Back to the future in 2023

There's no sugarcoating it: For those of us left behind from the initial rollout of the Apple / MLS partnership, it's a challenging time, professionally and emotionally. That applies to broadcasters, producers, directors, content creators, and many more. The uncertainty of the past 18 months has given way to frustration: No expectation of work covering the league I know best.

So one of the true bright spots for me so far in 2023 has been the invitation to contribute to the Philadelphia Union's radio broadcasts, which - it was announced today - will air on 97.5 The Fanatic. It's truly a joy to think about and prepare for MLS broadcasts, and it always has been, so I'm really excited to be back in the booth in a few weeks.

I lived in Philadelphia for about nine months in 2011-12 to support my wife's career, and while I knew it would be a temporary stay, it was a really important and special one in my life. Whenever I drive into or even past Philadelphia, warm memories come flooding back.

As far as Union history, I was there for Danny Mwanga and Andre Blake, road win No. 1, playoff appearance No. 1, and their first win at Red Bull Arena. I covered the Union a bit in 2012, but my connection to the club really tightened over the U.S. Open Cup runs of 2014-15. I called Jim Curtin's first game in charge and almost every game of Philadelphia's run to back-to-back Open Cup finals. I drove down on my own for the agonizing 2015 loss on penalty kicks, but you could see the culture around the club starting to change.

Over the years, I've covered the Union for many outlets (ESPN and MSG among them) and also had the chance to contribute with spot duty on Union broadcasts, both in a play-by-play role and as a host. On-air, I've worked with JP, Tommy, Peter, Jill, Marisa, Sébastien, Sheanon, Dave, Danny, and more. Behind the scenes, Carl Mandell and Jordan Strauss and Carl Cherkin and Dave Goetz and Kevin Casey and so many others have greeted me warmly at every stop.

The club's development has been incredibly gratifying to see, especially Curtin's steady hand, the emphasis on youth development (a personal favorite), and the game-day atmosphere! My last couple of trips - the 2021 playoff epic against the Red Bulls and last September's rout of Orlando City to set an MLS record for five-game domination - were truly memorable and inspiring.

So I feel both fortunate and comforted to go back to my MLS radio roots (it will sound much different than TV!) and contribute to this year's Union coverage. I can't wait to hear the Sons of Ben (in person!), witness the passion of players, staff, and fans alike, work with great people, and help punctuate some indelible #DOOP moments in 2023.

Linear basketball - in person! - for the first time

Besides working the Women's Euros, a real positive of this year for me, professionally, has been the opportunity to call games on linear TV (aka you can just flip on the TV and find the channel, not deal with a streaming app) in sports other than soccer.

I'll always be a soccer person and proud of it. But I'm a baseball person and a football person and a hockey person and a basketball person, too! I have ties to each of these that go beyond broadcasting ambition, and each one challenges me and captivates me and piques my interest in a different way. I'm very proud to cover all of those sports, and softball and volleyball as well, when given the opportunity, but it often feels like some other sports write me off for bigger games because I am "a soccer guy."

So the chance to call the 13-year-old Little League World Series this summer, including the world championship game on ESPN2, was a thrill and an important professional step.

Similarly, the chance to call the Georgia-Bucknell men's basketball game for the SEC Network on November 18, in person no less, was a real highlight of the year. I have done lots of college basketball for ESPN and the Big East, and I have done lots of NBA work in virtual reality, but I'd only called one previous basketball game on linear TV, and that was a pandemic-enforced home broadcast. Not quite the same energy!

So I tried to soak up the atmosphere at venerable Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia, and enjoy every minute of the game, one that wound up finishing a close call. Partner Mark Wise and I had a fun post-game interview as well, with Georgia's Jabri Abdur-Rahim, who at some point said he "wants to be a TV personality," and he confirmed that he's coming for our jobs as soon as his playing days are finished.

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

The best news is there's at least one more linear basketball game still to come (December 17, LSU-Winthrop men's), even if that one will be called from home. So stay tuned.

Women's Euro Game 4 highlights

My scheduled slate of games at the Women's Euros concluded Friday with one of the first actual upsets in the tournament, as Austria took out Norway 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. With two of the top 10 attacking players in the world, according to many (Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen), Norway were the popular pick to finish second in the group. ESPN's Soccer Power Index gave them more than a 60-percent chance of winning the game outright, which was what they needed to advance.

But after losing 8-0 to England on Monday in just a jaw-dropping display of attacking firepower against a porous defense, Norway was under incredible pressure. They never got anything going and were being outshot 13-2 at one point before getting a couple of late chances.

Having closely watched Austria's Cinderella run to the semifinals in 2017, I was not surprised by the outcome: I told Danielle Slaton, my partner, I expected a tie that would have been enough for Austria to advance. So it was nice to be right, for once, and to call another big moment in the progression of Austria women's football! Check out the highlights:

Women's Euro Game 3 highlights

Thursday's ESPN2 game had Iceland and Italy playing what was essentially a must-win in Group D. There were a lot of things to focus on, starting with Italy's response to its 5-1 loss to France in the tournament opener: five lineup changes, including star forwards Cristiana Girelli and Barbara Bonansea starting the game on the bench. The changes didn't really work, as Iceland - always a challenge for broadcasters with its succession of -dóttir last names - scored first and created enough chances to get a second goal.

