What I’ll miss about the job
Dear Readers,
These are my final words as a reporter at The Oakland Tribune. After nearly 10 years, I’ve decided to make a career switch and try my hand as a play-by-play announcer. I’ll be working for ESPN 970 in Modesto, doing play by play of the Modesto Nuts in the California League.
I won’t miss a lot of things — like the constant deadline pressure, delayed flights, canceled flights, shrinking space in the paper, shrinking travel budgets, missing out on holidays and other fun events because I’m out of town, and dealing with athletes who can’t stand reporters.Â
But overall, it’s been an entertaining 10 years. I wouldn’t change my experiences for anything. Now it’s time to go. But before I depart, here’s a list of my best memories of my job — from high school reporter to Giants beat reporter to A’s beat reporter — and what I’ll miss.
* The dedication and passion of high school coaches, such as Skyline’s John Beam, McClymonds’ Alonzo Carter and Encinal’s Jim Saunders. I liked to say there was never a dull day in the Oakland Athletic League. One of the first games I covered was a Skyline-Mack basketball game that included a lengthy argument over the score in the final seconds, Darrell Tucker ending the game on a putback jam at the buzzer, and Lute Olson watching it from under the basket.
* Inevitably, a student would ask “are you a scout?” as they saw me at a game with my clipboard and notepad. When I’d say that I’m from the Trib, a look of excitement would spread across the face of the student. Word would spread quickly — “the Trib’s in the house!” — and suddenly the stakes of the game became even more important.
* Just knowing that with every story I wrote, you could almost hear the parent cutting the story out of the paper to put on the family’s refrigerator. Or, in other cases, I would save my own story about a pitcher from Encinal High because I had a feeling this Dontrelle Willis might amount to something.
* Watching Barry Bonds hit. Regardless of everything that’s happened and his personality, there’s still something magical and theatrical about that man in the batters box. The ultimate must-see TV.
* The opportunity to travel the country and see – the rock-n-roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Experience Music Project in Seattle, the top of the Gateway to the West in St. Louis, sprinting up the “Rocky” steps in Philadelphia with my cousins as a homeless guy sang out the theme song, driving to South Bend, Ind. to see Notre Dame and getting an impromptu tour of the football stadium, walking on the beach and checking out the sights at South Beach in Miami, watching the sunrise from Red Rocks outside Denver, having a beer at the bar that inspired ”Cheers” in Boston, viewing the Negro League baseball museum in Kansas City, driving through Dealey Plaza and feeling chills through my body as I crossed the spot JFK was killed in Dallas, and so much more.
* The entire 2002 playoffs was the most exhausting, exhilirating month of my life. I’ll never forget driving to Pacific Bell Park for Game 4 of the division series between the Giants and Braaves with my suitcase in the car. I didn’t know if I would drive home after the game, drive straight to the airport and go to Atlanta for one day, or go to Atlanta and then St. Louis on a four-day trip. The Angels-Giants World Series was a classic. I still have the half-written story saved from Game 6 that described the Giants winning their first World Series in San Francisco. (I started re-writing after Scott Spiezio took Felix Rodriguez deep.)
* My all-time favorite players, based on what type of people they are: Shawon Dunston, Rich Aurilia, Mark Kotsay.
* My all-time favorite manager, again, based sheerly on personality: Dusty Baker. You can talk to Dusty about any subject and he’ll put a smile on your face or fill your mind with wisdom. I’ll never forget Dusty’s advice to me about turning 30 years old.
* Probably the coolest day of my life was driving to Canton, Ohio one morning for the NFL Hall of Fame. I spent hours looking at the history of the sport, and watched every piece of Raiders film available. Bill King’s voice served as the backdrop for these incredible moments in Raiders history. Then I went to “work” at Jacobs Field that afternoon, walked into the dugout, and there was Bill King sitting down. Bill said hello to me, like it was any other day, and I was speechless. I get choked up right now just thinking about it. Bill King was like a member of my family. I’ve always thought it was so incredibly cool that he knew my name.
So many more memories exist that I’ll always cherish, but I’ll end it with Bill King. I hope you’ve been entertained and informed by the stories I’ve written over the last 10 years. It’s been a pleasure and an honor. Come on out to Modesto, watch a game, and bring your headphones to listen to me on the radio. The tickets are cheaper, and so is the beer.
Cheers.
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