Just What NY Needs: New License Plates

We're going retro in the Empire State! This is almost the same color scheme we had when I was a kid (1973-86 in that picture).

The question is: WHY?

The answer of course is: the MONEY, stupid!

Here ends the lesson.

Why Am I Posting So Early?

Because my niece drove from Alabama to New York, and just arrived here.

At 3:52 AM.

Thanks for reading. I have designs on eventually getting back to sleep.

*sigh*

Rob's BG Five, and STILL No Change

Sorry, a 35-34 loss doesn't change my thinking. The BG Five remains the same.

1) New Canaan (8-0, Last Week: 1) - They beat Greenwich. Barely.
2) Staples (8-0, 2)
3) Pomperaug (8-0, 3)
4) Masuk (8-0, 4)
5) Bridgeport Central (7-1, 5)
6) Greenwich (6-2, 6) - They lost to New Canaan. Barely.

UPDATE! CAT FOUND!

He was missing.

But he's back. Never mind.

Mount Saint Mary College - Men's and Women's Basketball to be Broadcast on Hudson Valley Radio Network

This is it - the official press release from Mount Saint Mary College, announcing a certain blogger and a former player as their first play-by-play team.

Mount Saint Mary College - Men's and Women's Basketball to be Broadcast on Hudson Valley Radio Network

For the record, Christine Baker was pleased that I called her a "legend." Yet at the same time, she was a little troubled because, in her estimation, being a legend means she is getting old. Well she can rest easy in that at least she's younger than me. We're going to have fun together.

You won't want to miss the game on December 3, when my WGCH colleague John Spang joins me for the night, as Christine has to miss that one.

Now if I can just shake off the rust, get a coherent scorecard, learn the players names, gain their trust, learn the leagues tendencies, find out when the bus leaves for Boston...

What a Joke (or Section 1=FAIL)

Kevin Devaney Jr, writing over at Lohud.com, said that Section 1, the governing body of high school sports in the Hudson Valley, has denied the Journal News' request to broadcast games live on their site.

Hmmm...I smell a rat. Follow the money...all the way to Cablevision (via MSG Varsity).

You see, MSG Varsity is carrying games on their channel, but "live to tape" as we say. That means the games are shown at a later time. The Journal News wanted to air them live. See where this is going?

Section 1 Executive Director Jennifer Simmons told the paper:

“Media is growing leaps and bounds and we need to make sure we’re protected as far as live event goes,” Simmons said. “We’re having ongoing conversations at the board level and we’ve decided to put a halt on everything until we’ve looked at it and decided what we’re going to do.”

“We have lawyers going back and forth and each school has a different interpretation. What waivers need to be signed? Do we need one signed by the parents of every player because it’s live? That’s become a big issue.”

B.S. Plain and simple. Devaney follows that up:

Basically, the concern with a live event is over what could happen that Section 1 wouldn’t be able to control (i.e. a brawl, serious injury, etc.). Simmons also said there’s concern over what a broadcast could do to the attendance, and revenue, although she said that “was part of it but not a huge part of it.”

So what would they do to radio broadcasts? Same garbage? Please.

A big BOO on Section 1 for this. Even the CIAC doesn't screw this one up.

For Your Listening and Viewing Pleasure

A little U2, as joined by Yankees superfan Jay-Z.

Greenwich/New Canaan Postmortem

Once upon a time, I compiled my top 10 football games that I broadcast - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

I may need to update that because I called an instant classic last night.

Sean Patrick Bowley has a great blog post up about the game.

Over at the FCIAC Football Blog, Jason Intrieri, Tim Parry, Matt Levine, and yours truly discussed the game.

Dave Stewart gives his account at the NCAdvertiser.

Jesse Quinlan has his say at the Greenwich Time.

As for me, we had a power outage in the booth, and thanks to my entire crew for keeping their heads on straight as we worked through a long night. The analysis of Sean Kilkelly, Chris Erway, Nick Fox, and Chris Kaelin was spot-on all night. Rob Crowley did a nice job of keeping it all on the air. Then there was that penalty...

It sounds like - based on the accounts that I've heard - Greenwich lost their collective composure late in the game. That's very bad, especially since it seemed like the game was heading towards a crazy finish (after the craziness of the two-point conversion by New Canaan). If the personal foul penalty was legit, then so be it. I'm going to have to assume, based on things that I've heard from those closer to the play, that the unsportsmanlike penalty was also blatant and legit. Still I'm of the opinion that those in the striped shirts should not play a role in the late moments of a tightly contested game, just as I railed about that on the air during last week's Brunswick/Salisbury tilt.

For those in the stands and on the air, how could you not want that heart-stopping moment of a final play - be it a possible Greenwich TD, or Oliver Ostrowski, trotting on to kick a winning field goal?

Anyway, I'd have to say the better team won - but barely. New Canaan is beatable, and Greenwich could have beaten them, but they didn't. With that, the Cardinals season now hangs in the balance. They get St. Joe's next Friday night at Cardinal Stadium.

Still Missing Bobby

This made me happy to see. From the parade, via Mark Feinsand's Twitter page:

Suzyn's favorite sign: "Win one for Bobby" ... fans still love Murcer

I quite agree.

A Classic Commercial (with VIDEO)

The Huffington Post has a collection of what they termed "the 17 most annoying commercials." I agreed on some, though I disagreed with the inclusion of the Geico cavemen, the Quizno "rats" ("We love the subs!"), and the Free Credit Report dudes. Plus they included a classic 1980's Brooklyn ballroom commercial.

So that got me pining for the days of my youth, when this was a constant part of my daily diet (on channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11):

(The link is here.)
Ah yes, the Ritz Thrift Shop. One of the truly classic New York commericals.

The Look of a Champion

Sadly, Sean remembers none of watching the final out last night. His first words this morning, upon looking at the TV this morning was, "we won the trophy?"

Yes Sean. They won. Enjoy your first championship as a fan. I remember 1977 like it was yesterday. Only difference was I was wide awake and watched the whole game. But then again, I was almost nine.

The Magic Moment (With VIDEO)

This likely won't be up for long, but here it is for now(the link is here)

I guess the world isn't right unless the Yankees are the ultimate villains. The jealousy is over the top, and the complaining about the lack of the salary cap is off the hook.

So today, on "The Press Box", I've decided that we will not only celebrate the Yankees' 27th title, but we will address the whining. We will dig into the salary cap, the money, and all the other garbage. I know Nick Angotto will join us from Hawaii. I hope you will call in as well - 888-454-3378.

We'll talk to you live at 2:00 PM Eastern.

And by the way, congratulations to the Phillies on a terrific 2009, and a good World Series. I have a lot of respect for them.

UPDATE: And of course, the SOB's at MLB got the video removed. Losers. Seriously.

It's a Beautiful Morning

I didn't dream it. It was real. The World Championship has come home. We'll talk about it on "The Press Box" later today.

One Last Thing

OK, I'll leave you with one more thing.

Who won the World Series MVP?

Hideki Matsui.

What's Hideki Matsui's uniform number?

Fifty-five.

Cool.

This is a whole new Rule 55.

Good night, y'all.

Team of The Decade?

A few have tried to say the Yankees are the Team of the Decade, for what that is worth.

Let's review...

2000 - Yankees over Mets
2001 - Diamondbacks over Yankees
2002 - Angels over Giants
2003 - Marlins over Yankees
2004 - Red Sox over Cardinals
2005 - White Sox over Astros
2006 - Cardinals over Tigers
2007 - Red Sox over Rockies
2008 - Phillies over Rays
2009 - Yankees over Phillies

So what do we have? Yankees: two championships. Red Sox: two championships. Everybody else has one. The one thing that might - MIGHT - give the edge to New York is the total World Series appearances (four, versus two for Boston).

It's irrelevant, to be honest.

The parade is Friday. I'm not a fan, and have never been to one. I would like to take Sean but imagine I would be in for a fight, so that's probably not happening. Since it starts at 11:00 AM, I doubt I'll go, since I have this little old Greenwich/New Canaan game to broadcast on WGCH. I'll give it all some more thought.

I'm going to bed now.

