Broadcaster for Hire

There is so much going on in my life right now that I just haven’t had time to take a breath. I’ll try to summarize it in this first paragraph, then I’ll move on to the subject matter of this post. If you want to hear more about this stuff, please tune in to my podcast for much more. Where to start? I just finished my first season broadcasting hockey for UMass Lowell (and my 20th in Hockey East). A very fun filled and satisfying year for me. Trips to Palm Springs , CA and Lake Placid, N.Y. (on my 60th birthday). And most importantly, being given the opportunity to travel again. I feel complete again as a broadcaster. Our season ended up in Maine last weekend, but I’m proud of our guys. Also, my new book is out- Living On Air, Life Lessons from 60 Years of Living and 30 Years in the Broadcast Booth. It’s available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble online. Lots of podcast and music activity too. 

On to the subject matter. Recent developments and broadcast experiences with my Internet radio station have given me the confidence that I can now broadcast any event, in any location, regardless of whether there is power or Internet or not. I have invested countless hours of time, money, and energy to make this dream a reality. I’ve done remote broadcasts at bookstores, parks, and high school arenas. With my equipment and technology, I can now broadcast anything at any time. My Jackery portable power generator ensures that I have the electric power I need even in an area with no outlets. With my phone’s Hotspot I can do a broadcast with no Internet on location. (Hence the concert at the park I did last summer). 

The point of all this is I can be hired out to broadcast anything live on the Internet. I’ll do a lot of stuff on my own, and it will be good. But I can cover your event too. Sports games, talk shows, anything. Live on the Internet. 

Contact me through my website at johnrleahy.com and we can talk more. 

THANK YOU Merrimack!

 The summer has sped by and hockey season is rapidly descending on us. With that being said, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few thoughts about my transition in my broadcasting career. I expressed several thoughts about this on my podcast a few weeks back, but I also wanted to get my thoughts in written form. I considered the thought of taking out advertising space in the Lawrence-Eagle Tribune for this written project but due to the high costs I've chosen to do it this way. And I think it will reach a lot of people this way as well.

On August 24, I was hired to be the next radio play by play voice of UMass Lowell hockey, replacing Bob Ellis, who retired after 40 years with the River Hawks at the end of last season. I had received a phone call from UML in June, as they were gauging my interest in the position. I agreed to meet with them on July 2, and after a long period of introspection on both sides, I chose to accept the offer, ending my 19 year run at Merrimack College as their play by play announcer for men's and women's hockey. In this post, I'd like to share my deep appreciation and affinity for Merrimack College. 

Leaving the site of where I got my start in Division 1 hockey was the most agonizing decision I've ever made in my professional career. Merrimack has been so good to me over the years, and I'm so grateful to everyone there. You all have touched my life in so many wonderful ways. We've grown together, we've gone through some hard times and we've gone through some pretty unbelievably fun times too. It has been an absolute joy to be your play by play announcer. People may have different opinions of my work there, but there is one thing I can tell you for sure- I gave 120% of myself every time I put that headset on. I wanted you all to experience the excitement of the greatest game in the world through my passion for the sport, the sport I've loved all my life. The sport I've been around since age 5. And, the sport that I've wanted to broadcast all my life, starting with my practice of turning down the volume on my small gray black and white television at age 6 in 1970 and pretending to be the television play by play voice of the Boston Bruins, Fred Cusick. I knew I wasn't going to be a professional athlete, in spite of my athletic games I loved to play with my neighborhood friends growing up on Howland Road in Stoughton. But I damn well knew I'd be broadcasting it. It's in my blood, and it all got started because of you. Merrimack. 

Who to thank- a monumental task. I'll start by acknowledging my love for you, WARRIOR NATION. You are among the most passionate devoted fanbase of any team in college sports. The nights I'd be at Lawler Rink and hear and see you in full voice made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. You are devoted, passionate, and incredibly loyal. I love that you made me feel right at home all these years. The times we've talked and shot the breeze about hockey was very gratifying. I love you all- no matter what way you came to follow Merrimack hockey- whether you were a parent, an alum, a student, an employee, or a player there- you are all very special to me and you always will be. I'll cherish the memories, the stories, and your friendship forever. I hope I meant as much to you as you did to me. 

Thanks to my partner in crime, Mike Machnik, who was by my side for every game. If there's a person who knows more about college hockey than Mike, that person would be hard to find. Mike's knowledge, his preparation, and his enthusiasm for the game always helped me to elevate my game. I knew that every time we went on to do a broadcast, our audience would be entertained and informed. We had really good chemistry together, and I think we did pretty well together in our time there. I was so happy to see Mike get rewarded with the Concannon Media Award the year he won it. Very deserving. And he will continue to carry on the great responsibility of bringing you the game as only he can. Be very glad, Warrior Nation, you are in GREAT hands. 

Mike McMahon is an unbelievable success story, and I need to thank him as well. When I started in 2005, Mike was a student at Merrimack, a senior. I saw him when he was just starting out. I knew immediately he had a great passion for the game. Fast forward almost two decades later, and Mike is the #1 authority for college hockey reporting. There are many great journalists out there- including everyone who works at CHN- but in my biased opinion nobody does it better than Mike. Mike has blossomed into simply the best college hockey journalist in the country today, and probably the world. Mike 's work is a staple of my preparation and I'm glad to say that will continue. I will miss seeing him and listening to his wisdom whenever I see him. I've said this to Mike many times- it has been fascinating to see his career grow. And I've seen it from Day 1. Again, Warrior nation, you are blessed to have Mike's coverage. 

Ian Beauchesne is a rising star. I was so happy to see him becoming involved with Merrimack hockey, and he is such a passionate, entertaining fellow. Ian is amazing at what he does- his love for the sport and his love for Merrimack make him the perfect fit as the PA voice of Lawler Arena. He has been a contributor to my podcast several times, and will continue to do so in the future. Ian is becoming very well respected as a journalist in his own right, and he was and is a very vital part of the experience at Merrimack. I am honored to call him a friend and a colleague. I will miss hearing his voice at Lawler, but am certainly looking forward to coming back as a visitor and hearing him do what he does best. Thanks Ian. 

Much thanks to the administration there, Jeremy Gibson and Ciaran Cullen, who gave me the chance to be me. I'm indebted to Jeremy for giving me the opportunity to do TV work- something I coveted for a long time. I loved every second of it. Ciaran is a great person who again supported us unbelievably well, and just let us be us. He was always by our side with everything, and I will miss him. Dr. Christopher Hopey did and will continue to do great things for the college. There's never been any doubt about his commitment to make the Merrimack experience the best it can always be. Merrimack students should be excited to have these fine men guiding their path during their education and athletic careers there. 

A big thank you to the head coaches, Scott Borek and Erin Hamlen. Two of the finest people I've ever worked with. Two individuals who are as passionate as they come. Both Scott and Erin treated me and us very well, and it was a pleasure to be associated with both of them. I will be following the Warriors and will root for their success. Both hockey programs deserve it. And also great thanks to Mark Dennehy for the first thirteen years. A consummate pro, he is now enjoying success with the New Jersey Devils organization. He deserves that success, and I'm happy for him. And to all the assistant coaches, Chris Ross, Jimmy Mullen, and Stephanie Wood, I will miss you all as well. You are great friends and are very good at what you do. And Chris, I'm not letting you off the hook. We WILL play a song together at some point. 

Also great thanks to our incredible Pack Network crew, K.J. Cardinal, Jared Fieldsend, and Tom Casanova. You guys may be behind the scenes, but we couldn't pull off the TV broadcasts without you. Such great, professional people. Be proud of the work you have done and will continue to do. You are among the very best at your craft. You are and always will be appreciated. 

