To be clear...

(please note Rascal sleeping to the right)

OK, so we need to talk.

Things I wrote and/or tweeted didn't come across correctly, so let me try again.

Yesterday's post was meant to show understanding for the boys D1 FCIAC Hockey Championship at Dorothy Hamill Rink in Greenwich.

It was supposed to support Greenwich and New Canaan High Schools.

It was supposed to support the Greenwich Athletic Foundation and Birds Eye Sports and Local Live -- all of whom had a role in producing the broadcast.

It was supposed to be understanding of NCTV 78 and the broadcasters who wanted to be at Hamill Rink but couldn't.

It was supposed to be supportive of Hamill Rink itself, who has been hyper careful about crowds due to COVID protocols and who allowed New Canaan parents to attend the game.

That's where things went astray.

I was saying that I understood all of it.

Gus Lindine and Jay Egan -- the two ADs -- worked together on everything. The rink and Local Live, spearheaded by Kevin Devaney, Jr, came together on the broadcast.

Local Live has been great in working with broadcasting groups such as the Greenwich Athletic Foundation, DAF Media, and New Canaan. 

For what it's worth, guess who loses when that happens? Me because, most of the time, other broadcasters are used (save for the few times I've jumped on with DAF Media).

But I wasn't trying to portray any villains.

This is an unusual year and there simply wasn't room at Hamill for NCTV.

I was trying to let these young broadcasters know that I've been there. There have been games -- many games -- that I felt I should call, just as they're feeling.

I remember when Brewster High School represented Section 1 on a state championship run in 1999. I called a lot of Section 1 football that year...then couldn't do the final in Syracuse.

I remember when Mount Saint Mary College went into the playoffs in 2010. I was their broadcaster. Nope.

Greenwich played in a girls basketball state final. Nope.

HAN Network got boxed out of calling basketball at Mohegan Sun due to the NFHS Network in 2015. We were allowed to do hockey that year but weren't allowed back after that.

These are the ones off of the top of my head and there are others.

I chose my words carefully all night Saturday and the same goes for last night. I didn't even comment on the actual announcers for any of the games, including the basketball games.

But when the texts and emails and phone calls happen -- all very understanding, I must add -- I feel that I need to clarify.

Look, I love that I've called 51 FCIAC Championship Games.* I consider it a huge responsibility and an honor.

*I discovered my database had a mistake and I was off by one.

I've called probably more Greenwich athletic events than anyone since 1999, including 23 FCIAC Championships. I miss it. Can you blame me for wanting more?

But I should have stayed out of it or chose my words differently. Understood.

I tried to advocate, basically, for everyone. I was trying to sympathize.

Most of all, I'm always looking out for the athletes, coaches, and families.

Hopefully, that clears it up. Inquire within with questions and concerns.

Thirty-six days until the Gades open.

From a Picture to The Voices of My Youth

I have an app called Timehop that I check every day. Literally everyday -- 1428 in a row, according to the app.

It shows me Facebook memories and Twitter miscues and Instagram pics. It's good and bad.

Today, it reminded me that I called division one college basketball at Stony Brook on Long Island against Mount Saint Mary College. That began a fun season of calling Mount basketball. I don't know who has called their games since then but, at that time, I was the first play-by-play "voice" in their history. At least that's what they told me.

It was a special time for me as well as for Sean, who came with me to games, including a road trip on the team bus where he felt like a big deal.

I tweeted the memory at the Mount athletic department. No response as of press time. Oh well.

Timehop also recently produced the picture at the top of the post. It was taken in Oct, 2009 (according to the caption) as we drove to Hunter Mountain for Oktoberfest. Sean took the picture.

I can see a lot of "stuff" in my face. There were times then when I felt lost, alone, defeated, and demoralized. I look tired in the picture.

I post it tonight as a reminder that, no matter what, we've been through crap. Some better, some worse. But we've survived, and that's the message I wanted to give. We know how take the lemons, mix them up, and drink it down.

Divorce, death, highs, lows. See the good wherever possible. I've tried so hard to do that throughout 2020. I've told stories, of course, and have battled my emotions, but I'm still here.

Better days are coming. Smiling pictures are on the way.

I've survived. So can you.