A Few Final Thoughts

Almost time to call it a night, but I have a couple of parting shots.

The Yankees opened the original House with a championship in 1923. They opened the new House with a championship in 2009.

They're one of a select few to open a new building with a title. Coincidentally, the Red Sox are one - having beaten the New York Giants in 1912, the maiden year for Fenway Park.

They did it the right way. Now I'm no fan of these on-field trophy presentations, but they did it with class tonight. They acted like Yankees - a team that can stand with Ruth and the others.

Read these words and drink them in:

Alex Rodriguez - Champion

Seems weird, no? Yet it's time for the haters to shut up - officially.

No complaints with the MVP. Hideki Matsui was tremendous. Derek Jeter was terrific, as was Rivera. Pettitte had a decent Series. For me, it came down to Mo or Godzilla. I probably would have have said Mariano.

My Carmel soft toss Phillies team (ironic, no?) gave me a gift card to The Sports Authority months ago and I haven't used it (in part because I have a strong dislike for The Sports Authority). Yet tomorrow (or later today, I should say) I might pop in and use that gift card.

Besides Sean, there is somebody else I'd like to have shared this with. That's OK, but with Sean being asleep, I get kind of tired of watching these games alone.

I don't think my cell phone has ever been noisier. Constant texts came flying in (and out) after the final out. Facebook and Twitter were also nutty. My first attempt at posting the celebratory note failed. And yet I continue to read very bitter, and stupid comments (including one about a salary cap - ain't happening, and shouldn't happen).

Why is it so tough to stay quiet? And why try to bring people down? You only look like a jerk when you say things like this. Be graceful when you win, and dignified when you lose.

That being said, there are a lot of classy people who have sent notes over - including a few Red Sox fans. That's why I think Sox fans are generally pretty cool. The real ones get it, and appreciate baseball history.

What is it that "The Press Box Playmakers" (DeMer, ~F.O.X.~, and The Janitor) say to me? "Don't hate. Appreciate." How true.

The Yankees are the world champions. Wow.

CHAMPIONS!

Peter Abraham just put this up on Twitter. SWEET!

Top of the Heap Again!

The Yankees have won the 2009 World Series.

Amazing.

And my son watched it with me.

Even more amazing. I have to go cry now.

It's That Time (With VIDEO)

From the last night at the old Stadium:

The coolest moment in sports. The link is here, Facebookers.

7-3 Yankees, top of the 8th. One out (or five outs to go).

Missing Cat

Someone I care a lot about let her cat out the other night and he has not returned. If you're in the Poughkeepsie/Hyde Park area of New York, please keep an eye out for "Pumpkin."

Having once had Fred disappear for three months, I know her pain.

I figured it wouldn't hurt to put this on the old blogerino. You never know who might see this (of course it's sometimes a bad thing also, I guess). I'm hoping she won't mind that I posted this.

Check the Craigslist ad if you need more info, and thanks.

Within Reach

I wanted to write this earlier this evening but time and circumstances prevented me from doing so. Therefore I'm writing as Game 6 of the 2009 World Series enters the bottom of the fifth inning.

Tonight is about the love of a game, a team, and a way of life that dates back 37 years. It goes back to that initial game, when I was just three and saw this place called "Yankee Stadium" for the first time. I became mesmerized by the whole thing - the pinstripes, the colors, the grandeur.

Baseball.

And so it goes - through mediocre teams of the early 70's, to the Chris Chambliss home run in '76, to Reggie and Guidry and Thurman and two straight titles. Yes, it seemed like it would happen every year. It didn't, of course. Munson would tragically die in '79 and with him seemed to go a lot of heart. Sure, there was an AL East title in 1980 but that joy was short-lived (damn you, Brett), and 1981 ended with no title after being up two games to none on the Dodgers in the Classic. Bobby Murcer's championship would not come to be.

The 80's were rough after that. Some good times of course, with Rags' no-hitter, Donnie Baseball and such. Yet it tested the mettle of the fans, but I never wavered.

Ever.

The early 90's were worse, before Buck Showalter and Stick Michael returned the pride. Nirvana returned in the form of championships in 1996, 98, 99, and 2000 (the least enjoyable one of them all). Since then, there's been some heartbreak and a lot of disappointment.

My basic priority in life? 1) Loved ones 2) Yankees 3) Steelers. It's that simple.

Now the reality is that I love the game more than the team but so long as the Yankees are still here, they continue to be a huge part of my life. I can't say I truly live and die with them, but the fire is still there. Of course there are other things to focus on - real life stuff - so that sometimes takes me away from the day-to-day passion. Still it's always there.

So tonight, as this team, this amazing franchise whose history is embedded in my brain better than anything teachers tried to force on me in school (or college), turns the corner on their 27th world championship, I sit here - on my bed, trying to take it all in.

I don't care what anybody says - not knowing who Bobby Richardson is doesn't make you a bad fan. Do you think my son knows things like that? Not yet, but he's seven. Being a fan is about being loyal - end of story, and I'll take the die-hard Yankees fans over anyone in New York, despite my respect for Rangers' fans - truly the best in New York. I'll put the Bombers second, with the Giants third.

I'm tired of the crap being talked. That's all I'm going to say about that.

The Phillies are trying to climb back into it - 7-3 in the sixth now, and Andy Pettitte's night is done. Sean is here with me, currently sound asleep but I will wake him up in the ninth if it looks like they might win. I want him to see it, and I want us - for all that we've been through - to experience it together. Baseball has always been so much about fathers and sons to me (with no disrespect intended to the ladies - I'd be happy to share this with a daughter, a girlfriend, or anyone else). I thought of my dad on that night back in '96, so having Sean here is all I can ask for.

Let's get this thing done.

Rob's BG Five: No Change

Seriously...

1) New Canaan (7-0, Last Week: 1) - Meets Greenwich this Friday on WGCH.
2) Staples (7-0, 2)
3) Pomperaug (7-0, 3)
4) Masuk (7-0, 4)
5) Bridgeport Central (6-1, 5)
6) Greenwich (6-1, 6) - The 50-point rule is a joke.

And I got my vote in on time! The results are in.

CIAC = FAIL.

I'm still outraged at what I saw last night. Greenwich beat Westhill 45-7, and anybody with a brain knew that the Cardinals were out for blood after losing to Bridgeport Central the week before. Thus it was clear that the Vikings would be in for a long night.

The Cards scored in abundance and led 39-0 at halftime. I knew the topic was coming...

The 50-point rule.

After Colin Dunster scored to make it 45-0, I knew what would be discussed. Then things got weird.

Westhill once again could do nothing offensively. So they went for it on fourth down...in the third quarter...in their own end. HUH?

Naturally, the pass attempt fell short and Greenwich took over on downs. Suddenly, they were knocking on the door, when Greenwich head coach Rich Albonizio did what he had to do. He called for a kneel-down. Four times.

Again, this was happening in the third quarter, and all so GHS didn't upset the knuckleheads at the CIAC.

Later on, Westhill would get on the scoreboard, and I almost felt like the Cardinals, who CLEARLY DIDN'T LET WESTHILL SCORE, weren't terribly sorry when they did. Now, let's be clear - because of the 50-point rule, Greenwich (and by extension, Westhill) were put in a bad, stupid situation.

Sean Patrick Bowley though enough of it to mention this in his Friday night recap, while Tim Parry actually called me an hour after the game to make sure what he was reading (via Twitter and elsewhere) was true. He wrote about it on his blog.

Incidentally, I love the Taconic State Parkway. I never find it by accident.

Tim adds more on his other blog.

So come on, CIAC. Get your mighty pens out and strike this rule once and for all. Or do you enjoy being mocked nationally for a rule based on political correctness because the big meanies beat up on the little guy? That's another problem with sports today. Those in the suits insist on messing with what's going on on the field. Pitchers can't throw inside, high school players can't field a kickoff in the end zone and run it out (at least in Connecticut), no fighting in hockey, and blowouts are bad. You have to let things take care of themselves on the field, and find bigger things to worry about.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Wish I had a party or something to go to after I finish calling Brunswick and Salisbury tonight on WGCH.

