Dave Collins Interview

Another great broadcasting interview with Dave Collins has been blessed upon us here at PBP Stories for you to check out below. Be sure to follow Dave and his adventures in radio on twitter at @DMCbroadcasting.

How long have you been in broadcasting?

I started my radio broadcasting career after graduating from The University of Colorado in 2004.  I’m about to begin my 10th year at KSID Radio in Sidney this October.

When did you know it was what you wanted to do?
I’ve always known that I wanted a career in sports and as I got older and watched more and more games on TV, I really began to consider play-by-play and sportscasting as a career.  

How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?
It depends on the game, but preparation is absolutely vital to the success of a game broadcast.  My current job includes news, sports, afternoon DJ work, voice production and maintaining content on our station website along with game preparation and play-by-play so I simply fit in as much as possible, including nights and weekends.  Several hours go in to each football game, less for basketball, volleyball and baseball but it helps once you’ve seen a team before to focus on the details that help push a broadcast from good to great.  If I were in a situation where PxP was my only major assignment I’d treat it like a full-time job in terms of preparation leading up to the broadcast.

What sports do you currently broadcast?
High school football, basketball, volleyball and baseball (American Legion Baseball)

You’re closing in on 1,000 career broadcasts and have been honored with quite a few  awards, how do you put those in perspective when you look at your career?

Being honored and recognized is a nice validation of the hard work and time that goes in to making a quality broadcast happen.  Even more important to me though is having my PxP peers at the college level give me feedback – positive and negative – so that I can continue to become better at the craft.  The most endearing comments I’ve received come from Colorado Buffaloes broadcaster Larry Zimmer who was a professor of mine at CU and remains a friend to this day.  I grew up in Denver listening to his work with the Broncos and Buffs and he was always my hero in the business.  Having him be proud of my work and support my play-by-play is easily among the greatest achievements in my lifetime.  Also, I get so much more satisfaction out of a parent, fan or student-athlete coming up to me and saying they enjoyed the call, or telling me their “grandparents were listening tonight in Arizona on the Internet stream.”  Knowing that I’m in a position to bring some happiness and enjoyment to others’ lives through game broadcasts is extremely satisfying.

Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting?
In addition to Zimmer, other voices that I admire in the business include Gene Deckerhoff of Florida State, Dave Koehn of Virginia, Greg Sharpe of Nebraska, Vin Scully of the Dodgers and Jerry Howarth of the Blue Jays.  Brad Nessler is an outstanding TV PxP guy.  I simply love listening to games across satellite radio when I travel and am always listening for new phrasing and descriptive words to add to my vocabulary for Nebraska high school broadcasts.

I saw on your website (www.davecollinsbroadcasting.com ) that you must have a 12 oz can of chilled red bull before a broadcast, why redbull?
There’s something about that chilled, crisp, sweet taste of a Red Bull delighting my taste buds and invigorating my mind as I go through final preparations!  I’m sure it’s partly a mental thing where I “feel” more alert and extra sharp having a Red Bull before a broadcast, and if so, that’s fine with me.  I just love the taste and refreshment, but it truly does make me feel more alert and sharp with the game call.

Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?

I don’t ever try to emulate a broadcaster.  I think it’s important for each PxP guy to be his own broadcaster and develop his own style.  It’s always good to listen to others and pick up on phrasing or descriptors, but I would never want to “copy” someone else’s sound directly.

What is your favorite on air story you can share with us?

With around 800 games you’d think there are a ton of great stories to share but it’s funny how hard it can be to think of one that is above the rest.  I guess I can say there have been some interesting game nights on the air, unforgettable finishes, some surprises and some hilarious moments around the rest of the traditional, normal broadcasts.  I think that’s what also makes this job so fun, is that you don’t really know exactly what you’re going to have happen on live radio or see in a game when you show up at the event.  It’s an adventure in problem solving very quickly at times!

What advice do you have for young broadcasters just starting out?
Make sure you are committed.  I’ve been doing radio for almost a decade and success in this business doesn’t come working from only 8-5.  It’s a unique industry that requires a lot of dedication, patience, organization, ambition and energy in addition to talent.  As long as you love it, you’ll be fine and will have success.  It’s kind of like sports in that so many people want to be on TV or radio, especially in sports, so you need to be ready to sacrifice certain things in life to pursue lofty dreams in this business.  You need to be prepared to have clear career and life goals, know what it will take to meet them and determine if broadcasting will get you there.

Thank you again to Dave for providing another wonderful interview and best of luck as you head towards your 1000th broadcast.

Jack Michaels Interview

Our interview this week is with the play by play voice of the Edmonton Oilers Jack Michaels. You can follow jack on twitter @edmontonjack and read his NHL mock draft at http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=675018

Jack, How long have you been in broadcasting?