I'd also like to thank Brock Hines. One of my best friends in this business, Brock did the radio and TV at UMass for 29 years. When he left the Minutemen, he became the most coveted, sought after free agent in Hockey East. Thankfully, I was aggressive in convincing him to come to North Andover to help me cover women's games. I know he loved being there as much as I loved having him. One of the worst parts of this decision was not being able to do games with Brock anymore. He means a whole lot to me, and I hope you, Warrior Nation, saw the passion and love he had for the game. He has indicated to me he's excited to follow Merrimack women's hockey going forward. He'll have a vested interest in those games, Brock, thank you for everything. 

I'm sure there are so many others to thank, and if I've omitted anyone it is not intentional. If you were a part of Merrimack hockey in my time there, I noticed you, I recognized you, and believe me, you were special. 

I'll only be about ten miles away this winter. I'll be keeping an eye on the Warriors and pulling for your success. I'm excited to come back to Lawler on October 26th with the River Hawks. Please come by and say hello if you are there. Know that you will always have a piece of my heart. Thank you Merrimack, for your love, your support, and your friendship. It has been a sincere pleasure. 

Baseball Thoughts From my Broadcasting Perspective

 I thought this would be a good time to share some thoughts about the changing of the seasons. Hockey season is winding down for me, and it’s always a bittersweet time.  College hockey season is a long endeavor, and even if I feel a little tired around this time, it is always worth it. The weather is slowly turning warmer, and the second hockey ends, I automatically start thinking about baseball. It’s been ingrained in me going back to 2005 when I got my first pro baseball broadcasting gig, with the North Shore Spirit of the Can-Am league. Starting that year, I would go from hockey to baseball after having a few months off in between. It was the perfect life- broadcasting year round, covering the two sports I love most. 

In fact, it was that way for 15 years. Until 2020. COVID 19 landed on our shores. Prior to the arrival of this nasty disease, I ended the 2019 season in heartbreaking fashion. The Lowell Spinners were 8 outs from a championship , leading the Brooklyn Cyclones in the decisive Game 3. Brooklyn would rally to win it, dashing our hopes, and preventing me from earning my first ever championship ring. It felt really awful walking out of what was then called MCU Park that night. As terrible as I felt, I was comforted by the old familiar refrain, “We’ll get them next year.”

Except there would be no next year. For anybody. COVID reared its ugly head, and we were all denied baseball in 2020. Again, I was comforted by what I felt would be everyone and everything being back to normal in 2021. For most everybody in baseball.., it was. But not me. 

The Spinners, heartbreakingly, ceased operations going forward. While every other team in our league ' ultimately found themselves a home, Lowell did not. And that meant no more broadcasting baseball during the summer. It is as hard for me today as it was four years ago. 

I feel my baseball window is closing, and fast. I’ll be 60 years old in November, and as badly as I want back in, the seeds of doubt are something I battle with every day. I try to process the thoughts that I have about this- am I too old? Does God have another plan for me? Does He need me to be there for my Mom now? Does anyone believe that I can still bring them a quality broadcast?

I feel like I have at least 12.years of calling games left. The talent is there, and the commitment is there too. When I go, I want to go out on my terms. I feel like I did back in 2005- just give me a chance, and you won’t regret it. I’m a fighter and I’ll fight until the day I die. I’m not ready to give up the chance to call baseball again. I believe I still have a lot to contribute. I don’t want a pity party. I just want to broadcast baseball again. I attached my feelings of esteem and importance to my play by play, and it haunts me to be without it. 

I’ve done my best to fill the time- books, podcasting, music, narration. I’m thankful for those things. And I’ll always have hockey. But it’s time for baseball to make its triumphant return to my life. I’m ready for it. 

Harborlight Sessions Radio Network, My New Internet Radio Station

More updates on my seemingly unending list of projects- I am pleased and proud to welcome my new Internet station to the world, called the Harborlight Sessions Radio Network. This is an endeavor that I've always wanted to do and I'm super excited about the possibilities of what I can do with it. Admittedly, I have a lot to learn. One of the things I do know is that I would like to jump in with play by play with it- in fact, I've already scheduled a game to do on the air- November 13, I'll be covering a hockey game between the Bridgewater Bandits and the Boston Jr. Terriers live at the Bridgewater Ice Arena. 

I am exploring ideas for content- of course, sports, but music I think will play a large role in this. As I said, I feel that the possibilities are endless. 

What I like most about this is the ease of how people can listen. The player is located directly on the brand new Internet radio page of my website. All that they need to do is navigate to the page and hit the play button. If you'd like to check it out, please surf on over to https://www.johnrleahy.com/internet-radio/. 

As for the name, it was born of my two favorite types of music. The word "Harborlight" came to me as I thought of my love for the tropical, laid-back music of Jimmy Buffett. That escapist, carefree, tropical kind of life. Steel drums, petal steel guitars, and ukuleles. Margaritas. This stage of my life, and my personality, is totally reflected in that laid back philosophy and those types of songs. I wanted my radio station to incorporate that.

Sessions, the other part of the name, comes from my love of Irish music, which has been a huge part of my life for over four decades. A session, or"sei-shun", as they refer to it in Gaelic, is a type of musical experience where a group of musicians sit around a table and take turns singing songs. It's great fun and usually takes place in a darkened pub with plenty of alcoholic refreshment. The funnest session I ever took part in was down in Savannah, GA, in a pub called "Kevin Barry's." It's one of the funnest experiences a musician can ever have. So I wanted a part of that too. So there you have it. The Harborlight Sessions Radio Network. 

You'll also notice the very clever artwork on the webpage that houses my station- a palm tree decorated with Irish markings. My sister Katie cleverly put that together. A very brilliant way to capture those two worlds coming together. 

I also have to thank Meg Ortel for her technical assistance. She has been invaluable in helping me with my website, and she seamlessly added the new page and got everything up and running for me. I was communicating with her today and I told her that she was helping a lifelong dream become a reality. I think she liked hearing that she was a part in this process. 

So where do I go from here? Learning, learning, and more learning. I'm learning about the mechanics of the station itself. Learning about the business aspect and how to make money at it (right now, I've got that deer in the headlights look), but I'll be reading, studying,  experimenting, and running tests. I'll make mistakes. I'll run into bumps in the road, but it will all be worth it. I'll be using a state of the art mixer with a recording function built in, so I can do post game clips. This is going to be special. 

Please forgive me if this takes a little while. I want to get everything up and running quickly, but there is a learning curve, so it may take a little time. But I'm taking action. 

All live events I'll be doing will be marked on the calendar on my website. Go to the MORE tab and then Calendar of Events. I've already put the date of the game I'll be doing on the calendar. 

It's time to get serious, and it's time to broadcast. I've spent the money. I've put the sweat into it. Now, I do what I love. Broadcasting and entertaining. Mahalo and Slainte. 

Book Updates

 I felt it was the right time to discuss how my books are coming along. As mentioned on my website, my two books, Living A King's Life and Breakaway Wisdom, are being re-released to the world. I have reached an agreement with a Pennsylvania based publishing company to re-publish the books. I have added and updated content in both books. 

The total time I was told for the publication of both books are 8-10 months. It is an involved process- but the publishers are taking care of everything. And at the end of the process, these books will be on sale everywhere- Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and of course through my personal website at johnrleahy.com. I also plan to hopefully do some book signings. It may also require a trip out to Michigan to re-promote my book about the Kalamazoo Kings. 

Living A King's Life is ahead of Breakaway Wisdom in the process, I just finalized the deal on the hockey book last week. The baseball book will be done first. 

I also plan to do an audiobook version of the baseball book. There will not be an audiobook version of the hockey book, since it was audio interviews, it wouldn't make much sense. 

My third book, Calling the Shots, will also be re-published down the road, but that one is on the back burner for now. 

To say I'm excited and impatient is an understatement. I've worked so hard to write these books and it's important to get them back out there into the world. 

All updates will occur through the website and here on the blog. Looking forward to more updates. Stay tuned! 

My Favorite Personal Hockey Story

 As a broadcaster and now podcaster,  I've seen my share of stories happen over the years. People sometimes ask me if I have a favorite story from my experiences that would rank as my favorite of all. I do, and here it is. 