NINJA!

Be on the lookout for this character. Likely to be found between Hopewell Junction and Yorktown, NY, asking for tricks and treats. Might - just MIGHT - answer to the name "Sean."

Sadly I will spend my second straight Halloween apart from him, as I'll be working. We went to Kent Primary School's nice Monster Mash last night instead.

*sigh*

Scary Roads

Want some spooky places to drive? Try these. I'll even give something away - Clinton Road, in New Jersey (had to be the Garden State, no?) is number one. I've been on that road. Didn't strike me as too funky (it was daytime though) so I guess buyer beware.

Then again, the relationship that I was in ended after that night. GASP! The curse of Clinton Road lives.

But we're still friends, so take from that what you will.

(DISCLAIMER: Sense of humor required at all times)

Oh speaking of spooking, WGCH will have Greenwich Cardinals football tonight, as the Cards and Westhill Vikings meet at Cardinal Stadium. Pregame at 6:50. The same schedule is in effect for tomorrow night, as Salisbury and Brunswick meet at Cosby Field.

For Just A Moment (With VIDEO)

I'm here for a quick hello. The World Series has begun and I haven't posted anything. Shame on me.

As I write, the Bombers have a 2-1 lead in Game 2. Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui have home runs for New York. After being very nervous, the new big house is rocking.

Oh, and we're looking at the possibility of Mo for two innings tonight, with tomorrow off. Not my favorite approach.

Good friend Sean Kilkelly wrote about why there's such epic hatred towards the 26-time World Champions on Facebook. There are some who, I swear, are purely living to get off by infuriating the likes of me. I'm telling you - as Babe Ruth is my witness - they would happily burn friendships along the way if needed.

Makes my blood pressure boil.

Also proves that there are some classless, asinine, clueless, irrelevant people in this world with nothing better to do. And they don't seem to realize just how bad they look.

Why is there such general insensitivity (and I'm not just talking about sports here)?

Other things are grinding my gears tonight. Best to go "Rule 55" on y'all. Enjoy "The Natural." (Facebookers, the video is here)


3-1, New York. Hip Hip Jorge with an RBI single.

Rule 55 Returns

This video was once here. Then I took it down because I thought I had offended. Now it's back, because I need a Rule 55 and I'm, well, never mind. So Nick Angotto (The Bri-Man), this is for you.
(Facebook friends, the video is here)

Rob's BG Five - Week 6

This is going to be painful...

1) New Canaan (6-0, Last Week: 1) - Easy enough.
2) Staples (6-0, 3) - Moving up.
3) Pomperaug (6-0, 4) - Solid.
4) Masuk (6-0, 5) - Not much to say.
5) Bridgeport Central (5-1, NR) - How can I put Greenwich higher than the Hilltoppers? I can't - they won the game. I still think GHS is the better team but on Friday night, Central was better on the field. And so...
6) Greenwich (5-1, 2) - They'll be back. I believe in the Cardinals. But folks, here's the thing. I'm their radio "voice." If I don't knock them down, people will cry foul. Of course, if I drop them altogether, people will also cry foul. So King (5-0) gets knocked out, and St. Joe's (5-1) stays out as well.

And if Greenwich uses this as their bulletin board material, I'll understand.

OK. That's that.

A Few More Yankees Thoughts

Postgame...

I disagree with CC Sabathia winning the ALCS MVP over A-Rod. Rodriguez was a monster, and yeah CC was great, but I just don't get it. Does the media hate A-Rod that much?

I can only hope that there's a World Series MVP in the next few weeks for him.

Randy Levine really is a stooge. He stand there on the podium with this dumb ass smile on his face. He and Lonn Trost are part of why people hate the Yankees.

We will find out if the Yankees are still Pedro's daddy.

Kenny Albert called today's Steelers/Vikings tilt in the 'Burgh. He magically appeared in the clubhouse at Yankee Stadium to preside over the trophy presentation. That's quite a day, and my kind of job. Sign me up!

Oh yeah, it's been a good sports day for me, no?

That must have been tough for Jackie Autry, whose father owned the Angels, to give the AL trophy out. Then again, since current owner Arte Moreno took the Angels legacy and made them into the LA Angels of Anaheim of Orange County and such, she might not care.

Mike Scioscia is a heck of a manager. He always seems to be a classy guy. Yet tonight, Joe Girardi is the manager of the best team in the American League. Almost in spite of himself.

The champagne is flying. Neil Best must be displeased. Then again, come Wednesday, Neil's opinion will be somewhat muted, as the Dolans, who run Cablevision, MSG, and Newsday, will begin charging for readers to access everything - even blogs!

For the record - I chose to let Sean sleep tonight, since it's a school night. If he's with me and the Yankees are closing to winning the Series, I will wake him up.

OK. That's enough for tonight.

American League Champions

Bring on the Phillies.

The New York Yankees have won the 2009 American League Championship.

The World Series begins Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.

In case you're wondering, it's a rematch of the 1950 World Series, when the Bombers swept the Whiz Kids.

One last thing: I've argued - at length - about acting like you've been there before. This specifically has been directed at Chad Whatshisname in Cincinnati. These Yankees, upon getting the final out, seemed very subdued to me. Certainly happy, but very businesslike.

But at least, for tonight, the monkey of getting past the ALCS is gone.

Yankees fans - celebrate and enjoy.

To The Ninth

5-2, Yankees. On to the ninth.

Thank you. That is all.

I'm Not Counting Down

Oh we are so...close. It's the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium, with the Bombers leading the Angles 3-1 in Game Six of the American League Championship Series.

So close to the World Series. It would be the Yankees' 40th American League crown. It would be their 11th trip to the Series in my lifetime - making it the second visit for Sean (the first being in 2003, when he was all of about 20 months old).

But we've been this close, and closer. The trail of heartbreak does exist, even if not in the ALCS. 1981(Dodgers)...1995(Mariners)...2001(not talking about it)...2004 (just a bad dream). This is just since George Steinbrenner bought the team in 1973.

My pulse has quickened...my mouth is getting dry.

The Phillies await.

The Angels have tacked on a run off the Great Rivera. Three-two, through seven-and-a-half innings.

So close.

Still More Mount Stuff and What a Wonderful Week

Yes, the main broadcast team is set for Mount Saint Mary, but I forgot to mention that we will also try to add an on-court reporter. It's looking like the college will try to find a student to fit that role, but I am not against reaching into the vast resources of the WGCH extended family to pluck a guest reporter or analyst. Trust me when I say that those people work hard and would be a great fit.

Despite the disaster of last Friday's broadcast at Trumbull, the near disaster in Harrison, and the Yankees' inability to close things out, it has been a great week. Maybe this is what I was looking for when I wrote the now-famous "McCartney Post" back in July. That day held so much promise and I thought it was the beginning of something special. Instead, it was another misplaced brick in the long and winding road.

And I tripped right over it.

I've spent the past couple of months dusting myself off. Again.

So maybe, just maybe, with Mount Saint Mary, new friends and relationships, Sean (of course, always Sean), a great team at WGCH (I've really enjoyed the addition of Chris Erway and Chris Kaelin, who have become good friends of mine)...dare I say the future doesn't look so bleak again?

Friends, somebody is answering the phone when I call. I guess that's the best way to put it. Because I hate silence. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy peace occasionally. I just don't like saying something - putting myself out there - and getting nothing in return. Silence, folks, is deadly.

This goes for friends, family, love, career, and life.

Take all this for what is. Of course, your mileage will vary. It's all helter skelter (again, Beatles reference). Can't buy me love.

Couldn't resist that last one.

The Mount Saint Mary Broadcast Team is Set

I met my analyst for Mount Saint Mary basketball broadcasts yesterday. Christine Baker graduated from MSM in 1995 and was a co-captain for three of her four years on the Blue Knights. She left the school as the all-time leading scorer (since broken). Since then, Christine has coached basketball, written many articles on the game, and is the author of Why She Plays: The World of Women's Basketball (University of Nebraska Press 2008 www.whysheplays.com).

Christine and I will meet a few more times and get under the headsets for at least one practice run before we get started for real on November 16th.

