Schedule of Events - Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association

January 2011
I wish to thank the individuals and organizations
gratitude. In 2011, we again are opening up to area schools and colleges the op-
that supported the Detroit Sports Broadcasters As-
portunity to apply for Grant Funds. Spread the word! Let your area schools and
sociation in 2010. While too numerous to mention
alma maters in Michigan know we are now taking letters of application. Have
everyone, it is particularly appropriate to thank all of
the school send a letter detailing their broadcasting equipment needs to my atten-
you who made donations on your own for the DSBA
tion at: DSBA, PO Box 1222, Warren, MI 48090-1222. The deadline is March 30,
Grant Fund (formerly called Charity Fund). Many of
2011. Thank you and have a great 2011.
you reached down into your pockets to give us any-
- George Eichorn
where from $5 to $600, all to help out the aspiring
George Eichorn
sports broadcasters and production students at area
schools and colleges. Without donations to the Grant
Fund and without the Annual DSBA Charity Golf Outing, we could not make the
contributions back to the community as we do. Mickey Kent and Alice Murphy
of Bedford Schools have made several phone calls thanking us for the broadcast
equipment we purchased for their downriver school. They mentioned what great
value and dividends this new equipment is already bringing to the young students.
Our 2010 grants to St. Thomas Lutheran School in Rochester and the University
of Detroit Mercy main campus in Detroit likewise were met with a deep sense of
2011 DSBA DUES REMINDER
Members have until Feb. 28, 2011 to complete payment on your 2011 DSBA membership dues and receive your new laminated membership card. We need your assistance
in taking care of this payment – if you have not done so already! And remember you
get a complimentary copy of “Those 1940 Detroit Tigers” by John Fountain, if you
donate an extra $25 or more with your dues. All proceeds help the kids in broadcasting
curriculums – through the DSBA Grant Fund and the J. Clarence and Courtney S.
Fountain Sportscasters Scholarship Fund to provide a tuition grant each semester to a
student pursuing a career in telecommunications and sportscasting.
DETROIT LIONS
Why NHL Hockey Is The "Coolest" Game On Earth
By Steve McClellan
The NHL has always been fairly forward thinking in regards
to the way their game is played, to make it more enjoyable for
both the players and the fans. They are often quick to recognize
their weaknesses and make changes where necessary to improve
gameplay. The NHL was quick to adopt video replay in regards
to goals in order to take human error out of the equation. The most
important plays of the game are reviewed by a panel of impartial
judges in an isolated room. Had the MLB adopted a similar system this summer, millions of people in Detroit and around the
nation would not recognize the name Jim Joyce (as I’m sure he’d
much prefer).
Hockey has always been criticized for its lack of scoring. To
combat that problem, over the last decade the NHL has made
changes to the rules, penalties, playing surface and even player
equipment in order to better showcase the skilled talent. It now
seems that players like Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk and
Patrick Kane are becoming household names with their jaw-dropping plays that routinely dominate highlight shows and generate
millions of Youtube hits.
In 2003, the NHL moved the game outside and the first regular
season outdoor game was played in Edmonton between the Canadiens and the Oilers. Since then, the outdoor game has evolved
into an annual event called the Winter Classic, which has become
an overwhelming success with both players and fans alike. The
players report that it makes them feel like a kid all over again
growing up and playing on the lakes and ponds of their hometown. Fans say that attending the outdoor game is an experience
like none other.
In more recent years, someone at the league offices decided
that ties were boring and decided to do away with them altogether.
What better way to decide a winner than with the most exciting
play in the sport – a penalty shot. At the end of overtime, give
each team three of them (or more) and you now have what we
have come to know as the shootout. You have skilled players creating moves that look like they came straight out of a video game
and a guaranteed winner or loser. What’s not to love?
Next week, when the best players in the world convene at the
Schedule of Events
Visit the DSBA Website at:
www.detroitsportsbroadcasters.org
Detroit Rocks!
We walk together!
Robert Dempster (owner of Detroit Rocks!) designed & donated the first ever Spirit of Detroit Jersey to The Spirit of Detroit
Group to give to Kid Rock at his 40th Birthday Party...Sold out
concert at Ford Field!
Detroit Council Chairman Charles Pugh gave it to him along
with his award plaque.
Let's turn this city around!