*****

I saw STAA (Sportscasters Talent Agency of America) tweeted a question as to who were the voices of your childhood.

For as much as the answers became Dick Enberg and Vin Scully and the other people who brought the sounds of sports alive to me, the true answer was the big three of Yankees baseball in the 1970s.

There was Phil Rizzuto, of course. Everyone loved the Scooter. He talked about anniversaries and birthdays, ran from thunderstorms and tried to beat traffic across the George Washington Bridge to get home to Cora in New Jersey. In between was a fascinating broadcaster who wasn't always these things (including a homer), trained begrudgingly by Mel Allen and Red Barber.

Rizzutos' frequent sidekick was Bill White. A former first baseman for the Giants, Phillies, and Cardinals, White turned to broadcasting in St. Louis and Philadelphia before joining the Yankees' booth in 1971. It never even occurred to me that he was breaking barriers as a Black man. He was, simply, a member of a great three-man broadcast team.

Then there was Frank Messer. Where Rizzuto and White were ballplayers-turned voices, the former Marine was a trained broadcaster. Frank was different to me. His descriptions enthralled me. He was the "pro" versus the ballplayers.

In those days, the three rotated positions so that they'd each do time on radio and TV. Thus was got to know all of them. It was Rizzuto, for instance, who had the local call of Chris Chambliss as he beat the Royals in the 1976 American League Championship. It was White, famously, who uttered, "Deep to left! Yastrzemski will not get it...it's a home run! A three-run home run for Bucky Dent and the Yankees now lead it by a score of three to two."

It was Messer who was at the mic for the chaos of the Pine Tar Game in 1983. Sitting next to him -- as if I wasn't already interested in sports broadcasting -- was a former outfielder named Bobby Murcer who had recently retired.

Scully and Enberg and Summerall and Emrick and Michaels and Jackson and so many others helped teach me how to close out any rooting interest. They called the game impartially as they were the network voices that helped shape me. Curt Gowdy was that guy in the 70s more than anybody.

But it was White, Messer, and Rizzuto that helped start molding me. And I can't say this clearly enough, I also give credit to Lindsay Nelson, Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy of the Mets for adding to that foundation.

These were the voices that started me on the path of describing and storytelling. Oh, the game may have seemed secondary to Rizzuto at times but it really wasn't. It was just part of the show -- almost a latter-day Dizzy Dean, but with a New York accent.

That's where it started and that's what I try to explain to students. Learn how to craft. Learn how to describe. The rest of the skills might follow.

Holy cow!

We Don't Really Have It So Tough

My booth in right field at Brunswick. It's the best scenario and I'm content.

I belong to a play-by-play group on Facebook. Mike Hirn, Don Wadewitz, Phil Giubileo, and a few other friends belong to it as well.

I don't contribute a lot, to be honest. I mostly read things.

Which is probably for the best.

There are truly some very well-meaning people in there who want to help their fellow broadcasters and broadcasting enthusiasts.

There are also some great stories that get exchanged.

Then there are others.

Without sharing the whole post, a member wrote yesterday about what he saw as the fundamental differences between high school sports, college sports, and minor league baseball. His rant was pretty basic: stats/lineups readily available in minor leagues, mostly the same at the college level, and high school sports is cluster****.

And there are schools that charge to broadcast.

In theory, it's not wrong (though I've never encountered a school that charges us to broadcast and I wouldn't tolerate it).

Now to the nuts and bolts of this.

I've worked in all three levels. I've done minor league hockey and minor league baseball. I've done D-I, D-II, and D-III sports in college. I've called youth sports and high school sports. I've called corporate league softball games.

I've also been in professional press boxes as well.

I've literally seen it all, and yet I haven't.

I've called games in stands and on flatbed trucks.

In rickety press boxes with flies and yellow jackets.

In an auditorium where I took one window, Sean Kilkelly took another window 100 feet away, and Chris Erway was on the field with a wireless microphone for him to take the call when the action got out of our view.

I've worked hockey and basketball with the view from top to bottom and nearly got into a fight over it.

I've worked in science classrooms and foreign language classrooms.

This is how I called the Babe Ruth tourney last summer. Seriously.

Look at that picture. I looked through chain link fencing, walked as necessary, and coaches would work to keep players away from my line of sight. The listener barely knew, unless I needed to explain why I couldn't see something. As always, I made it work.