On one very cold and frigid Monday afternoon in February several years ago, I was preparing to head to Boston for the annual Beanpot tournament at the TD Garden. It's an event I never miss. Walking out of my house I started to walk towards my car which was parked on the lawn near our driveway. I don't typically like to park there, I'd rather park in the street- but we had snow and they want you to pull the cars off the street during snow situations. So I'm walking to my car, and I'm walking on a sheet of ice. I took a wrong step on the ice, and I wiped out. I fell, and landed squarely on my hip. I remember my iPad flying out of my hands, sliding across the ice, breaking the protective covering. As I lay on the ground, the pain was excruciating. I thought for sure my hip was broken. I literally had to fend for myself. My phone was with me, but I was determined to get to my feet on my own. Somehow I managed to roll over and collect the items that had left my hands as I fell. I remember my wrist was killing me just as my hip was. My wife was at work so her helping me was not possible. 

It took every ounce of energy and fortitude just to get to my car. It was pure agony as I literally rolled myself over to the car. I was able to somehow unlock it and put my belongings in there. The brutal part was getting myself in the car. Lifting my leg to get situated in the car was a major challenge, to say the least. But I got there. I was sure I had a broken hip. Thank God I didn't land on my head. 

Now I'm faced with a dilemma. Do I go to the emergency room and get checked out and forego the Beanpot, or do I suck it up and try to go in to Boston? Believe me when I tell you, as I'm sitting there racked with pain I thought about what I would do. After about five minutes I came to a decision. I decided to fight through the pain and head to the Beanpot. After all, I'm a hockey guy, right? 

So I decided I'll go to the Beanpot, then go to the ER after that. I knew that moving around would be extremely difficult, so I was determined to be as stationary as possible. Driving to the T station in Braintree was OK, but getting out of the car when there to limp over to get the train was immensely painful. Needless to say, it took me a LONG time to get there. I was able to limp onto the train, and I was on my way. 

Of course, any movement by me was brutally hard. So when I got to Boston, I had to navigate getting out of the subway station and limping into the Garden. That took a long time too. 

I finally made it into the Garden, limping in to get my credential and going up to the 9th floor. The media section. I was set. 

I went down (very slowly) to the media room for dinner in between games and was sitting with my good friend and hockey guy Brion O'Connor. I remember telling him what happened. I said to him, I'm going to try and go this alone, but maybe I'll need your help to stand up. 

I wasn't sure how long I was going to last, and when I was going to leave. The pain had become excruciating- and I was determined to tough it out and leave the minute the second game ended. I remember Northeastern was playing in Game 2. And wouldn't you know it, the second game went into overtime. At the end of the third period I said, " I have to go. I can't take it anymore." So I did what I would never do under normal circumstances- I left a hockey game before it's completion. 

As I hobbled down to the North Station Orange Line train, I had the game on the radio. I'm listening to Rob Rudnick, the Huskies broadcaster, call the overtime, and then subsequently, the game winning goal on the platform waiting for the train to come. I smiled knowing that I had toughed it out. All for the love of hockey. 

I somehow managed to get on the train and get back to Braintree. I hobbled over to my car (and remember it's February, so the cold is not helping the situation).... and after gingerly getting back into my car, I drove straight to the emergency room of Woonsocket Hospital in Rhode Island, near our house. They evaluated me and found no broken bones after an X-ray- which shocked me. It as determined to be a very deep tissue bruise. It looked very purple and very ugly. But they started me on the mend. Crawling into bed at around 1:30 AM and still hurting, I had made it back safely. 

All for the love of hockey. 

My New Website Launch, Other Upcoming Projects

 Greetings friends, great to be here communicating with you again. As you are probably aware, 2022 hit me real hard. I lost my Dad to Alzheimer's Disease and we had a myriad of problems with our house. It was a constant state of stress. Consequently, some things had to be put on the back burner. This blog being one of them. 

Resolving to give this blog more attention here in 2023, let me just start by saying that I could not be more pleased at the re-launch of my personal website. You can find the site here. I have repackaged the site, incorporating all of the old material that I had, in addition to updating with fresh new content, the biggest change being the addition of audio and video play by play clips, an essential element to any broadcaster's website. Much thanks to Mike Machnik and Brock Hines for lending their voices to the clips, it really gave it a genuine feel. A HUGE thank you goes out to the Pack Network and our ESPN colleagues for assisting me with the video clips- Jared Fieldsend, who helped me capture and organize the clips, Tom Casanova, and of course, K.J. Cardinal. We have the best production crew in the business with these professionals. It was a joy working with them all season long and I look forward to more games with them in the future. 

I wanted to incorporate as much of my life as I could with the website, touching on as many facets of my creative life and interests as I could. Sportscasting is my life's work and passion, but there's more to me than just that one area- so I thought I would devote time to each of those areas- podcasting, audiobooks, music, writing, and so forth. 

As for the website itself, there are two people I need to thank. The first is Meg Ortel, from Sandbox By Design. She is a website architect- and is brilliant at what she does. I am so grateful to her for all her hard work and her patience- she walked me through some pretty technical areas- areas I knew nothing about. The website design looks fabulous and seamless. And the fact that she remains so available to answer questions is a huge help. If you want to learn more about Meg and her great work, give her business a look here. 

The second person to thank is my sister, Katie Bartel. Katie provided the creative direction for a lot of the project, helping out with photography and design applications. She pointed me in the direction of Meg, and that in and alone was huge and greatly appreciated. Her creative ability is amazing and her imagination and ingenuity was unparalleled. I'm forever grateful for her time and energy with this. Katie has a thriving business herself and her work is outstanding. Please check out her work at her online home here. 

Having the website now fully editable is so wonderful now. I migrated to the new WordPress site from Network Solutions, who I originally connected with when I first built the site many years ago with my Dad. We used a now no longer available piece of software called Microsoft Frontpage to edit things, and I edited on an old Windows machine that has since gone to computer heaven. As a result of that, for several years my website was sitting out there, dormant, and I couldn't edit it. Over a Thanksgiving meal at my sister's home last year, we got to talking about the website and how we could resurrect it. Katie directed me to Meg, and the result is the website you now see today. 

With the website now up, you'll see some cool new features, one of them being a calendar which I will be updating on a regular basis. It will have music gigs, podcast releases, broadcasts, everything. That will be fun. This has now motivated and inspired me to move on to the other area that has troubled me for years- getting my books back in circulation. It's a long story as to why they are not in circulation right now, but I have contacted a new publisher and I will be re-submitting my manuscripts to them in the hopes that we can get these books back up and on sale. Podcasts will be continuing every Wednesday, and I also plan to get the books for sale in audiobook form. Also, I endeavor to launch my Internet radio station sooner rather than later. 

So that's the latest update. Thanks for tuning in, as always. Lots of fun things to look forward to! 

Updates and Keeping Things Fresh

 It has been a while since I have been blogging, and it is good to be back. I have had some big time life challenges as of late and it has taken up virtually all of my energy and time. I went into some detail about those challenges recently on my podcast, so that will give it plenty of perspective and detail. 

Speaking of the podcast, that is the subject of this blog post. As challenging as these times have been, I have also used this time to get very deep into the world of podcasting. I thought I would take this time to share some updates about this exciting adventure I've been involved in. 

I've been podcasting for about a year and a half now and I'm enjoying it very much. I've had the chance to interview a lot of fascinating people. It's an evolving process. People have expressed to me that they really enjoy coming on the show. And I enjoy the process about learning about people and developing my listening skills, which is so important in my sister career of broadcasting. 

Anyhow, I have taken a few steps to increase awareness of the podcast. I now have a fully functioning website to showcase the podcast, which is named Airing It Out, Files From Leahy's Broadcast Booth. You can find it here. On the website, you can find a TON of cool features that I hope will keep my listeners engaged and involved. 

For example, on the podcast website itself you can leave me voice messages.... there is a purple microphone in the lower right hand corner of each page, which makes it simple to accomplish the task of leaving messages. It is also possible to leave a review of the show, in the form of a star rating as well as comments, at the bottom of the website under "reviews." 