• 20 years…fortunate enough to go to a great school, especially in terms of getting on the air right away, like Ithaca College.

When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?

• 1989 Preakness stretch drive between Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. Dave Johnson had an unbelievable call….and even though I was just a kid, I already was aware of my athletic limitations.

How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?

• Hockey is a pretty compressed schedule, so a lot of work comes before the season ever starts….once you’re in the midst of it, though, from game-to-game it goes something like this…..I usually read a at least a week’s worth of articles about the opponent, so I know what’s going on and has been with them. I’ll also watch their previous game with their commentators so I can take appropriate notes….I’ll already have done flow charts with their lines and D-men before the year, but I’ll update that as well due to injuries/call-ups. I’ll then go to their pre-game skate and work the room afterward, recording a couple of interviews and just getting the general tenor…then I’ll move onto the game notes for both clubs, fill out my scorebook and I should be good. For the Oilers, I attend every practice and media session leading up to and for all games, so I usually don’t have a ton of prep on that side—just make sure I catch any pertinent milestones or trends against a given opponent. My prep is done at least four hours before the start of a game…that way I’m relaxed and ready to roll—NO EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING PREPARED!

Have you always done just hockey?

• Not at all…If you’d asked me when I was 20 I would’ve said that would have been least likely…..I’ve done baseball, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, and even a few greyhound races.

Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting?

• As I mentioned, Dave Johnson in horse racing. Doc Emrick and Mike Lange in hockey. Pat Summerall in football, Vin Scully in baseball, and Dick Stockton in basketball. I’d argue long and hard that Doc, Pat, Vin, and Dick are unquestionably the best in the four major sports…..as far as scripted, John Fascenda, and it’s not even close….I cannot begin to tell you how many hours of NFL Films I watched as a kid.

Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?

• Doc—My Dad was in higher education for 40 years, and even he is impressed with Doc’s ability to weave in a vastly superior vocabulary into a telecast that’s highly intelligent without being pompous.

Which sport that you’ve called would you say is your favorite?

• I like calling hockey the best….but as far as a fan, I’m an NFL guy….not by much, but you can’t take the Western PA out of the boy even if you take him out of that region.

Are there any memorable stories from the booth you can share with us?

• I did a period with Steven Tyler at an Alaska Aces game….But my first game in the NHL, Battle of Alberta, the goal of the year, as it turned out (Jordan Eberle, look it up if you haven’t seen it), and a one-punch knockout….after nearly 1000 games in the minors, pretty hard to top that, ever.

Jordan Eberle Goal

What was it like to step into the shoes of such a great broadcaster in Rod Phillips who was known as the best Play by play guy in both the WHA and NHL (and who called over 3,000 games)?

• Never looked at it that way….He’s an absolute legend, and I’m proud to call him a friend now…even worked with him for 10 games in my first season. But I will never “step into the shoes” or “replace” Rod Phillips. I can only be myself, and over time, with consistent dedication and effort, I hope create my own niche in the Edmonton market.

Speaking of games, you yourself had called over 900 hockey games before even getting to Edmonton (including the ECHL All Star game 5 times), but what was it like getting the call from the Oilers and them asking you to be only the SECOND voice of the club in team history?

• It probably was the greatest day of my life. I was in Hawaii with my wife and two children, and we had a chance to celebrate it together in a beautiful setting. The call from the Oilers, however, was surpassed by the subsequent call—the call I made to my Dad immediately thereafter.

As an American calling hockey in a Canadian city how have you handled the criticism you’ve received?

• Fortunately, I haven’t run into that criticism. I’ve found Canadians are just like Americans when it comes to evaluating broadcasters. If you’re passionate about what you do and you’ve put in the work, it comes out in the broadcast and it doesn’t matter where you’re from.

Did living in Alaska prepare you for the cold winter nights in Edmonton?

• Absolutely—it’s actually a little colder, on average, in Edmonton. But Edmonton has plenty of sunshine so you don’t feel it as much. Dress warm, it’s not an issue. I love living in Edmonton and quite frankly, I enjoyed Anchorage as well.

Is it true that when you were working in the minors you once sold your penalty kill sponsorship to a funeral home?

• Not quite—boy, you’ve done your research….how on Earth did you know that? Never mind, I’m answering the questions….it was actually the Keys to the Game…..as in “Tonight’s keys to burying the Bakersfield Condors, brought to you by Witzleben Funeral Homes…..” Hey, anything to help the club and make a few bucks, right?

What advice would you give to someone trying to make a living in this business?

