What Broadcasters Know About PEDs

Baseball broadcasters know a lot.  About the team.  About the players.  About the inner-workings of the baseball club.  Especially in the minor leagues, where you live and travel so closely with the club.  So what is a broadcaster to do if presented with information about steroids, HGH, PEDs and the like?

Let's be honest, in the minor leagues, the team broadcaster can become almost part of the team.  The same age as many of the players, the tendency is for the team's voice to blend in and become one of the guys.  As such, a broadcaster can learn a lot, about A LOT.  Oftentimes too much.

For example, who is doing what after the games.  Who has an opinion about someone else.  And yes, who may be using an illegal substance.  The predicament, then, is what, if anything, to do with that information.

One golden rule of broadcasting, which often proves wise, is to keep your focus on the field.  As a reporter, give the fans an accurate word picture of everything that takes place between the lines.  After all, they tune in to hear the game. You give your listener a great experience and stay far away from that grey line.  If it took place on the bus, in the clubhouse or somewhere other than on the field, it doesn't belong in the broadcast.  Certainly you can make exceptions to add some flavor to the broadcast, but those should be the exception rather than the rule.  This way you protect yourself from controversy, maintain a player's privacy and still give the listener plenty of tidbits and an accurate portrayal of the team and its season.

Broadcasters know a lot, and sometimes more than they want to know.  Defined boundaries help wise broadcasters steer clear of problems and keep the listener focused on the game, between the lines. That is, after all, why the tuned in.

How would you advise a broadcaster to handle these situations?
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The One Person You Would Choose To Have Dinner With

Minor league broadcasters find some of the most unique ways to amuse themselves during bus rides and road trips.  This is one reason I've always referred to the minor leagues as a Traveling Freak-Show Circus.

One of my colleagues used to bring his "Book of Questions" on road trips.  We'd sit on the bus and take turns answering questions, such as "Would you rather jump into a pool of snakes or take a bath in a tub of spiders?" Or "Would you run naked through a sell-out baseball stadium if, as a result, you would save ten families from poverty?"  We spent many overnight hours answering these nonsensical questions and then debating the answers.  Oh, the glamour of professional baseball!

One afternoon on the road, a handful of us were catching a leisurely lunch, waiting for the 3:00 bus to the ballpark.  Someone at the table posed the question, "If you could have dinner with one person from history, who would it be?"  You can imagine some of the answers.  Jesus.  Babe Ruth.  George Washington. 

As we cleaned up and prepared to pay the bill, the team clubhouse manager (and current TV actor!) offered his reply. 
     "John Lithgow," he said matter-of-factly.  On that note we paid the bill and headed for the early bus.  That's minor league baseball for you.

Who is the one person YOU would choose?
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Aspiring Sportscasters Need Constructive Feedback!

Every sportscaster can improve.  From the first day we pick up a mic to call a game in front of the TV, until we reach the pinnacle of calling the World Series.
Each day is an opportunity to improve and become just a little bit better.

One of the best ways to improve is to constantly seek feedback from competent, experienced professionals.  No, we're not talking about your wise-guy uncle who has an opinion about everything.  What you need is someone to listen to or watch your material and give you an honest, objective third party who's only goal is to help you improve.  You need constructive, actionable feedback. 

Face it, we all need it.  We can get so much better by listening to our own tapes, but there is a huge value in a third set of ears.  Every sports broadcaster needs an objective critique.

Get yours today, by clicking here. 

If you are not an aspiring sportscaster, please forward this message to your friend or family member who is.  We'd be glad to help them too.  This week only we've got a really special offer for anyone who needs a demo tape critique.  In other words, for all sportscasters.

Please click here to check it out.  You'll be glad you did.
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Sportscasters Learn From Getting Fired

Getting fired is part of the sports broadcasting industry.  Sometimes you deserve it, and sometimes you don't.  But most sportscasters get fired - axed, let go, laid off, canned - at some point in their career.  Sometimes we can turn it into a learning opportunity.

