View from the Gondola

The Lesson was on Me

I enjoy sharing information on sports broadcasting with students during career days.

Next month I will get the opportunity to pass along knowledge I’ve gained over the years to students in Jayme Crawshaw’s sports broadcasting class at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe.

Last Wednesday, for the third time in the last four years, I was a presenter at Center Middle School, in a career day coordinated by Meg Siefert.

I wish career days would have been available when I was a junior high and high school student.

Students come up with interesting questions:

Have you met any famous people?  This is a tough question because one person’s definition of famous differs from another person’s view.

Do the players have nicknames?  John-Scott Dickson goes by JSD, Dave Pszenyczny is called “Chezzy”, Ryan Jardine’s nickname is Jards and last season we had Patrick Schafer who we called Justin Bieber and Kris Hogg who went by Harry Potter.

How much money do you make?  Hopefully less than I will make next season.

Two questions made me realize how fortunate I am:

What do you dislike about your job:  There is nothing I dislike about my position.  Sometimes it is difficult being away from events involving my kids and grandkids but most of my trips are short and those that aren’t often give me incredible opportunities, like visiting my sister Judy in Las Vegas during an extended road trip to Arizona last season and (with the help of Mavs STH Kandi Oberlander) heading to Texas early to see my brother Richard prior to a game in Fort Worth.

What do you like most about your career?  I went into sports broadcasting because I love hockey and wanted to be a part of it.  Every time I climb into the gondola it is a dream-come-true.  However, the thing I enjoy most about my position with the Mavericks (and other teams I’ve been affiliated with) is the people……..front office staff, players, coaches, equipment managers, trainers, owners and most of all the fans.

This career fair also reminded me how awesome my family is.  My wife Abbie, sons Michael and Luke, daughter Pattie and my extended family support me and accept the fact that I spend several hours at broadcast sites and am often on the road during hockey season.

I have friends who are fantastic broadcasters who have left the business because their families aren’t as supportive.

Center Middle School students…..I visited your school to teach you but I was the one who gained the most.  Thank you.