• Find a way to stay solvent and keep yourself in the game….whether it’s selling for the club you’re working for, working a little on the side to make some extra money—whatever it takes to keep your life moving forward (spouse, kids, house) while keeping the dream alive. The less sacrifice you feel you’re making from a life perspective, the more likely you are to outlast the numbers game that’s a huge part of this business.

Thanks again for reading PBP Stories, if you’d like to be interviewed or have someone you think I should check into interviewing please tweet me @michaelhirnpbp or send check out my website www.michaelhirn.com

Lee W. Mowen Interview

Today I am honored to share with you an interview with a young broadcaster who is celebrating a birthday today in STAA client Lee W. Mowen. Check out Lee’s STAA profile as he is a rising star to keep an eye on in the world of broadcasting: http://staatalent.com/client/lee-mowen as well as his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thelwm

Lee W. Mowen

How long have you been in broadcasting?
I’ve been broadcasting since my freshman year at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, back in late 2006. One of the first things I did while in college was step into the college radio station to get information on how to join. In my honest opinion, that’s one of the smartest things I did while at Wright State. The Wright State Raiders would be the first team(s) I would cover. Since graduating, I’ve been the voice of a pair of hockey teams, two semi-pro basketball teams, and a summer collegiate baseball team, not to mention a small college in Southwest Ohio, an Australian Footy team in Cincinnati, and several high school games with an internet station. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities too, especially becoming a Public Address Announcer for the University of Dayton Flyers and a couple of All-Star games in Columbus.

When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?
I actually remember wanting to be a broadcaster when I was a little kid. I always thought being an anchor on the newscasts was where I’d be. It took me less than one year of college to figure out being a sportscaster is what I really wanted to become. I have always wanted to be a part of broadcasting in some capacity.

How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?
For me, it varies with how much information I can find. I always spend at least a few hours to seek out information on each team. I’ll print out my information and skim important numbers and points a day or so before the game. On the day of the game, I will arrive a few hours before and highlight what I feel will be important talking points. The amount of time and stats I find varies on who or what I’m broadcasting, honestly.

What sports do you currently broadcast?
I’m now in my second season with the Richmond RiverRats, a summer collegiate league team that use wooden bats. It’s a great organization with terrific people and McBride Stadium is quite a treat to broadcast in. I’m also looking forward to returning to broadcast Dayton Demonz hockey this upcoming season. Some sports I’ve done in the past include volleyball, soccer, football, basketball, baseball, softball, hockey, and Australian-Rules Football. I’m always open into broadcasting more sports, including trying out tennis, golf, lacrosse, roller derby, Ultimate Frisbee, racing, swimming, or any other sport.

What’s your favorite sport to broadcast?

That’s a tough question, because I love broadcasting anything. As long as I broadcast for the rest of my life, I’m not too picky on what sport it is. I will say why I like the sports I’ve called, though. I love baseball because of the relaxed atmosphere, I like basketball and hockey because of the pace of both sports, and I like football and soccer because of the pace changes where anything can happen in a second.

Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting?
Let me answer this question first by saying who I always will look up to, and that would be my parents. They have always believed in me and they also have encouraged me to keep pursuing my dream. In the world of broadcasting, I always looked up to Jim Baldridge, who is a former news anchor at WHIO (which is Dayton, Ohio’s CBS affiliate.) Something that always stuck with me was Baldridge’s love of anchoring and bringing the news to the viewing area. That’s something that I hope always shows during one of my broadcasts. In the world of sports broadcasting, I look up to everyone that makes sportscasting their career. I always want to learn about my passion each and every day. I learn every time I tune into a broadcast.

Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?
I try to not emulate anyone else, as I call what I see in my view. When I call a game, I want to be as descriptive as possible. I want to bring people a front-row seat when I’m live, which is something I hope I’ve improved on since my first broadcast. I will say that I do take tips and advice from other broadcasters. I’m always looking to improve on my broadcasts, so I learn how other sportscasters tick and what makes a broadcast successful.

What is your favorite on air story you can share with us?
I tell you, I’ve been very blessed with all the opportunities broadcasting. From having a referee screaming profanities during a live interview to getting a chance to broadcast at a minor league ballpark, I’ve got a lot of great stories. One of my favorite stories is when the Sports Information Director, Greg, gave me my Bob Carpenter’s Scorebook. It was my first year as the Sports Director at Wright State’s radio station, and Greg saw how hard I was working to make it a success. I’ve almost filled out the entire book in four years, but it’s been a memento of someone believing in me. I can’t thank the SID enough for that book and for helping me out during college.

On-air, I think my favorite stories have to be at getting the opportunity to broadcast at the schools I went to for elementary, middle, and high school, as well as broadcasting at my alma mater for the visiting team all in the same year. I don’t know how many people listened in from those areas or if any of my friends tuned in that day I returned to Wright State as a visiting broadcaster, but it made me smile just realizing I have had an amazing chance to come back home if you will.

