Growing up in Pittsburgh there is only one person I ever trusted with my sports information. Considered one of the most respected sportscasters in Pittsburgh, I always turned to Stan Savran. He is the co-host of FSN Pittsburgh’s SAVRAN ON SPORTSBEAT since 1992. Savran brings over 30 years of experience to sports fans in Pittsburgh. For all his knowledge and hard work he was rewarded with the honor of being inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Now I can’t say that Stan Savran inspired me to become a sports broadcaster, but I can say watching him makes me want to be a better one. He knows so much about everything that sometimes it’s hard not to agree with what he says. Pittsburgh does have other sportscasters like Bob Pompeani, Mark Madden (now fired but still great), Rob King, and Tim Benz. All are great, but none come close to what Stan Savran is.
People are always asking me what I plan on doing once I’m done with College. And I tell them all, I want to work at FSN sports. That would be my dream job coming out of school. I would take any job there just to get my foot in the door and the chance to maybe work with Savran. I don’t care if I made their coffee, did some shooting, editing, directed a show, produce or even all the about. Anything would be awesome for me. Plus not to mention I live five minutes from the place too so the drive would be short.
I never really thought of my self as a sportscaster and that’s funny saying that now that Im the host of the Hounds Rounds Up. Which if you don’t know is a Video Blog about a local High School football team I do. Now I find myself thinking do people see me as their “Stan Savran” for the Wilmington Grey Hound Football? And that thought is pretty cool. So I asked myself, is this something I can see me doing? Deep down I really think there is a part of me that can do it with no problem. But other part says there is no way I can be as good as Savran or even Pompeani and the others I have mention. I also think I do a pretty decent job on the Hounds Round Up and I see no reason why one day I cant be working at FSN Sports. So with that said, Mr. Savran, you may not know who I am, but one day you will. I’ll see you yinszer’s at the water cooler.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Oh! The People You Meet
As you travel on your path through life you come across many different people. Some of these people may be friends, co-workers, and even professors. No matter you who meet or how long you may know them. Everyone you come in contact with has some kind of affect on your life. Some more then others, and sometimes you meet someone who has a total impact on the course your life takes.
When I made my first steps onto this college campus I had these first thoughts come to mind, “what the hell am I doing here.” I really had no idea what I was doing, who I was, where I was going and most of all, what major would I make a career out of. As all freshmen do, you make your way from class to class and you begin to take more interest in one then in other. You begin to develop and sense of what your cable of and where you fit the best. For me, it took me awhile to come across Broadcasting but I did. Now in my fifth year I have not looked back. But I did not get here by accident, thanks to the long talks and advice from Dr. Rhoads.
I came in listed as a political science major and Dr. Rhoads was my first adviser. It only took me a few weeks to realize that political science was not for me. So in a search to find a new major I spent many hours in Dr. Rhoads office. Now I can’t pint point one thing that he said that stood out the most. Just that he always had a way of telling me what I wanted to hear and more importantly what I needed to hear.
Sometimes I felt bad that I spent so much time in his office; whether I needed to add drop a class or to just get his opinion on something. Never once did Dr. Rhoads ever turn me down, but was always there to at lest listen.
After my first two years I was finding my footing and finally declared Broadcasting as my major. With that change would come a new adviser in Dr. “B” and no more Dr. Rhoads. To him, he probably thinks and didn’t have much of an influence on me but he did. Sometimes it’s the small things that people say to you that have the most impact. So with all this said, thanks Dr. Rhoads for helping find my way.
When I made my first steps onto this college campus I had these first thoughts come to mind, “what the hell am I doing here.” I really had no idea what I was doing, who I was, where I was going and most of all, what major would I make a career out of. As all freshmen do, you make your way from class to class and you begin to take more interest in one then in other. You begin to develop and sense of what your cable of and where you fit the best. For me, it took me awhile to come across Broadcasting but I did. Now in my fifth year I have not looked back. But I did not get here by accident, thanks to the long talks and advice from Dr. Rhoads.
I came in listed as a political science major and Dr. Rhoads was my first adviser. It only took me a few weeks to realize that political science was not for me. So in a search to find a new major I spent many hours in Dr. Rhoads office. Now I can’t pint point one thing that he said that stood out the most. Just that he always had a way of telling me what I wanted to hear and more importantly what I needed to hear.
Sometimes I felt bad that I spent so much time in his office; whether I needed to add drop a class or to just get his opinion on something. Never once did Dr. Rhoads ever turn me down, but was always there to at lest listen.