They never got it, however, and the second-half insertion of Bonansea ultimately proved enough for Italy to come away with a tie. Given the final matchups in Group D, Italy (playing Belgium) probably comes away with the best odds of advancing behind group winner France, but this certainly has proven to be an unpredictable group!

I felt good about our call. Danielle and I, and Christina when the occasion warranted, knew the teams and the stories and the implications of this game. Our Italian and Icelandic were pretty well honed. So even though both teams walked away disappointed with the result, I think we had a right to walk off satisfied. Time for our biggest game yet in the Group A decider on Friday!

Check out the highlights:

Women's Euro Game 2 highlights

We were fortunate to call a five-goal thriller Wednesday, as the Netherlands - missing four starters, including one of the best players in the world in Vivianne Miedema, jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Portugal. Having rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie their opener, Portugal fought back to tie the game early in the second half, only to see the game decided by a fantastic 20-yard strike from Dutch midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk (who suffered a gruesome ankle injury in late November and raced through rehab to play in the tournament).

This game had some serious pronunciation challenges that I felt we did well with, even if we weren't perfect. There are some Dutch noises I just can't make.

At any rate, these highlights cut off some of my goal calls and omitted a few exciting plays to keep things short and efficient, but I think everybody could tell I was pumped! Here's to more games like that one.

Women's Euro Game 1 highlights

Austria took care of business against Northern Ireland on Monday, pulling out a 2-0 win that, coupled with Norway's collapse against England, means Austria can reach the quarterfinals with a win or a tie in Friday's decisive game against Norway.

Here are the highlights from my ESPN2 call with Danielle Slaton, our first game of the tournament. A good start!

UEFA Women's Euro commentator announcement

It was announced last week that I'll be part of the team calling the UEFA Women's Euro for ESPN this summer! After calling the final in 2017, I've been looking forward to this for a LONG time, and it's been quite a process, so even though it was no surprise by this point, it was awesome to see the official announcement.

I'm thrilled to be part of our coverage of this tournament, incredibly proud to work with such an amazing group, and looking forward to a month of exciting games.

Please join us all month on ESPN networks, mostly ESPN2, with games at noon (11:30am pregame) and 3pm (2:30pm pregame) ET most days. My games are currently scheduled on ESPN2 the week of July 11-15. I'll share more when (if??) there's time.

Here's the ESPN announcement!

If you're interested in the tournament, I'm curating this Twitter list with posts from various accounts, reporters, and personalities around the tournament. It should keep you informed!

Tremendous goals in Women's FA Cup Final

I was thrilled to be assigned commentary on Sunday's Women's FA Cup Final, the culminating event on the women's club football calendar in England before this summer's Women's Euros. I was even more psyched to call a game that was interesting from start to finish and had some simply fabulous goals.

The game was in London, I was in Connecticut, and partner Julie Foudy was in California - just another day in soccer broadcasting - and we had a blast calling it. I didn't nail every call 100%: I couldn't tell if the first goal was touched on its way in, and I talked into Erin Cuthbert's screamer a bit. But overall, I felt good about our call. I think our excitement for the occasion, the players and teams involved, and ultimately the plays on the field, certainly came through

I call a men's cup final (the DFB-Pokal in Germany) next weekend, which should be really dramatic as well. Then I'm looking forward to finding a rhythm with a regular run of games this summer, although I don't yet know what I'll be scheduled to work. No guarantees I'll get goals as good as these, though!

Red Bulls vs Montréal highlights

Calling a Red Bulls game in person for the first time since March 2020 was a blast on Saturday, made all the better by a thrilling finish in the thick of the MLS playoff race:

Watching the USMNT as a fan - again

I don’t really watch sports as a fan these days.

I’m first and foremost a parent, with young children we do not allow much screen time. I’m a husband, and my spouse is not into sports at all.

Other than games I call as a professional broadcaster, I rarely watch a full game straight through, even in research. I can find just enough time to get the starting lineups and formations, or 20 minutes here, maybe a half there. I can put a game on in the background while I type up notes. It never feels like there’s enough time to go around.

In the rare instances I do watch games I’m not researching, there’s always something else to focus on. One announcer is a friend – how is she doing? Those graphics look new. Since when does that company sponsor this sport? What’s happening on Twitter right now? I’m frustrated with these announcers; why am I not working this game? Is there a closer game I can watch?

But on Wednesday night, a 10:30pm ET kickoff meant everybody in my household was asleep, and I could choose to sit in a darkened, not-yet-set-up apartment and watch the US men’s national team in a pressure-packed World Cup qualifier.