Thank you so much for doing this, it is much appreciated.

Thank you for the interview, Michael! I’m appreciative of the chance to be on your website, and I hope people found it interesting. As I wrap this interview up, I’d like to thank everyone who’s followed and befriended me throughout the years. I’d like to thank people who have given me constructive criticism and I’d like to thank people who have believed in me after all these years. For your friendship, I say thank you.

If anyone is interested in networking with me, just give me a follow on Twitter at @theleewmowen.

You’re a class act, Michael. Hopefully we can broadcast together again sometime.

Stu Paul Interview

Today we are happy to bring you another incredible interview as we are happy to be joined by another Sports Talent Agency of America (www.staatalent.com) client in broadcaster Stu Paul.

Stu Paul

Stu, How long have you been in broadcasting? 

• I’ve been a sports announcer for 31 years.  In addition to sports, I have also served as a newscaster and disc jockey early in my career, but it was mostly sports. I started in small stations in upstate New York and worked in New England for a while. Then I got to do minor league baseball, minor league hockey, CBA hoops as well as college and high school football in places like Eugene, Oregon, Roanoke, VA, Hagerstown, MD, Tulsa, OK., Davenport, IA, Utica, NY, Jacksonville, FL, San Antonio, TX, Nashville, TN and now in the Baltimore area in Maryland.  Sometimes I would go back and forth between cities as in one part of the year, I would be doing baseball and another part of the year, I would be doing basketball and hockey.  I didn’t really mind it a bit since I was doing what I loved to do.  Only drawback was being away from NYC and my friends, relatives and family, but since I knew I could not start out in New York, I had to pay my dues elsewhere and man, has it been worth it!
  

When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?

• As soon as I learned that I was not going to be the next Mickey Mantle.  I knew that I was not going to be a professional athlete once I became a teenager.  I always enjoyed talking about sports and even my mom suggested that I should give it a try.

How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?

• I usually try to spend at least 2 to 3 hours in preparing for a broadcast.  I try to surf the internet, checking out different team’s websites, newspaper websites as well as chatting with other broadcasters, coaches, managers and players to get as much input as I possibly can.

 

What sports do you currently broadcast?

• Right now, I am currently broadcasting Delaware State Football and Basketball and have broadcast some high school and college baseball games locally in the State of Maryland.  I had also broadcast professional baseball for more than 20 years, ranging from the Short Season Class A level to the Triple A level.  I hope to get back into the pro game and hope to still get a shot at the major leagues.

 

Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting?

• That’s a great question.  Growing up in New York City, I had the pleasure of listening to many great announcers.  One of them happens to be Marv Albert, the longtime Knicks and Rangers radio voice, who also happened to attend the same high school as I did (Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York City).  In addition, I enjoyed listening to Frank Messer, Bill White, Jerry Coleman and Phil RIzzuto on the Yankees broadcasts and Bob Murphy, Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner on the Mets’ broadcasts.  Another great announcer (who eventually became a friend of mine) was Merle Harmon, who broadcast the New York Jets football games in the 1960s and early 1970s.  He broadcast on WABC Radio, albeit he was based in the Midwest.  He had broadcast major league baseball for years (Kansas City Athletics, Milwuakee Braves and Brewers, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers) as well as college football and basketball and worked for the ABC, NBC and TVS Networks.  Howard Cosell liked him on ABC-TV and hired Merle as the Jets’ voice without Harmon applying for the job himself.  In all of his years with the Jets, he never lived in New York City.  He would stay in a hotel and he would commute to and from NYC to cover the Jets.  I wished he did baseball in New York City because he would have become a household name there.  He did so in NYC with the Jets.  Going back to Albert, he, too, became a giant in the industry as he eventually worked for NBC-TV, CBS-TV and also with TNT doing NFL football and NBA basketball and he is still great.  His work ethic is second to none and I admired him and the others as well.

 

 Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?

• I feel I have emulated Bob Murphy, the late Mets’ broadasting great because of his enthusiasm, positive outlook on the game and his knowledge and professionalism.  I have sort of emulated Merle Harmon in football as well, but tried to be careful not to copy those guys at all.  Of course, Albert in Basketball and hockey as well. Plus, Curt Gowdy on baseball.

You went to school in New York, you’ve worked in Texas and Nashville but are now back on the east coast, which part of the country has been your favorite to work in?

• Oh, definitely, the East Coast because I grew up there.  I still have friends and relatives in New York City and the surrounding area and being on the East Coast, gives me the opportunity to catch up on long lost friends and relatives.

Which sport that you’ve called would you say is your favorite?