Last week Susannah Collins was let go by Comcast Sportsnet Chicago, where she was covering the  Chicago Blackhawks.  Earlier in the week she had made a verbal flub, which was detailed in our last post.  She handled that situation extremely professionally.
Her firing was the culmination of the increased attention she received after last week's episode, when  the public learned of her past performances in a raunchy "sports" web series that can be found on YouTube. 

This is a wonderful teachable moment for aspiring sportscasters.  Everything you do is part of building your reputation and brand.  Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the like are all potential focal points of prospective employers or fans.  Use them responsibly, and at your own risk.
Collins' firing shines the light on a myriad of issues - women in sportscasting, the role of social media in sports, sportscasting ethics - to name a few.  They bring forth other questions, such as whether her employer knew of her previous role, and whether she deserved to be fired.  

Our point is simply that sportscasters must do everything in their power to protect their good name and reputation.

Base your sports broadcasting career, and life, on a solid moral compass to prevent your career from being needlessly derailed.
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How Is Your Chemistry?

A tweet this week asked if a specific baseball radio announcer did anything other than check the out of town scoreboard.  I responded that yes, she also contributes by giggling at her broadcast partner.
It's funny how broadcast partners come in all shapes, sizes and variations.  Some teams are the best of friends; others merely tolerate each other.

I was once familiar with a duo calling games in the New York Penn League.  They both had the same first name, Rick.  We referred to one as "Professional Rick," - he showed up to games prepared and dressed for success.  His partner, also named Rick, was "Unprofessional Rick," - he appeared just before the first pitch, unshaven in jeans and a t-shirt.  Both we good guys, and together they complemented each other nicely.

I've heard stories about ambivalent radiocasters, and one who actually spends his time between innings reading novels.  He really couldn't care less about baseball.

Other broadcasters travel the entire season together but can't stand each other.  While I've always worked with broadcasters who were good friends, I once had a time where my broadcast partner and I didn't talk for a few days - other than on the air.  Makes for a unique dynamic when you spend 3 hours in close quarters, plus time together on the bus.

Broadcast teams come in all flavors and on-air chemistry is ultimately all that matters.

How would you rate the chemistry of your favorite broadcast team?
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Jackie Robinson: A Special Friendship

"If Jackie Robinson likes me, I can't be that bad." - Tania Grossinger

Want a different look into who Jackie Robinson was?

In 1997 I was lucky enough to conduct a very special interview with Tania Grossinger during a WFUV Radio special.  Below is the brief interview, along with a follow-up chat recently on WFUV.  I haven't listened to this in years until One on One re-released it this week. 

I'm very proud to be involved, please listen.  You'll get a rare look into  what Jackie Robinson was like as a person.  It will make you appreciate him even more, I guarantee.

Please click here to listen to the brief interview with me in 1997
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Untold Tales From The Bush Leagues

Rick discusses the new behind the scenes minor league baseball book on KNUS Radio, Denver....



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Jackie Robinson's REAL First Game

In the mid-90's I was part of a wonderful WFUV radio documentary about Jackie Robinson and his impact on baseball and America.  It was a terrific program, during which I had the chance to interview Marty Glickman and Ernie Harwell, among others, about their recollections of Jackie Robinson.  Bob Ahrens did a super job putting that show together, and I still have the cassette tapes!

Today I came across a very intriquing article from an outstanding baseball site, Baseball Past And Present.  This story chronicles Jackie Robinson's first minor league game, as told by one of his opponents. 
Read this, and you'll experience what makes baseball great.
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Baseball Fights Are Necessary

A minor league baseball manager (and former big leaguer) once told me, "There's something wrong if you can't fight in this game from time to time."  I ate it up.

A short time later I called my first bench-clearing brawl.  It was ugly, gruesome and violent.  250-pound athletes pounding each other, some with running starts.

After the game, and for the next two weeks, the team's third baseman wore a huge, black shiner - his momento of the fight he began by charging the mound.  The opposing team's center fielder had used his metal cleats to stomp this guy's forhead and face.

