Getting Called up to the Big Leagues

(cont from prev post "getting caught up")

That catches us up to now or at least last August - vacation month. We look forward to going to LBI every year (well the past three) and getting some beach time with the Philpott clan. We stay in a hotel and use Steve's parent's house as a base. This year was no exception. We got left a little late on Thursday because I made Steph get her hair cut before we left. I knew it would make her happy and then she wouldn't complain about her hair being so long and full while we're trying to relax in the sand. Her only complaint was that she saw too many grey hairs and needed to get it colored. Other than that - Momma was happy. We got out there in good time because we were pretty much packed before the hair cut. We got checked in and did the traditional run to the beach while waiting for the Philpott's to come by and head out for dinner. I just updated my post on Facebook with the quote from a favorite song "Got my toes in the water, A$$ in the sand, not a care in the world, a cold beer in my hand, life is good today". I started taking some pictures of the kids in the waves. They were under strict orders NOT to get wet this year. If you remember they had the same instructions last year and then Steph led the charge into the water, all got soaked and had to change before heading out for dinner. They did good this time. Then I heard my phone ding as we were about to head back to the motel, telling me I had a new message on FB. It was from my friend Jon Specht, a guy I grew up with from Denison, asking me if I wanted to work the sidelines during the Chiefs/Ravens game the next night in Baltimore. I happened to be 4 hrs away in New Jersey. I kicked the sand and started kid cursing - what I say when kids are around - that sounds something like sassafrackingobblegookradiflapogginate. You get the idea. If you haven't figured it out yet - I'm a big Chiefs fan and my friend Jon works for the Chiefs Radio Network as a Producer. They were in need of a couple of people to hold the parabolic microphones on the field during the game. The job would be to stand on the sidelines at the line of scrimmage and point a dish at the players. If we had been home it would have been a no-brainer but here I was 4 hours away on family vacation at the beach. Two of my favorite things were pulling me in seperate ways. After much debate and even checking with Dad to see if he would leave a family vacation to be on the sidelines of a Chiefs game (he would) I texted back that I could make it. Trouble was - he needed two people. So I contacted Joe Rendzio who said "Why wouldn't I do it?" After verifying that I wasn't feeding him a line of S. I called Jon to let him know we were in. HUGE thanks to Steph for even giving me the go-ahead. We take our family time together on vacations very seriously so it wasn't an easy decision. Also to the Philpott's for helping her out with the kids and transport since I had to take the van back to Baltimore for a day. Jon gave me the info and sent me a couple of documents to review. I know it was serious but I had to laugh when one of them reads "The sideline is a very dangerous place to work. In accordance with the NFL credential agreement policy, you are allowed to be on the sideline, but you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK. It is imperative you beaware of your surroundings at all times. Do not take your eye off of the action, especially on passing plays. If you areused to watching a game on TV or from the stands, you will need to be aware of how much faster the live action is. Plays develop very quickly, and players coming at you are at a full run. If you don’t begin to move early, you will not be able toget out of their way. In case you have not contemplated the results of a collision between you and players wearing pads(a.k.a. “body armor”), the best case would leave you sore, but able to walk. You must understand there is a very real danger of serious injury when working on the sidelines." The part about the best case scenario was what stuck out for me.
Joe and I connected at the Baltimore Marriott and walked across the parking lot and through Camden Yards to get to Raven's Stadium.  We still had to go all the way around to the other side and were running late.  Jon met us at the gate, gave us credentials to get in and escorted us up to the radio broadcast booth.  There we got to see where the broadcasters sit and meet the production crew.  Jon, Joe and I were standing out in the hallway going over what we had to do when none other than Len Dawson (color commentator and HOF/Chiefs Legend) comes walking in.  I don't usually get tongue tied and can keep my cool in most situations but I ended up babbling something that was hopefully intelligible and non-stalkerish like "hey! I know you. I'm a big fan of yours Mr. Dawson."  and stick out my hand.  He cordially shakes my hand and says (paraphrasing) "thank you. and who are you?" Me still in hero worship awe mumble that I'm a longtime friend of Jon's and am helping out with the sound.  Jon steps in and properly introduces us as up to this point I still had not mentioned my name.  (Thank you Jon)  Len then goes into the booth to get ready.  Jon brings out some paperwork to fill out so we can get paid and Kendall Gammon walks up.  For those not in the know he was the Chiefs long snapper for a long time and now is the sideline reporter for the radio broadcasts.  Very nice and funny guy.  Jon then takes us on a tour of where the post game press conference will be, what our roles will be during that and then a walk down to the field so we know where to go and what to do.  We did get to walk in and out where the players run out the 'tunnel' to the field.  After some obligatory pictures on the sidelines we headed back up to the media level to get something to eat in the media cafeteria.  Basically everyone who works the game can grab something to eat in there.  We didn't see anyone famous in there but it was a cool experience.  A few minutes before game time we headed down to get our equipment and get to the sidelines.

The mike we held looked like a dome about 2-3 feet wide and had a mike in the middle.  We had to stand as close to the field and line of scrimmage as possible.  The only place we couldn't walk was between the 40s where the team sat.  So I'm standing on the Chiefs side about a foot away from the team - those guys are big and the kickers were warming up right behind me.  All of a sudden I hear a loud boom, jump a little and turn around to see Ryan Succop practicing his kicking.  It's amazing how loud it is when you kick a football 50 yards.  I also had headphones on that allowed me to hear the what I was receiving on the mike and in the other ear was the radio broadcast.  That took a while to get used to.  I learned a lot about what goes into a radio broadcast.  I got to hear all the off air conversations between the booth, field and production.  They get pretty candid.  It was a preseason game so nothing was on the line and the starters didn't play a lot but it was incredible to be watching the game from the sidelines, just a few feet away from the line judge.  Not really a better place to watch a football game in my opinion.
When the game ended we waited for the players to leave then we headed into the room where the post game interview was going to be held.  The reporters I watched, listened to and read were all coming in and I got to hold the boom mike that I would direct at whoever was talking.  I stood about 5 feet from Todd Haley (head coach).  It was a bit surreal to me to see the behind the scenes and everything that goes into a broadcast.  I've seen some from taping Salt & Pepper shows and being on TV but I'm usually in front of the camera not working the technical aspects of a live show.  Jon mentioned that the entire Chiefs crew had about 45 minutes to an hour before the bus left so there was not time to catch up or chat.  The tear down and loading of the equipment happens pretty quick.  As we finished packing up and headed into the hallway some of the players were coming out of the locker room already changed for the trip home.  They grabbed the boxed lunch/dinners that were set out for them and headed out to the bus.  I think they all left the stadium before Joe and I got out.

All in all it was a great time.  I told Jon that I would be his parab guy in the Mid-Atlantic from NY to Carolina.  I would get a chance to see an old friend and a four hour drive isn't bad to see the game on the sidelines behind the parabolic mic.