After my first two years I was finding my footing and finally declared Broadcasting as my major. With that change would come a new adviser in Dr. “B” and no more Dr. Rhoads. To him, he probably thinks and didn’t have much of an influence on me but he did. Sometimes it’s the small things that people say to you that have the most impact. So with all this said, thanks Dr. Rhoads for helping find my way.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
My Place In The NewsRoom
Hello everyone, I’m back after having an amazing but busy summer. I finished my internship with WTAE 4 and it was the best experience on my life. Not only did I meet good people but also have a feel for how the business really works.
Going into my first day at WTAE channel 4 I really had known idea what to expect. In fact I was really nervous about it. I didn’t know what they would expect from me, what would they have me doing and most of all, would I be able to do it right? Just like anything else you always fear what you don’t know and this was no different.
Entering the news room I was taken back a little by all the commotion that was going on. Phones were ringing left and right and everyone were typing hard at their computers to pump out today’s sorties. In the back I saw Rege Bononis the Managing Editor at WTAE and also my boss. He showed me around the station and introduced me to some of the people I would be working with. Everyone I met was so nice and all told me if I needed anything, just let them know. I also met a girl by the name of Sara Bower our Assignment Desk manager, and found out that she is a Westminster alumnus! How about that?
As the weeks went by I was given opportunities to do different things. One week I was with reporters, sometimes helping to write scripts, and other times I would be in the back editing my own work. What I was really finding out was my place in the news room. I starting thinking to myself even from the first day, where do I see myself at this station if I were to work here? And this whole experience was about what I really want to do with broadcasting once I graduate.
After the first month I starting checking off jobs that I know are not for me or jobs that I know I’m not cable of. The first to fall into this list was reporting and anchoring. Seeing the talent and skill of these anchors and reporters were remarkable. They truly are skilled at what they do. Plus from my understanding of these positions are highly competitive and hard to get.
Anther job I thought I thought I might be interested in was producing. Now going into this internship I didn’t know that producers also wrote all the scripts. Sitting at a computer all day writing stories is not something I really care to do. I believe I would be able too just don’t really want to do it.
One of the positions I can see myself at would be directing. A few nights a week I would go into master control room and watch the director work his magic. Its pretty similar to the way we do it at the County Line. Of course just on a little larger scale.
I realizes now how important an internship is. It’s a chance to gain some great experience and make important connections that could help you land a job down the road. But for me it was more than that. It was a chance to get a taste what I really want to do. Although whatever career path I take might not be in news. I know now that if it were I would enjoy editing, directing, and photography. It is night and day to do the same jobs at school then at a real TV station. I highly recommend that everyone do an internship. You would be foolish not too. I learned a lot of things about myself and some things I was happy to find out. Heading into my last semester at school I know now what I need to focus on.
Going into my first day at WTAE channel 4 I really had known idea what to expect. In fact I was really nervous about it. I didn’t know what they would expect from me, what would they have me doing and most of all, would I be able to do it right? Just like anything else you always fear what you don’t know and this was no different.
Entering the news room I was taken back a little by all the commotion that was going on. Phones were ringing left and right and everyone were typing hard at their computers to pump out today’s sorties. In the back I saw Rege Bononis the Managing Editor at WTAE and also my boss. He showed me around the station and introduced me to some of the people I would be working with. Everyone I met was so nice and all told me if I needed anything, just let them know. I also met a girl by the name of Sara Bower our Assignment Desk manager, and found out that she is a Westminster alumnus! How about that?
As the weeks went by I was given opportunities to do different things. One week I was with reporters, sometimes helping to write scripts, and other times I would be in the back editing my own work. What I was really finding out was my place in the news room. I starting thinking to myself even from the first day, where do I see myself at this station if I were to work here? And this whole experience was about what I really want to do with broadcasting once I graduate.
After the first month I starting checking off jobs that I know are not for me or jobs that I know I’m not cable of. The first to fall into this list was reporting and anchoring. Seeing the talent and skill of these anchors and reporters were remarkable. They truly are skilled at what they do. Plus from my understanding of these positions are highly competitive and hard to get.
Anther job I thought I thought I might be interested in was producing. Now going into this internship I didn’t know that producers also wrote all the scripts. Sitting at a computer all day writing stories is not something I really care to do. I believe I would be able too just don’t really want to do it.
One of the positions I can see myself at would be directing. A few nights a week I would go into master control room and watch the director work his magic. Its pretty similar to the way we do it at the County Line. Of course just on a little larger scale.
I realizes now how important an internship is. It’s a chance to gain some great experience and make important connections that could help you land a job down the road. But for me it was more than that. It was a chance to get a taste what I really want to do. Although whatever career path I take might not be in news. I know now that if it were I would enjoy editing, directing, and photography. It is night and day to do the same jobs at school then at a real TV station. I highly recommend that everyone do an internship. You would be foolish not too. I learned a lot of things about myself and some things I was happy to find out. Heading into my last semester at school I know now what I need to focus on.
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