We'll be introduced at a press conference next week. Pretty cool.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, or even care: I'm not leaving WGCH. Not even close. In fact, don't forget to tune your radios to 1490 (or web browsers to wgch.com) as the Cards play Bridgeport Central tonight. The pregame show starts at 5:50.

And there will be no problems with the audio. I hope.

The First Voice of Mount Saint Mary Basketball

Astute "Exit 55" readers might remember the following from this post:

Lastly, Ken McMillan says that WBNR, WLNA, and WGHQ (known collectively as Hudson Valley Talk Radio - home of the Hudson Valley Renegades) is going to air roughly 25 games of Mount Saint Mary's College basketball. He also mentions that there are more details to be released, including the name of the announcer. That sounds like a developing story to me.

If you know me, then you could probably figure out where this was going.

I'm the announcer.

A few weeks back I received an email out of the blue from Don Verity, my boss at Hudson Valley Talk Radio. Don asked if I was interested in calling games for Mount Saint Mary, and (of course) I said yes. I went to Greenwich's film session that night, keeping the details to myself but chomping at the bit.

Don asked for some audio (done), needed to know that I could make all the games (yes), and picked my brain about how to cover the games (cool). Still he needed to check out other applicants, get the OK and such. Plus I've been down this road before. A couple of times it looked like I would be the Gades voice, but didn't. So whatever. I've had my hopes dashed before.

It took a few weeks, but today was the coronation.

I met with MSMC Director of Athletics John Wright, Associate Director of Athletics Dan Twomey, and Sports Information Director Justin Satkowski today. I couldn't ask for a better welcome. Not only did I receive their blessing, but it's clear that I will be driving the effort with their help. The Mount has never had radio broadcasts before, so I will be the leader to usher in this new era.

We have yet to name an analyst, and it's possible that I may reach into my vast resources to bring some of the great voices that I have worked with for a game or two. This will all be a work in progress.

There is a lot of work to be done, and I am extremely humbled and honored to have this opportunity.

Here is the schedule of the men's games I will be calling, while the women's schedule is here.

I celebrated quietly after the meeting was over, slightly exhausted but thrilled.

Oh, and in the meantime, I still have GHS football (and Brunswick) to call as well.

One last thing: This is not a full-time job. I don't have a full-time job. I know this story (read: lie) has been dished out (I have sources and friends, people!) and am none too pleased about it. That is currently all I have to say about that.

Rob's Bill Gonillo Five - After Five Games

Keeping it brief...announcements to make.

1) New Canaan (5-0, Last Week: 1) - Baty is good. Really good, but...
2) Greenwich (5-0, 2) - Mike Lefflbine is currently the best QB in the FCIAC.
3) Staples (5-0, 3) - Rolling along.
4) Pomperaug (5-0, NR) - OK, I caved. Sean Patrick Bowley convinced me.
5) Masuk (5-0, 4) - Right now, despite what every poll in the state says, Pomperaug strikes me as a touch better.
6) King (4-0, 5) - This was tough. It's not their fault, but it's the level of competition.

Honestly, the bottom three could change at a moments notice.

Jim Nantz and the Disaster That is Divorce

I didn't know that Jim Natz was going through a messy divorce. The Connecticut Post has the details.

Apparently Lorrie Nantz didn't support her husband's career, yet they stood and held each other, sobbing, in the lobby of the courthouse.

Love stinks sometimes, doesn't it?

Colin Dunster's Punt Return

From Friday night's Greenwich/Trumbull game, here is Colin Dunster, taking a punt back 79 yards (I had it as 80, but MSG disagreed).


Just imagine if I could have put my radio call with it. Oh, never mind.

Congrats to Ray Parry and the Parry Family

Tim Parry's father, Ray Parry, is being inducted into Western Connecticut State University’s Athletic Hall of Fame next Friday night.

Tim wants the world to know. I don't blame him; I'd want to shout to the world as well. I was as proud of my Pop as anyone, and still am.

Tim's a good guy and though I've never met his dad, I can only imagine that Mr. Parry is a first-rate man. Congratulations to him, and to the Parry family.

Wild High School Football Plays (With VIDEO)

Good friend Mick sent this along (video posted below) and it has been a big story. Always play to the whistle, kids.


Deadspin posted that video and more.


No heartbreaking losses in my view this weekend, but heartbreaking problems on the air. Friday night's Greenwich/Trumbull broadcast was marred by horrible cell phone signals (BOO Trumbull!) that I thought we had resolved when I volunteered my phone to save us. Apparently even my Verizon service wasn't enough to help us power the broadcast.

On Saturday, we literally seconds away from canceling our broadcast of Rye-Harrison. We opened the broadcast with horrible feedback and sound and there was no way we could continue with it. Plus our vantage point gave us a view of part of the field (thanks to Chris Erway for bailing us out, a la Nick Angotta circa 2007). Once again, dicey cell phone signals had me reaching for my own phone. Thanks to an assist from an off-duty Bob Small, we were able to find the right mix that kept us on the air with a usable signal and decent sound. The result was a broadcast that I am very proud, under the circumstances.

Somebody Just Tried to Spam the Blog!

The title says it all.

*sigh*

That's actually a first here. Oh well.

Alexander The Great

Memo to the A-Rod haters: Zip it. Stick it. Shut it.

I don't want to to hear the "not clutch" crap anymore. You all find any reason - like the "crash" into home plate the other night - to get on the guy. Yet he has been monstrous this postseason and he did it again last night.

Want to rip him for the 'roids? Fine - and rock on. He deserves it but remember, he's on a list that was supposed to remain private. The majority of that list has stayed a secret but, because of the A-Rod haters, his name got out.

Whatever. He's among the best players ever, and he's now becoming a huge postseason performer.

So shut up.

Walkway Over The Hudson (With VIDEO)

My brother sent this video along. It's all about the Poughkeepsie rail bridge, which has now been converted into the Walkway Over the Hudson. I'm looking forward to walking it - sooner rather than later - as I was a proponent of this project.

The bridge had sat there as an eyesore since a fire damaged it in 1974. I can remember seeing it as we drove up and down US Route 9, which passes below it. So to see this historical structure saved and utilized as parkland is really cool.

Here's the video, and as a reminder for our Facebook friends: visit the blog at http://steelyankee.blogspot.com. Videos that I post here don't translate from the bloggo to Facebook.

Have You Ever Seen The Rain (and Snow)? I Have!

If you're in the Northeast, you probably know that the weather is less than ideal. It's cold and it's either raining or snowing (it's snowing here right now).

Yet football, the last I checked, is a violent game played in any conditions - right?

So then why are games getting postponed? I'm already hearing rumors about various games moving from tonight (or tomorrow) to Sunday and even Monday. Why?

Look, unless the conditions are dangerous (like icy roads or lightning), PLAY! Is this a result of our over-litigious society? What is the rationale?

Is it fun to call games in bad weather for us if, GOD FORBID, we're outside (see: last Friday at Danbury)? No, of course it's not, but it comes with the territory.

Again, unless there's a legitimate reason, I say game on!

A few years back, after a heavy rain, we were scheduled to do a game in Harrison. We drove to Feeley Field to find nobody there. Eventually we found out that the game had been postponed. We went to Port Chester to try to do a game there instead and found the same result. Not a fun waste of gas money!

For the record, I've heard nothing about either of the games that we are scheduled to call on WGCH this weekend (Greenwich/Trumbull and Rye/Harrison). So check your local listings and stay tuned.

They're BACK...Briefly

This doesn't surprise me. I think eventually, if the egos settle down (and both sides are failing), Mike and the Mad Dog will reunite.

But for today only, Mike will visit the Mad Dog...and vice versa. They were the best ever when they were together.

Here's Fang's Bites with the details.

This is What The Bruins Need (with VIDEO)

This kid is nine. Wow.

Sean Adams will begin skating practice today (no, not really, but I can dream).

It Starts Tonight (With VIDEO)

A "Rule 55" for you...and an opportunity to get fired up for the American League Championship Series, beginning tonight (weather permitting) at Yankee Stadium.

There's a video here. Enjoy.