 

• No doubt, baseball.  I love the daily grind every day and plus the challenge between the batter and the pitcher.  The sport also gives me time to “fill” between pitches and gives me a chance to show my passion, knowledge and enthusiasm for the game. 

You are inspiring to myself and young broadcasters everywhere to never give up. After your fall in 2011 you were told you weren’t being brought back by the Nashville Sounds, how did you find the strength to heal physically and mentally and move on to bigger and better things?

• Man, it wasn’t easy.  Believe me.  2011 was the worst year of my entire life.  The year before, my dad was diagnosed with dementia and when 2011 came along, it got worse.  His behavior was so bad that my sister had to move him from an assistant independent living place to a hospice and he stayed there until he passed away last February.  It took a toll on me financially as well as emotionally and mentally.  Then I was feeling the pressures trying to accumulate more sales with the Sounds, then my car had a serious problem that cost a lot of money (LOL, still have the car and it’s running well), then my horrible accident when I slipped and fell down a flight of steps when exiting Prinicpal Park in Des Moines, Iowa on July 19, 2011 and was laid up in the hospital for 3 months.  I spent 3 weeks in Des Moines’ Iowa Methodist Medical Center and then flown back to Nashville, where I went to Bethany Rehab and Health Center where I stayed for the duration of my recovery.  Glad that workman’s comp covered everything! I had to undergo surgery on both legs and my shoulder.  I ruptured the quad tendons in both legs and had a complete tear on my rotator cuff in my right shoulder.  Fortunately, the surgeries went well and I went through physical therapy and have since recovered.  I returned to work on October 31st, 2011–only to be fired 4 days later.  I knew that the sales numbers were a factor, but honestly, after undergoing a traumatic experience like I did in the summer, I thought I would be given a chance.  I was upset and disappointed, but that was the Sounds’ prerogative and I have moved on! They are now behind me and I now work for SFMSports.Net and getting the chance to do Delaware State Football and Hoops, which was a blast this past year.  I also got to do the Cal Ripken World Series and some local baseball.  I was NOT going to let “defeat” defeat me.  After all, I’m a New Yorker and New Yorkers are tough.  I said to myself that “you’re too good of a person and an announcer to let adversity stop you.  You have gotten this far and I must keep going!”  Going back to the accident that I had, I never went through anything as horriable as I did that fateful night in July, 2011.  The staffs, doctors and nurses at both places where I recovered were wonderful to me and they helped make an unpleasant situation into a pleasant enough one.  Gosh, looking back on that year it was “when it rains-it POURS!”.  Nothing went right for me and I’m slowly but surely still picking up the pieces from 2011 and what I had to go through in dealing with my late father’s illness.  I never ever want to go through that EVER AGAIN!

What advice would you give to someone trying to make a living in this business?

• I tell them to have faith in your abilities, but above all, be very patient and positive and persistent.  It is not easy to land a job in this business, especially the first one.  I advise everyone to grab a tape recorder (hopefully this time you can get past security on this) and practice broadcasting events at actual places.  Critique your work and learn how to write.  It is important.  Practice reading aloud, too.  Send out stuff to radio stations, minor league teams, colleges and be sure to network.  The more you get to know people in this business, the better you are in landing a job.  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get anything right away.  If you have to start out doing news and disc jockey work like I did, do it.  Learn all the aspects of the business if you can.
  

 

You can check out Stu’s STAA profile at http://staatalent.com/client/stu-paul/

Alex Rawnsley Interview

Welcome to another entry to our ongoing blog of Play by play stories, we are lucky to have been joined today by the PBP voice of the Powell River Kings as well as the editor of The Broadcaster Hub (www.thebroadcasterhub.com) Alex Rawnsley:

Alex, How long have you been in broadcasting?

The upcoming season will be my 5th year broadcasting, and my 3rd season with the Powell River Kings in the BCHL. I began doing regular hockey games in 2010/2011 with the Cariboo Cougars in the British Columbia Major Midget League. The team made the league final that year, but got swept by North West.

Prior to that I worked for a season with the Prince George Fury, a now defunct indoor soccer franchise. I got to travel across Canada and into the North-West United States with the team.

When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?

Being born in Australia, it would be hard to say I’ve known all my life I wanted to be a hockey announcer. I’ve known most of my life that I wanted to do something in sports. Originally it was the player and team management side, the business aspect of this industry, but in 2003 I fell in love with broadcasting, worked and went to school for the technical and production side of the television industry, and then transitioned into play-by-play from there.

I think I knew this is what I wanted to do when I was with the Cougars during the 10/11 season. Every spare moment I had was put into prep, or web site stuff, or anything related to the team. I figured that if I was working this hard when I wasn’t getting paid, and I still liked it, then I could be onto something.

How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?

