Merry Christmas to all

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

I hope you all enjoyed your day of food, family, and football (not necessarily in that order) .... Thanksgiving is always a special day, as I love to take the time to really reflect back on the things that are most important to me.... the love of my great family, and the fact that I am truly blessed to do work that I love.

Today I attempted to launch a new aspect of my website... the streaming of sports events over my website, www.johnrleahy.com. It is an exciting venture that, once I get it going, will be over the top. The sky will be the limit.

As with any new technology, there is a learning curve involved. Today I took a few lumps, but learning definitely did occur. In spite of my best efforts, I was unable to get the broadcast on for the first half. I attribute that to my newness with the technology and to a lesser extent maybe some connection issues. But I was able to get the thing going and stream the second half of the game (oh, by the way, Stoughton won, 26-6).

The technology I am using is called UStream. It is a broadcast platform where you can broadcast anything. Here is the catch- the device I use will depend on where I am and what the Internet connection is. If I am in a place where wireless is available, I will bring my laptop and do an audio broadcast. Here's the GREAT thing about that- I will be able to post on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., and chat with you during the event. That is an invaluable tool in my opinion. Unfortunately, many high school locations do not have wireless capability. In that event, I will do the game straight from my phone (as I did today). As far as I can tell, doing it this way requires me to video the event while providing commentary, and my chat options are much more limited. But as I said the sky is the limit. I have used this technology previously in my baseball time in Kalamazoo, and I love it. Oh, and I can instantly see how many viewers I have!

I just want to ask for your patience as I continue to work out the kinks. Once I learn everything I need to know, watch out. These streams will get better and better. For those who tuned in and could not view the broadcast, I'm sorry. Thanks for trying. And for those who stuck with it and eventually saw the broadcast today, thanks to you as well.

I found out also that during the game, whenever I received a text message or AIM, the broadcast would kick off the air and I would have to relaunch it. Ah, yes, part of the learning curve again.

As for the other stuff in my life, Merrimack hockey is going great. The team is 4-2-4 and became a ranked team in the national polls for the FIRST TIME in school history. Yes, that is a big deal. I love every second of this job. Let me go back to the Thanksgiving concept again- I truly feel blessed to be broadcasting hockey, It is a lifetime dream. Somebody pinch me.

As for the baseball stuff, I am still very much in limbo. I have heard nothing from the Freedom, and every day that goes by lessens the chances I will be back there. This whole situation deeply saddens me, especially now that my good friend and former colleague Fran Riordan is heading in to manage the team in 2011. How wonderful would it be to be reunited with Fran again..... but all indications are that the team is looking elsewhere for a broadcaster.

I'm also working on my next book, my auto biography. The manuscript is due out in February.

Whew! Have I told you enough?

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy " Black Friday" tomorrow. How many of you are hitting the stores at 3 AM?

I'll catch you all soon!

Recap of the summer of 2010

Hello everybody, I know it has been a while, but now that baseball season is over I have a little bit of time before my winter assignment kicks in and I thought I would blog a bit. Just a few thoughts about my summer in Florence, KY.

The Florence Freedom finished up the season with a final record of 38-58. We finished in fifth place in the Frontier League's Western Division, ahead of the Evansville Otters. Everyone connected with the organization was disappointed with our record, because we all knew that the team we put on the field was better than the record indicated. For sure, it was not because of a lack of effort, it was just "one of those seasons." I don't like to make excuses, but injuries played a key role in the struggles we had. Losing our best starter, Everett Saul, certainly did not help. We also lost Michael Campbell, the heart and soul of our team, to a broken forearm. Pitching and defense wins championships, and in spite of our best efforts and how hard we battled night in and night out, we just didn't get the results we were looking for.

I personally enjoyed the season. If I am broadcasting baseball, then by default I am enjoying my life and my work. We could have been 0-96 and I still would have loved coming to the park every day. The Freedom had a great group of guys, and I really enjoyed being with them on a daily basis.