While calling a college game, I had to hold a push-button phone to my ear for the entire broadcast because there was no other way. Their phone line couldn't handle the technology I brought with me.

In minor league baseball, I had to hold a cellphone to my ear -- twice (once in Brooklyn, once in Aberdeen). In Hudson Valley, they didn't have enough booths at one time, so Sean Ford and I would stand in a breezeway at the top of the stairs on third base line in the stands.

I've had days where stat packs -- yes, the beloved stat pack -- either didn't show up at all or showed up just before first pitch.

As for lineups, the same has happened. They show up with last names, wrong numbers, and are often right before first pitch.

I've had phone lines taken away as I was on the air.

I've been told to move within minutes of air time.

This has gone on at every level. In every place.

The thing I quickly learned was that there is no nirvana. Each place has its peculiarities.

Tech issues in Bridgeport. A makeshift press box made up of arena seats in Albany. Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with my analyst and graphics guy at Yale.

I told the story of my most recent Brunswick broadcast here.

And guess what? You learn to suck it up.

Because here's the thing. At the end of the day, the media is near the bottom of the priority list, and to be honest, we should be.

I show up and preach largely staying out of the way. But I also preach common kindness like cleaning up our messes and getting our equipment out of the way. Those small things go a long way.

Athletic directors, coaches, and players, as well as site directors, have literally 100 other things to do.

I adjust and, most of all, have learned to not panic.

Ask Shawn Sailer or AJ Szymanowski or Chris Erway or countless other people who have worked with me. We've seen so much and we adjust. Those who don't are doomed.

If -- for some reason -- I don't have a roster before a game (which is hit or miss in my coverage area), I either get in touch with the coach or an athletic secretary (or the AD) or I get to the game and nose around, depending on the sport.

For baseball, you get a lineup (again, it might be late, but you still get it). For basketball, there's a scorebook. Take a picture of it. For hockey, there's also a scorecard. For football, you make sure you have one before the game unless you want to risk getting a program.

For stats, guess what? They're not the end of the world.

Statistics are lovely. Really, they're great. Greenwich High football has done a remarkable job with live game stats. New Canaan also does that. A few others also. At higher levels, there are real-time stats.

Once again, allow me to let The Master speak:

And for the love of Red Barber, please stop with the "I prep for 10 hours" stuff. First, unless you've built a relationship, coaches aren't going to give you much. I worked with coaches for years and most of them knew they could trust me.

Root around for stories. Stand on the field or court and listen. Go to a tailgate. I get a lot of info there. Parents love to talk.

The biggest problem with broadcasters is that they don't know how to tell stories. They're so hung up on the unnecessary statistic that they don't know how to keep listeners informed and entertained.

So that's my rant. I'm so grateful to do the games that I get to do, and I'm glad I have the experiences to tell the stories that I can tell.

We learn from those stories. With them comes wisdom.

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.

Snowy Saturday Basketball Special Part 1

I called my first college basketball game since 2010, and it was exciting to be back. As events go, it wasn't easy, but it was memorable.

The last time I called college hoops was when I was with Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY. Those days were quite fun, and I miss them.

Anyway, through the excellent Kevin Halpenny, I connected with Kyle Crooks, the "voice" of Georgian Court University basketball. Kyle needed a fill-in for yesterday's GCU doubleheader at Post University, just outside of Waterbury, CT.

I was back in the college game.

I enlisted AJ Szymanowski and Shawn Sailer to join me for a day of hoops, food, and fun.

As the week progressed, there were rumblings of a storm churning into the area. At one point, we'd get a dusting. No big deal. Then we'd get a little more. Then it became a winter storm warning.

By yesterday morning, within minutes of each other, AJ and Shawn both said they would be staying home. Now it was up to me to decide if I would risk it.

Oh, have I mentioned my car, er, isn't great in snow?

Well, I've given it away. You know I went. I mean, you know me, right?

I was at Post within an hour. The snow was imminent, and began to fall just as I got out of the car. As setups go, well, Post isn't used to have broadcasts. I was nice and early (about 2.5 hours early, to be exact), but not everyone was on-site yet. Kyle said the team would be bringing me his broadcast equipment.