It’s constant. I don’t sit down and say ‘ok I’m going to prep for 2 hours.’ I consider my morning blog reading prep, any chats I have with other announcers is prep. In terms of sitting down, pouring over numbers and getting my paperwork ready, I’d say about 2-3 hours. The bulk of my time is spent reading reports and blogs, talking with players and coaches from both teams, and having nice anecdotes to work into the show, as opposed to just numbers.

What sports do you currently broadcast?

I currently only cover hockey, however I would love to branch out a little. I did an international baseball tournament in Prince George in 2011 and that was a lot of fun. I’m not really a baseball ‘fan’, but had a blast calling games, because the pace of the game really allowed you to tell stories. I’ve been asked to do roller derby too, and will do that this summer.

Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting?

Directly related to hockey, guys like Jim Hughson and Doc Emrick are the two guys I look to and say ‘ok, that’s what to do’. I try not to copy anyone, but have taken methods and phrases from a variety of different announcers, even ones I work with. I am also huge fans of both Richie Benaud and Bruce McAvaney, two Australian announcers. Richie is the Vin Scully of Australian cricket, and a true master of the artform. McAvaney is a talented network announcer who covers multiple sports, ranging from track and field to Australian Rules Football.

Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?

I don’t think so. I don’t look at a game and say “oh I have to copy that”. If I came out and starting poaching “Holy Mackinaw” and “Great Save (goaltender)”, then I think it would come off as corny. The thing I take most from other announcers are vocab…ways to describe different areas of the playing surface. Perhaps it’s an ordinary term I haven’t thought of, that really works. What is your favorite on air story you can share with us?

One of my favourite coaches interviews happened late into my 1st season in the BCHL. For his sake, I won’t mention who it was, but it was before the game and I was chatting to the other team’s head coach for my pre-game show. The Coach and I had a good repore, and often spoke more off air than we did on.

During the interview, he was trying to eat a mandarin orange. While I would ask a question, he would eat a piece, and while he was answering a question, he would peel the next one. The only catch was he kept dropping that next piece, and every time he did, he’d give me a look as if to say “I can’t believe I just did that.”

We were getting to the end of the interview, and by this time, there are 2-3 pieces of orange at his feet. He had tried to pick them up while I asked a question, but they were slippery. I didn’t see it happen at the time, but also during the interview, a piece of orange pulp had jumped up and was sitting on his eyebrow. I noticed it during my last question, but kept a straight face.

He answered the question, with the pulp on his eyebrow. In closing, I finished the interview with “Thanks (Name), and there’s a piece of orange on your eye brow”. We both just paused and he burst out laughing. He gave me a look, again as if to say “I can’t believe that happened” and we had a good chat about it after. I cut out the final line for air, but that remains one of my favourite interviews I’ve done.

You’ve recently started your own broadcasting resource website, could you tell us a little bit about that?

Shameless plug….The Broadcaster Hub (http://www.thebroadcasterhub.com/) is a resource web site for sports broadcasters. It features both original content, as well as links to other places on the web with information and resources specific to the play-by-play industry.

I was constantly trying to find this information, and then when I did find it, I’d often lose it and have to seek it out again. I design my own web sites on the side, including an online portfolio for myself, so I felt I had the skills to build this site. It’s started off well, the response has been very positive, and I’m excited to see it grow with both original and linked content.

Be sure to check out http://www.thebroadcastinghub.com as it is a very valuable resource for any play by play guy, and follow Alex on twitter @alexrawnsley

Chuck Cooperstein Interview

Today’s interview brings us the words and wisdom of Chuck Cooperstein, the radio PBP voice of the Dallas Mavericks. Mr. Cooperstein is in his eighth season as the radio play-by-play voice of the Mavericks on ESPN 103.3 FM. Cooperstein has been a regular on the Dallas/Fort Worth sports scene since 1984 and has been an anchor on ESPN 103.3 FM since the station’s inception in 2001. He also co-hosts the “Coop and Nate” show with former Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl guard Nate Newton on weekday afternoons.

How long have you been in broadcasting?

If you take it back to college at the University of Florida (where we had, and still have, a fully commercial radio operation) 34 years.


When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?

Pretty much from the time I was 15 and I knew I wasn’t going to grow to be 7 feet tall, and knew my golf skills were not going to make me the next Jack Nicklaus. But I loved sports and knew how to talk.

What is your favorite sport to call and why?

I love basketball because of its intimacy, even if now, in many NBA arenas, we’re no longer broadcasting from the floor. I’ve been exposed more to basketball than any other sport and thus feel more comfortable with it. But I love the challenge of football because you are so much farther away, there are so many more moving parts, and the game is longer so you need to keep your focus that much longer. I find I can do four basketball games in a day and not feel as wiped out as I do at the end of a football game.