Why Does TV Have To Be So Dumb Sometimes?

I've been meaning to bring this up.

In the ALDS Game 1, Derek Jeter hit a two-run homer to tie the game up. As you might recall, I was there for the game. So thus I got to watch as a TBS cameraman jumped onto the field to follow Jeter as he came around third and scored.

I was reminded of that now as Manny Ramirez was being, well, Manny. Another epic clutch home run to bring the Dodgers back to trailing by a run, 5-4.

So the question: do you like this? Do you notice it? Or is it just another thing where some TV exec thought it was a good idea and nobody cares about it?

In other words - dumb and unnecessary.

More on Broadcast Space

Never have I had a year in which booth space has been so hard to get. We snuggled into Boyle Stadium thanks to the presence of the TV crew from MSG Varsity (who has a reputation for acting like they own every place they set up - though they have all been very cool with me, so I have no beef).

At Danbury, the school has their own TV crew, so there was no room for us in the booth at Crotty Stadium. Thus - in the rain - we stood outside. The staff was nice enough to get us a table and chairs. Then GHS assistant coach TJ Ostruzka gave us his rain suit to cover the equipment with. The Cardinals' first family of film, George and Nancy Chelwick, got umbrellas for us. Then - the biggest gift of all - the GHS Quarterback Club grabbed a shell that they put up over us. To be honest, WGCH should have one of our own for this very reason.

I mean, call me crazy, but we only have a bunch of electronic equipment, and some of it is very old. We probably should be protecting it.

So in the end, we got by at Danbury just fine thanks to the cooperation of a lot of people, and our own good sense of humor and survival.

And by the way, the Danbury staff has some of the nicest people I have come across. All class acts.

Now comes Trumbull's McDougall Stadium - not my favorite place to call a game. Lousy cell phone signal...wooden press box...leaky...and so on.

And MSG Varsity will be there.

AAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!

If they're going to do this, could they at least give me the channel, or access to their website?

I'm told (thanks to Nick ~F.O.X.~) that we have space and we'll be fine. We will see...

Next week? Bridgeport's Kennedy Stadium. Another adventure undoubtedly awaits! And that's it until Thanksgiving morning, because we'll be back at home sweet home - Cardinal Stadium. We'll be at Staples for the last game of the year on turkey day, and they have their own radio team. We might be outside that day.

Don't get me wrong - that doesn't bother me too much, especially if the weather isn't an issue.

We'll also be heading to Brunswick's Cosby Field (shouldn't be a problem) and Hopkins in New Haven (that might be interesting, but we'll see).

It's never dull, that's for sure!

More Football - Rye vs. Harrison

Once again, WGCH will carry the Rye/Harrison game in New York. This is going to be the fifth time that I will have called "The Game" and the sixth overall.

But I have something that is grinding my gears, and I don't get it.

Why, exactly, is there such a rough reception whenever we cover this? I would think schools would be pleased that their programs - their KIDS - are getting such attention. We never come to hurt or harm, and goodness knows we don't bring an agenda.

So why the big chill?

I will say this, but won't get into further details - one person was nice enough to say that they will try to work with us, but also thought we were a TV station.

It has been an effort to get sufficient space to cover this game every year. The last two times we worked at Feeley Field in Harrison, we stood inside of Harrison Ave. Elementary School - hardly ideal conditions because we can barely see the field. It's very likely that I will call the game - get this - from field level, on the sideline, with some combination of Sean Kilkelly, Chris Erway, Chris Kaelin, and Nick ~F.O.X.~ standing inside the school.

We're honestly not sure yet, and something tells me we won't be sure until about 1:00 on Saturday.

We get very little press about our coverage also.

As always, we'll make the best of it. Pregame show at 1:50 Saturday afternoon.

Thoughts - Greenwich at Trumbull

As the so-called "Voice" of the Cardinals, or my new nickname "Captain Greenwich" (courtesy of Chris Erway), I am not really fond of making predictions involving the team that I cover.

Tim Parry, both on Facebook, and on the FCIAC Football Blog, wrote that he believes Greenwich will fall at Trumbull tomorrow night. He writes:

Greenwich is ranked something like third in every state poll, and they have walked all over teams with a combined 2-14 record (I’ll credit Sean Patrick Bowley of Hearst Connecticut for coming up with that stat first). Trumbull shuts down a Central team that had averaged 47 points per game, and still can’t crack the Top 10, even though the Eagles have pitched three consecutive shutouts.

Yet all I’m hearing is that Greenwich is going to run away with this one?

As someone posted in the comments last week, never bet against Trumbull at home. Last week I did, and boy was I wrong. As someone else keeps posting, Greenwich quarterback Mike Lefflbine has only played in the first half of his team’s games so far. And that tells me even more about who to take.

The Bird to Fear is the Eagle: I’m going with battle-tested Trumbull in this one.

I'm not here to tell you that he's wrong. All I can do is make a case for Greenwich, because I have seen every minute of every game. First, I have been pretty consistent with voting for Trumbull weekly on the Bill Gonillo Five, so I have a very healthy respect for coach Bob Maffei's troops.

So let's start with that strength of schedule thing. Greenwich has taken on Norwalk (beat them 35-14, and the Bears are 1-3), Stamford (41-7, 0-4), Harding (41-0, 0-4), and Danbury (47-6, 1-3). So yes, that's a combined 2-14. And for the record, Norwalk and Danbury both scored "garbage time" touchdowns, while Stamford ran back the opening kickoff for a score. In other words, the first-team defense has yet to be scored on.

As for Trumbull, they've faced the offensive juggernaut Wilton (13-7, 0-4), Westhill (35-0, 1-3), Norwalk (26-0, 1-3) and yes, they blasted Bridgeport Central with all second-half points (21-0, 3-1). That makes for 5-11 total among those opponents. I don't see that as a huge difference. Now, for the record, exactly who has Central beaten? Ludlowe (1-3), Bassick (1-3), and Danbury (1-3). So I think we can take the strength of schedule and throw that out.

I know of one person who thinks Greenwich will run away with this one. One. Others think it will be a close game. I don't have a bigger sample.

And Mike Lefflbine (and the first-team offense) has started the third quarter of each game. True, most of the starters were gone by the end of the quarter. The accurate thing to say is that Lefflbine and company has yet to finish a game. I suspect he will be out there for four quarters tomorrow night.

Look, it's not my job to pick games. Tim has the "marbles" to do so, and I appreciate that he does so with an unbiased eye. Let me tell you the simple reason to give Greenwich a strong chance to win:

Trumbull hasn't seen an offense like Greenwich's yet. By the same token, GHS hasn't seen a defense like THS.

Yet Greenwich is not only going to come at the Eagles with Lefflbine, but with Mike Dunster, who is emerging as the feature back, with Camryn Ferrara a threat to both run it and catch it. And Peter Cavini will gladly run somebody over. Then there are the receivers - PJ Schwabe, Evan Kavanagh, Jack Zimmerman, David Josephson, etc. Up front, the Cardinals have plenty of beef, with James Utton anchoring line at center, and monstrous play from Nic Longo, as well as Anthony Scheppis, Jason Zivic, and Jeff Wilson.

Defensively, this group has played pretty well, as I mentioned. Jonathan Root (it was Jon, but it was requested that we call him "Jonathan"), Schepis, and Jim Barrett work up front, with Ben Ceci, Schwabe, Michael LeRose and others. Ferrara and the Colins (Bawol and Dunster) are part of the secondary.

I love the play of Colin Bawol. Somebody with talent and a huge heart on the field. And a great family (I'll admit his mom has become a favorite of mine, along with the mothers of James Utton and Mike Lefflbine). It's another special group at GHS.

So, long story short, what am I saying? I'm not predicting a Greenwich win or loss. I'm just making the case - on paper - for the Cardinals to take care of business.

Incidentally, Lefflbine has the chance to ascend to the throne of best quarterback in the FCIAC tomorrow night. Let's see if that comes to be.

Either way, I'll be behind the mic tomorrow night at McDougall Stadium for the call. Our pregame show begins at 6:50 on WGCH.