So first, Post had to figure out where to set me up. This took time, but they could have been more accommodating. They were wonderful, to be exact. I got a small table next to scorer's table. The gym, in fact, isn't very big to begin with.

GCU showed up around 11:45 (tip off was scheduled for 1 p.m.). An assistant coach introduced himself and said he'd get the equipment to me. I watched as a team member brought over what looked like a first aid kit.

I waited.

I bought a small bag of pretzels (starving, of course).

I waited some more.

I finally decided I would go get my equipment and set up. No big deal. The team has better things to do than worry about a substitute broadcaster. I had everything ready, with minor hiccups that wouldn't be noticeable to the listener. At first, I couldn't get the broadcast online, but there mifis and other options ready.

Seriously, Post was wonderful. If they ever need a broadcaster...

I began to get nervous as time was ticking down. First college hoops game in nearly seven years. First basketball broadcast in ten months. Flying solo (that doesn't really bother me). Strange place, names, teams I just met. Plus I needed to find Kyle's equipment, if only so I had his iPod to play music, commercials, etc.

I looked back at the assistant with about fifteen minutes to go before gametime.

"Where's the equipment?"

"What equipment?"

"The broadcast stuff."

He pointed. To what I thought was the first aid stuff.

I could have banged my head on the wall.

Again. Nobody knew the difference.

OK, from there it was just basketball. Don't try to reinvent the wheel.

I fumbled with getting used to Kyle's iPod as a way to play audio elements, but eventually pulled it together.

I know I messed up names. I know my call was off.

I know that AJ and Shawn and others listened, and their reviews were kind.

I know me. I'm better than that, but I'll take it.

The GCU women won by 10. Things didn't go so well for the men.

I hoped the broadcasts sounded passable at the very least as I packed up.

Hanging out at the gym wasn't an option.

I continued to watch the snow fall.

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.

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).

A Bunch of Links...Whittled Down to One

I had several things that I was going to post some "linky dinks" to, but I decided to do away with them in the interest of time and put just one up. One from my friend and now FORMER (grrrrr) Mount Saint Mary College basketball analyst, Christine Baker.

She's the former analyst...I'm the former play-by-play radio "voice." The Mount isn't doing games this year. *Sigh* We're looking for other places to take our talents to!

Anyway, Christine is also a talented writer, and put together a post on her blog called "A Day in the Life of This Writer." She uses pictures, words, humor, and more to break it all down. She also includes a musical break, using a a song ("I Run to You" by Lady Antebellum) to indicate how to soothe the savage beast that exists inside each of us.

That song has incredible lyrics. It means a lot to me. Sadly, the big meanies wouldn't let me embed a video. So go here and enjoy.

Take a few minutes to listen to the song, and take a few more to look at Christine's post.

The Onion Says Drew Brees is Teflon...or Something Like That

(Something really stupid is going on with Blogger's picture feature...clowns).
With a hat-tip to Carrie, here is a link to more classic work by The Onion.  It seems Drew Brees could pretty much get away with anything!

Well, before yesterday, or course.  This article came out about 10 days ago, and fans are fickle.

Reminder: this is the last week for your fancy national version of "The Press Box."  Line those calls up!

Oh, and it looks like there will be no more Mount Saint Mary College broadcasts.  Budgets.  Money.  Sigh.

The CIAC Football Finals Are At The Rent!

About. Freaking. Time.

Sean Patrick Bowley confirms that, yes, the 2010 CIAC football championships will be played at Rentschler Field, in East Hartford. That would be the home of your University of Connecticut football team.

Readers know that I and others have screamed about this for years. Here is a fairly new facility that should be hosting Connecticut's biggest football events, a la the Carrier Dome in Syracuse (where yours truly got to call three state New York finals in 2002-2004).

Ah the good old days, when discussion board posters thought that Sean Kilkelly, Mark Rosen and I should be the broadcasters for ALL state championship games. Really, who am I to argue?

So come on Greenwich! Marshall the forces for another state championship run, since I want to call some games at the Rent and the rest of the state seems to forget my phone number come championship time!

(Except Ben Talbott at Birds Eye Sports, who asked me to to step in last year, but I couldn't since I had a Mount Saint Mary game that day.)

