First time covering pro sports

I woke up this morning with a sense of wonder. What would it be like to cover my first professional sports team? Yes, Ive covered the Boston Pride of the NWHL but this is different. Something about this being the next step up from the defending world series champion Boston Redsox. How would i react? Fan boy? Scared? Nervous? Well i gotta say its a little of both. When i first got to the park i was nervous i wouldn't find my way. That was quickly put aside by the great directions left for me with my media pass. Next up was walking into the press box. Now Ive toured Fenway, Ive even been in the booth for both a Pats and a Bruins broadcast. But those were just quick visits. This is different. Across from me is the writer for Boston Baseball. Below me (in seat not ability) is the writer for the Pawtucket Times. These are real players in the world of sports media. Guys i aspire to be. Once i got set up in my seat in the press box it was off to find the second most important room of the day. The bathroom. Lucky for me theres one just down the ramp OK minor problem solved. Damn this nervous bladder. OK back to the real story. So now its 1115 and i know that Clubhouse media availability is only until 12. So off i went in search of the Paw Sox clubhouse. After a very nice exercising walk down the stairs i found my self at a long corridor which led to the luxury suites and the clubhouse. Now when i was a kid my uncle was the sales manager of the now silent 95.5 WBRU. Each year they would have a radio station day at McCoy stadium and each year my brother and me would get to walk onto the field. We played catch in the outfield with guys like Lou Merloni and Trot Nixon. We got to talk to redsox greats like Jason Varitek and Shea Hillenbrand. OK that last one maybe wasn't so well known but to a 10 year old kid, he could have been Babe Ruth. We also got to throw out the first pitch to a few games. Amazing memories. But back to the story. Down this long corridor is the clubhouses. I again got nervous as there wasn't any body by the door. Do i just walk in? It cant be that easy can it? No it wasn't. A few seconds later a very nice security guard came out and asked me to show him my credential. Once i did we talked for a brief moment about my show and blog and where i was from. Surprisingly he was from Wilmington mass. Now this is the moment where my pre game mind was blown. As I'm briefly talking to this security guard. Out walks Tim Tebow. Tim Freaking Tebow. 2 time Heisman trophy winner. National title winning quarterback Tim Tebow. So what did this idiot do? I blurt out Gators suck! HA HA OK I'm kidding. I did however say hey Tim can i ask you a couple questions. He very politely said he cant because its not the designated media time for the visiting team. I said OK and he walked on. That may seem quick but how often have i ever talked to a former NFL starting quarterback? Once with Scott Zolak. But as much as i love ZO hes not Tim Tebow. So after my near god like experience of talking to Tebow i walked into the Pawsox Clubhouse. This was my first venture into a pro clubhouse. First thing i notice is the ping pong table in the front of the room. At the time Rusney Castillo was battling against Tzu-Wei-Lin. I wasn't gonna interrupt the game to ask questions. Moving on around the room, there is a few TVs with ESPN on. But the thing that really caught my attention was the music. Rock? Country? Spanish? Nope, Backstreet boys. Not even kidding a little. And it wasn't just one song, i was in there for a good 10 minutes and it was song after song of the 90s boy band. After looking around the room for Sandy Leon and not finding him i assumed he was in the cage or otherwise into his pregame routine. I decided i would just wait for post game to ask my questions. Making my way back up the press box i took the scenic route. Wanting to really soak it all in. I got back to my computer fired up the free wifi and started typing this story. What happened next is something i could definitely get used to. Free food. Talking with some of the everyday beat writers i gathered that they have a different offering each game. Today's meal, Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. I waited for someone else to go first because if living with my grandparents growing up taught me anything its that you never go first in line for food at someone else's place. After seeing a few people come back with food i made my way to the table. I piled the pork high on top of the brioche buns they gave us. No extra sauce but i felt i could manage. I took a couple scoops of the coleslaw and grabbed a water. OMG this sandwich is amazing! the pork was tender and juicy. The bun nice and soft. No extra sauce was needed. I may have gone back for seconds. Shhhhh. Moving on from my food network side show. The game was slated to be a good one with Josh Smith on the bump for the sox opposed by Chris Flexin. The Sox sent a line up out of guys that either have been or could easily be at Fenway very soon. Familiar face Tzu-Wei-Lin led off followed by Rusney Castillo. Castillo's contract size and his shaky time in Boston has pretty much guaranteed he will never make the big club with that contract so he has carved out a very nice home here in Pawtucket. Next up was Michael Chivis. You may remember him as the prospect who got popped for steroids and missed pretty much all of 2018. Hes back this year and actually posting some decent numbers. In the cleanup spot Pawtucket sent Bryce Brentz.The right haded DH is off to a slow start this season and the chatter i hear in the press box is that they