All of the episodes I have ever recorded are on the website. You can listen to any episode you want, and search for a past guest I've had on. Also included are YouTube videos I've done, pretty much a batch of songs I've done. I also have a blog on the website, and I've already done a few blog posts on there. There are also the listener links that the podcast can be heard on (Apple, Spotify, Google, and Castro) prominently displayed. 

There is also a contact form where you can reach out and get in touch with me. 

As time goes on I will undoubtedly have more features I'll be adding, such as video podcasts. Podpage, whom I used to create the website, does a phenomenal job with all its features and support. 

I invite you all to check out my podcast website and feel free to engage with it. And of course, this information has been updated on my personal website.  My home website has everything on there about my life and career. 

So thanks for your time and please leave me your feedback! 

Ranking the Arenas of Hockey East From A Broadcaster's Point of View

OK, it's time for a fun topic. In this latest post, I thought I would take a look at the arenas of Hockey East and rank them from 1-11 from a broadcasters perspective. By no means does a lower ranking on this list mean that I dislike the arena in any way- I'm quite fond of all 11 arenas, to be perfectly honest- but lists are always fun and it would be a fun way to share my knowledge and experiences. I'm ranking the arenas in terms of the following criteria (of course, assuming pre-COVID normalcy), in no particular order:  

1. VIEWING ANGLE/SIGHTLINES 

2. BROADCAST BOOTH SPACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

3. ATMOSPHERE

4. CONCESSIONS 

5. PARKING 

OK so here we go. 

11. GUTTERSON FIELDHOUSE- BURLINGTON, VERMONT (UVM) 

Admittedly, this ranking will probably change when I make my next trip up to Burlington due to the renovations going on up there, but for now we'll start the list here. There's a lot to like about "the Gut"- Catamounts tickets have always been a tough ticket to get, especially when the team is playing well. Fans really get into the games up there, and it's a passionate fan base. The Gut gets an A for atmosphere. Parking is always excellent, I usually park in the garage right next to the arena for free, so that's a great thing. Where the Gut has been a challenge for me in the past has been the sightlines- the broadcast location was such that you were situated on one of the blue lines, so that when the puck was down at the opposite end of the arena you would have to lean your head over and crane your neck so you can see the play. The press area is now on the opposite side of where we've been in the past, so I'm not sure if that will improve that sightline, as I haven't seen the renovations for myself yet. They also have installed a new center ice scoreboard at the Gut, so the renovations are in full swing. Concessions are standard fare for a college hockey rink. You also, in the past, needed to climb up a small ladder to get up to your broadcast station.  

10. XCEL CENTER- HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT (UCONN) 

The XCEL Center in Hartford (formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center) is the former home of the NHL's Hartford Whalers, and soon it will be the former home of UCONN men's hockey, as they are working on a new arena down in Storrs, on campus. I've talked to many broadcasters about the XCEL over the years and I can honestly say that there are mixed opinions about the place. Some broadcasters don't like it and some broadcasters do. Count me as one of the broadcasters who likes the place. A lot. For one thing, you are doing the game from high above, in the rafters of the building. Exactly where Chuck Kaiton used to broadcast Whalers games. Many don't like the height up there, but I love it. There is no better way to see plays develop than being up high. The place is decorated with Whalers banners. It just brings back so many memories for me. So, I love the sightlines. And there's plenty of space to spread out there and do my work. Getting up there though is tricky. I park in a hotel adjacent to the arena, then enter the building, go into the lobby, take the elevator down to the loading dock, then take another elevator up to the catwalk. So it's a hike and a haul, especially when you're lugging equipment. We usually get fed by UConn (box lunch) so I appreciate their thoughtfulness. 

9. CONTE FORUM- CHESTNUT HILL, MASSACHUSETTS (BOSTON COLLEGE) 

An iconic building, Conte Forum has seen some historic moments over the years. I've had some memorable broadcasts there over the years. Again, lots to like here. I love the booth at BC- plenty of room to spread out and work. And as far as tech (IT people)go - BC has the best in the league by far. Every time I go there, there is always someone there that comes by and checks in to make sure we can get on the air. Great stuff. They are a class operation at BC. The food is great for us at BC- a well stocked media room where we can eat and chat before the game. Parking is now a paid procedure now- I used to park over at the football stadium for free and walk in to Conte- but that option no longer exists, but there is a garage close by, so no problem there. Conte can be confusing in terms of getting to the press box- there are two elevators- one for the north side and one for the south side- and it's tricky to get to the right one- I still to this day haven't memorized how to get to the elevator I need, but I always find it. It's a long walk to get to the top too- I always appreciate the exercise I get there. Probably the biggest drawback is the sightlines in the booth. From the visiting radio booth, there is an obstructed view, so we can't see the auxiliary scoreboards without really craning our necks. But it's always a great experience there at BC. 

8. J.THOM LAWLER RINK - NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS (MERRIMACK) 

Coming in at #8 is our home rink at Merrimack, Lawler Rink. Like Vermont, the school underwent major renovations to the arena and made massive improvements. And it shows. The atmosphere at Merrimack is amazing when the building is full. It's a rink on the smaller side but when the place gets packed it's a lot of fun. Another thing I like about Lawler is how close you are to the action. You are right on top of things and I love that. A+ for atmosphere, no question. And the food is probably the best in the league, served up by the Blue Line Club. Parking is excellent too. Free and I never have a problem. Given the size of the rink you would expect a smaller cramped press box and that's true at Lawler. It can get crowded. Also, from our normal spot on press row we are set up at one of the blue lines, so we have to look down ice, similar to Vermont, to see the action. And we must stand to do the game- sitting is not possible. 

7. TSONGAS CENTER- LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS (UMASS LOWELL) 

The Tsongas Center in Lowell is a beautiful facility that formerly housed an AHL franchise, the Lowell Devils. It's a spectacular facility, inside and out. Extremely well laid out, it's got a lot of positives. Great press room for food, always convenient parking, and the press box is a breeze to get to. Take the elevator up to the concourse and you're right there. The concessions for the fans are great too. River Hawk fans love their team and they get loud. Great atmosphere. The sightlines are excellent for us- directly at center ice. We're on the second tier of the press box, right in the middle, so sometimes we have to stand to see the action a little better, but you can't beat the view. If there is a downside, it is that it can be tight quarters in the press box in Lowell. The press box was remodeled not long ago and as a function of the changes, the press box area was changed in terms of dimensions, but its not a big deal at all. I always enjoy going to Tsongas and reigniting the Merrimack Valley rivalry with UML. 

6. SCHNEIDER ARENA, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND (PROVIDENCE) 

Located on the outskirts of Providence, minutes from Route 146, sits Schneider Arena, home of the Providence Friars. Like Vermont and Merrimack, Schneider has undergone major upgrades, spearheaded by head coach Nate Leaman. It's big enough to be a legit college hockey arena yet small enough to still have that homey, comfort close to the action feel. Schneider has excellent sightlines with lots of room to spread out. I always love that. And it's one of the few places where I can be seated throughout the game and not have to stand. Providence is a winning school in hockey, and the Friar faithful are always supportive. Parking is excellent- there is a garage right next to the arena. The press box is easily accessible. We always get fed before games. I can't speak to the concession stands there because I've never patronized them. Lots to like about Schneider. It's a great place to watch a game. 

5. WHITTEMORE CENTER, DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE (UNH) 

About the only issue with the Whittemore Center now is that is an "aging" building relative to other arenas in Hockey East- we had a game postponed a couple of years ago due to a malfunction with the ice compression system there.... but other than that I feel it is a great experience working there. Our view is spectacular- right at center ice, a nice enclosed broadcast booth, plenty of privacy. Press box accessibility is a snap- you walk in the doors of the building and you are on the concourse. Couldn't be any easier. The good folks at UNH always have pre-game food for us, usually pizza. Concessions historically have been really good at UNH.... I remember getting clam chowder and mac and cheese at one time. Parking is OK, but not the best in the league- I usually park in the lot at the bottom of the stairs and walk up a flight to the front door. Not a huge issue.. it's a lot easier walking down then up. UNH fans also engage in one of the unique traditions in college hockey- throwing a fish onto the ice after the first Wildcat goal of the evening. Once Whittemore gets it's facelift, it will be pretty close to perfect. 