Very Inspirational

My friend and basketball broadcasting companion, Christine Baker, wrote a wonderful post on her blog about perspectives, and making lemonade out of the proverbial lemons.

I have no problem saying how much I treasure "One-Five's" friendship. So when she writes, I read.

It will take you a few minutes. Enjoy.

Disappointing

There are certain days that just frustrate me in the radio/broadcast biz.

Today is one of those...and so was yesterday.

First, I found out yesterday that, due to conflicts with other programming, WGCH would not be carrying any of the action from the FCIAC boys hockey tournament. If the Cardinals make it to the finals, it will be the first time (to my knowledge) that WGCH won't be there to cover it.

Yet, trying to put a positive spin on things, I believed that the good news was that I would now be available to follow the Mount Saint Mary College womens' team through the first weekend of the NCAA Division III tournament. Earlier today, I assembled the pieces in place with station management, and the college was on board as well. Christine Baker was ready to join me in Ithaca for at least one, and hopefully two games.

Then I received the bad news: Ithaca College (the host site) had apparently dropped the ball. The college had not only the basketball tournament but a big track and field championship as well. There were no hotel rooms available. The basketball teams are scrambling for a place to stay, and there was no room at the inn for the broadcasters. Literally.

So I went from the hope of calling a couple of games to none. Stuff happens, and I've already made my frustration known.

OK, I'll put the positive spin back on it. I can spend the weekend with Sean, and I have a lot of things to do anyway. I can go to his school for a class party. Yeah, it's all good, I guess.

But it's still disappointing. It will take the Blue Knights advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for Christine and I to rejoin them.

Perhaps we'll recap the experience of calling Knights basketball at another time. For now, best of luck to them Friday night against Williams College. Also, best of luck to the Cardinals as they play Ridgefield tonight in the FCIAC hockey semis.

And sorry to the listeners.

Another Mount Saint Mary Update

The Blue Knights have punched their ticket to the NCAA Division III tournament. The Mount received an at-large bid and will play Williams College Friday in Ithaca, NY. I am hoping to be court-side to call the game...but can't guarantee anything.

If they win that, they'll play Saturday in Ithaca as well. All of this will mean some juggling for covering Cardinals hockey

Times are to be determined.

We'll keep you posted.

While we're at it, here are the 2009-2010 Skyline Conference Women's Basketball Award Winners:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Kimberly Blakney, Farmingdale State

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Krystina Agard, Old Westbury

CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR:
Chris Mooney, Farmingdale State
Randy Ognibene, Mount Saint Mary

TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD:
Yeshiva

FIRST TEAM:
Krystina Agard, Old Westbury
Jessie Domes, Purchase
Courtney Heesemann, Mount Saint Vincent
Lauren Percodani, Mount Saint Vincent
Shannon Sangster, Mount Saint Mary

SECOND TEAM:
Kristin Leitheuser, NYU-Poly
Trish McMahon, St. Joseph’s
Margaux Pickell, NYU-Poly
Jess Tice, Mount Saint Mary
Latiqua Williams, Bard

My thoughts: Blakney was tremendous, though she frankly underwhelmed me. Still she was better than anybody else. Agard was a no-brainer as the ROY. Based on the behavior of the Yeshiva men's team that I saw, the women probably deserved to be the Sportsmanship winner.

As for the first and second team, I'm a little baffled. Blakney is the player of the year, yet she (and anyone else from Farmingdale State) isn't on the first or second team. I think the committee goofed by putting Jess Tice on the second team, and not giving Amanda Horvers a nod at all. I'm not trying to get the entire Mount team on the roster, but Horvers was a threat from downtown and really improved her defense as the season went on. I also enjoy watching others like Catie Biordi, Natalie Garbie, Sarah Joseph and Kate Hartnett play (and of course everyone else). Unfortunately, they can't all make the all-conference squad.

Congratulations to Shannon, Jess, and Coach Ognibene on their respective honors.

Quick Mount Saint Mary Update

Later today, we will find out the fate of the Blue Knights, who did the unthinkable yesterday:

They lost the Skyline Conference Championship to Farmingdale State College, 67-58.

As a result, the Knights lost the automatic bid into the NCAA DIII tournament and now find themselves waiting to see if they will get an at-large bid. The answer will be revealed at 12:30 PM.

