One Door Closes…Hopefully Another Is Opening

After five years, I’m no longer the radio voice of the Presentation College Saints. I’m not excited to write that or about writing this post in general. In fact, I considered just ignoring it on this site. However, I made a commitment to creating a place where people could find a transparent window into my journey and philosophies as a sportscaster. I’ve written a lot about persistence, overcoming adversity, sticking with this crazy dream, and now is my time to practice what I preach.

So here’s the CliffsNotes version of what happened. We’ve been in a battle over the rights to PC sports with a competing station cluster. We lost. The decision had to do with promotions and advertising, not broadcast quality. I certainly disagree with their choice, but in the end my opinion doesn’t matter and I don’t see anything positive that would come from going any deeper into the process publicly.

What’s important is what happens next. In my last podcast with John Nicholson, Director of the Newhouse Sports Media Center at Syracuse University, he said that your career hasn’t really started until you’ve been fired. This may sting but I’m fortunate to work for a station with great ownership, so while I won’t be covering Presentation anymore; I’m not fired. I’m still working in sales and will have the opportunity to cover local high school sports. While this certainly feels like a strong slap to the face, it is not a knockout blow. I will bounce back, weigh my options, and continue to grow in the sportscasting profession.

I don’t know if any of the players or coaches at Presentation read this blog but I do want to take a quick moment to thank all of them. It’s been five years and there have been all kinds of ups, downs, road trips and bad calls. I’ve come to consider each and every person on the PC coaching staff a friend. It’s been equally rewarding watching the athletes I covered grow into young men and women, get jobs, have kids, and live up to the potential I saw in them every day during practice and games. I also wanted to thank everyone who has reached out personally or posted on social media supporting me in the face of the decision. I’m not going to jump in and get in any Facebook/Twitter fights, but I certainly smile every time I see those comments.

When one door closes another one opens, it may be cliché, but it’s true. This sucks right now but I’ll be fine long term. I will find that newly opened door and if I can’t I’ll find another closed one and kick it in. Bring on the next stage of my career.