The following is a log of my week helping get games on the netwaves of Texas Sports Productions. Bear in mind 1) many others at TSP battled related and unrelated challenges, and 2) this is my side hustle. I do have a full job also.
Sunday, November 8, 10:51 a.m. – Sent a text to Brandeis coach David Branscom. One of his players lay motionless after a play in the LEE game the previous night and was taken from the game in an ambulance. Coach responded “CT scan came back negative. He is going to be okay! Thanks for checking!” Forwarded the message to others involved in the broadcast.
Sunday, November 8, 11:01 a.m. – Cameron Kushwara, who’d had to back out of the La Vernia game the previous week because his wife had covid symptoms but had not received her test results, reported that her results were negative and he’d be ready to return to work on Friday’s La Vernia playoff game.
Sunday, November 8, 12:07 p.m. – Sent Bobby Stautzenberger a suggested lineup of broadcasters to assign to this week’s game. The lineup includes 3 Thursday games, 10 Friday games, and 3 Saturday games. Stautz said he’ll review this list with Jay Riley and will offer suggestions as needed Monday. Contacted broadcasters who’ve covered a designated team all season to confirm their assignments for the week, leaving the rest until Stautz and Riley approve.
Monday, November 9, 10:25 a.m. – Received a request from Jay Moreno about games to be posted on TexasSportsProductions.com. Sent the list, with only broadcasters who’d been confirmed at that point, later that day.
Monday, November 9, 10:40 a.m. – One of the broadcasters backed out of Friday, joining two others who had taken Friday off. A revised list of games and broadcasters is sent to Stautz.
Monday, November 9, 11:48 a.m. – A broadcaster asked if he has a Thursday assignment. I told him none is available.
Monday, November 9, 12:49 p.m. – Per request, I sent Cameron contact information for the Canyon Lake coach.
Monday, November 9, 1:58 p.m. – Riley notified us that Smithson Valley at Judson has been postponed until December 4th. Only David Saltzman had been assigned that game, so he’s the only broadcaster to be notified of a change.
Monday, November 9, 2:10 p.m. – Psychically, Saltzman texted asking to confirm the Smithson Valley-Judson assignment. When told the game was postponed, he insisted he had no clue that had happened. I asked him to keep Friday open for us.
Monday, November 9, 4:19 p.m. – Saltzman requested an assignment that allows him a quick drive to Schulenburg. He agreed that Steele at South San, although not what he had in mind, is a workable choice due to its quick access to I-90.
Monday, November 9, 4:33 p.m. – Saltzman requested a Thursday assignment. I told him none is available.
Monday, November 9, 5:48 p.m. – Cameron reported that after a second test, his wife turned up positive for covid.
Monday, November 9, 6:36 p.m. – Offered the La Vernia game, which is in New Braunfels, to Saltzman. He balked, thinking that we were taking the game from Cameron and reassigning him somewhere else after he’d covered La Vernia games for several years. After I assured him that we didn’t pull the game from Cameron, rather he had to back out due to his wife’s covid test, Saltzman accepted the La Vernia game, and makes arrangements to pick up Cameron's gear.
Tuesday, November 10, 8:15 a.m. – Received an email from a broadcaster with questions about covering one of the playoff games about the new UIL rules for rights fees and the like.
Tuesday, November 10, 9:15 a.m. - A broadcaster who'd missed two weeks with covid symptoms reports that he's still sick and his doctor thinks he may still be contagious, so he has to skip this week as well.
Tuesday, November 10, 12:09 p.m. – Cameron reported that although he felt fine, he was officially positive for covid.
Tuesday, November 10, 1:43 p.m. – Asked Bobby Mendez about his availability. Mendez was considering adding McCollum at Seguin to the schedule, but added that his main concern was finding a game that would serve his Harlandale ISD advertisers. I suggested Steele at South San as a possibility; he agreed that’s a good fit for the situation, and elected to participate in that broadcast.
Mendez’s participation finalized the broadcast lineup. Or so it seemed…..
