Standing Next to Pam Ward

Standing Next to Pam Ward

Yes...THE Pam Ward, ESPN sports commentator,...and the guy with greasy hair who was working the game with her.

Seriously, I had a blast operating the parabolic microphone at today's D-III national championship game, The Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, in Salem. The Mount Union (Ohio) Purple Raiders were back to dethrone Wisconsin-Whitewater War Hawks in what’s become their private championship.

I was in Far Left, which is located on the Visitor's 20-yard line as you view the game. I learned that holding the parabolic (mini-satellite dish) is an isometric arm curling activity. After a quarter, you begin to feel the burn. By the end of the third quarter, your arms feel as if they want to float away when you let go of the microphone. The end of the game you experience arm ecstasy.

I had a great time trying to capture the clearest possible crunching hits. I also was trying hard to get inside sideline huddles to hear the coach's instructions to the players. As the game tightened in the last few minutes, the special teams' coach for Whitewater huddled the group up right in front of me. I was able to get every inspiring syllable. Then I also got a clear smack on the onside kick tackle.

I had to dive out of the way twice. The first time was on a slip screen where the TB broke to the outside and was tackled at my feet out of bounds. The other time was when a Whitewater receiver (#87) dropped a first down sideline pass right in front of me.

I also got some great sound from the Whitewater QB's journey through the air, into, and over the Mount Union bench. Caught the head coach and QB from Whitewater whining about the officiating as well.

One conversation I tapped was between the head of the NCAA Championship committee and the field director. Apparently, some local youth ruffians were "throwing Skittles at the players on the Whitewater bench." Little hellions.

Other cool things that I experienced: Old man playing the snare drum for the Whitewater band dressed in a smart purple suit and tie. Old Mount Union equipment manager who came up to me and started up a conversation before the game, treating me as if I was some important official. He'd "...been to all of 'em." (Mount Union seems to always play for the national title.) The ESPN snack spread: since this was this crew's last game, the lady in charge of us told us to take all of the snacks...my son and his friends proceeded to strip the table bare. I ended up with salt n Vinegar chips and a can of Fresca. I was taller than most of the players on both teams, and I'm only 5' 10". Yet these guys were extremely athletic. In fact, I think that the players on both the teams play much better fundamental ball than players at D-I schools. They form tackle and play their positions. When I got there, I thought that it was odd for Salem to be re-roofing the stadium field house on game day. Turns out they were setting up very cheesy fireworks...I'm surprised the fire marshal let them get away with that stunt. Finally, the Whitewater cheerleaders were very nice. They were standing right behind me, and I heard one whisper to another that "...he can probably hear every word we say..." I nodded my head that that was indeed true. A little later, that same cheerleader was part of a stack of cheerleaders. She became the roof of the pyramid and some other girl was hoisted up to stand on her flat stomach. Nice.

I know this didn’t have much to do with Pam Ward. I will say, however, that I really dig Pam as a game announcer. I know a lot of people on Internet message boards are always trashing her, but not me.