by Joe Moore
Central Football Radio Analyst
November 5, 2008
You know something I’ve
learned about being a radio announcer? It’s not as easy as it seems.
My whole career in sports (prior to becoming a college faculty
member) was spent in either print or public relations. Never did I
work in radio. Sure, I spent a season doing color for road
basketball games at Missouri Southern, and yes, I did the odd
baseball or basketball game while I served as sports information
director at Central Missouri. But I never worked behind the scenes
in radio, never produced a radio show, NEVER have done play-by-play
(I about panicked last week when Shawn didn’t have his headset on
with :15 left before the second half started).
It takes a lot of
preparation and a lot of research. You want to know the players
names and numbers (something I struggle with) for BOTH teams, you
need to have an idea about the game plans employed by both teams,
and you absolutely must have an understanding of how the game works,
of the rules, the strategies, and the techniques. It’s hard enough
to keep track of all this for the team you call every week, but then
you tack on the opponents, and it is mind-boggling. All this
information must be presented quickly and succinctly (again,
something I am still learning) between snaps, or between shots or
pitches. Whereas announcers on television can allow the picture to
tell the story, radio announcers must give all the vital information
as it pertains to the game, AND let the fans know what is happening
DURING the game.
The hardest thing for me
as a color commentator for Mules home football games, though, is the
perception of “homerism.” For those of you unfamiliar with the term,
it does not have anything to do with “The Simpsons.” It is the
belief that you favor your team above all others, that your team can
do no wrong, that the referee’s calls always go in favor of the
other team, and that the other team makes lucky plays while your
team makes unbelievable plays.
First, let me put to bed
any doubt: I AM A HOMER!!! I played for the Mules. I earned two
degrees from Central Missouri State University. I worked as sports
information director here for more than four years, and I now teach
at my alma mater. Of COURSE I favor the Mules over all others.
Opponents who listen to UCM games on the radio or over the live-feed
on the Internet rail about Shawn, Greg, Bob and I because we are
such “homers.” Honestly, I don’t care; they are the opposition, they
are SUPPOSED to discard our efforts.
At the same time, I want
to be a professional, as do most radio announcers. We don’t want to
come across as naïve or as watching our team through rose-colored
classes. After all, we have our integrity and credibility to
maintain. For that reason, when I believe our team is doing a poor
job tackling, I’ll say so. Or when I think we got a gift call from
the officials, I’ll mention it. If I believe a coach made a
bone-headed call, or a player is dogging it, I believe it is my
responsibility to mention it. The problem then, though, is UCM fans
have come up to me and said, “Man, you were pretty hard on the Mules
the other day!” Or “Wow, I thought you were on our side.” Mind you,
in a three-hour broadcast, I may say two or three negative things
about my team, and I view that as pretty standard, considering the
other broadcasts I’ve heard from around the league and from D-I
college broadcasts. Still, the naysayers and boo-birds like to have
their fun. It’s just part of the business. It’s funny; I hear Chiefs
fans fussing and cussing about the Chiefs efforts, but then in the
next breath gripe about the radio announcers being too negative.
My point here is not to
whine or ask fans to take it easy on their radio announcers. Quite
the contrary. We are “public figures” with an immense responsibility
to the fans of our teams, and it is a responsibility we do not take
lightly. By all means, keep your comments coming. I want to know if
perhaps I’ve gone overboard. Rather, my point is to present the
whole picture of what a sports announcers must do.
After all, that is our
job.
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