should have kept him in double A. Skipping the 5,6,7 hitters just for now i will come back to them in a little while. Batting 8th is Sandy Leon. He was the odd man out in the red sox catching tree. Having Vazquez back and healthy he was always slated as the starter and after last years mess of the handling of Blake Swihart and actually seeing that hes rather good at catcher they decided that the veteran back up was to be sent down here. Doesn't hurt to have a guy with his resume and experience helping the future of your club. Rounding out the pawsox order is Nick Lovullo. He is the son of former sox coach and current Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovulo. I remember before the sox hired Alex Cora as their next skipper there was serious consideration being given to Torey so to see his son doing well in this system is always good. The Mets lineup left something to be desired, perhaps that's why the big club isn't all that great. They do have 2 Notable names in the line up however. Lets start with the obvious. Batting 8th is Tim Tebow. The Heisman trophy winning ex football player. Last year he played the whole season at Double A. His numbers weren't all that incredible that he should have garnered a call up to Triple A but here he is. Personally i think its more of a publicity thing. That's not saying hes horrible and looks like a fool out there. He has talent but if he was in any other organization or his name wasn't Tebow, i don't think he would be in triple a with his numbers. The Mets do have a real decent name in the lineup. Batting 7th is Rajai Davis. If you follow baseball you will notice the name is realize hes third among active players in stolen bases with 415. Although with Ichiro retired now he could be second. The mets star outfielder and also former redsox player Yoenis Cespedes isn't expected to return until closer to the second half of the season so Davis could just be shaking off the rust of last season and be moving up sooner rather then later. Either way the lineups are out the field is lined. Its time for the game. First thing i noticed is they use a pitch clock in the minors. 20 seconds in between pitches. Seems to speed things along a bit.Quiet first inning for the Mets. After the first 2 paw sox went down, Michael Chivis came up. He wasted no time putting the sox up 1-0 by blasting a shot to deep left center. All tebow could do was watch it sail. 1-0 sox after 1. I noticed that the pitch clock is 15 seconds with no one on base. Might have to bring that into MLB. Smith strikes out the side in the second. Tebow will lead off the third for the Mets. Through 1 and 2/3 innings there have been 7 strikeouts between the 2 teams. These batters need to relax.Make that 8 as Flexen strikes out the side. Its now TEBOW TIME!!!!! Nice ovation for him as he walked to the plate. I notice quite a few tebow jerseys. Mostly football of course. Tebow goes down swinging. That's 9 ks so far between the teams with the exception of the Chavis home run this is shaping up to be a pitchers game. Sandy Leon leads off the home half of the 3rd and quickly flies out to left. Lovullo another punch out victim and that makes 11 so far. Not alot of balls in play. 2 total hits so far. The home run and a base hit by the mets second baseman Adeiny Hechavarria. Tzu-Wei-Lin goes down swinging to end the third. 12 ks now. Someone make the fielders work. As i look around the crowd during the inning break i notice that theres not a lot of people. Afternoon game, decent weather, minor celebrity in Tebow and yet not a big crowd. Could be one of the reasons for the team moving to Worcester. Finally a base hit! Rusney Castillo puts one into center field. Chavis coming up. He adds to his day with a base hit. moving Castillo over to third. 2 hits in a row. The game is changing HA HA. Brentz goes down looking. We are back to strikeouts that's 13 for the day.Well, ball in play but Ockimey hits into an inning ending double play. Sox up 1-0 through 4 full. Taijeron leads off with a home run to left center to tie the game. Followed by a base hit from Nido. Mets are hungry. 14th strike out as Davis goes down. Tebow up again with 1 on. He rips a base hit into right almost taking out his base runner. Another strike out bringing up to 15 and a lazy pop out to third to end the inning. All tied up 1-1 after top 5. Double by Sturgeon and a base hit by Lovullo has the sox back on top 2-1. Lin walks and Castillo blasts one to right sox up 5-1. Chavis strikes out to end the 5th. That's 16 for those reading along. The strikeouts continue as Espinosa leads off the 6th swinging and missing. So i know Ive been totaling the strike outs but if your counting along that's 9 for the pawsox starter. Gomez swings and misses that's 10 punch outs for Josh Smith. Hes got a decent line going so far. 5 innings 4 hits 10 Ks. Flexin on the other hand is 4 innings 6 hits 8 Ks. Brentz starts the pawsox 6th with a strike out. hes now 0-3 on the day. That's also 19 strikeouts total. Both starting pitchers have hit 10 strikeouts as Hernandez goes down for the second time today. Hes also 0-3 on the day. After 6 full sox up 5-1. New pitcher on for the 7th for Pawtucket. Domingo Tapia. First batter faces hits one to the deepest part of the ball park. 5-2. Next batter swings and misses. 