Statistics and Vin Scully

Over on the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America (STAA) discussion board, some of my peers were praising a column by ESPN play-by-player Jon Sciambi from Baseball Prospectus. This led the STAA commentators to develop thoughts on bringing more stats into their broadcasts.

Ugh. Thanks, Billy Beane, Bill James, and your ilk. Again, ugh.

Look, Sabermetrics is wonderful for general managers. Even great for you fantasy baseball types. In a broadcast, it will put people to sleep. Listeners and viewers are a much wider demographic. You have to know your audience.

To that end, our baseball broadcasting god (Vin Scully), once had this to say:

Statistics are used much like a drunk uses a lamppost: for support, not illumination.

I'm still the old-school kind. You know: "Here's Nick Angotto...batting .312, 13 home runs and 53 runs batted in." Those are the columns I highlight on the stat sheet and write on my scorecard every time. Not to say I won't make exceptions to discuss Angotto's on base percentage or slugging and other numbers, but many of those get thrown in as necessary (after a two-base hit, I might say, "that was his 27th double of the year"). I keep it to the basics. How is he hitting in certain situations? How about day/night, or against a particular pitcher or team?

On the other side, there's only one pitcher to start a game, so the stats can be a little longer (and the same treatment goes to relievers). "Chris Erway gets the start tonight. Erway is five and two with a three-point-one-five ERA. He's appeared in twelve games and started all of them..." From there, I go onto innings pitched, walks, strikeouts, home runs allowed, and so on, normally ending with what opponents are hitting off of "the right-hander from Norwalk, Connecticut, Chris Erway." Something along those lines. Then it's onto perhaps what he did the last time he faced his opponent, or what his last outing was like.

The point is, I generally don't get into stats such as OPS, WHIP, and some of the others. Not to say I won't, especially if it is something garish. Yet baseball, like every other sport I broadcast, is about the game. The stories. The conversation (more prevalent in baseball).

To an extent, and this is where I deviate from my predecessors (especially Red Barber), play-by-play and sports are about fun. That's because I know my audience. We've had numerous people tell us that they enjoy the Mount Saint Mary broadcasts because of the quips. They love the detail, the little bits about the players, and way we sound like we're old friends (even if Christine and I have only known each other for about four months). The same goes for Hudson Valley, where catching Sean Ford off-guard was part of the fun. It was also where Geoff Brault and I could spend two innings talking about Wawa.

In Greenwich, I enjoy the good times with Sean Kilkelly, Chris Kaelin, Chris Erway, John Spang, and everyone else. Plus we often don't have stats to lean on there.

To my broadcasting brethren, I just say to strike a balance between stories, fun, and stats. Yet most of all, describe the game. That's what the listeners and viewers want. The game is the thing.

(Please note I'm not criticizing the guys who were commenting at STAA - I think they're trying figure out the balance...they simply inspired me to write this post)

To finish, check out the video of Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk calling the USA and Canada. This, friends, is a broadcasting clinic. Listen to how much fun Doc Emrick has calling the game. The words! The smarts to let the crowd do the work after a goal. Top that off with the solid analysis of Eddie O and you probably have the USA's top hockey team.

By the way, those USA uniforms make me think I'm watching a Rangers game!

Think Pink at Mount Saint Mary College

Later today, the Blue Knights will play Farmingdale State to end the regular season.  The womens' game will be a matchup between the two best teams in the Skyline Conference.  It's also parents' weekend at The Mount, and the final game for the seniors on both the mens' and womens' teams.

With that, a farewell to Catie Biordi, Shannon Sangster, Chrissy Zrowka, Nick Monaco, and Matt Peters.

Still the day is about more than all of this.

There will be a PINK OUT!

Gianna Cesa, a senior at The Mount, created the idea of the Pink Out as a senior project.  From Gianna's proposal, the goals are:

• Create awareness and educate people about breast cancer and its effect on our society
• Implement awareness by uniting the Mount community to fight in unison for a cure
• Raise money for research for the National Breast Cancer Foundation

All attendees are asked to wear pink today inside the Kaplan Center, and that includes the coaches and players. Director of Athletics John Wright went through the proper channels to get the uniform altered to include pink for today.