Well Hi Friends, and A Very Pleasant Good Evening To You, Wherever You May Be

"It's time for Dodgers baseball."

That's probably the way the great Scully opened the broadcast tonight at Chavez Ravine. Hopefully he asked you to "pull up a chair" somewhere along the line tonight also.

I'm writing that as a nod - not only to Vin - but to Chris Erway, who quoted me in his latest post about Notre Dame over at ISportsWeb:

Even though I am a fan of the Irish, a wise man once told me that when making predictions you want to pick with your heart, but in reality you must always choose with your head.

That wise man would be me - who thinks the Yankees will fall in seven. I'm hoping the Yankees win in six, but am preparing for the worst.

Anyway, thanks Chris. That was pretty cool.

So About That Richmond Team

Two Notes:

1) It's Flying Squirrels.

and

2) I won't be their broadcaster.

I inquired about the job. They didn't respond. That is all. Carry on now.

Richmond Eliminates a Team Name

I didn't know that "Hambone" could be considered offensive.

From the Richmond Times Dispatch:

The hambone is the foot-stomping, hand-clapping, thigh-slapping dance brought here by enslaved West Africans and later performed at minstrel shows.

That takes care of that.

Bill Gonillo Five - After Week Four

No surprise - it's still New Canaan atop the BG Five - by a lot.

Team First - Points - Last
1) New Canaan Rams - 13 - 152 - 1
2) Greenwich Cardinals - 2 - 113 - 2
3) Staples Wreckers - 0 - 77 - 3
4) Masuk Panthers - 1 - 52 - 4
5) Pomperaug Panthers - 0 - 32 NR

Also receiving votes: Trumbull 31, St. Joseph 17, King 16, Newtown 6.

It also looks like most of the pretenders are gone, and those who were hitting the wrong button in the voting process (including me!) have pulled it together. It further looks like nobody believes in King, or doesn't know anything about them.

Strongbad's Radio Suggestions (With VIDEO)

For those of us in radio, this needs no further comment. We've lived this.

Facial Hair and Other Middle of the Night Ramblings

It's 4:21 AM as I begin typing on this Tuesday morning, and I'm listening to the rain. It's also cold in the house (my nose is like ice) but I will not be turning on the heat anytime soon. Heat=money...and of course, there are various axis of evil that need some of that green stuff first.

Fred the erstwhile cat is here also. Though down in weight, and not exactly full of life, he still sends his love to the blogosphere. He's fighting the good fight.

And he's back to sleep.

So a prevailing theory of late is that women (especially women in my age bracket) prefer facial hair. Not of the "mountain man" variety, but of a couple day's growth. I'm being encouraged to grow it out - at least until this Friday's Greenwich/Trumbull tilt.

Yeah, because I'm going to walk out of McDougall Stadium with a date. Riiiiight.

A 40 year-old overweight sports broadcaster with little income and a cholesterol level that makes a nice batting average is just that - regardless of facial hair.

I used to once be a popular sort among the fairer gender. I guess I still am - in that "gee, he's such a super-nice guy" way. You know: a friend.

Or I'm a psycho on the rebound (PLEASE NOTE: NOT TRUE).

Ah to say more would mean to look "Rule 55" square in the eye and - by the beard of Zeus! - that's gotten me in trouble before as well.

By the way, I have very little patience. Oh I can be patient, but there are just some things that drive me bonkers. That is a current state. Just sayin'.

These are supposedly the Most Annoying Songs of All Time! I didn't see "Jack and Diane" on it, so it's not a legit list to me.

I sort of know how the folks at WFAN feel. They moved from their dumpy studios in Queens to fancy new digs in Manhattan. That's how I felt when WGCH left our longtime home.

I thought I had more links, but that is all for now. I suppose I will try to get another hour or so of sleep, then begin another scintillating day. Rock on, y'all!

Rob's Bill Gonillo Five After Week Four

1) New Canaan (4-0, Last Week: 1) Marinelli over Dellavolpe. Warde's not quite prime-time yet.
2) Greenwich (4-0, 2) - Finally a test - This Friday at Trumbull...live on WGCH.
3) Staples (4-0, 3) - Beat Westhill.
4) Masuk (4-0, 4) - I'll continue to ride them, after beating Notre Dame-Fairfield.
5) King (3-0, 5) - It's not their fault that they had a bye. It doesn't mean I have to like it though.
6) Trumbull (4-0, 6) - This should put the Bridgeport Central talk to rest for now, though I'll see the Hilltoppers next week.

The Babe in Video

Babe Ruth graced baseball fields from 1914-1935, and very little footage exists of him in action. Oh sure, you've seen some grainy films of one thing or another, but now some new footage has come to light. The New York Times has more on this tremendous find.

You can also see it here.

Lou Gehrig also appears in the silent video, along with shots of Yankee Stadium.

Don't Understimate Kids

We rip the current generation all the time. So with that in mind, have a look at this story from The News-Enterprise of Hardin County, Kentucky - written by Col. Rick Schwartz.

(B)oth teams turned and faced the flag and stood ready for the national anthem. After a brief pause, the announcer came on and said he had misplaced the CD and that we would just skip the national anthem and get on with the game.

North Hardin broke from its formation and quickly assumed positions on the field. The referees took off at a slow jog to take their positions. Fort Knox didn’t move. Instead, the Eagles all came together in a mass, continued to face the flag, placed their hands over their hearts and started to sing the national anthem.

Powerful stuff. I've seen this happen at various sites, and the protocol had often been for the PA announcer to do the Pledge of Allegiance, or even sing the anthem. Never have I heard of this. Kudos to the Fort Knox players.

However I do have to knock some of people who commented on this. Why do they have to be such dolts? Look, what Fort Knox did was brilliant. With that in mind, why do some have to take a swipe at the North Hardin kids? So they didn't have the foresight to start singing the anthem. Does that make them bad, or worthy of scorn? Please stop. They did the right thing and stood at attention when appropriate. Let it go at that.

More Chip Caray Bashing (with a nod to Me!)

Richard Sandomir writes about sports media and other items in the New York Times. On Thursday, he aimed some very fair criticism at postseason baseball's official whipping boy, Chip Caray. There's a very pertinent passage in the column:

No one in the production truck could rescue him from his 10th-inning classic faux pas during the Twins-Tigers tie breaker Tuesday night. Caray called the Twins’ Nick Punto’s sharply hit liner to left field this way: “Line drive. Base hit. Caught out there. The runner tags. Throw to the plate. On target. And in time! A double play.”

My ears quivered in amazement at hearing a very obvious lineout called a single as smoothly as Caray did.

It’s baseball, as never taught by Prof. Vin Scully.

Let's examine that line about Vin Scully. There's a link attached to it. Go ahead - click on it. Check out the Artist/Composer: yep...that's me.

Nice to see the link posted (and no, I'm not offended that my name isn't mentioned). It's not the first time I've seen people post a link to that.

So I got mentioned on the Times, just not by name. That's OK.

The audio is embedded here as well for your enjoyment.

Expressing Some Well-Known Frustration

Tim Parry decided he was mad as hell and so on. So he said what needed to be said about the lack of rosters, stats, and other high school football information. He even mentioned WGCH, correctly:

Several news outlets cover your teams, including a few that do live broadcasts. Without stats, their broadcasts contain little color. I can only imaging how the WGCH-AM crew managed doing the Harding-Greenwich game the other day with no info on Harding, other than facts like “they wear blue helmets.” Plus, the media will go to some games and be told there are no rosters. So on deadline, they’re coming up with random names in hopes calls from angry parents don’t come it.

Incidentally, thanks to assistant coach Matt Hamilton, Greenwich's MaxPreps page has stats!

Tim is absolutely right. Recently, a fellow broadcaster asked me about game prep. Before I could begin to laugh, which I did, he said, "Oh, right. High School football. You're often lucky if you have a roster by kickoff."

I've seen broadcasters who have elaborate spotting boards, or these handwritten manila folders, packed with info. I don't have that luxury. Even with Greenwich, despite my amazingly good relationship with them, I don't always know the starters until they take the field. It's not like basketball, where they're required to be in the scorebook.