I also want to take a moment to thank the entire front office staff for welcoming me in for the 2010 season. What a great group of people! Toby Rumfield , our manager, who always treated me well; Coaches Pedro Flores and Pete Rose Jr., who made it truly fun for me; Kari Rumfield, our award winning GM (she won Executive of the Year in 2009), Josh Anderson, who taught me a few things and definitely played a key role in my growth as a broadcaster, Alyssa Meyer , our outstanding director of on-field entertainment; Stadium Steve Mace, ticket manager Dana White, Elizabeth Quatman, one of our outstanding account execs and all around great gal; Deidra Brown, our superb concessions manager; Matt Resar, our jack of all trades who helped me out on so may occasions; Kevin Schwab, our Hall of Fame PA announcer, Emily Christman, our wonderful music lady; and all the interns who made the summer special, including my right hand man Nick Dobreff, who worked exhaustingly all summer long, and Megan Smith, who was a tag team partner as well.

And of course thanks go to Clint and Kim Brown for their friendship and support in 2010. I really owe them a lot, as they gave me a chance to once again fulfill my life's dream and do the work I was born to do.

Now that my time is a bit more freer (not by much, as hockey preparations are underway), I will make an effort to be on more. More baseball musings coming soon. Thanks for checking in.

Book update

Hello everyone,

Thanks to all who took the time to order my new book, Living A King's Life! There are plenty of copies available, so please do feel free to pick up a copy if you haven't done so already! The book will also be coming out in paperback as well, so I am truly excited about that.

To check out the book and/or order a copy, I invite you to check out this link:

http://www.publishamerica.net/product92257.html.

Thank you!

Living A King's Life is on sale NOW!

I am proud to announce that my brand new book, Living A King's Life, is on sale NOW through Publish America! It was a lot of hard work, but it is so worth it!

If you'd like to read about the book or would consider buying a copy, simply visit the following link:

http://www.publishamerica.net/product92257.html .

Thanks to all my family and friends for your support!

Living A King's Life is coming.... soon!

Well, more news about the book. At the end of last week, I received two separate E-mails containing my cover design for the book as well as the text proofs. They asked me to go through the manuscript one last time and make final edits before the book goes to print. I was up until 2 AM last night going over the manuscript, page by page and word by word. There were about twenty errors that I fixed. This information needed to get to the publisher by 5 PM on June 1. Sure, I could have done it today on my day off, but I am so anxious to get this book out, so I expedited the process.

After these final edits are made, the book will head off to the printer. I will keep you all posted on details as I get them.

As for the current baseball season, the Freedom are 3-6. We won ugly last night 8-7 on a walkoff wild pitch. It is not often that you win when making five errors, but I give credit to the Freedom for hanging in there. Next up is a doubleheader against Oakland County on Wednesday.

Living A King's Life update

Well, I heard from my publishers last week and happily all of my attachments, pictures, and my manuscript were accepted for the book and now it is in the text production stage. A formatter will begin work on my book, at which point it will then be sent to the art department, where the cover design will be done. I am so impatient..... I know it will take time, even up to six to eight months, but I am also being told it could be shorter. It can't come soon enough.

Back on the subject of baseball, things are hectic here in Florence. The Freedom played their final exhibition game today, losing to the Evansville Otters 7-0. Now we are at the stage where we need to cut down our roster to the league mandated 24 players. We go to battle in the season opener this Friday night, in Sauget, Illinois, against the Gateway Grizzlies. It's go time.

Talk to you all soon!

Hockey commentator on the All-Massachusetts Hockey Team

Barry Melrose- who else?

Movie about said baseball team

How about a movie about this fictional team? It could star Karl Malden and Kirk Douglas. How about Charles Emerson Winchester from M*A*S*H?

Addition to the line-up

Carl Everett coming off the bench as a fourth outfielder!

The All Massachusetts Baseball Line-up

I have been working on this for a while. Here it is, a baseball lineup featuring last names of players all made up of Massachusetts towns and cities:

STARTING PITCHERS

1- Eric Milton
2- Ryan Franklin
3- Tim Wakefield
4- Tim Hudson
5- Jim Palmer

CATCHER
Bob Montgomery (Alan Ashby in reserve)

FIRST BASE
Jim Spencer

SECOND BASE
Willie Randolph

THIRD BASE
Mike Lowell

SHORTSTOP
Garry Templeton

CENTER FIELD
Fred Lynn

LEFT FIELD
Daryl Boston

RIGHT FIELD
Amos Otis

DESIGNATED HITTER
Josh Hamilton

BULLPEN
Al Holland
Bob Shirley (Yes, I am serious, and don't call me Shirley)
Wes Gardner

BROADCASTER
John Sterling


And how about the fine sport of hockey? You could have a front line of Bob Bourne with Brett Hull and Keith Acton with Mike Mil(l)bury on defense!