Check it out!
h t t p : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / v i d e o / v i d e o .
php?v=194839330531193&comments
Resume Service
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Annual Detroit Tigers Day at DSBA
Featuring Tigers CEO/President/GM Dave
Dombrowski & Other Guests
Site: Hockeytown Café
Time: 11:45 AM
Cost: $13 Lunch
RSVP: (586) 558-9103 or [email protected]
or www.detroitsportsbroadcasters.com
RBC Center in North Carolina for the 2011 NHL All-Star game,
they will do so with an all-new format. Two designated captains
will “draft” the remaining players to fill out their customized allstar roster. That’s right, just like you used to do on the playgrounds
as a kid. No longer will the game be separated by conference or
nationality. The East will play alongside the West and Russians
will play alongside with Canadians, Swedes and Americans.
What is possibly the “coolest” experience of the NHL happened twice so far this year. While it is a very unique circumstance, two “average Joes” got a chance to actually participate in
an NHL game. When the Phoenix Coyotes traveled to New York
for an away game and their starting goaltender fell ill, they needed
a backup in case their second stringer got hurt. They scoured the
local universities and found Tom Fenton of American International College. That morning he was your run-of-the-mill college kid
preparing for finals and packing to go home for the holiday break.
That night, he was putting on a professional uniform with professional players for a professional team. The same thing happened
for Jordan White when he got to suit up as a backup goaltender for
the San Jose Sharks. While neither of these guys got to actually
play in the game or get paid for their services, the experience and
the fifteen minutes of fame that came along with it were invaluable.
The NHL combines the international diversity of baseball, the
hitting of football and the skill of basketball. The players skate
gracefully and fight barbarically. The outcome of the game can
hinge on one shot or one big save. NHL hockey is truly the coolest game on earth.
February - Date To Be Announced
DSBA Talk Show Debuts on
WDFN-AM 1130
Listen Live from 6:00 to 7:00 PM
Hosted by Will Tieman
Guests - To Be Announced
Are you aware there’s a new "Resumes" file in which you can
have the DSBA load your resume, photograph, video file, audio
file and a personalized caption? Take advantage of this unique
opportunity to ADVERTISE YOURSELF at no cost! Tell the
members and others who visit our great Website all about yourself
and what you have to offer as a sports broadcaster, sportswriter
or sports promoter. Utilize this free service. Send your resumes,
photos and files to the DSBA e-mail at [email protected] and
we will take it from there. Note: Members cannot access the loading of content by themselves.
Memorable Sports Quotes
on Ken Hoffman
Ken Hoffman is an accomplished businessman, author and career
Bo Schembechler, Detroit Tigers President, in
a famous speech on the future of Tiger Stadium,
at a local business luncheon in the owner Tom
Monahan's era: "You can't shackle us to a rusted
girder and expect us to win. The future of this
franchise will not be shackled to a rusted girder in
Tiger Stadium."
served as sports information director at Michigan
communications professional, is the chairman of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
State University from 1987-96. During his tenure at
who envisioned a successful northern bowl game that celebrates Detroit . He is
MSU, Hoffman’s football, basketball, and hockey
the founder of the bowl and one of its driving forces. His keen management skills
media guides and game programs won numer-
have been invaluable in the bowl’s evolution from a start up bowl game to an
ous awards. He also authored, “100 Seasons of
annual holiday event, now in its 13th year. Hoffman’s management has helped
Spartan Gridiron Glory,” a book chronicling MSU’s
produce significant growth in the Motor City Bowl’s stature and profile. The bowl
outstanding football history. Hoffman served as
has averaged a 2.3 television rating on ESPN, reaching over two million
national coordinator for the Academic All-America
households and five million viewers nationally. The bowl also generates an
Committee, as a member of the College Sports Information Directors Association
average of $14 million in economic impact for the Detroit metropolitan area.
(CoSIDA). He was president of the Laingsburg (MI) Sports Boosters from 1997-
Before creating the Motor City Bowl, Hoffman amassed a laudable professional
98, was School Board vice president of the Laingsburg Community Schools from
resume. He served as director of Athletic Media & Promotions at the University
1999-2002, and in 2006, was elected to another 4-year term on the Laingsburg
of Detroit from 1979-82, before becoming director of public relations for the
School Board. He is currently a member of the Football Bowl Association, and in
Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL) from 1983-84.
2007 founded the International Bowl in Toronto, where he served as its
His first year there, the Panthers won the USFL Championship. Declining to
executive director. The International Bowl was the only major college bowl game
move to Oakland (CA) when the Panthers merged with the USFL’s Oakland
held outside the United States . Hoffman is the father of three children – Natalie,
Invaders, Hoffman was briefly director of communications for the Michigan
Lauren, and Luke. The DSBA is proud to salute Ken Hoffman, one of its
International Speedway in 1985. After spending a year in advertising with the
longtime associate members.