Yes, even the broadcasters will have some pink on. My friends at the Red Bullseye (Target, folks) had a pink T-shirt that I will have under my Mount Saint Mary shirt.

I urge you to come to Mount Saint Mary College today (the games are FREE!). It will be a fun atmosphere with food, prizes, and goodies. There will be some great basketball. Plus Chris Kaelin and I will be there to call the games. Bring a radio - the reception is great.

Of course if you can't make it, then listen live at on HudsonValleyTalkRadio.com

Strange Things on the Radio

After I left Mount Saint Mary tonight, following two yawners of basketball games (the women won...no lie...79-16 and the men won 66-47), I popped on the radio to listen to traffic and weather together on 880 AM (that's WCBS).  Of course, we're all getting ready for a big storm tomorrow.

Yet as I came across I-84 on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge into Dutchess County, I noticed some interference with the signal.  Never wanting to miss a chance to pick a far and away signal at night, I decided to check on the frequencies near 880.  I flipped to 870 and heard the faint sound of some play-by-play.  Sounded like a Super Bowl highlight.

It was WWL, New Orleans.

To the average person, that might not be a big deal, but to me, it was just weird.  At no time have I ever picked up WWL from New York, yet here it was, just long enough to hear the highlight (to congratulate the Saints), then it was gone.  I've picked up Boston, Washington, Montreal, Rochester, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati,  Atlanta, and everything in between, but never New Orleans.

Oh, I eventually switched to 890.  That was WLS - from Chicago.  Traffic is OK on the Dan Ryan at this hour.

I love the radio.

Off The Bench - "LIVE" from Brewster Honda!

I hear the Grammy's were on last night. And?

I was too busy watching the Pro Bowl.

I kid. I'd honestly rather watch the Grammy's than an exhibition football game.

Sometimes the NFL is really, really, really stupid. Just beyond dumb. Like forcing the Super Bowl participants to visit the Pro Bowl. Embarrassing.

Is Avatar really on the verge of being the highest grossing movie ever? Wow. Guess I don't have any taste because, unless she's really worth it, I have no intention of going.

I remain vigilant in the fact that there are certain things I've never seen, or barely seen. "American Idol." "Survivor." In fact, most (if not all) reality shows.

Then there are those that I've never watched simply because I just haven't. Any "CSI", for instance. My good friend Mick (and wife Gretchen) got me to watch "Law and Order SVU" and it was very good.

I have seen "Jersey Shore" once. I'm not proud of that.

That's the thing with me. I'm either on the bandwagon at the very beginning, or I come aboard much later. Or not at all.

Yet, for the right woman, I will watch. If she asks nicely.

I'm coming to you live from the Brewster Honda broadcast booth. Let's lose money together.

Seriously, I begin to twitch every time the person that checked me in approaches the waiting room. I just keep waiting for the speech about how this car needs $17,000 in work. Or some exorbitant amount.

You really don't want to see me in a fetal position. It won't be pretty.

(Please note, the previous statement does not represent a pity party for Mr. Adams...just stating the facts)

Brighter days are ahead, my friends. I've been saying it for months. Some of you have read that.

You see, I just write. Quite often with no filter. Oh sure I read and edit before I hit "publish", then I re-read it. Eventually, I read things again - after they're published. Some times I wish I hadn't written something. Most times, I'm fine with it. Other times, I just don't care.

Hold the "9/11" trials and be done with it. Be it in New York (City), Newburgh (their mayor wants to move it there), or anywhere else. It's justice. Let's get it on. It's amazing that NIMBYism extends its ugliness everywhere.

I have a NIMBY situation currently, and I haven't uttered a word.

The Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow. Bet it takes as long as the show itself, as they've DOUBLED the Best Picture noms.

It's been far too long since we've had Greenwich Cardinals ice hockey on WGCH. This has been the toughest season for me to schedule, with Fairfield and Hofstra hoops on the station, and various other conflicts. It's been brutal, and frustrating.

Finally, we're back on Thursday, with the Cardinals at home against Fairfield (Warde and Ludlowe). I think I'm even working with John Spang...who I last called a BASKETBALL GAME with (Mount Saint Mary women against College of Mount Saint Vincent).