Batman villains

As a child of the 60's (born in that decade) one of my favorite shows growing up was Batman, the old TV series with Adam West and Burt Ward. I would be on the edge of my seat during each episode as it came to it's cliffhanging conclusion. The most intriguing part of each show was, in my opinion, the guest villains of each episode. Some huge Hollywood names passed through that show. Here are my top ten favorites.

1) THE PENGUIN (Burgess Meredith)

2) THE JOKER (Cesar Romero)

3) THE RIDDLER (Frank Gorshin and John Astin)

4) EGGHEAD (Vincent Price)

5) MR. FREEZE (Otto Preminger)

6) KING TUT ( Victor Buono)

7) LOUIE THE LILAC (Milton Berle)

8) THE MAD HATTER ( David Wayne)

9) THE SIREN (Joan Collins)

10) CATWOMAN (Eartha Kitt and Julie Newmar)


Who are your favorites?

Book contract signed!

This past week I signed a deal with PublishAmerica for my new book, " Living A King's Life." It is an incredibly exciting time. With the formalities now done, production on the book is set to begin. The pre-production team is sending me out an author questionnaire as the first step in the process. We are working in tandem, step by step, and I am learning as I go.

As far as a timetable, it could take as little as four months and up to a year to see the book in print and in bookstores. Of course, I will keep everyone in the loop as I hear anything!

Book update

Hello all,

If you haven't heard, I learned this week that my book manuscript has been accepted for publication by the publishing company PublishAmerica. It is an exciting time for sure. I am close to signing a contract for the book to go into publication. I don't have a timetable for seeing the book going into print, and this is a "learn as you go process."

I chose the title " Living a King's Life." A play on words, but an accurate one.... I really feel like a king when I do my work, and of course, I worked for the Kalamazoo Kings in 2009.

I'll have further updates as they occur.

Class of 83 get together update

Hello fellow SHS classmates!

It has been so great talking to a great deal of you over on Facebook. I can't tell you how much I love reconnecting with the group of friends I care most about in this world, my high school classmates.

As you all know, on April 17 at the Stoneforge in Foxboro, we have a night planned where we will get together and share some memories over cocktails, and good food. I leave for Kentucky the following weekend for the summer, and I felt it was important to get together to see as many of you as possible before the long, hot grind of baseball season begins.

For those who have not seen Stoneforge, it is a great place. Located on Route 1 North in Foxboro (about a mile from Gillette Stadium) it has a huge bar, excellent food, TV's, and tables, for which I am hoping we can commandeer a corner table and sing a few tunes. I talked to Russ Goldstein and he is receptive to bringing his acoustic guitar , and between him and me, we could create some enjoyable stuff you can sing along to. I have always dreamed of having a pub session, and this is as good an opportunity as I believe there is.

Please come join us. If you graduated in our class, you're invited. If you know of classmates that are not on Facebook, but you are in contact with them, please let them know they are invited too.

I'll be there no later than 6. Last call is 12:30 AM. Let's make this a night we won't soon forget.

Thanks!

John

Fan Behavior

First of all, let me congratulate the Boston College Eagles on winning the Hockey East Championship at the TD Garden last night. It may have been the greatest championship game ever since the formation of Hockey East back in 1984-85. I love Jerry York and am thrilled for him and the Eagles as they move on to the NCAA playoffs next weekend. It was electric to be part of it.

Not everything was perfect about last night's experience though. I am not referring to the play on the ice, which was less than perfect in and of itself- but rather to the way that the BC fans conducted themselves in their "heckling" of Maine goaltender Dave Wilson specifically, and their chants of "Black Bears suck."

BC won the game 7-6 in overtime. Each time the Eagles scored, we were subjected to chants of " Wilson, Wilson, you suck.... in life..... in goaltending, it's all your fault, it's all your fault." Call me old fashioned, or a "prude", but I don't think that's right.

Look, I am all for expressing your love for your team. Be vocal, be loud, be enthusiastic, but be positive. BC fans did nothing but give themselves and their school a black eye in my view. Every college hockey fan base uses the word "sieve" when the opposing goaltender gives up a goal. I understand that, and it is relatively inoffensive in comparison. But please, people, clean it up. Last night went over the line. It wasn't about fun. It was about childishness.