Perhaps they do have a rightful place in the game.  Just stay clear of the metal spikes
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The Most Influential Sportscasting Book

With the 2013 passing of longtime writer and columnist Stan Isaacs, I was once again reminded of the book that has formed my broadcast philosophy.  More than a book, it was a man.  And one of Stan Isaacs lasting legacies is that he helped that man tell his story.

In 1996, sports broadcasting pioneer Marty Glickman told his story with Stan Isaacs in The Fastest Kid on the Block: The Marty Glickman Story.  More than just a broadcaster's how-to manual, the book recapped, among many other fascinating aspects of his life, how Glickman overcame devastating  prejudice at the 1936 Nazi Olympics in Berlin.

The second half of The Fastest Kid On The Block indeed deals with the nuts-and-bolts, ins-and-outs of sports broadcasting.  In fact, for six years while teaching at Marist College, this book was a required textbook for my Sports Broadcasting students.  My students needed to learn Marty Glickman's story, and how he transitioned from world-class athlete to broadcast pioneer.  We had weekly quizzes on Marty's life and traditional broadcast philosophy.  (Take the look-at-me, attitude-first philosophy of today and reverse it)

I appreciated Marty Glickman each Tuesday in the mid-90's when we sat with him for hours, critiquing demo tapes in hopes of improving.  When Marty talked, you listened.  That tradition lives on today at Fordham's WFUV.

I am reminded to appreciate the great Stan Isaacs as well, for helping to tell Marty Glickman's story, and countless others.
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The Quick-Witted Lefty (Who Couldn't Hit)

Hall of Fame Yankee Lefty Gomez won 20 games four times.  Yet, he often dismissed his abilities as a hitter.

"I was so bad that I never even broke a bat until last year," he said. "Then I was backing out of the garage."

Gomez hit just .147 for his career.

One overcast afternoon, while stepping into the box against a young Bob Feller, Gomez pulled out a lighter and lit it up.  He said he just wanted to make sure the young fireballer could see him ok from 60 feet away.

Lefty Gomez is what baseball is all about.
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Don't Throw Out The Floppy Disk Yet!

Sportscasters, writers and media professionals compile an awful lot of stuff.  From rosters, team info, job search materials, education manuals, books, photos, etc. etc. etc.  I find most of this old material is rendered useless over time, however on occasion we need to get at it.  Sometimes years later.

Last year, as I worked on a project related to my first book, A Renegade Championship Summer, I needed to access some materials I had put together a decade ago.  I stared helplessly at the floppy disk, frustrated that it would not fit into my computer's CD drive.  No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't jam that small, hard disk into the thin slot.  (Only exaggerating slightly)  I needed the files but couldn't get to them.

After a brief search, I found Muller Media Conversions.  Within a week, they had retrieved my sports files and emailed them to me in a familiar, savable format.  I could continue with my baseball project and save the file for further use.  Tragedy had been averted.

Sports journalists need old files from time to time, and luckily I was able to get to mine eventually with Muller Media's help.  They were very professional and helpful.  Perhaps this tip can help you too.  Good luck!
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The 2nd Key To Successful Sportscasting.....

The other thing that I think is extremely important is something that was passed down from Red Barber to Vin Scully. I find it to be the best advice when it comes to broadcasting. This piece of advice couldn’t be simpler: Be yourself. You’re probably thinking, what the heck is this guy talking about? Red Barber told Vin a long time ago that only you can bring something into the broadcast booth that no one else can and that’s yourself. We were all created to be unique in our own way. We aren’t robots. Bring that personality of yours into the broadcast booth. You were hired for a reason because you stood out in a certain way that may have been more favorable compared to others. Be who you are and be proud of it. By being you, does that mean we are perfect? No way, no how! We can improve each and every day. Like I told you in the beginning of this post, I’m a young guy in this business. I know I have a lot to improve upon. With that being said, I was hired for a reason and I make sure I bring that to the ballpark each and every day. Make sure you do that as well.