Speaking of basketball, I'm sad that we're going through a second straight season without covering the Greenwich High boys' team. 'Twas once a time when we covered ALL of their games.

The wireless network in here is terrible.

My friends in R-VA are still digging out - to the tune of over a foot of snow. Normally when that happens, we're shoveling in the Empire State as well. Not this time.

I'm standing in Hannaford (a grocery store) and a father and son are recycling plastic bottles. OK, get the kid money for a skateboard, or whatever. I'm all for it. But FOUR-HUNDRED bottles? Doesn't there come a moment where they look around and let somebody else jump in? Not just me, but the four others who stopped by?

Back to the Grammy's. When, exactly, will we be done with the Michael Jackson stuff? I get it - he was an amazing artist. He could dance, he could sing, he could write. I understand that's how we should remember him but it doesn't stop the unseemly stuff from being part of his legend.

There are some who become larger in death. Michael Jackson doesn't need to be. He already was, even if his star might have faded just prior to his death. Now it's out of control.

Beyonce remains simply incredible. Taylor Swift seems very likable. Yet does the show need to be outrageous just because it can? I mean, the Lada Gaga/Elton John duet, and Pink dribbling water while dangling from up high seem unnecessary.

I'm just asking - not trying to be an old dolt.

Uh oh...here comes the Brewster Honda guy.

Hoops Tonight

Christine and I are back at the Kaplan Center tonight as the Blue Knights men's team hosts Purchase College at 7:00 PM.  Pregame coverage kicks off at 6:50 PM.

Then we have a double header Saturday at the Kaplan Center as both the men's and the women's teams take on St. Joseph's College.  The ladies play first, and our pregame show begins at 12:50.

Listen live!

A Good Day With the Knights

It was my weekend to be with Sean.  I was scheduled to call the Mount Saint Mary double header on Saturday at Farmingdale State.  In the past I've been hesitant to bring him to games with me without a babysitter (usually my mom).  But I've started letting him tag along to a few games at The Mount and so far, so good.

Men's head coach Ryan Kadlubowski had suggested letting him ride with us on the bus to a road game and it was something I wanted to make happen, knowing how much Sean would enjoy it.  I could have let Sean stay at my mom's, I guess.  Staying with my niece wasn't an option, as Laura needed to go to Baltimore to pick up her husband, Steve, home from GitMo for a few weeks. 

It made sense.  Let Sean ride with me and the team.

Still I try so hard to be somewhat invisible.  I don't want to ruffle feathers.  That would be two seats being taken on a very crowded bus.  Everyone trying to censor themselves and not use bad language (not something I ask them to do).  How would everyone react to him?

Initially I sensed some looks, but nothing resentful.  If anything, he was either ignored or looked at as comic relief or even a mascot.  Of all things, we watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs heading to Long Island, and Sean had nothing to do with it.  It was one of the players who brought it!

At Farmingdale, Sean stayed mostly in his own world.  I gave him plenty of room to run around the gym (more like a warehouse) before the fans arrived.  Once it was game time, he had to stay near Christine Baker and I, and though I wanted him to stay off the partially-opened (but empty) bleachers behind us, he still got up there, and I just let it go.  He was so well-behaved (other than trying to talk to me while we were on the air - just once).  He watched the games to an extent, and played with his cars and Hess racer, sometimes drawing on his Magna Doodle. 

The women lost the first game, and that's newsworthy - they've only lost FIVE games in their conference dating back over 10 years.  The men's game went no better.  At halftime, Sean said to me, "it's just not our day, Daddy."

On the court, yes, he was right.  But for father and son, it was our day.

Towards the end of the men's game, Christine and I brought Sean on the air to serve as an "analyst."  Typical stuff, and all funny.

We jumped back on the bus to return to Newburgh.  Sean and I would eventually sit with Kevin McDonald, Dylan McCann, and Chuck Magos.  The guys talked with him about favorite TV shows, music, and sports.  He was so excited to be welcomed like that.

Ask Sean his favorite parts of the day, and he'll tell you about the bus (it had a BATHROOM on it!) and the players talking to him.  He liked watching the movie.  The games were almost secondary to him.

We capped it off with dinner at Sonic.  I thought it was a nice reward for being so good.

Coach Kadlubowski wondered when he would be back on the bus again.