Berks Catholic/Governor Mifflin Football October 29th, 2021

Jerry Geleff Media Sports

Without question, the oddest broadcast we've done.

Faced with a storm over Berks County that carried 45-50 mph winds, heavy, driving rain, and 48 degree temps at game time, we had to improvise the broadcast operation. The story....

I normally produce/engineer the Exeter games on the JG Media networks, but with Exeter not having a game due to a Covid issue with their opponent, Daniel Boone, that freed up me and the Exeter announcing team to cover other events. I asked color man Mike Boyer if he wanted to do color for the Berks Catholic (BC)/Governor Mifflin game, he said yes, and we were off to the races. With the storm bearing down on us, we were not going to be in our normal spot in the Forino Sports Complex press box, as the local AM radio station deemed BC worthy of their attention and were going to cover this game. I mean, we're there every week broadcasting the games, and the radio station shows up when they see a good game coming, using the good folks of BC for their purposes. That means we got pushed outside. So be it. We did minimal whining, and went about the job. This means we'd be exposed to the elements, with a table set up in the stands, which would require covering. I was bringing my canopy/tent, was going to strap it down hard in the face of the winds, and retrofit it with plastic siding to keep both us, and the thousands of dollars of equipment, dry and safe.

I got a call at about 11:30 AM on Friday from Jake Latchum, Athletic Director at BC and all around good guy, in which he said, "I know you're coming to set up the canopy for tonight, but let me make you aware of something. We had one of our really good canopies set up and strapped down, the wind carried it away, and it sits in our dumpster in a heap as we speak. This is going to be a safety problem."

I asked, "So are you telling me you don't want me to do the broadcast?"

Jake replied, "I'm not telling you you can't do it, I'm asking you to consider the safety of the public who will show up, should your canopy get taken by the wind."

Considering the public safety, and imagining my insurance guy Jim telling me that under NO reasonable reading of this situation can we insure that we wouldn't get our butts sued off, I told Jake, "Well, if I can't do it, I can't do it, man. OK, we don't do the game."

Jake said, "Let me put this in your ear. Bruce Badgely (of the Sports Stream Premium Network, and another amazing guy) will be here, hook or by crook, he tells me, to video stream this game. His setup isn't as extensive as yours, and he assures me he can and will if necessary, do it from under an umbrella, which is much easier to deal with than a tent. SO, you COULD watch his feed, and call the game from another location."

We COULD at that.

I told Jake that this is what would happen, and decided either the office/studio, or my living room would be the spot. Not having a TV at the office, living room won. Regardless of which, sponsors are depending on us to get their commercials aired, and we were going to do it, all while keeping the public safe, and side benefit, us warm and dry.

I then called Bruce, who picked up the phone and without saying hello, said, "Yes, Jerry, I'm gonna be there." He and Jake had already discussed this. After a few minute conversation, and a promise of a case of beer, we were good to go.

I called Ryan Lineaweaver, our regular BC announcer, and told him the story and plan, then played phone tag with Mike all afternoon to clue him in. Plan set. I ordered the wings from Dino's Wings and Things, made sure we were stocked on beer and other drinks we'd need, and all was ready.

The boys arrived after six PM, we got set up, and called a football game sitting in my living room, while eating wings and drinking beer, and had an amazing time. I even had crowd noises playing underneath their call to add a little "theater of the mind." Mike hung around until about 2 AM, and we had a long, probing talk about life, the political corruption that riddles our little town of Exeter, and philosophy. The game itself had the loosey goosey feel of Jerry Geleff Media broadcasts that we strive for, including some halftime talk in which other broadcast operations would not engage. We want to make it about everything, not just the game. So we "break down the fourth wall", as they say. Part of our charm is that we inject personality into games, not just give a staid representation. Personality comes through in our games, and as Mike said last night, that's what makes us, US. That is true of all three entities, the Exeter Sports Network, the Bears Sports Network, and the Saints Sports Network.

This is not the preferred method of calling a game, but in a pinch, with things on the line, we do what we must.

A massive thanks to Ryan and Mike for adapting without whining, to Jake Latchum for being Jake, to Bruce Badgely for flat out getting it done, and to the audience, who listened despite really odd circumstances.

It was a blast. One we hope we never have to duplicate.

Jerry Geleff

Managing Director and Lead Troublemaker

Jerry Geleff Media