Ken Hoffman
Toledo Blade newspaper, Hoffman returned to sports administration in 1987. He
George Steinbrenner, when he purchased the
New York Yankees in 1973: “We plan absentee
ownership. We’re not going to pretend to be
something we aren’t. I’ll stick to building ships.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, when asked
by baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain
Landis if he should cancel baseball for the 1942 season
because of World War II: “I honestly feel that it would
be best for the country to keep baseball going. There
will be fewer people unemployed, and everybody
will work longer hours and harder than ever before.
And that means that they ought to have a chance for
recreation and for taking their minds off their work.”
Tennessee football coach Bowden Wyatt, on the
two requirements for success as a defensive player:
“Taking the shortest distance to the ball and arriving
in a bad humor.”
- Ron Angel, DSBA Active Member, is a regular
blogger for the DSBA Website, joining George
GRANT FUND NEWS
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Your 2011 DSBA Membership Dues are now payable.
Please send $60 for members and $20 for students to:
DSBA, Attn. Treasurer, P.O. Box 1222, Warren, MI 480901222. These individuals join 39 others whose names were
mentioned in the December 2010 "The Scoreboard."
We thank the following individuals for making recent
contributions to the DSBA Grant Fund. We welcome any
contributions at the same address as the membership
dues. These join 12 other donors whose names were
published in December 2010.
Sportscaster of the Year, as selected by the National
Adam Abraham (S)
Bill Axtell
Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Daniels
Risa Balayem
Paul Chapman
also earned the award in 2003. He'll be honored May
14-16 at a gala dinner in Salisbury, NC. Detroit Free
Eichorn and Scott Morganroth at www.detroitsportsbroadcasters.com.
Others interested in blog-
ging, contact the DSBA at [email protected].
- Ken Daniels, DSBA Active Member, is the Michigan
Press Sports writers Mick McCabe and Michael
Rosenberg shared the Michigan Sportswriter of the
Year Award. Ann Arbor resident Mike Tirico of
ESPN is the National Sportscaster of the Year recipient.
LIONS ROOKIE BALLOTS &
GOOD GUY NOMINATIONS
Attention all DSBA Active, Associate & Honorary
Members: Please return your Detroit Lions 2010
DSBA Rookie of the Year ballots no later than Feb.
9, 2011 via e-mail to [email protected], fax to
(586) 558-9104, or US Mail to: DSBA, PO Box 1222,
Warren, MI 48090-1222. Or bring your ballot on Feb.
9th at Tigers Day at DSBA and hand it to one of our
officers or the executive director. Thank you in
advance for taking the time to help elect our 2010
rookie of the year awardee from the Lions. Also,
please return your DSBA-Pro Football Writers Detroit
Lions 2010 Media-Friendly Good Guy Award nomination form at the same meeting or via the same
routes as mentioned here.
Bill Axtell
Paul Chapman
Ronnie Kadykowski (S) Dan Miller
Jack Crawley (S)
Ronnie Kadykowski (S)
Dana Wakiji
Charlie Lemmex
Christine Liniarski (S)
Sal Malek
Paula Mikola
Dan Miller
John Thiede
Bob Tripi
Dana Wakiji
Jeff Weiss
Jon Yinger
Eli Zaret
Jon Yinger
IN MEMORIAM
Bill Lajoie
Friend of the DSBA
GET WELL WISHES
Annette Eliot
Wife of Sonny Eliot
Kathy Best
Honorary Lifetime Member
Former basketball coach and television analyst
Doug Collins on the Detroit Pistons: "Any time
Detroit scores more than 100 points and holds the
other team below 100 points they almost always win."
Legendary basketball coach Red Auerbach
comparing basketball to war: "Basketball is like war
in that offensive weapons are developed first, and it
always takes a while for the defense to catch up."
Comedian Jack Benny telling a joke about golf:
"Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner,
and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air."
Former New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra
on the media: "Half the lies they tell about me aren't
true."
Former President Gerald R. Ford on turning
down pro football offers: "I had pro offers from the
Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, who were
pretty hard up for linemen in those days. If I had gone
into professional football the name Jerry Ford
might have been a household word today."
Former baseball catcher and announcer
Joe Garagiola: "One thing you learned as a Cubs
fan: when you bought your ticket, you could bank on
seeing the bottom of the ninth."
Former Green Bay Packers coaching legend
Vince Lombardi on losing: "Show me a good loser,
and I will show you a loser."
Journalist Dave Barry on skiing:
"Skiing
combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with
your face."