21 ks today. Ground out for Davis brings up tebow. He flies out to left. end of inning. Mets got one. 5-2. Its time to STRETTTTTTTCCCHHHHH at McCoy. Leon leads off with a base hit. His first hit of the day. Lovullo pops out to first. Leon is caught stealing second. Why send him up 5-2 hes not exactly a speedster. Lin takes next pitch into right for base hit. Castillo grounds into fielders choice. end 7. Quite top of the 8th for the Mets. Still 5-2 Sox. Chavis leads off with a hit to left that tebow bobbles leading to a triple. Next batter hits it right at tebow he runs and makes the rolling catch so a little redemption after the error but Chavis scores from third sox up 6-2. Another hit falls in front of Tebow. Sox seem to be aiming for tebow. Base hit his direction he has to make the throw to get a rounding Ockimey. Great relay Ockimey called out at home. Hernandez to second on the throw home. Sturgeon gives Tim a break and goes to right for the RBI single. 7-2 Sox. With that 7th run, the paw sox have reached a season high for runs scored. Leon strikes out making our total now 22 for the day. Top nine now. Last chance for the Mets. Gomez goes down swinging for his third strikeout today. 23 on the day total. Quiet 9th and the Sox win! So now that the game has ended my nervousness returns and I'm starting to question that second pork sandwich. I asked one the beat reporters when the clubhouse opens for post game and he informed me that its 15 minutes after the conclusion of the game. I gathered my things and made my way downstairs. While waiting outside the clubhouse i was trying to come up with some good questions as well as deciding who i wanted to talk to. First up was the manager Billy McMillon. After gathering around him me and the 3 other media members started in. led by the writer for Boston baseball i patiently waited my turn. My first question, When Both pitchers are going like that does that alter your game plan at all? Both starters combined for 20 strikeouts? There it is my first question in a professional baseball media scrum. Maybe not the best but still a strong question. The response, "No, it was only Smiths second start so he was monitored a bit but no that doesn't effect our in game management". From this point on I'm locked in. The nerves are gone. As i wait for my next question i decided to scrap my prepared question as the conversation as shifted to a better topic. Ive been told its great to listen and adapt. Thanks Trenni. My turn again, How big is it to have a guy like Leon behind the plate to guide these young pitchers? The answer "I think everyone knows and respects what sandy brings to the team, his experience is invaluable, he didn't have a lot of shake offs and that's a testament to the trust they have in him to know that hes gonna guide them". 2 questions for the skipper and now its time to find some players. First i think Rusney Castillo. Great game. Had the home run in the 5th. I notice hes on facetime with someone so i wait til hes done. As i walk over i realize oh crap he may not speak English. I was right. He greets me with a smile as i say hello he says "Habla Espanol?" i quickly remember 5th grade Spanish class and how poorly i did. I respond with "no habla espanol". This is where it gets awesome. Rusney understanding that i speak only enough Spanish to count to 10 grabs the guy at the locker next to him which turns out to be right fielder Gorkys Hernandez and asks him to translate. In my nervousness i didn't want to occupy Hernandez time for something that didn't include him so i said thank you and only asked one question. "How has your time in the minors shaped you to be a better ballplayer"? He said " The work i put in everyday and the coaching i receive is the best. i now one day ill be back in the bigs" I thanked both him and Hernandez and moved on. My next desired interview was Sandy Leon. When i walked to his locker he had just returned from the shower and not wanting to talk to a naked man i decided to wait til he was dressed. He saw me waiting and said i can talk if you are waiting for me and i responded with its fine i can wait til your dressed. He appreciated that. I think. Once he was half dressed (pants on at least) he waved me over. I got flush and nervous again because I'm about to talk 1-1 with a world series winning catcher. My first question ready to go i ask away and once the words come out of my mouth i instantly regret the wording of the question. it began with " So sandy tough day at the plate for you (remember he was 1-4). the question continued with " but behind the plate you weren't shook off much if at all whats it mean to you to be the veteran of the club and guide these young pitchers". The look he gave me was one of "this little shit just asked me a question that begin with so you basically sucked hitting" but one he gave me a look he responded with " i can call a good game but if you don't hit your spots and execute your pitches its not gonna work". My next question was about his mechanics but his answered was a bit drowned out by the music in the room which had shifted from backstreet boys earlier to 50 cent now. I decided that would be my last question. I took one more look around the room and walked out. I had done it. I completed my first trip to a professional sporting event as a media member. As i write this i realize its long and wordy. I wanted to try and capture my day as best i could for anyone reading this. I hope to have this opportunity again this season. Thank you everyone who has supported my show, My dreams, My goals. I'm here today because you all supported me and told me never to give up. Thank you to Marc Cappello, Barry Alley and Trenni Kusnierek for their advice on media scrums and the dos and donts. I cant wait to continue this journey which hopefully leads to me covering a team full time and or having my show on air somewhere. Keep following the show and blog as we have a lot more great stuff to come.