Tuesday, November 10, 3:19 p.m. – Broadcaster asked if his game will be audio only or video. I told him there would be video.
Tuesday, November 10, 6:38 p.m. – A list of games which have served or could be served by Mendez’s clients was sent to Stautz, Riley, and Mendez.
Tuesday, November 10, 8:50 p.m. – An email to two broadcasters was sent, asking them to fill out an online form to allow them to work at their assigned stadium.
Tuesday, November 10, 11:40 p.m. – A complete broadcast schedule was sent to various media, including the San Antonio Express-News.
Wednesday, November 11, 7:44 a.m. – Saltzman reported that the covid test ESPN gave him for his University of Houston game came back positive, costing him that assignment and endangering his availability to us on Friday. I texted Mark Soupiset about switching from Taft-Brennan to the La Vernia game; he did not respond right away.
Wednesday, November 11, 9:20 a.m. – Stautz called to say that the Antonian at Central Catholic game, which we’d been scheduled to televise, had been canceled due to covid. Given the increasing shortage of broadcasters, we switched to a game we were covering for video streaming but not television, Wagner at Clemens.
Wednesday, November 11, 10:15 a.m. – With Cameron and Saltzman both out, and television forced to switch to the Wagner-Clemens games, we asked Ralph Judkins to switch from Wagner-Clemens to La Vernia-Canyon Lake in New Braunfels. I told Soupiset he can keep his original assignment.
Wednesday, November 11, 10:47 a.m. – A different broadcaster asked if he has a Thursday assignment. I told him none is available.
Wednesday, November 11, 4:19 p.m. – After assurances that he’d being asked to REPLACE the broadcasters who tested positive, not to WORK WITH the broadcasters who tested positive, Ralph accepted the La Vernia assignment.
Wednesday, November 11, 4:45 p.m. – Received a text from Cameron wondering why Ralph was asking him for La Vernia-Canyon Lake information when Saltzman was doing that game. I informed him of Saltzman’s positive covid test, and that Ralph was the next man up. Response: “Fan #@(%!%$ tastic”
Wednesday, November 11, 9 p.m. – Sent texts to all our broadcasters enquiring about their availability for November 20th, and the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 27th. Response was strong, suggesting getting games covered for those dates will be manageable… for now.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 3:48 a.m. (yes, a.m.) - Received a text from a broadcaster asking about travel allowances later in the season. Once a decent hour arrives, I woke up and asked him to contact Stautz.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 8:52 a.m. – Received a call from Mike Lefko. Earlier in the week, he’d agreed to do a game for us Saturday, but he’s just received an offer to cover the UTSA game on ESPN. He was ready to keep his commitment with us, but was hoping we can find a sub. I started contacting prospects.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 9:30 a.m. - James Kosub agreed to fill in, freeing up Lefko.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 11:28 a.m. - Received a request from Riley to solicit invoices from broadcasters for games they've worked.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 3:15 p.m. – Received a text that one of our broadcasters would prefer local assignments featuring teams from a certain part of San Antonio in the coming weeks. I replied “you’re certainly within your rights to accept or decline assignments as you see fit. Please bear in mind that this week we’ve had one game postponed and one game canceled, plus we’ve had 2 (sic, actually 3) broadcasters test positive for covid, another switch to a college assignment, and a half dozen (actually 4) others who are gone for reasons of their own. This is a lot to fight through, so forgive me if down the road I offer you an assignment you’ve already told me you would rather decline.” Received an “OK” emoji in response.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 4:45 p.m. – Stautz emailed a truly finalized broadcast and broadcaster lineup.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 9:16 p.m. - Saltzman reported that since his positive covid test, he's taken two tests that both came back negative. Although it's too late to activate him this week, he is now clear to work next week.
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 10:17 p.m. – Belatedly responded to Riley’s request for invoices.
Friday, November 13, 2020, 7 p.m. – Having put in 12 hours on my regular job, including 330 miles of driving, I went on the air with Ken Lucas for the LEE-Churchill game.
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