of traffic woes is nothing compared to whatever happened to the car that looked pretty destroyed when I saw it on the back of a flatbed tow truck. Their lives were likely changed.

Compassion doesn't cost much.

Rockets Hockey Club and the Connecticut Junior Rangers -- yes, ironically enough -- are coming up at 7:30 on FloHockey and wherever you get your Robcasting.