How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?

It’s really hard to say because I feel like the prep never stops. Even after producing my game notes/spotting charts, You’re always reading, always looking for something that you can add into the broadcast.



What sports do you currently broadcast?

I broadcast the NBA as the voice of the Mavericks, and also work some NFL and College Football for Dial Global.



Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting? Growing up in New York, I was a Marv Albert guy. Any one of us who is now in the business, of my age, who grew up listening to Marv will tell you that. His passion and emotion was what it was (and still is) all about. But I was a Jets fan and I loved Merle Harmon, and I was a Mets fan and loved Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy too. As far as today, I’m a huge Dick Enberg and Mike Emrick fan for their passion and the way they use the language. Dan Shulman is just so smooth, Brad Sham, the voice of the Cowboys (And the man who brought me to Dallas in 1984) taught me the art of preparation, and Kevin Calabro, and my TV counterpart with the Mavericks, Mark Followill have baritones that I would just KILL for.



Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?

I would like to think that I take enough from everyone and make it my own style. But the bottom line for me is to bring passion, emotion, and enthusiasm to every game. If I’m not going to sound excited about the game then why would anyone take the time to listen to me? The biggest criticism I get is that I can get as excited about a play in the first two minutes of the game as I can about a game winning shot. But what if that play is simply otherworldly, and is the best play of the entire game? You don’t know what is going to follow, so you have to be in the moment.

You’ve gotten to call an NBA finals, what was that experience like?

It was the highlight of my career. I highly recommend it . Seriously, to watch someone like Dirk Nowitzki, who had been so unfairly criticized, rise to an even higher level than he had already achieved to win a championship was amazing. And really, for a bunch of guys, who had achieved a lot in their careers, to be able to cap all of it with a championship was wonderful. And then to be able to ride in the parade with 250,000 people lining the streets, and co-emcee the rally at the American Airlines Center with 20,000 people just delirious weigh joy. No, it does NOT get better than that.

What advice do you have for young broadcasters trying to make it in the industry?

1. Get out and meet as many people as you can. This is a “Who you know” business. You never know where your next opportunity will come from.

2. Be willing to be critical of yourself. People may tell you were great. Only you will really know if it’s true. Listen to yourself. Frankly, its something I hate to do because we never sound the way we think we sound but it’s something I HAVE to do. There are folks like Vin Scully, who may have had the perfect broadcast, that is something I have yet to achieve.

3. Be prepared to be disappointed. You can do the best job in the world, but it might not matter because your future is always in the hands of someone else. But that leads back to the first point. When one door closes, inevitably, if you’ve handled your business right, another door opens.



What is your favorite on air story you can share with us?

Too many to count, but recently, my favorite was when we had Delonte West on our post game show in Orlando. The broadcast location in their new building is the highest in the NBA, and the broadcast drop was on the floor. He put the headset on, but couldn’t find us. We were waving down to him and finally after about 45 seconds, after answering our first question, he spotted us, and as only he could do say “What the &$%$ are you doing up there?” Fortunately, there was a delay on the broadcast, so it never made it on the air, but suffice to say the rest of the interview was a total scream.

Make sure to follow Chuck on twitter @coopmavs

Dave Goren Interview

Today I am honored again to bring you a great interview. I had a chance to speak to NSAA Executive Director and Wake Forest football analyst Dave Goren. Dave and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association  and STAA are co-hosting a huge Awards Weekend that will take place from June 8-10th in Salisbury, North Carolina and will feature ESPN personality Dick Vitale as well as New York Times bestselling author Mitch Albolm. For more information on the weekend please check out their link at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e71ltn6h848ebde1&llr=bcbdrvdab

You can follow Dave on twitter @NSSA_DaveGoren

How long have you been in broadcasting?  Started in college in 1977… so 36 years (YIKES!).


When did you know that it was what you wanted to do?  From the time I was in high school.


How much time do you spend preparing for a broadcast?  Now, my only broadcasting is as analyst for Wake Forest football during the fall, and a weekly radio sports commentary.  For football, I start by attending spring and then pre-season practices, and probably do between an hour and two preparing for the game each week.  For the commentaries, it’s a matter of coming up with an idea, and then getting the writing to flow.  It is also usually an hour to two-hour process.

 

In my tv days, preparation for anchoring usually began with reading the morning newspaper cover-to-cover (not just sports).  I would typically be in sometime between 2 and 3pm for the 6pm sportscast.  I would try to get the 11pm sportscast laid out before I left for dinner or for covering a game.  Depending on whether there was a game to cover, I would be back by 8:45 to start preps for the 11.


What sports do you currently broadcast?  Radio analyst for Wake Forest University football on the Wake Forest/IMG Sports Network.  Occasionally freelance ofr others, including ACC Digital Network.