4. MULLINS CENTER, AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS (UMASS) 

The William J. Mullins Center is the home of the defending champions in Division 1 college hockey, the UMass Minutemen. Wait until you see the building next year, if fans are allowed back in. It will be the hottest ticket anywhere in the land. Mullins is a cavernous arena, and a multipurpose venue. Let's start with the pluses- similar to UConn, we have a great view here. When you are high up to see plays develop, it makes you a better broadcaster. So we can check off that box here. The arena is so beautifully laid out- it is so easy to navigate in its simplicity, despite being a large facility. Atmosphere? No problem, especially now coming off a championship. UMass has always been generous with pre-game food. Parking is a snap, as I always park right in front of the entrance I typically walk in. The locker rooms are easy to find. Lots of space to work, in fact I think it's the second roomiest press box in the league (scroll down to see #1). The only downside is there is no elevator to get you up to the press box- and when you're lugging equipment, it's a real workout. Not that I'm complaining, mind you- it keeps me in good shape. Steepest climb in the league. But if that's the worst thing you can say about Mullins, then all is good. Oh, and by the way, they may have the best concession stands for fans in the league. 

3. MATTHEWS ARENA, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (NORTHEASTERN) 

How can you not get excited to do a game at the world's oldest arena? The original home of the Boston Bruins, Matthews Arena has been around since the 20's. Matthews has also been the beneficiary of significant upgrades- one of them being the Grinold press box. What I love about the press box at NU is that you are literally right on top of the ice there- even closer than Merrimack, and you're at center ice. In fact, I think you are closer to the action here than any other arena in the league. All you have to do is look around the arena and you can be spellbound. Extremely easy to navigate. No elevator needed. Atmosphere? You're in the Dog House. Nuff said. NU has one of the most rabid fan bases in the country. You'll never have a dull game there. Add to that the new jumbotron scoreboard , a real monster that hangs over center ice, and you've really got something. A downside to that is that it is very loud. Parking can be a challenge. I typically park in the garage across the street, and it costs $25. Tax write-off, so ultimately it's no big deal. They usually have food pre-game, and a concession area for fans in the lobby with things like pizza and chicken. NU will always be a treasure to watch a game.

2. ALFOND ARENA, ORONO, MAINE (MAINE) 

Coming in at #2, is venerable Alfond Arena, in Orono, Maine. It is without question one of the most iconic arenas in the country. What is lacks in shortcomings it more than makes up for in atmosphere. I don't care what Maine's record is, that place is always sold out under normal circumstances. Black Bear fans are loud, boisterous and energetic. They love their hockey up there. You have to love and respect their passion. So for my money, Maine has the best atmosphere in the league. I LOVE doing games at Alfond. It makes the long drive up there worth it. The arena is small and easy to navigate. Parking is easy, right out front. You walk in the arena, turn right, look up and there's your press box view. Minimal stairs to climb. Maine used to have a baked potato bar at Alfond, and I hope they eventually bring that back. You could get a potato and then load it up with all the fixings. My wife loved it. Now, the drawbacks- the press area is small and tight. And we have an obstructed view off to our right- it's difficult to see in the corner. But it adds to the charm of the building. I love coming here- and then stopping at the Maine Diner on the way home. And now for # 1: 

1. AGGANIS ARENA, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (BOSTON UNIVERSITY) 

Here's # 1 on my list- BU's Agganis Arena. Love the place. Where do I start? How about a nice roomy press box with loads of room and privacy. Very easy to navigate with an elevator that takes you up to the concourse. BU's concessions are right up there with UMass for the  best in the league- I personally love the crab cakes they have there. Parking is easy and convenient- I park in the garage under the building- there is a cost- about $10, but you can't beat the convenience. The fans are always into it there, as you would expect, being a Boston school. The sightlines are excellent even though we're not technically at center ice, but no matter- you can see everything. I really get an NHL feel at Agganis, and I've done some big games there- including a playoff OT win for Merrimack back in the days of Jack Parker. So I put BU right up there at # 1. 

I tip my hat to all 11 rinks! They all do a great job, and I enjoy all of them in their own way. 

Red Gendron (1957-2021)

 The world of college hockey lost a giant of a man on April 9th with the passing of Dennis (Red) Gendron, head men's ice hockey coach at the University of Maine. I was out for a walk that day when I received a text message from Mike Machnik, my radio partner at Merrimack, informing me that Red had left us. Red passed at age 63, on a golf course in Maine. I naturally was shocked and saddened to hear this. 

How do you describe the life of a man who was so full and rich? It's not an easy thing to do. But for sure Red's life was one to be celebrated. He was a genius of a man. He was so well read, so well versed in everything. He could have easily won a lot of money on Jeopardy if he ever would have competed. And he wanted to share that knowledge- rumor has it that he'd quiz people on subjects. 

When it came to hockey, Red's pedigree spoke for itself. He had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup- twice- with the New Jersey Devils organization, and coached pretty much everywhere. He made his mark in Hockey East, with UMass and then of course Maine. One of the things I loved about Red was his storytelling ability. He would have been a terrific baseball broadcaster. Red had been in so many places and visited so many towns he could regale you. Many's the night we talked to him and he had a great story to tell. I remember the time I told him that my wife and I visited Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. I told him where we visited and he amplified the story by telling us his experiences of his times there. It made me want to go back, and we are going back for the 4th of July. 

Which brings me to my favorite Red Gendron story. We were up in Orono for a weekend series against the Black Bears. Friday and Saturday night games. On the first night, I got to the arena and was setting up the radio equipment. Usually I do that first and then we go and visit with the opposing coach. (On a trip like this, I'll usually interview our coach in the hotel after the pregame meal). During the set-up for the Friday game I was grappling with some technical difficulties at Alfond Arena- I was having difficulty securing an Internet connection. Before we go and talk to the coaches, I like to insist that the set-up be completely ready, so I don't have to deal with it when we come back from the interview. It was getting to be time to go talk to Red, but I wasn't ready with the equipment set-up. So I told Mike to go on ahead and talk to Red  without me while I solved the problem, and that I would sit in with him prior to the game the next night. 

Fast forward to Saturday. Of course, now, the Internet problem is solved because now my computer automatically connects from the night before. So after setting up the equipment, I now accompany Mike to visit Red prior to Saturday night's game. Keep in mind that I had never met Red before. This was his first season at Maine. So we walk into Red's office. Red greets Mike and then he looks at me. "Nice of you to join us, what was the matter last night, you couldn't #*@!$ come by last night? " I was stunned- for a moment I didn't know what to say or do. I felt my face getting flushed. I don't always have the best responses to conflict, and I started to think that this might not go too well for me. Then, almost instantaneously, and probably sensing my discomfort, Red broke into a big smile and extended his hand to me. That was it- our friendship began right there. 

I remember telling Red about my Dad and his Alzheimer's diagnosis. He was genuinely concerned and provided me with emotional support. He genuinely cared about people, and I've read many times that as much as Red cared about his hockey teams, and particularly his team at Maine, he was more concerned with ensuring that his players became better people. That was so important to him. 

Red passed away in between games of the Frozen Four. I was moved by Coach Greg Carvel's thoughts about him, and I just know Red was smiling down on the Minutemen as they captured their first championship. 

My thoughts are with Red's family, Maine hockey, and every one who knew and loved him. From Boston to Berlin, NH, to Orono, the world is a sadder place without him. Next time we visit Orono, he will cross out minds and it won't be the same. I am a better man for having known him. Rest in Peace, Coach. 