You see it all the time with BC and BU fans going back and forth. BU fans will shout, "Jesus hates you" while BC fans come back with "BU football" making reference to the Terriers losing their football program. It has gone unchecked for a long time and once fans know they can get away with it, the problem just escalates. There is no consequence.

I am sure there were some Maine fans that engaged in some of that too, but if there was it was fewer and farther between compared to the BC fans last night.

Fans are warned prior to the game that unprofessional behavior will not be tolerated and that violators can be ejected from the arena. It doesn't happen enough. Maybe building security is afraid that if they eject someone for chanting and heckling in the manner described above, they will be sued for First Amendment violations. It needs to be enforced more. Buying a ticket to an athletic event is a privilege and carries with it certain responsibilities. If you can't enjoy the game in a fun and respectful way, don't go to the game.

Now, I want to make it clear that I am all for having fun at athletic events. I am not a killjoy. There are those that will argue that if you call a student on the carpet for heckling in an unprofessional manner, you are taking away their fun and their fun of the experience. I disagree. You can go to a game, have fun, be loud and enthsiastic, while being positive at the same time.

What I am saying here will not change anything. These chants will continue. Fans will continue to disrespect their opponents in the name of " having fun" and calling it "part of the college experience". But that doesn't mean I have to like it, or that I think it's right.

And I will give credit where it's due- the BC fans did warmly acknowledge the Maine players who were selected for the all tournament team. That was nice to see.

BC fans, if you go to Worcester, have fun. Root the Eagles on. But please keep it positive.

Stoughton High School 83 gathering

Hi everyone,

I wanted to touch base with all of you, dear classmates, to let you know that I have decided on a place and time for us to get together for those that are available and can make it. As you know from my previous posting on Facebook, I have chosen Saturday night, April 17 as the magic date (perfect..... the weekend after tax day- we will all need a drink then, right? ) . The place? I have decided on the Stoneforge on Route 1 North in Foxboro (about a mile north of Gillette Stadium). It has a huge bar and several tables. Good food and 36 beers on tap (and non-alcoholic choices as well for those who prefer not to drink). There are also hotels in the surrounding area for those that would need overnight accommodations.

I will bring the guitar, and if I get to use it at a corner table, great, if not, we'll make do. Don't see why it would be a problem though. There are also plenty of TV's to watch the Red Sox.

This is the week before I leave for Kentucky for the long, hot summer. I can think of no better way to leave town than to see your smiling faces again. Please join me. It will be a fun time.

I will get there by 6:00. Last call will be at 12:30 AM. Hope to see you all there.

John

PLAYOFFS!

I am so thrilled to report that Merrimack hockey is back in the Hockey East playoffs for the first time since 2003-04. All of the hard work, sweat, and sacrifice has paid off for the Warriors and as a result, Merrimack will skate against Boston University in the first round of the playoffs which begins on Friday evening at Agganis Arena in Boston. I am thrilled for Coach Dennehy, his coaching staff, and all the players, particularly the seniors.

Merrimack has never won in this building, but I don't think that that matters now. It all comes down to execution and Merrimack has been one of the hottest teams in Hockey East coming down the stretch. BU will in all likelihood be the favorite to win, but if you talk to Coach Jack Parker of the Terriers, he speaks in glowing terms about how good Merrimack is and how he is not looking forward to seeing the blue and gold in this series.

These teams played three times in the regular season. On November 13 at Merrimack, the Warriors won 6-3, snapping a long losing streak against the Terriers. The next night, BU scored four in the first and went on to win 6-4. The teams then played on January 16 at BU with the Terriers winning again, 6-4. If the regular season is any indication, these playoffs should be fun to watch.

Incidentally, this will be my first playoff series since joining Hockey East five years ago, and I couldn't be more excited.

There will be some other great series too. Vermont plays at New Hampshire, Massachusetts goes to Boston College, and UMass Lowell will head to Maine. I think Massachusetts could upset BC, although not likely. Both teams are playing great hockey (UMass just swept Maine in Orono this weekend) and BC is hitting their stride too (they nearly swept UNH if not for a bad third period on Friday night). Maine is struggling right now and could have it's hands full with Lowell, that will be interesting. Vermont always plays UNH tough too. Don't be surprised if that series goes the distance. In fact, don't be surprised if all three go the distance.

