Last weekend was one of my more memorable sports TV weekends.
Friday night, I DVR’d Fox Sports West’s telecast of the Mission Viejo High School – San Clemente football game. I spent eight years in Mission Viejo and still enjoy following their powerhouse football program. Anyway, I turn on the game and STAA member Sam Farber is doing the play-by-play. Eventually, he tossed it to sideline reporter Courtney Sweet, another STAA member!
On Saturday, I watched my alma mater Kansas State win at Texas Tech on a Fox Sports national broadcast. On the call was STAA member and 2014 winner of STAA’s Jim Nantz Award as the nation’s most outstanding collegiate sports broadcaster, Kevin Fitzgerald. During the broadcast, Kevin tossed it back to Fox’s Los Angeles studio for an update on another game. Lo and behold, the person he tossed to was Sam Farber.
Later Saturday, it was STAA member and 2016 Jim Nantz Award winner Josh Appel on the national radio call of Michigan’s win over Minnesota for the Little Brown jug. Josh is less than a year and a half out of college! This weekend, he has the Chargers game at Jacksonville.
But that’s not all.
While channel surfing Saturday night, I stumbled across the LA Kings telecast. On the call was 2011 Jim Nantz Award winner and former STAA member Alex Faust. He’s in his first season following the legendary Bob Miller as Voice of the Kings. Wow!
The effort that Sam, Courtney, Kevin, Josh and Alex have invested in their careers is noteworthy and commendable. It was cool to see all of it on display within a 24-hour period.
I felt pride and awe for each of them.
