Survival of the Fittest! (posted May 23, 2010)

Just as I thought the internet problems were behind me, here we go again! This time, there was a problem throughout the entire pressbox at Chukchansi Park (through no fault of anyone there) as I was supposed to get ready to broadcast over our team website for last night’s third game of the four-game set between the Sounds & the Fresno Grizzlies from Chukchansi Park.

I had an internet connection for the broadcast UNTIL the connection disappeared for some inexplicable reason. I tried a variety of available wireless connections as well as a hard line with an ethernet cable, but NOTHING worked! Alas, I was told that I can broadcast-OF ALL PLACES-in the Fresno Grizzlies’ conference room one floor below, where I should have a hard line connection.

Well, guess what? The hard line connection didn’t work out, albeit my computer was fine. I was thinking to myself at first, “Oh noooo, here we go again!”. I thought for sure that we were not going to be able to broadcast last night’s game. Until this series, I never had a problem with ANY internet connection involving a Sounds’ broadcast.

Anyway, as I was thinking about my fate, I was wondering what the fans were going to think now? When I broadcast, I use an audio mixer, a mixer-connector device to hook between my regular audio mixer and computer and hope and pray that there is an internet connection because without it, the broadcast would not be able to go over the internet/website.

I was desperate in trying to find ways to get on. I was told that no wireless connection exists on the same floor as the Grizzlies’ office. Still, despte being told that, I gave it a shot anyway and looked up available wireless connections. I usually connect through the Grizzlies’ wireless network. Instead, I saw the City of Fresno wireless network available, so I thought, “What have I got to lose?”. Well, lo and behold, the broadcast connected! I scrambled to get ready and to broadcast. We were a few innings in when I FINALLY got “on the air”. With the help of Grizzlies’ Media Relations Director (and former San Antonio Missions’ colleague and Media Relations Director) Noah Frank, I asked him to go on our website and text message me to see if we were on and we were. I still had to make some additional adjustments on my regular audio mixer to make sure that we were assured of a louder and clearer signal. Alast, we were!

Picture a broadcaster in a conference room that does have a window looking out towards the playing field and having all of his equipment in a conference room and broadcasting the game instead of a regular broadcast booth! Crazy, isn’t it? However, the show must go on and fortunately, IT DID!

There was also a door leading to the stands, so I stuck my crowd mike there. I started to see people looking inside the office with strange looks and wondering who was this crazy guy in the headsets? Obviously, the fans had no idea that I had to broadcast there due to the troubles up in the pressbox.

What a ballgame it turned out. A great pitching duel between starters Kameron Loe of the Sounds and late-minute starter, Matt Kinney. The Sounds would score first on doubles by Josh Anderson and Trent Oeltjen. Then speaking of double, the Grizzlies would tie the score late in the game when they pulled off a double steal, including Ben Chapman stealing home. However, Jesus Guzman, who stole second, saw that Catcher Pat Arlis was taking his time in making the play at home. Despite that, Arlis was alert and saw Guzman break towards third and Pat made a strong throw to Sounds’ third baseman Adam Heether and Heether tagged Guzman out.

The Sounds would win it in the ninth when Trent Oeltjen led off with a walk and then stole BOTH second and third. Thanks to the Austrailian’s daring base running and stealing, Heether drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly to Center that scored Oeltjen and Nashville led, 2-1. Sounds’ reliever Chris Smith would pick up his PCL-leading 15th save with a scoreless ninth and the Sounds have won two in a row against the team with the best record in the league.

Now the Sounds hope to make it three out of four in the series with a win today. I will have the webcast (conference room or not) over www.nashvillesounds.com at 4:05PM Central Time. This is our only trip to Fresno this season as well as the only series we play the Grizzlies (unless we somehow play in the PCL Championship series and that is still very possible). The Sounds head to the California State Capitol of Sacramento to start a series against the Athletics’ AAA farm club, the Sacramento River Cats, beginning tomorrow night at Raley Field. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Thank you for tuning in. Speak to you again soon!

• Posted on May 23, 2010 at 1:13 pm