In the fall of 1997 I was in the right place at the right time. That's how it usually works in broadcasting. Sean Grande was the voice of BC Hockey. He needed an analyst. The two main requirements: someone who could set up the equipment and was willing to work cheap. I fit both of those criteria and so I started broadcasting games. The next year Sean got the Minnesota Timberwolves job and once again I was in the right place at the right time. I slid over to do play by play and ended up calling BC games until 2011.
Things did change along the way. In 2005 I started working full time at WEEI and then in 2006 with the Red Sox. That was a good thing, but it created conflicts and I started missing BC games. When the Eagles won the National Championship in 2008 I was in Atlanta calling a Celtics game. When BC won again in 2010 I was at Fenway for the Red Sox and Tigers. Then in 2011 the broadcasts moved to 98.5 and I was out.
Now I'm a web developer. I'm almost two months in to a new job with Barbershop Labs. I love it. I'm learning a lot. I'm doing something I enjoy and I like the people I work with. I really did think I was completely finished with broadcasting. Then I did four Sox games for NESN. I was a fish out of water as an analyst, but I had a ball wowking with Don Orsillo and everybody at NESN.
Back to BC. I knew a while ago there was a good chance the games would be returning to 850, but I figured that opportunity went out the window when I quit my old job in April. That's why I was so pleasantly surprised when BC asked if I'd like to come back. Today was game one for me. BC beat RPI 7-2.
Thanks to Melissa Wade I have that shot of me back in the booth. It was great to see so many old friends. There were a few bumps along the way. I said the first goal was scored by Jimmy Hayes. Of course it was Kevin, Jimmy plays for the Blackhawks now. I don't know how many times I called Stephen Gionta Brian Gionta over the years.
I worked my first game with Andy Powers today. Andy was a junior in 1997 when I broadcast my first game. Andy has three kids now. I'm really getting old!
More than anything I felt a sense of being in the right place at the right time once again. This time it was the right time because I was in the right place for the right reason. I was there simply because I wanted to be there. Not because it was a step along the way to a bigger or better job and certainly not for the paycheck.
I'm a web developer now. I do a little broadcasting on the side. I'm back at my alma mater and I'm looking forward to a full season of BC Hockey.