Brad

NHL Playoffs

Ahhh, the best time of year. NHL playoffs have arrived. One of the few times a year when its acceptable to shut out the world and just watch hockey. I'm gonna give you my take on each series (briefly). Lets start in the eastern conference and just go down the line.


Tampa Bay V.S Columbus

This one seems pretty cut and dry. Tampa has owned the jackets all season long. Sweeping the season series 3-0. Tampa is the heavy favorite to win the cup so i don't for see them having much trouble with Columbus. However, the Blue Jackets did make have arguably the best trade deadline this year picking up Ryan Dzingel and Matt Duchane from Ottawa and holding onto their center piece goaltender Sergei Bobrovski. Add to them the great coaching of John Tortella and other key guys like Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson, The Bluejackets could make this at least a more interesting series then just a steamroll sweep.


Boston V.S Toronto

This one is always better then advertised. Toronto has played Boston the last 2 times they have made the playoffs (2013, 2018) losing in 7 games both times. The Bruins won the season series 3-1. Toronto landed the biggest off season free agent in John Tavares and he came as advertised. Playing all 82 games this year he posted 47 goals and added 41 assists for 88 points. Which are all career highs for him. The Bruins come into this series having the same dominant first line of Marchand, Pasternak, Bergeron that saw them score a combined 30 points against the leafs in last years playoffs. If they do that again there is no way the leafs stand a chance.


Washington V.S Carolina

This one might be a bit harder to figure out. On one hand you have the defending Stanley Cup champions and on the other you have one of the more pleasant surprises in the NHL. Carolina is making their first playoff appearance since 2009.Washington won the season series 4-0 which leads me to believe things aren't gonna be much different.


Pittsburgh V.S New York Islanders

The Islanders have home ice advantage for the first time since 1988. This will also be thier first appearance in 3 years. Now if your like me you thought the idea of them playing in Brooklyn was just stupid and probably had something to do with their lack of production. Well they are back on the island and and Nassau Coliseum is gonna be rocking. I pick them to win the series in 6.


That's what i have for a brief outlook on the first round of the eastern conference playoffs. Ill post the western conference tomorrow. Any questions or comments feel free to leave a comment on the shows Facebook page.