In all the years I’ve been announcing sports, I’ve never announced a Major-professional sporting event.  I have, however, DJed for a Major League Baseball team (Tampa Bay Rays in 1998), National Hockey League team (Washington Capitals 2013-2014) and National Basketball Association team (Washington Wizards playoffs 2014) on a fill-in basis, in addition to working with the Washington Kastles of World Team Tennis (2012-present).

Late in the 2013-14 NHL season, the Washington Capitals asked me to assist P. A. announcer Wes Johnson as his assistant for a game.  As part of the job, they have the assistant read the pre-game P. A. announcements from 10 minutes after the gates open until the teams take the ice for warm-ups.  I’ve done this three times through the beginning of March 2015 and have recorded two of them.  One of those is this video which was shot on February 25, 2015 prior to the Washington Capitals game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It’s always a big game when these two teams hit the ice and it was a blast to be this close to the action.

The Washington Capitals warming up before their game on February 25, 2015 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins warming up before his team played the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center on February 25, 2015 in Washington, DC.

And this is just how close to the action we were.  Close enough EVERYTHING.  It’s  a great seat to have and it was an honor to fill the seat for the night.  The Capitals picture was taken while John Carlson was being highlighted on the video board.  I announced for Carlson when he played junior hockey for the New Jersey Rockets of the then-Atlantic Junior Hockey League.  The picture on the right was the only picture I took of the visitor’s side of the ice.  There really isn’t much time to take pictures in the box when you have a lot going on throughout the game.

Working with the P. A. announcer is a fun task because you’re relaying messages from the game director to the announcer on when to read announcements, goals, penalties, and other game information.  Plus, you serve as another set of eyes for what is happening on the ice.  Probably the most interesting part of the job is hearing the banter between the players.  It’s interesting to say the least but as the saying goes, what happens in the penalty box, stays in the penalty box.