November 10th, 2012.
Bloomington, IN.
How did I get here? No really, Am I lost? I’ve never been good at geography… nor maps… even when the little voice is giving me step by step guidance. Pre iphone, I had the real GPS mounted to my windshield. I changed my lady to direct my orders with an Australian accent. My dad actually still uses road maps, so there’s that.
It was a noon game on ESPN2, Wisconsin @ Indiana. Montee Ball was in the Heisman race, and had passed Barry Sanders in the previous year for a single rushing record.
Beth Mowins and Buckeye great Joey Galloway are in booth.
I remember when I met Beth, as cliché as it sounds; it was as if I had known her forever. Warm. Welcoming. Full of spunk and she’s an encyclopedia when it comes to football. She told me I had hustle.
As a woman, it was still unbelievable to me she was calling games in the booth. I never really processed it until later, but I was witnessing history. Beth will be in the history books as a woman calling football games, and I’m dang proud to have worked along side of her. I mean I’ve tried putting the TV on mute before… to see what I would’ve said in those situations as a play by play announcer. The fumble. The interception. The penalty. I compared notes in my head and realized unmuting the TV, and listening to the professionals was the more realistic option.
I distinctively remember the note from my iphone that weekend. I thought to myself, I’ve done this ol sideline thing before, but nope, today was different. This was my first game on the national level.
The first line in my iPhone note was about my camera guys. Description read: “long haired hippie/older guy, looks like Blue.” Lets be honest, anyone who can make a Will Ferrell reference is okay in my book. (There are two in this note. Find the second, and you get a prize.)
And then there were these statements of knowledge:
“Crap. Get an IFB. I still don’t have my own IFB. What is this, amateur hour?”
“ALWAYS have subject on right when facing camera”
“face the camera/field… never turn your back on the field”
“eyes and ears… you’re the eyes and ears of what the booth can’t see/hear.”
Basic stuff, right? Sideline 101.
I literally wrote down, “want to be pleasant and not overly cheery” There’s no way those exact words came from my mouth. I would’ve written down something along the lines of “get your ish together, Noto and don’t poop your pants.”
Did I mention how this was in November? I was wearing black jeans, a long sleeve blouse, black boots and preparing for the tundra (because in ATL anything north of the Mason Dixon line is considered the frigid tundra to us thin skinned southerners). AND IT WAS NOVEMBER! God’s sense of humor sure did shine, (as well as my face) because it was a miserable temperature for November and north of 80 degrees. Two words: Pit. Stains. *heavy emphasis on the stains. I’m pretty sure I threw my bra away after that game, because it was in such disarray. Too much? Sorry, that’s what you signed up for.
The game kicks off and Indiana can’t hang. I think they went through 3 QB’s, and Wisconsin really ran away with the W. Cue Montee Ball metaphor.
Never in my life was I more ill prepared for a game. Not so much content wise, but more so logistically and mentally. In my head I knew which way the coaches were coming onto the field, leaving the field… but processing it all for the first time (and for ESPN, duh), was a different story. I didn’t even get the winning coach going off the field at the half. What a disaster. Mentally, I was scattered like Waffle House hashbrowns (although I get mine scattered, covered, AND smothered). Again, I’ve done this before, so why was it so dadgum difficult this time around? And how come I considered it my first? As if none of the other games I’ve covered mattered?
Because it was ESPN. It’s the channel I grew up watching with my dad. It’s the game I’ve always loved talking about and watching on TV. It’s those moments I remembered when I watched women who paved the path before me I looked up to, admired, and wanted to emulate (Lesley Visser, Dorris Burke, Robin Roberts!). And one whose voice I was currently hearing in my ear, calling the plays as it’s happening just before my very eyes.
Sure, I had been on the network before hosting Road Trip, but this was different. I was delivering breaking news, reports, and not necessarily jumping out of planes, barrel racing, or eating a 3lb burger named after the guy who plays Ron Burgandy. You stay classy, San Diego! This was the big league and never did I ever feel so much pressure. It was pressure and a kabillion amount of butterflies at the same time. And guess what? It happens EVERY SINGLE TIME I do a game. It never goes away, no matter the teams and no matter the network.
But this time, it was my phone blowing up from people I haven’t heard from in years. Twitter mentions, facebook messages, emails… you name it, BAM. All of a sudden it got real.
What did I learn?
It’s a moment. It’s a game. It’s an experience I’ll forever file in my mental vault (reallllly a scary place for anyone who knows me) for years to come, It’s a story I’ll tell my Lord willing, future unborn kids I was able to accomplish my dream. And no matter how far fetched yours may be, they really are attainable. I truly thank God every day for that moment, because, yes selfishly I was able to accomplish my dream, but it allowed me to sit back and see the bigger picture.
I think sometimes we get so caught up in getting to the next place in life – the next job, a bigger house, more kids, etc., we really don’t take the time to sit back and simply be grateful for what we have. Or had. In my case, I made a deal with the Lord and said if I never get to do another game again, Thank you.
My two cents of advice for girls wanting to get into the sports broadcasting business:
It’s AWESOME to have dreams and goals. Chase them. But don’t be in such a hurry to get to the top because many of the most cherished lessons and moments you’re going to experience will be learned along the way. It might be when you’re carrying water, holding cables, or transcribing press conferences. I know it sounds silly, and the work at the bottom is so “boring”, but don’t be in such a rush to dethrown Heather Cox off of her Saturday night ABC primetime game. But really… stay patient, stay obedient, and seek wisdom for when it’s time to move onto the next gig.
Post script: Mary Chaudoin was my adorable (and TALL) assistant on the field that day. I remember relaying to her how nervous I was and I remember her telling me “you’ve got this! You’ve got this!” Mary, a former Hoosier volleyball player now lives in Charlotte and works for SEC Network. I couldn’t be more proud our paths were able to cross that hot, hot day in November. She’s a sweet soul and now a dear friend. Life is pretty cool, sometimes.