I used to call schools to request a roster. Sometimes, it was like I had asked for their playbook. So if you don't want to fax it to me, or email it, why not just put it online?

To that end, Matt Hamilton (and Ricky Fritsch, for that matter) can tell you about the time that we didn't get a football roster until one minute before airtime. The thing was, though, it was the public address announcer's copy. So as I opened the broadcast, Matt wrote the whole thing out - longhand. That is the worst-case scenario.

Then there's the classic case of a player who isn't listed on the roster, or the player who changed his number. We just do our best to even not mention the player, or refer to him (or her) by their number, as we scramble to find out who they really are.

And another of my favorites - the roster that isn't in numerical order! Always fun to call a game with.

We're fortunate that Greenwich fans, players, coaches, and families are happy to assist when necessary. Of course, stats are a whole different story. That's why I'm so grateful to Matt for his hard work. Of course, as Vin Scully has said:

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

Too many announcers worry too much about stats. It's the little things that make a broadcast better. I like the stories, when available.

Is it really that hard to post a roster and stats, heaven forbid a little tidbit about the players or the team? There has to be an assistant coach, a student, a parent - SOMEBODY - who would be willing to do these things. It takes a village sometimes!

Thursday Night Linky Dinks

Lots to look at tonight...

Pete Dougherty discusses something I noticed earlier today - that Chris Berman (along with Jon Sciambi and others) call a radio game using a TV style. In other words - no detail. Was there a memo from ESPN Radio saying that?

While I'm on that topic, you would think it wouldn't be a struggle to find postseason baseball games in metro-New York, right? Well it was - at least with the two Phillies/Rockies games. Because 1050 ESPN had the "Michael Kay Show" on (which keeps getting better all the time), the Phils and Rocks weren't on. Or were they? I found them - on 970 AM in New York.

Richard Dietsch takes on Chip Caray and other media topics.

And if you're wondering what "Twitter Nation" thinks of the Chipster, well Deadspin happily answers that (oh, and it's kind NSFW).

At the other end of the spectrum is Mr. Scully. That is all.

They haven't quite figured out a team name in Richmond. The original five finalists haven't overwhelmed. Personally, I came up with "Monuments" because of the city's gorgeous Monument Ave. I had some other names, having nothing to do with baseball that I mentioned to Jon from R-VA. He was amused, albeit mildly.

Speaking of Jon, our mutual friend Jeff Terranova, is quoted in this article regarding the status of radio station WHNU. There's also a picture of Jeff, Jon's band mate from Up Front, who has been a friend of mine since the early 80's. Ah...Action Park...memories.

I just noticed Up Front has a Wikpedia page! I've thought about making one for me, but figured that nobody cares.

Tim Parry spoke with Conor Hanratty, who is a junior playing at New Canaan. Two reasons I'm interested in this...A) the Rams come to Cardinal Stadium in November, and B) Conor's dad won two Super Bowl rings backing up Terry Bradshaw in Pittsburgh.

Some movie franchises will not die. National Lampoon's Vacation is one of them. Rusty Griswold will now take center stage. (via Stuck in the 80's)

Joe Posnanski received the Greatest Thing Ever. I think it's pretty cool.

In case you had any doubt, the Yankees are America's Team. Duh.

Lastly, Ken McMillan says that WBNR, WLNA, and WGHQ (known collectively as Hudson Valley Talk Radio - home of the Hudson Valley Renegades) is going to air roughly 25 games of Mount Saint Mary's College basketball. He also mentions that there are more details to be released, including the name of the announcer. That sounds like a developing story to me.

Ever Feel Like This? (With VIDEO)

So cousin Kris and I are just minding our business, preparing to leave Yankee Stadium when we notice members of the NYPD scuffling with a patron. Let's just say it quickly escalated. As I watched from the other side of a concession stand, all I could hear was a loud THUMP! immediately followed by the rattling of a door. Before I knew it, cousin Kris noticed the patron's friend putting his hand on one of the members of the NYPD. In my head, I heard Mills Lane saying "Let's get it on!"

Actually Kris calmed the friend down and kept him from visiting central booking, so kudos to him. Then there was the fan filming it all, much to the dismay of a Yankee Stadium security member, who told him basically to knock it off. The fan stood his ground, holding the camera, saying "I'm not doing anything. I'm not doing anything."

Oh, how I pray this all hits YouTube!

For me, I was an observer...so long as nothing happened to Kris. But when one other fan put a hand on me to move by, I have to admit...for a nanosecond...that I began to feel the blood pressure rising. It quickly passed.

I know, it seems like a blight on a great night (Yankees won 7-2, lead the ALDS one game to none) but, truth be told, Kris and I laughed hysterically all the way out to the car. That's where we started quoting "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", thinking about the whole part where Ron tells Brick to "lay low for a while, because you're probably wanted for murder."

Sadly, I couldn't find any video of that scene.

Yep, it escalated quickly. Then again, Kris and I can find humor in anything.

Ya Got Yer Judy Chop...(With VIDEO)

A good ol' redneck Rule 55 to start yer day. Great stuff. Thanks to Kris for pointing this out.

Bill Gonillo Five Results After Week Three

The BG Five is up, and New Canaan still rules.

Rank - Team - First - Points - Last
1 - New Canaan Rams 13 154 1
2 - Greenwich Cardinals 2 98 2
3 - Staples Wreckers 1 92 4
4 - Masuk Panthers 0 66 3
5 - St. Joseph Cadets 0 20 NR

Also receiving votes: Trumbull 19, Bridgeport Central 14, King 14, Pomperaug 11, Fairfield Warde 3, Newtown 3.

Thanks to Tim Parry for bailing me out of a hanging chad incident. I now have my answer - pay close attention when voting!

The Chip Caray Call (with VIDEO)

I'm sure this won't be up for long, so watch it while you can, before the meanies at Major League Baseball take it down. This just might be discussed on "The Press Box" today.

I don't know Chip Caray, and I have know idea how he feels, but it would bother me for a long time if I botched a call like this.

Thanks to Awful Announcing for finding the video.

Big Ben on "RAW" (With VIDEO)

OK, OK, OK. You might know I'm not much of a wrestling fan, but I have to admit, I watched this video of Ben Roethlisberger serving as the guest host for "Monday Night RAW" and it made me chuckle. It was well-done by the Big Ben, the Steelers' offensive line, and the various WWE personalities.

So I have two words for you...WATCH IT! (I know, you thought I was going to say something else, jabronie).

Story from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review here.

Consider this your "Rule 55/Hell Freezes Over" moment. I've got news to report but can't make it official yet. No, it's not a full-time job or anything that will make me rich, but it's nice news.

The Yankees Finally Know Who They're Playing

It will be the Twins coming to The Bronx tomorrow night, following a truly great baseball game in Minnesota. It took 12 innings for the Twins to get a 6-5 walk off win.

I can't let one thing go, and that would be the performance of Chip Caray, the lead voice for TBS. I've been a "Chip Critic" for over a decade, and tonight did nothing to ease my pain. He's almost like "Gus Johnson Lite." He gets so fired up that he loses his head and, apparently, the basics of the call.

And we're stuck listening to him in New York for the Yankees and Twins. The good news for me? I'll be there tomorrow night, so I won't have to listen!

Nice touch by the Twins, who are taking a victory lap in the final regular season game at the (now) Mall of America Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. But back to Chipper, who made a mistake that all broadcast critics will be talking about...

Bottom of the tenth inning. The Twins have just tied the game up on a Matt Tolbert single. Alexi Casilla advanced to third, bringing Nick Punto to the plate. Punto lined hard to left fielder Ryan Raburn. But Chip was a little ahead of himself:

"LINE DRIVE...BASE HIT! CAUGHT!"

He then went on the describe how it was not only a base hit but a double play, as Casilla was thrown out at the plate!

Somebody was quick enough to take a stab at Chip.

*sigh*

Let the playoffs officially begin!