Northeastern and Providence missed the playoffs this season. It is a shame that someone had to miss out, but the way this season went, with a great race to the end, someone was bound to be disappointed. It's hard to imagine a postseason without the Northeastern Huskies in it. And my hats go off to Providence, who battled hard on Saturday night and fought tooth and nail all the way. I hope the Friars get back in the show next season. I love the folks there.

Thanks for your time everyone. It's time for playoff hockey. Go Merrimack! I'll have more from BU next week!

Book Update

As some of you may know, I am in the process of writing my first book. It is a diary of the 2009 Kalamazoo Kings season as seen through my eyes in the broadcast booth. It is an exciting prospect but very time consuming. I thought I would just give a brief update on where that stands.

I am still working on the manuscript. Hockey season has taken up large amounts of time, but after the season ends (and before I leave for Kentucky) I plan on getting it done and ready for submission to a publisher. Since this is my first book, I am really flying by the seat of my pants here. Can anyone lend any advice to an aspiring author?

I'll post updates here on the blog as well as on my homepage, which is at www.johnrleahy.com.

Thanks everyone!

An open letter to my Kalamazoo friends and the Kalamazoo Kings

Hello to all my friends in Western Michigan.

I am sure you all know by now that I am no longer the voice of your Kalamazoo Kings. It was a very sad day to decide to leave. I will miss Kalamazoo and the Kings more than you will ever know. Two offseasons ago, after the North Shore Spirit closed their doors for good, I needed a team to step up. The Kings did just that, and I will always be grateful to Joe Rosenhagen and Fran Riordan for bringing me in. It was a very special two years.

My decision to leave had nothing to do with the team, the fans, or my co-workers. All of you were great. I had heard rumors that the Kings were possibly going to scrap radio coverage for next year, and I inquired about it. The uncertainty of the radio situation forced me to look elsewhere. Consequently, I landed in Florence for 2010.

I don't know why the Kings wanted to change their radio approach from last year. It was a good model. We reached out to more fans last year than ever before with our video and audio broadcasts. It seemed like the way to go for this year too.

Anyway, I wanted to thank all of you for your friendship and your support over the last two years. I will miss you all. Kalamazoo will always hold a special place in my heart. I am looking forward to coming back to town in mid- August with the Freedom.

Keep in touch K'zoo!

With warmest regards,

John Leahy

Merrimack Hockey is Back On the Map

How exciting it is to be a part of the Merrimack hockey culture right now. We are witnessing some exciting hockey in North Andover, MA. Five years ago, when I took over as the voice of Merrimack hockey, the Warriors were a team in disarray. Mark Dennehy came in and has rebuilt this program into a contender. I think the most important thing Coach Dennehy has done is not only re-shape the culture of Merrimack hockey, but also he has created a new image for this hockey team. When you are a visiting team coming to Merrimack, you know you're in for a long hard battle. Merrimack has the best home record in the country, and that is no accident. No longer is Merrimack viewed as a pushover. They have earned respect around the league.

This team expects to win. Just competing is not enough anymore. Confidence and resiliency are the new watchwords around North Andover. Making the playoffs is the next logical step for this team, but just making it will not be satisfying enough. Merrimack, if they get there, will expect to win, whomever they play.

And I bring that same confidence to the booth. When I arrive at the arena I expect to have a good broadcast. I have crossed every t and dotted every i. The more prepared I am, the better my broadcast will be for my audience. They deserve the best, and I will always give my best.

There will be a stiff test tomorrow night at Boston College. I don't know what the outcome will be, but I can tell you this.... Merrimack will come to play for the full 60 minutes. After all, it's the new norm for Merrimack College hockey.

Hi everybody and welcome

Hello everyone and welcome to my brand new blog. I have had the good fortune of reading other blogs created by my colleagues and have enjoyed reading what they have to say, so I figured I'd give it a shot and enter the blogosphere.

If we haven't met before, I broadcast sports for a living, and feel truly blessed to do it. After working for the Kalamazoo Kings baseball club for two years , and the North Shore Spirit prior to that for three, I will be settling in Florence, Kentucky this summer to become the new voice of the Florence Freedom in the Frontier League. I also broadcast college hockey in the winter months, doing college hockey in my native Massachusetts, broadcasting for Division 1 Merrimack College out of North Andover, MA, in Hockey East.

But this will not strictly be a broadcasting blog. It will cover everything. Everything from music to current events to bragging about how I feel like I have the best friends and family on the planet.

I'll look forward to hearing from you. Bring your blogging game. It's on!