Who are/were the people you look/looked up to in broadcasting?  I grew up about 40 miles outside of Boston, so I listened to all of the Boston guys – Ken Coleman, Ned Martin doing the Red Sox; Johnny Most with the Celtics; Don Earle and then Bob Wilson with the Bruins; Gil Santos with the Patriots.  Then, there were the local tv guys, such as Don Gillis.  All of them were institutions in New England and helped us as fans form that lifelong connection to the teams they covered.

 

Nationally, I was a big fan of Curt Gowdy – such a distinctive voice.  Same with Charlie Jones and Jim Simpson on the AFL games on NBC.  Dick Enberg and Marv Albert doing college basketball in the late 60s and early 70s.  Ray Scott, the incomparable Vin Scully.  Then, there were some of the more underrated guys, such as Frank Glieber on CBS.  Lindsey Nelson, Chris Schenkel, Jim McKay, Jack Whitaker.  All great with their use of language.

 

Later on, Al Michaels became, in my opinion, the gold standard for play-by-play.


Is there anyone you emulate, and if so in what way?  I’m sure I’ve taken a little bit from each of the people I mentioned, but I have always just tried to be me. 

What advice do you have for young broadcasters trying to make it in the industry?    As I stated above, be yourself.  Prepare diligently, write often (the more you do it, the better you’ll become), practice frequently (even if you’re using a hairbrush as a microphone).  Stay away from shtick — gimmicks can work for a time, but eventually people get tired of them.  Develop relationships with people in the industry, whether they can be directly beneficial to you or not.  Always be willing to help others – even if it is not beneficial to you.


What is your favorite on air story you can share with us?  There are a handful of stories that I seem to focus on:

·       I covered Wake Forest football as a tv reporter for 18 seasons, most of them losing season, until they broke through and won the ACC Championship in 2006.  I remember walking out of Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, after they had beaten Georgia Tech, saying to myself, “Wake Forest just won the ACC Championship.”  In a business where we overuse the word unbelievable, for me, it truly was.

·       A high school football player had been paralyzed from the chest down after a car accident.  The story we did with him, on his willful determination to walk again was very powerful, both in words and pictures.  A good photographer can help make a story great.  If you have a good relationship with your photographer, you can almost know what the other is thinking, and what that person wants.  Great teamwork, makes great tv.

·       Did a story on a young hockey player who had a neuroblastoma, an often fatal cancer.  We did a follow-up with him a year or so later, on Thanksgiving night, after he had been cured.  And the emotion, especially from his dad, was gripping.

·       In my last year in tv, it was opening night for high school football.  We were live at 5 and 6pm from tailgating in the parking lot.  As I was walking into the game, a mother and father of a player stopped me and introduced themselves as the presidents of that school’s booster club.  We had a nice informal chat and then I went into the game.  At halftime, I took the first half video and went back to start editing the highlights.  During the second half, my photographer called and said the game was delayed by a serious injury.  It was the son of the people I had met walking into the game.  He died two days later.  We showed only still frames of the player from the game (the actual hit that caused his death could not be seen on video) in our stories over the weekend. 

 

On Tuesday of the following week, I received a call from a friend of mine who was also a friend of the family’s.  They had seen the still photos and wanted to know if they could possibly get one to display at their son’s funeral.  I called our art director and asked if he could make it happen.  He had seven photos of the boy ready for me when I got to the station.  My friend picked them up and delivered them to the family.  During the 5pm news that day, my phone rang.  It was father, sobbing, saying, “Thank you so much for doing this.”  I could barely respond.  Can you imagine the father of a 15-year-old boy who has just died, picking up the phone to say “thank you?”  As sad as that story was, that simple gesture probably meant more to me than anything I covered in 24 years in local tv sports.

If there is anything else you’d like to include or add please feel free to do so as I’m sure the readers would love read it.  Being in sports media can be a wonderful way to earn a living, travelling all over to cover some of the biggest sporting events on earth.  Just be mindful of the tradeoffs you will make.  Because most events happen at nights and on weekends, that is when you will be working.  Have a best friend who’s getting married during a local tv “sweeps” month?  Sorry, you can’t be in the wedding.  You want to go hang out with your friends on a Friday or Saturday night?  Sorry, not til 11:45 or later.  Married and your wife wants to go out to dinner with another couple?  Good luck with that.  Married, with kids?  Good luck spending much time with them at night.

 

I’ve been fortunate the last four-plus years, no longer having to cover daily sports, to be able to spend quality time with my family, while my two boys are still young enough to be living at home.  I wouldn’t trade my career for anything, but it sure has been gratifying to watch them grow from kids to young men.