Naming the Richmond Team

The Richmond Professional Baseball Organziation has received many suggestions for the name of the new AA baseball team coming to Virginia in 2010. They've been whittled down to the final five. From the Richmond Times-Dispatch's John O'Connor:

The Richmond team will adopt one of those names, all offered by the public in a name-the-team contest. The winner will be announced by Oct. 15. The franchise encourages online voting for one of the final five. The choice of the front office will be influenced by public input, according to Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Todd Parnell, but the winner will not necessarily be the top vote-getter.

The franchise's front office liked the five finalists for these reasons, according to Parnell:

Flatheads: a kind of catfish commonly found in the James River.
Flying Squirrels: soar in Virginia.
Hambones: paying homage to Virginia ham.
Rock Hoppers: people or animals on river rocks.
Rhinos: alliteration featuring a powerful image.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a ballot in case you want to vote on this pressing issue. Personally I have no dog in the fight. Best of luck.

Thanks to Tim Parry for passing this to me.

Bill Gonillo Five - After Three Games

Before I give you my BG Five (six), let me first say that it was a pleasure to be a part of the Step Out for Diabetes walk at New Canaan High School this morning. Tim Parry works so hard to promote this cause, which has had an impact on his life. His dad has been afflicted with diabetes and, of course, we all lost a colleague, the aforementioned late Bill Gonillo.

My mother is also dealing with diabetes as well.

The walk gave me an opportunity to speak with New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli, who I had never met before today. Yes, that's right, I've been broadcasting Greenwich games since 2000 and had never spoken to Coach Marinelli. The simple explanation is the time constraints that we have at the high school level. I like to visit with coaches before a game on the field, but when you are your own engineer and such, it can be difficult.

Matt Levine from WSTC/WNLK was also at the walk, so we had a chance to catch up. Matt's a good dude, and I hope we have a chance to work together in the future. We're friends, not rivals.

OK, to the BG Five.
1) New Canaan (Last Week: 1) - They need an opponent.
2) Greenwich (2) - They also need an opponent. Watch for Friday, 10/16 at Trumbull.
3) Staples (5) - OK, they're back. They looked great in blasting Ridgefield.
4) Masuk (3) - I'll leave them at three, though they haven't overwhelmed me. It's a question of which Panther from the SWC that I like more? Masuk or Pomperaug? Right now, I'll take Masuk.
5) King (4) - Survived Brunswick. Check out what Mike Quick had to say about the Vikings in Sean Patrick Bowley's column. By the way, is this a down year in Connecticut? It just might be.
6) Trumbull (6) - With Ridgefield losing, this becomes easy. I'll leave the Eagles here. The defense has allowed seven points in three games.

Honorable Mentions: Pomperaug and St. Joseph are both sitting here, waiting to ascend to the top six.

The Playoffs Are Coming!

Before the post-season really commences, let's have a play-in game! The Tigers and Twins will meet for one game, in Minnesota on Tuesday. Winner heads to New York, loser heads to the golf course.

Incidentally, the game would have been tomorrow, but the Vikings and Packers are scheduled to play in Minnesota, and Roger Goodell is the big school yard bully. Then again, the NFL had first dibs on the Dome.

Reports indicate that the Yankees will open the American League Division Series on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. Game time will be 6:00.

Instant Karma (With VIDEO!)

John Lennon's birthday is coming up. That's a good enough reason to post my favorite song of his solo career. Fang's Bites has some more solo Beatles' tunes.

And consider this a "Rule 55", just because. Doesn't seem to have an impact anyway.

Cards Win...Yawn

So as expected, Greenwich went out and smoked Harding today, 41-0 on Homecoming at Cardinal Stadium. Mike Lefflbine threw five touchdowns, which has to be a school record, but I don't know that for sure.

Still, was there any joy in this? It was 7-0 quickly, as the Cardinal QB found a wide open Peter Cavini for a long score. The Cardinals looked like they could almost score at will, and might have if they were allowed to. Then there were the penalties - all twenty-plus. By halftime, the Cards led 28-0. In reality, the flags could have been put away and the clock could have been run out. It was that bad.

Rain dampened the smaller-than-usual Homecoming throng and many of those folks were gone by halftime. In fact, the Greenwich Marching Band was soon gone as well - leaving just two brave souls who stuck around from the band to play the traditional "Rockin' Robin" for the alumni cheerleaders.

I can't see where this can possibly be a good thing. The Cardinals have never lost to the Presidents - dating back to 1972. In the "Coach Al" era, Greenwich is now 10-0, and each game has been a blowout.

On the postgame show, I asked the assembled crew - Sean Kilkelly, Nick Fox, and Chris Kaelin - if the Cardinals can take anything away from this game, or do they just move forward. I'm sure coaches will tell me that there are a few things that they got out of it, but I have to say that I'm just content to take this effort and move on to Danbury next Friday night at Crotty Stadium. We'll start our coverage with the pregame show at 6:50 on WGCH.

I'm Ready For Hockey (with VIDEO)

Let's jump in the Wayback Machine (driven by Jeep) and head back to 1994. Magic. Good times.

Wow. It still gives me chills. It should have been the moment that hockey jumped into the stratosphere, but it didn't for various reasons. That deserves a *sigh*.

It also was the high point for those Rangers.

The biggest thing I remember after that game was driving home from my friend Scott's house and thinking about what it would be like if the Yankees won. They were in the mix to win it all in 1994 until the horrible selfishness of baseball. It would be two years before nirvana reached The Bronx - a night I will never forget. I'm hoping the Yankees give Sean that first night this October.

Hockey dropped the puck tonight. I hope they can carry the momentum from the white-knuckle post-season of 2009 and carry more fans into the 09-10 season. Of course it will be somewhat in the background as baseball resolves its year, but here's to a great season.

So Who Do You Want On Your Broadcast?

Neil Best has the announcing pairs for the division series on TBS. Here are your choices:

Chip Caray/Ron Darling
Don Orsillo/Buck Martinez
Dick Stockton/Bob Brenly
Brian Anderson/Joe Simpson

Folks, you tell me. Personally, I'd like it to be Brian Anderson and Joe Simpson, mostly because Brian (now the TV voice of the Milwaukee Brewers) gave me feedback on my play-by-play once and gave me a very favorable review. Plus he's a good broadcasters.

Yet we're stuck with Chip Caray (I just don't get it) and Ron Darling calling Yankees-Tigers/Twins. This is supposedly TBS's "A" team. I'd rather Phil Giubileo and I call it first.

Phil is the voice of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and was on "The Press Box" today. Plus he's called baseball before, as have I. That qualifies us.

Happy October! (With VIDEO)

Enjoy. This is your official "Rule 55" welcome to October - the month that I hope will, at the very least, give us the Yankees' 27th World Championship, along with other kibbles and bits. Plus I've got some things grinding my gears tonight, so the "Rule 55" is apropos.

Play-by-Play Warbles

Ripping John Sterling is like ripping the Mets: we all do it, but it's just too easy.

Oh, by the way, nice work yesterday, K-Rod. Make sure you listen to the play-by-play courtesy of NASN. Yeah, Hall of Fame-worthy work there.

The home office for analyzing the work of the aforementioned John Sterling is here, and it's quite humorous. The fever has stretched its appeal and now Joe DeLessio at New York Magazine will be breaking down Jawn's (so pronounced by Suzyn Waldman) performance. It begins with a look at his "warble" to end the American League East, which I have posted below.

It's OK, but it's not vintage Sterling.

Staying on topic of ripping John ('cause, you know, the "voice" of the Yankees is held to a higher standard), let's move across the country to Seattle. Shannon Drayer brings us this nugget as former Yankee and Mariner Mike Blowers gets into the prediction business.

Hysterical stuff. We played it on "The Press Box" yesterday.

So did you listen to the play-by-play by longtime "voice" of the M's Dave Niehaus? Mr. Niehaus has been screaming "FLY AWAY!!" and "MY OH MY!!" for over 30 years and won the Ford Frick Award from the Hall of Fame. They love him in Seattle.

Again: we rip John Sterling but what Dave Niehaus does is OK? Isn't it a little hypocritical?

One last thing. John Sterling has enhanced the English language. Think about it: the word "THE" has always been this plain, boring, one-syllable word. Now, thanks to John, it's has new life with multi-syllables! "Theuhuhuhuhuh pitch..."