Navigating Life's Career Turns, Updates

 One of my resolutions this year is to get back on the blog more. And now seems like the perfect time to do it. COVID-19 has certainly wreaked havoc on all our lives and has forced me to make some adjustments, just as it has everyone else. The first major adjustment was losing the 2020 baseball season. How disappointing that was. It really hit home for me when I realized I would not have another opportunity to compete for a championship as a broadcaster. To come within eight outs of a championship, as we did in 2019 and not get a chance to finish the job hurts. A lot. You always have that feeling after the last out of a season , you'll say, " We'll get them next year." You never expect that there won't be a next year. And then, minor league baseball undergoes a cataclysmic change in their system, with 40 minor league baseball teams going away, and whole leagues being shuttered. Talk about a gut punch. It has forced me to acknowledge that maybe this is the end of the line for me and baseball broadcasting. I hope not, but I will be 57 on my next birthday, and if Lowell doesn't come back, what are my options? I'm not ready to quit yet- I am thinking I have 10 years of games left in me, God willing. So we shall see. 

There have been some adjustments in hockey, too. COVID has affected my hockey broadcasting as well. Because of COVID-19 we have lost the ability to travel on the road with Merrimack to do games. We do games at home and that's it. I can't help but think forward to next October when hopefully we will be back to as close to a normal schedule as possible. Thankfully I feel a lot more secure about my hockey future. College hockey isn't going away, even though many athletic departments, including Merrimack's, are under a real financial strain because of things now. 

Because of these unsettling changes and the potential of career upheaval (particularly in baseball),it has forced me to think about other things, and other ways to earn money and enjoy life in the process. A Plan B if you will. This has led me to the exciting world of audiobook narration. I signed up for a 10 week online course called The Audiobook Adventure.  The course covers the business of audio narration from soup to nuts. I have completed the course and am ready to give this business a go. I have a home studio built, with all the necessary components. Now it's just a matter of getting this thing off the ground, getting in my studio, and recording. 

These crazy times have also given me the time to update my website and expand my brand. I have realized the importance of putting all my talents in play- sportscasting, which will always be my first love, but also podcasting , which I have fallen in love with. This business of podcasting is something I've always wanted to do. Yes, I am fairly new to it, but I am learning distinctions about how to do things better. I am literally teaching myself. But I am passionate about it and oh, so eager to learn. It allows me to sharpen my interviewing skills, while improving the performance aspect of my game. There have been a few bumps in the road as far as the learning curve, and I hope people will stay with me on this journey. I'm all in with this. Podcasting is an incredible experience. I'll be doing it for the rest of my life, for sure.

And then there's music. COVID has eliminated my ability to play in front of live audiences for a while. Another major blow. But that will come back. I'm certain of it. Thank God for social media like Facebook Live. I do shows on there occasionally and also expanded my music life on my website, adding some songs. My goal is for people to love to listen to my music as much as I love playing it. I'll be posting open mic dates out once we get clear of this COVID situation. Oh, and coming soon, I'll be releasing my new song " Broken Fields" out in to the world.  

And finally, there's Cameo.  A place where I can really give back and use my talents in a fun way. Let me start by giving props to the man who got me started with Cameo, my good friend Tom Calhoun, the public address voice of the St. Louis Blues. I worked with Tom in the Frontier League from 2008-2010. We stayed in touch (thanks Facebook) and I saw the success and fun Tom was having with it, and I really wanted a piece of the action. Long story short, he helped me to get hooked in with it. AND I LOVED IT, AND STILL DO. Cameo gives me a chance to do it all- play a little music, make my requesters the star of the game, and make people feel good. I can even make a little money at it. So, if you would like a customized video shoutout with a personalized twist in the absolute coolest way possible, please head over to my Cameo page and consider booking me. I promise you you won't regret it. I will make it worth your while. Five star ratings don't lie! 

So I've gone on a while with this post, but I had to make up for lost time. I'm looking forward to keeping this thing active and getting back to normal at some point in 2021. Thanks for stopping by. More to come later.

Cheers! 

Media Conversions

As we move on in to July, I have been adjusting to the new way of life, and part of that involves exploring possible ways to create income, as I touched on in my last post here. One of those areas is media conversions that I have talked about- my system of converting old media formats like VHS, cassette tapes and mini-discs  to newer formats like CD, DVD, and MP3 for your portable media players and computers.

I created a website and a domain to accomplish that objective, but after giving it some thought I decided against that approach in an effort to save money and cancelled the plan. So although the website is no longer active, I will use the space here on this blog to promote that activity and answer all questions about converting your media for you. Visiting my home page, at www.johnrleahy.com to learn about this will redirect you here.

I'll start by talking a little about prices- each video that gets converted will cost $20, while each audio unit (cassette or mini-disc) will cost $15 apiece.

The equipment I use is all set to go, it is a device which will work seamlessly with VHS and cassettes. Mini-discs will be captured through Audacity and exported to MP3.

Please feel free to reach out either by leaving me a message/comment on this blog or by E mailing me at jleahybroadcaster@gmail.com.

All updates on this will occur on this blog, so please check back for more!

An Update

I thought this would be a good time to update things in the light of our changing world. One of my objectives with the newfound "down" time is to devote more time to the things that fell through the cracks , this blog being one of them. Reading being another one, I have read so much during this period of forced isolation. There is so much to catch up on.

The first item of note is that I am forced to take an unwanted sabbatical from my baseball broadcasting this summer. Minor league baseball will not happen in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time I did not broadcast baseball was in 2004, the year before I got into the business. 2004 was also the year I was involved in the NESN Announcer for an Inning competition as a prelude to the future. The emotions of all this are many, and varied. Sadness, anger, emptiness, in some aspects, relief- in that I can devote time to my family- but there will be a hole and a void in my life, no question about it. I also can't help but think of the disappointment of not being able to finish what we started last year- being so close to a championship on that September evening in Brooklyn- having a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 7th and not being able to hang on, despite having a chance to win it in the 9th. With the uncertainty of minor league baseball's future, I am hopeful that I will get a chance to do it all again- I wouldn't want my last memory to be that final out in Brooklyn.

My attention now turns to hockey in the 2020-21 season and the hopes that we can start the season on time. The uncertainty is unlike anything I've ever experienced in my lifetime. It is all a waiting game, that's all we can do at this point.

In the meantime, although I have a summer off now, it by no means I will be resting on my laurels. I am in an unfamiliar position now- having to look for work - something I haven't had to do in almost a decade. And I'm not even sure it will be sports related. I am taking an inventory of my skills and interests- I really want to try to avoid doing work I don't enjoy- I have paid my dues in that regard. When I left the mental health industry in the early part of 2005, I vowed I would never go back. I remember that burned out feeling and how sick I was- both mentally and physically. I want to work and I want to be happy in that work. So it's a challenge- the options may be limited because of COVID. I hope to get back to baseball if possible in 2021, so we'll see.

To that end, I've been working with a couple of ideas and hopefully adding to them. I have a podcast now, which has been great fun. I am still very green and a novice podcaster, but I am learning and hope to get better each week. The podcast can be found here. I am trying to take care of monetizing the podcast, but that has been slow going. I also am revisiting my media conversion  business, which involves taking old media and converting it to newer formats like DVD, CD, and MP3. To learn more about that, please contact me.

And most recently, I landed on Cameo. I am very excited about this because I can use this to showcase my talent-music- and make some money and have fun at the same time. The platform allows users to book people on there to provide custom shoutouts for special occasions- like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, anything at all. I am throwing this out there for anybody- if anyone wants a custom made video shoutout for any reason, please consider booking me on Cameo.  It is very inexpensive and I promise to make it fun for you, and you'd be helping this broadcaster earn a few dollars along the way!

They say everything happens for a reason. We are all struggling right now but I believe somehow someway better days lie ahead. I'm always grateful for my family and friends, and my faith which helps get me through. I truly hope to be back in a broadcast booth soon. I wish you all good health, happiness, and safety.

LEAHY MEDIA CONVERSION SERVICE IS RE-OPENING!

