In 1986 my work about the New York Mets in One-Year Dynasty and working for the Houston Astros (or at least their minor league affiliate in Troy) would have put me in serious conflict. But 30 years later the ‘Stros are in the AL West, the Mets are sinking in the NL East, and they have about as much in common as their NY Penn affiliates cities in Brooklyn and Troy. Here is a piece that broadcast the other night on my life as an author/usher that aired on the CBS TV affiliate in Albany.
We filmed it last Wednesday, one of those days when nothing was going right. I got a late start after helping my daughter pack for school. My phone crapped in all things except its original use, but not before the GPS put me on the wrong side of Schenectady, leaving me and my poor directional skills to piece my way through traffic you wouldn’t believe for a town whose name you can’t spell. I almost lost my voice screaming at a virtual operator (no actual operators available, really?) to tell the station I’d be late. (Thanks to One-Year Dynasty photographer and fellow Valley Cat usher Dan Carubia for dealing with my hysterics over the phone.) When I got to the station 40 minutes late, we only had a few minutes before the set had to be cleared for the 5 o’clock news. Kelly O’Donnell makes it look like a walk in the park. And reporter Brittany Devane was still at Joseph Bruno Stadium filming highlights less than two hours before airtime (with a not-so-routine 40 minute drive back to the studio). They are young, smart, and way more professional than I’ll ever be.
Once upon a time, as a young reporter at a small paper, I used to resent how the TV people came in and took over a story I’d been working for weeks or months. But you know what? I never could have gotten all that together so fast. I would have filmed it this week for next week. Really appreciate their hard work and the great big plug for the show at Cooperstown on Saturday, August 27, at 1 p.m. I haven’t even started preparing yet for it, but after hanging with the WRGB crew, I’m a lot less anxious than I might have been. Kudos!