Former Milwaukee Braves first baseman
Joe Adcock on pitching to Hank Aaron: "Trying to
sneak a fastball past Hank Aaron is like trying to
sneak the sunrise past a rooster."
Tennis great Jimmy Connors on court
technique in the new century: “In an era of specialists,
you’re either a clay court specialist, or a hard court
specialist…or you’re Roger Federer.”
DID YOU KNOW?
- Ben Eriksson, DSBA Associate Member, was one of
Former President Gerald R. Ford on golf: "I know
I am getting better at golf because I am hitting fewer
spectators."
a handful of reporters present on January 6, 1994 at
NBA center Shaquille O'Neal on the financial
aspects of basketball: "I'm tired of hearing about
money, money, money, money, money. I just want to
play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok."
Figure Skating Championships. The assault was
Former Cincinnati Red Pete Rose on the
fundamentals of hitting: "It's a round ball and a round
bat, and you got to hit it square."
heard her screams of pain.
Cobo Arena when figure skating Nancy Kerrigan was
clubbed on the right knee by Shane Stant at the U.S.
planned by rival skater Tonya Harding’s ex-husband,
Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt.
Eriksson had his back to Ms. Kerrigan at the time but
- Chick Hearn, Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play
announcer, broadcast 3,338 consecutive Lakers
games, from 1965 to midway through the 2001-02
Nancy Malinowski
*(S) denotes student membership
Former Detroit Red Wing and hockey legend
Gordie Howe on the "language" in hockey: "All
hockey players are bilingual. They know English
and profanity."
The Australian poet John Leonard on the
differences in American sports: "Baseball happens
to be a game of cumulative tension but football,
basketball and hockey are played with hand grenades
and machine guns."
Looking Forward to Spring
STAFF
SCOREBOARD EDITOR:
George Eichorn
Marketing / Graphic Design / Printing:
Genesus Marketing & Communications
DSBA Address:
DSBA Office:
DSBA Website:
DSBA E-mail: P.O. Box 1222
Warren, MI 48090-1222
Phone (586) 558-9103
Fax: (586) 558-9104
www. detroitsportsbroadcasters.com
[email protected]
DSBA Photographers
Mike Alberts
Robert Benko
Ben Eriksson
Bill Eisner
Dave Frisco
Frank Garza
Dan Graschuck
Bill Harrington
Jim Hindy
Laura Loviska
Nick Martines
Janet Slabaugh
By Paul Carey
minor league complex where Jim Leyland was one of
This is the time of the
the managers. Ahh, those were the days. Sitting on
year, with the frigid tem-
the veranda, listening and absorbing the wisdom of
peratures and more often
super scouts Jack Tighe and Rick Ferrell. Joining
than not snow on the
fellow rookie Dan Ewald and Jim Hawkins inter-
ground, that my thoughts
viewing the players, who were mostly the nucleus of
and those of many Tiger
the ’68 championship team—Al Kaline, Mickey
fans turn to visions of
Lolich, Bill Freehan, Norm Cash, Willie Horton,
spring training at Marchant
Dick McAuliffe, Mickey Stanley, Jim Northrup,
Stadium in Lakeland, Florida with its gorgeous
Gates Brown and John Hiller. What a great group.
green grass and palm trees beyond the outfield walls.
I shudder when I recall the foul ball that struck my
The closeness of the players and their willingness to
new best friend and partner Ernie Harwell as we were
say hello and sign autographs.
talking near the clubhouse. But Ernie was okay after
For those of us
who’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy spring training, this is the best time of the year.
My first camp was in 1973. Billy Martin was the
manager and Hoot Evers and Ed Katalinas ran the
an overnight hospital stay.
So, bring on spring training. All the pitchers will
win 20, the batters will hit .350 and the team hasn’t
lost a single game.
season. His streak ended when he underwent cardiac
bypass surgery. Hearn was the voice on the castaways’
radio in the TV series Gilligan’s Island on CBS.
- Scott Morganroth, DSBA Associate Member, has
traveled to all 50 states in his time as a sportswriter
and for business and pleasure. Among his all-time
favorite stops have been old Yankee Stadium, Fenway
Park, old Boston Garden, Olympia Stadium, old
Chicago Stadium, Lambeau Field, the Superdome,
Tiger Stadium, the Orange Bowl, Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium and Rupp
Arena.
- Shireen Saski, former DSBA Active Member, and
her husband, Dave Starman, are working CBS
College Sports Network hockey games this season, he
as an analyst and she as a reporter. This is their first
season working together. They met when Saski did a
Fox Sports Detroit feature on a college hockey officials' training camp. Saski is a former reporter at FSD.