I hope this note finds you all safe and well as we continue to navigate through the stormy waters known as COVID-19. There is so much uncertainty and anxiety in our world today, as we all know. In my own particular case, I am facing disruption to my normal routine of broadcasting sports, needless to say, which is my primary source of income throughout the year. My 2020 baseball season is in great peril and I am facing potentially my first summer off since 2004. Nothing has been formally decided yet, but should it happen,  this is not something I am looking forward to (I will touch on that in a separate post) - and I definitely am challenged by down time. With that being said, I am now forced to think outside the box and get creative on ways to generate income in the hopes that I can at least stay afloat until college hockey starts again (and again, there are no guarantees that the 2020-21 season will start on time in October).

I am looking for ideas to fill the void, and one of those ideas is to re-open my services of converting old media like VHS cassettes, audio cassettes, and mini-discs to more contemporary formats (DVD and CD). I have invested in the equipment that I believe will make me successful. In the past, I was forced to suspend the service due to the rigorous demands of my sports seasons, but now with the new time available I feel that I can re-dedicate myself to helping those that want to preserve their old audio and video collections.

The process involves transferring VHS tapes to DVD format, audio cassettes to CD and minidisc to MP3 format which would allow them to be burned to CD so that you can listen and watch on your computer and portable music players.

I'd like to invite anyone who is interested in transferring those memories to contact me. I have a brand new set of equipment waiting to be used. I've got the time to devote to it. This is one of hopefully several options that I will be setting up for myself. So if you have media you'd like to convert, please contact me at jleahybroadcaster@gmail.com. You can also find out more at www.johnrleahy.com.

Thank you and stay safe!

Mark Dennehy- Thanks for the memories

I realized today that it has been a while- quite a long while- that this blog has seen any action. With all of the hustle and bustle, life's responsibilities, sometimes things get pushed in the background. While I am really interested in getting podcasting going and off the ground, I was also reminded about the value of blogs- and since I have a couple of blogs out there, it's time to get them going again.

With that being said, I'd like to devote this time to share my thoughts on the recent departure of our head coach of the Merrimack men's hockey team of 13 years, Mark Dennehy. To begin with some context- after eliminating the defending league champion UMass Lowell River Hawks the weekend before in two dogfights, on Saturday night, March 10, the Warriors lost a grueling series with Boston College, getting eliminated from the tournament- losing the second game in heartbreaking fashion, 4-3 in overtime. It ended a series which I felt Merrimack was the better team- the shots on goal for the series certainly indicated the discrepancy to which I felt Merrimack carried the play (70-35 for the two games). I remember the feeling I had when I signed off at Conte Forum that night- the emotions ran the gamut- heartbreak, sadness, maybe a little bit of anger, bewilderment, you get the picture. The end of a hockey season is tough- particularly if you fall short of the ultimate goal- winning a championship- and particularly when it ends suddenly and abruptly like ours did. That's the beauty and the pain of hockey- playoff hockey- sudden death means sudden death. When it ends, it ends immediately, and your season can end that way. 

Driving home from BC that night I tried to process what I had seen, and how proud I was of our team and how we fought. Remember, we're talking about playing the # 1 seed of the whole tournament- in their barn, and us being the 10 seed- in a place that has been a struggle to win at- not just us, but the whole of the league. We were the underdogs. No one gave us a chance. I reflected on how we battled and how our coaching staff led these guys into battle and how we damned near pulled it off. As Jace Hennig said in his letter to the coaching staff, the team was just one bounce away from having it go the other way. Just one bounce. 

I found out the next morning that Merrimack had made the decision to let Coach Dennehy go, along with assistant coach Bill Gilligan. Curtis Carr would be staying on for at least the interim. I was quite shocked and saddened to hear this news, to say the least.  I just remember feeling numb, very numb. I remember talking to Mike Machnik that day via phone. I also remember feeling very sad for Mark, his wife Heather, and their three daughters. Like many others, my first impulse was to ask "why?". 

We may never know the answers, and my objective here is not to be critical of my employers decision, especially since the facts are not known. My purpose here is to thank Mark and show my appreciation for his body of work. 

As I said in a Facebook post, I met Mark in the late summer of 2005, when we were both hired at Merrimack. His first game on the bench was my first game on the air. We went to Bowling Green, Ohio, that first night, and Mark won his first game as bench boss of the Warriors, 3-2, and then we went off to Michigan two days later and lost 9-2. The team flew out to the midwest, as college hockey teams always do. I drove out there and met the team there- the things you do to make a good first impression. 

As those early years continued onward, it was a real struggle on the ice. The team went 3-27-4 in Mark's second year, and he was under a lot of pressure. Mark had to basically convince the administration at Merrimack that Division 1 hockey was the right fit for the Warriors- he had to provide compelling evidence that they could stay where they were. I remember that Jack Parker also tried to compel Mark to leave Hockey East. But Mark stuck to his guns and never quit. He believed in this program and where he felt they could not only stay, but thrive. 

The team improved, and it hit a real high water mark in 2010- winning 25 games, going 25-10-4, going to the Hockey East Championship game at TD Garden, then making their way to the NCAA Regionals in Manchester, N.H., losing to Notre Dame, a future Hockey East opponent. 

We also got to work a game at Fenway Park- and Mark was kind enough to honor my ten year service at Merrimack with an authentic game jersey with my last name and the number 10 on the back- one of the most wonderful gifts I've ever received (Derek Petti thanks for sharing your number with me). 

Not to digress here, but I'll get back to Mark himself now. All you need to know about this man is all the support he is getting from the college hockey world and the impact he has had on everyone that has come into contact with him- players, coaches, broadcasters, officials- you name it, every single person I've seen has been overly supportive of Mark and how he handles himself. In my own personal case, where do I begin? I interviewed Mark prior to many of the games I've done at Merrimack, and he couldn't have been more classy and professional. He truly cared about you and your life. He wanted to get to know you. And it wasn't fake or phony. He made you feel like family. That's how he treated the whole experience at Merrimack. If something happened in your life that made you happy, Mark was genuinely happy. If things weren't going so hot he'd be concerned for you, and it was real. You could feel it. 

I know how the players felt about him. They would go through a wall for him. And I would too. Every single broadcast we did it was always my goal to have passion and energy , to make the broadcast something Mark could be proud of. He cared about every single detail of Merrimack hockey down to the studs, and we were a part of that. I wanted radio to be the last thing he'd ever have to worry about, and I think we achieved that goal.

To finish up, I know Mark will land on his feet. Good coaches do and good people do. He will wind up with another team and he will make them better. Their gain is our loss. Will it feel strange walking into Merrimack in October and not seeing him there? You better believe it will. He has left a major, indelible imprint on this school and this team. His legacy will forever be etched in the history of this program. Nothing will ever take away from that. 

I want to thank Mark again here, on this public forum, for everything. His patience, tolerance, friendship, and the skill with which he performed on a nightly basis. A piece of him will always be with us. I know it will be for me for sure.

Here is an interview I did with Mark in Providence, RI on 1-6-18. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed conducting it.

https://archive.org/details/MarkDennehyPreGame1618AtPC

Mitochondrial Disease

On Monday, December 22, I had a chance to sit down and interview my high school friend and classmate Mike Goldberg, who is suffering from mitochondrial disease. I sat down with Mike and had a heart to heart interview about his struggles.

If you'd like to listen to the chat we had, please navigate to https://archive.org/details/MichaelGoldbergMito12-22-14.

If you are having difficulty listening please select the FLASH option to listen. Thank you!

Thanks everyone and Merry Christmas to you all!

Why sports is so fulfilling

I have been involved with sports a long time. Commentating it for 20 years and playing it long before that. It has been a joy to be a part of. They say that the key to happiness is doing the work you love, and being fulfilled at it. That feeling of getting to the top of the mountain and not having to say, " So this is success, is that all there is? " Sports will always have that ability to fulfill me. Why? The self -help author Anthony Robbins talks about the six human needs- the needs that every human being on the face of the earth has to feel truly fulfilled and happy, and sports meets each one. I'll go through them here, and hopefully at the end you'll see why it is so special.

