Friday Football Frenzy: Both Sides of the Border

Orchard Park is in the headlines! Here in Kelowna, BC the Orchard Park Shopping Centre is forty years old. With 170+ stores and services, it offers the largest selection of retailers between Calgary and Vancouver.

Orchard Park is where the Buffalo Bills play their football games and in this preview clip from this weekend's "Thurman Thomas Show", I mentioned it in my first sentence. But it's not about how you start, but how you finish. Sorry New England!


Big football game tonight in Vancouver as the BC Lions move into their renovated digs. BC Place Stadium came to life in 1983 in preparation for Expo '86 and has now undergone a $560-million facelift which includes a retractable roof and a huge centre-hung video board (only the Dallas Cowboys' is bigger). The BC Lions are on a roll with their first 5-game winning streak since 1985 where the club has allowed less than 20 points each time.

The Buffalo Bills should not have any problems this weekend in Cincinnati. We have beaten them ten times in a row! I hope I have not spoken too soon...

Buffalo Bills' "Ballroom Blitz" starring Fitz

This rock classic starts off wondering if Steve and Andy and Mick were ready...

They WERE today for the Buffalo Bills as they blitzed Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 34-31!

• Steve Johnson had 8 catches for 94 yards today.
• Andy Levitre protected QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who passed for 369 yards and two touchdowns!
• Nick Barnett had six tackles and five assists on defense as Brady threw four interceptions! That's the same amount he had in all of 2010!

UFC 135 last night had Jon Jones beat Rampage Jackson. But that was nothing (because I don't watch UFC!) compared to Donald Jones' 101 receiving yards or Fred Jackson's 74 rushing yards today for the Bills!

Buffalo is the first team in NFL history to win consecutive games in which it trailed by at least 18 points in each contest. Here is my Game Recap (3:31 in) on the "Thurman Thomas Show" for last weekend's big comeback against the Raiders. Cue Fitzpatrick!

Six other games in the NFL today were also decided by just 3 points. Congratulations to the Steelers, Lions, Titans, Chargers, Seahawks and Buccaneers!

Memories from Modano, Mueller and Madden!

Mike Modano called it a career today. He is 22nd all-time in NHL points and leaves as the highest scoring American NHL player ever, achieving that mark early in the 2007-08 season. Modano signed a symbolic contract with Dallas yesterday to retire with the franchise he helped put on the map. Thanks for the memories Mike!

Painting NFL memories from Kelowna, Bob Mueller:

Steve Sabol of NFL Films helped make it happen for Bob Mueller.

The NFL just tweeted about an hour ago: On the first official day of Fall, Steve Sabol remembers how he composed "The Autumn Wind." Enjoy! It's all about John Madden and the Oakland Raiders "back in the day." Bob Mueller just left a comment too.

I'll have my Game Recap from the Buffalo Bills' big win last weekend against Oakland in two days for you:)

Catch 22 - but NOT Fred Jackson! Commercial Fun!

Catch-22 is easier said than done.

Fred Jackson is number 22 on the Buffalo Bills and he ran for 117 yards yesterday as the Bills stormed back to beat the Oakland Raiders, 38-35, at Ralph Wilson Stadium. We were down 21-3 at the half. Fred Jackson is now #1 on the rushing list with 229 yards while Oakland's Darren McFadden is #2 with 222.


My Game Recap for last weekend's 9/11 win (41-7) in Kansas City is 3:13 in football fans:)

On September 22 this week, my blog turns five!

On the same day, the WHL launches into another hockey season on Shaw-TV with the Brandon Wheat Kings at Moose Jaw's new arena, Mosaic Place. There will be 32 regular season games broadcast this season and this is my fifth season voicing the promos.

I delivered this line 21 times in a directed voiceover session earlier this month. It's a spoof of the daily deals offered at Groupon. :20 seconds in for me on the finished commercial for PaycomOnline.com. Listen! You'll even hear the word Lunatic...

Powerful 9/11 sports stories featuring 2 Steves

As the NFL prepared to remember 9/11 on the first Sunday of the year, Steve Mariucci shared his memories of the 2001 season. 1:13 seconds in.

Canadian Stephen Brunt commemorated the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with this video essay, "A Decade Later." Hear him 1:37 seconds in if you would rather bypass the footage.

By the way, Stephen Brunt has written bestselling hockey books, "Searching for Bobby Orr", and "Gretzky's Tears."

3:33 in (unless you count my station ID at the start): My segment (Offseason Recap) for the Buffalo Bills' "Thurman Thomas Show" this weekend. Can you believe the Bills had the biggest blowout on the NFL's opening Sunday? Wow! 41-7 over Kansas City!

Friday FUN: Acronym Mania!

BB yesterday for me = Buffalo Bills and Basketball! My best exercise workout of the week happens every Thursday night with my basketball buddies. Here is a flashback from the spring:
Words of Wisdom from the BBall court

My exhibition season recap for the Buffalo Bills runs this weekend on the "Thurman Thomas Show." I'll post the segment (voiced yesterday) in a couple of days.

Our family stays fit here: KFY
Too much fat here: KFC

=====================

If you are a voiceover talent, check out VOAT. It is Dave Courvoisier's followup to NVOM. Here is the story. I appreciate your efforts Dave! I like these words of wisdom on Dave's blog today:

There’s still something about VO that has intrinsically changed my approach to RELATIONSHIPS & COMMUNITY.

The Voice Over community has made me appreciate that:
1) I can’t do it alone…or at least that I do it much better with help.
2) My life is richer in association with others.
3) When I give unselfishly, I get that and more in return.
4) Others have similar struggles as I.
5) Together, we’re smarter, stronger, faster.
6) Being an island is lonely.

My two cents: Apply this in your relationships and community. It is not just for voiceover... 

Be Choosy, Fit Your Philosophy and Be Creative

Well, judging by my last three posts, pictures of threes are popular:

1. 3 football players
2. 3 cute kids (I'm a proud Dad!)
3. Video thumbnail of 3 on the football field

I read an interesting article last week in BC Business Magazine:

The Merits of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

It had three lessons. Briefly, be choosy with your marketing; Keep an eye on events, and when you find one that might fit your philosophy and style, act fast; and replace money with creativity. In other words, build your word-of-mouth marketing from the bottom UP and let your work speak for itself!

Hockey fits the bill in those areas for me. I voiced my first promo commercial Thursday for the WHL on Shaw TV. This is season five doing that. It came about after my first season in 2006 of voicing MSG-TV openings for the Buffalo Sabres. The Brandon Wheat Kings will be in Moose Jaw September 22 as the new arena, Mosaic Place, opens up in MJ. Former NHL coach, Cory Clouston, will be behind the bench for Brandon. 

Look UP Friday night in Kelowna and you'll see me and my music man, 
Cory Bell-Esau, in the press box at Rutland Arena.

You'll hear me as the public address announcer tonight. We are glad to be back for the Kelowna Chiefs' second season in the KIJHL. It is an exhibition game against the North Okanagan Knights. Our regular season home opener is September 17 against the Spokane Braves.