View from the Gondola

A Little Help From My Friends

I don’t believe anyone is a “self” made millionaire, a “self” made engineer or a “self” made anything.  We’ve all received help becoming who we are.

Without Bob Wilber I don’t know if I would be where I am today.  The son of a former major league baseball player, Wilber has served as a player, coach and scout in the Detroit Tigers and Oakland A’s organizations.  His work in professional sports took him to Kansas City where he became general manager of the Kansas City Attack indoor soccer team.

Having no soccer audition tape I sent a hockey tape and resume’ to Wilber.  Bob Wilber took a chance and I had my first opportunity to broadcast professional sports. 

I am thankful for every general manager, athletic director and program director who have brought me into their organizations.

I am also thankful for others who make my job much easier.  Missouri Mavericks Vice President of Communications Patrick Armstrong, Mavericks Director of New Business Samantha Watson, media relations directors with other teams I have served, and those who supply information around the Central Hockey League make me sound intelligent.  Others who give, or have given me information include university sports information directors, coaches, newspapers and web sites such as prepskc.com.

A lot of technical work goes into making a broadcast possible as broadcast equipment is constantly changing.  Kirk Chestnut with Entercom Radio and Tom Manning with the Independence Events Center are invaluable in their services.  On game nights my studio producer Mimi French at KUDL, 1660 AM and Jeannie Hurley and Jen Sells of America One, based in Atlanta, make sure the games reach CHL-TV listeners.

The Mavericks players, staff and coaches are agreeable to every interview request.  I know announcers who have not been this fortunate.

As far as broadcast partners are concerned Troy Snyder (Mavericks), Dick Krawczyk, Fred Liggett, Jerry Kaylor and Geno Ganson (William Chrisman High School athletics) go out of their way to make the broadcast entertaining and informative.  They even run errands when need be.

I am grateful to have so many people helping to make my job (if you can call it a job) easier.  However, none of this would be taking place now had it not been for the work of the Independence city leaders in creating the IEC, team owners who placed the Mavericks in Independence and the fans who attend the games.

A big thanks to all of you.