The first need is the NEED FOR CERTAINTY.  We need a sense of certainty to feel that we can gain pleasure in our lives and avoid pain. We need to feel that we are in control of our lives and can do things that make us happy. How does being involved with sports create that feeling of certainty? Everything about what I do as a broadcaster creates pleasure for me.... the thrill of preparing,planning, and commentating on a game.... and the pain level is extremely low. What is the worst thing that could happen to me during a game? The game gets knocked off the air? I have the confidence to know how to fix anything that may go wrong. The pleasure/pain ratio is way favored towards the pleasure side. This can be thought of as a " Class 1 experience", it feels good, it is good for you, it is good for others and it serves the greater good. I am certain that the end of my day will leave me with a feeling of joy and happiness.

The second need is the need for UNCERTAINTY AND VARIETY.  If we become too certain, we become bored. Life gets to be too predictable. We all need surprises and challenges in our life to feel truly fulfilled. And how does sports fill that need? Every game is unique. Every game is different. No two games will ever finish the same way. You always will have the ability to see something you have never seen before. Upsets happen. David beats Goliath. Look at the NCAA basketball tournament, that is a perfect example. Sports creates that edge, that sense of excitement that keeps us on the edge of our seats. We constantly have that edge and surprise factor. Sports will ALWAYS fill this need.

The third need is the need for SIGNIFICANCE.  This involves the sense that we are unique and we have a special purpose or meaning for our lives. We all have the need to feel significance or that feeling of importance, or as Dale Carnegie calls it. " The craving to feel appreciated." I feel significant when I broadcast because I am helping people. People rely on me to be the eyes and ears for them when they listen on the radio. They rely on me to inform them what is going on. There are many options for them to follow the game but they choose to tune me in. That is something I take very seriously and that is also why I give 100% of myself on the air. That feeling of being needed gives me the feeling of significance.

The fourth need is the need for LOVE AND CONNECTION.  There is not a human being alive on this earth that does not need love and connection with other human beings. That feeling of bonding with people and creating special feelings of connection. From a fan's perspective, sports provides a wonderful social bonding experience, whether it be gathering at a pub to watch a game, or at a stadium. From my perspective, I have made many great friends in my years of broadcasting. And the best example I can give you is my job calling Merrimack College hockey. Working for Merrimack makes you feel like you have an extended family. We all get to know each other, we become interested in each other's lives, and we genuinely care about each other. This happens in baseball too, with long bus trips, where you get to sit and talk with the players and coaches and connect with them. If you are lucky enough to have a job where you feel like you're a part of a family, you'll always have this need met.

The fifth need is the need for GROWTH.  I will never know everything there is to know about broadcasting and being a broadcaster. There is always something to learn. Hey, I have learned a lot over my last ten years at Merrimack and I am still learning. For example, I learned how to run commercials during our games, something that is effortless now. And it is also helpful if you have a colleague who pushes you to be your best, as I do in Mike Machnik. And to me, growing is fun, It means I am expanding and getting better at my craft. And the knowledge that I still have more to learn, and always will, keeps me humble. Broadcasting will always fill this need because I always strive to get better.

The sixth and final need is the need for CONTRIBUTION. This need involves serving the greater good, as well as contributing to ourselves and our happiness. To me, the way I contribute most is by trying to make other people happy. If I go on the air and people listen to my broadcast and enjoy it, and if I can make them feel happy and that they enjoyed the game, then I have contributed to their happiness, and that gives me the greatest feelings of joy I could experience. And if I am at the microphone, then I know I will have that chance every day,and that gives me ultimate joy and feelings that I have contributed in a tangible way.

So I can say I am truly fulfilled. I hope that those that read this will consider applying the six human needs to their lives and/or jobs and feel the same way I do!

Thanks for the memories

I recently made the announcement that after 15 years the high school football website I have run would be removed from the Internet. It has been a great run and I have had fun maintaining it over the years. Some of you might be wondering why I have made this decision. I will go into that now, and I'll end with some thank you's.

First, the website is getting costly to run. People may not be aware of this, but I pay every month to keep the site going. Financially I cannot justify the labor anymore. The absence of monies coming in combined with the perceived lack of interest in the site justifies this decision in my view.

Secondly, there is the time commitment factor. With my responsibilities at Merrimack College doing their hockey on radio, as well as my baseball commitments in the summer, I have found it virtually impossible to devote time to the upkeep of the site. In 2008 and 2009, I worked in Kalamazoo, Michigan doing baseball in the summer, and I found myself updating the site from Western Michigan remotely for the first two weeks of the season, which was no small task. I did the same thing in 2010 when I worked in Florence, KY. I don't mean for this to sound like a complaint, but merely just to illustrate the demands of time it takes. And I don't do anything halfway- when I do something I am all in. That is the approach I have tried to take with the website.

Finally, the sweeping changes that high school football in Massachusetts is taking has turned me off, so much so that I am losing interest in the game, sadly. The Hockomock League has not been immune from these changes. Adding teams to the league was fine, that is an easily adaptable thing to maneuver (Taunton coming in last year and Milford this year)... but the schedule changes and new playoff systems are a major turn-off for me. I think this new system destroys the integrity of the game- specifically, playing your Thanksgiving opponent TWICE in a season now... as well as ending the season earlier, a complicated playoff system, and uncertainties regarding the schedule. Call me old school, but I think the Thanksgiving rivalries are going to go by the wayside and that is a tradition that should remain forever. I think it's a sign from above that it's time for me to bow out. It was fun back in the 90's and 00's when I was doing games and the site was a good resource, but it's not fun anymore, it's just work- work I do not get paid to do.

I'd like to take the time to thank a few people who have been great to work with over the years- Barry Porter, who like me shared a passion for high school athletics, so much so that he himself has a site up for a while; Bruce Glazer, who I worked alongside doing Stoughton-Mansfield games on our respective Cable Access stations; Mark Farinella, quite possibly the best high school football scribe in the state; my good friend Mike Logan, who helped me promote the site last year on the radio while doing Taunton games; Eric Shulman, one of my best friends and an invaluable resource over the years; and to everyone who at some point dropped me a note of support if the site helped them in any way. Also thanks to Stoughton Cable Access (Dale Queenan) who gave me the opportunity to do games on TV when I was just starting out. And finally, to my wife Lori, who was understanding and supportive in my decision to stay connected to this project.

With the emergence of Patch news agencies as well as your local papers (i.e. the Attleboro Sun Chronicle) there will be no shortages of ways to get your football fix. The website will be online for a few more weeks in the event that people may wish to print anything off of the site. You can find it at www.hockomockleaguefootball.com.

Farewell everyone, it has been a good run. Enjoy the games.

New book is underway!

Today, April 30, marks the start of my next project, my third book. This book will be about success concepts with a neat twist and perspective. I chose ten of my favorite success concepts- those traits that I find truly important in life- and I will interview each Hockey East coach (all ten of them) and have each one discuss a particular topic. I'll ask the coaches to talk about how the trait applies to them personally, and how it specifically relates to their team.

I'll be travelling to each Hockey East school to conduct the interviews over the next ten weeks. It should be a fascinating journey. I wanted to do this, yes, for the book, but it will also allow me to sit down and have a face to face with the ten men who coach in Hockey East. Let's face it, I really don't have a lot of opportunity to really get to know these coaches (with the exception of Mark Dennehy, who I see all the time).  I thought this would be a good opportunity to do this.

I'll keep everyone posted on this project as we move along. The first stop is Providence in Week 1, with the bench boss of the Providence Friars, Nate Leaman.

Merrimack at Maine, HEQF, Game 3 (3rd period)

Here is the final period of Game 3 of the 2011-12 Hockey East Quarterfinals between Merrimack and Maine, recorded live at Alfond Arena in Orono on March 12, 2012. Click below to hear the period in its entirety.

http://www.archive.org/details/MerrimackAtMaineHeqfGame33rdPeriod