Preparation and be yourself. That is my advice to all of you. Its advice I hope to take with me as far as I can climb in this business. Remember, this business is truly a journey. You will see a whole lot of different things each and every day. Remember to have fun and enjoy it.

Thank you for reading and I hope to write to you all again someday!

Mike Ventola

Director or Radio Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Southern Illinois Miners

Follow Mike on Twitter! @VentingDaily
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Guest Post: Mike Ventola's 2 Keys For Sportscasting Success! Part 1

Good morning, afternoon and evening! My name is Michael Ventola, a minor league radio broadcaster and media relations director for the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League. I would like to thank Rick for allowing me to write to all of his readers in hoping I can share some knowledge to those trying to break into the business and/or trying to learn something new !

Allow me to give you a brief background of myself just so you have an idea where I’m coming from. I’m a New Jersey born, Pennsylvania raised guy living in Easton, Pennsylvania for sixth months of the year (when I’m not in Southern Illinois working for the Miners), where I graduated high school. I graduated from Immaculata University, which is located outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a degree in Communications in 2010. I’m entering my fifth season in minor league baseball, second as a lead broadcaster. I spent prior years working for the Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League, the Reading Phillies of the Eastern League and the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs of the International League.

If there is anything I learned in my short years as a broadcaster are two things that every broadcaster needs to be successful. Now, I have not reached the level of success that I’m looking for but I can’t push away the accomplishments I have made. I’ve been a part of some exciting seasons the past few years that I will most certainly take to the grave with me.

Now, the first thing that is key to doing your job correctly is preparation. One thing I have learned from my mentors who broadcast on the Double-A and Triple-A level, is that it doesn’t matter how great of a voice of you have because if you don’t know what you’re talking about, you won’t sound good either way. In minor league baseball, a lot of broadcasters are media relations directors and have other tasks as well. A lot of broadcasters make sales calls and help out in other departments. How do they find time to prepare? Well believe it or not, they have to make time. Whether that’s earlier in the day or even during lunch, as broadcasters we have to find time to prepare to make sure we deliver a good broadcast each night. That’s making sure you find time to talk with coaches and players, attend batting practice as much as you can. Make sure you pop in the clubhouse to see how the players are doing from time to time. When you’re on the road, it’s the perfect time to talk with guys because it’s who you will be with for that three to six day stretch. The more knowledge you gain, the better off you’ll be.

Once you bring in all that information, then you have to decipher what will be used and what won’t be used. That was one of my biggest hurdles in the beginning. The more you’re on air and the more you continue to call games, it’s then you will be able to adjust accordingly. Its one thing to read stats and throw out numbers, but it’s another thing to share a few stories about the players and coaches. Fans do want to hear the numbers, but don’t be afraid to share a story from time to time. Remember, you are the liaison between the team and the fans. Give them something so they’ll be coming back each night.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of Mike's Keys For Sportscasting Success!
Follow Mike on Twitter! @VentingDaily
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Horrendous NBA Broadcasting

Want to see an NBA broadcaster get fooled?  I mean, really fooled. 
This was from the Piston's 96-95 win over the Wizards last week. Comcast SportsNet's Steve Buckhantz was fooled so badly, it's funny.....



I'll give Buckhantz a little credit, though.  He eventually showed a sense of humor.

“The dagger has been retracted,” Buckhantz said with a laugh.

George Blaha and Greg Kelser of Fox Sports Detroit were only slightly better.
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Let's give credit to Kelser for quickly realizing what happened, and for making the point without completely embarrassing Blaha.
TV broadcasters have to keep an eye on the monitor, BUT they must not be so focused on the screen that they cannot see what is transpiring right in front of them!

Getting fooled for a split second makes you human. Being thrown off for almost a minute is almost inexcusable for a TV broadcaster.  And if it really was because they are perched "up in the rafters", get the broadcasters a better seat!
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