Has The VOice...On and Off the Ice

Soccer commercials Beckham would approve of

2009-11-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

Hass thanks Faas for this soccer link.

Michael Grabner of the Vancouver Canucks fractured his ankle during a pre-game soccer warm-up Sunday and could be out until Christmas. I mentioned I sprained my ankle two weeks ago. I believe I will be back on the basketball court next week. This past Monday I was able to go for a walk for the first time since the injury.

This weekend on the "Thurman Thomas Show", we will have footage from a classic Bills game where the quarterback played with a severely sprained ankle. I will post it here on Sunday morning.

SportS StatiSticS

2009-11-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

Tonight's Shaw TV broadcast does not approach the magnitude of the sixth game of the World Series between the Yankees and Phillies - or next Monday night's football game between the better known Broncos of Denver hosting Pittsburgh.

But, there are ten S's in this 15 second promo of mine. The 30 second promo had 17 S's - if anyone is tracking that StatiStic:)

The NHL team with the most S's in their full name? The San Jose Sharks with four. Only three NHL teams do NOT end with an S:

Tampa Bay Lightning
Colorado Avalanche
Minnesota Wild

All 32 NFL teams end with an S. Only two major league baseball teams do not end with an S:

Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox

The Hockey Hall of Fame will induct a star-studded cast on November 9 when Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Luc Robitaille are inducted as players and Lou Lamoriello is inducted as a builder. Just one S among all those letters. Ten L's though...LOL...

Remembering THE Comeback and The Mask

2009-11-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

The Texans' Ryan Moats had the game of his life today and the Bills' Ryan Fitzpatrick did not. "Ryan the runner" had three touchdowns and 126 yards while "Ryan the passer" had only 117 yards. Houston 31, Buffalo 10. With a bye next week, the Bills will not have a chance to come back from this catastrophe until November 15 against the winless Tennessee Titans (the former Houston Oilers).

As I promised at the end of my last post, this weekend on the Bills' 50th Season Moment: the greatest comeback in NFL history.
The Bills were down 35-3 in this 1993 playoff game against the Oilers:

Fifty years ago today, the goalie mask found its way into the hockey world. I wonder if a football helmet could have worked...

Buffalo Boys from Houston

2009-10-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to former Kelowna Rocket, Tyler Myers! He is sticking with the big boys in Buffalo! Myers, who was born in Houston, Texas, but moved to Calgary at the age of 10, has posted 2 goals, 5 points and a plus-8 rating through nine games this season. The three-year entry level contract he signed last May will kick in
in Buffalo's 10th game of the season tomorrow against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Thurman Thomas, of the "Thurman Thomas Show", was born in Houston. Our Bills play the Houston Texans this Sunday. Two weeks ago on the show's Bills' 50th Season Moment, we remembered a great football game Thurman and the Bills had on New Year's Day in 1989 against Houston's old team, the Oilers:

Hockey's Oilers (from Edmonton) just beat Detroit in a shootout, 6-5.
I'm happy because Ales Hemsky got me three points in my hockey pool!

Bryan Hall has been the most popular sports voice in Edmonton since starting as Edmonton Eskimos play-by-play announcer in 1965. But tomorrow night he broadcasts his final football home game. Hall is a unique man, with a brash, off-the-cuff style that he has become famous for. That, and long-winded questions that he often ends up answering himself.
"Sometimes I don't have to say anything because he provides the question and the answer for me," said Eskimos head coach Richie Hall (no relation) with a laugh. The Eskimos honoured Bryan Hall yesterday by naming the Commonwealth Stadium media centre after him, and that’s where he will call his final Eskimos home game on Friday night against the Toronto Argonauts.

Warren Moon, who gained fame as the Houston Oilers' quarterback, is one of 31 players/contributors recognized on the Edmonton Eskimo Wall of Honour at Commonwealth Stadium. (Scroll down to 2001). The earlier footage featured Warren Moon and he returns on this weekend's Bills' 50th Season Moment in the greatest comeback in NFL history. And you know who is going to win? So, sorry but boo hoo in Houston...Boo Hoo is also a band that formed in Montreal in 2005.

Football Females and The Huddle

2009-10-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

Catching some Zzzz's...
My game recap script this weekend on the "Thurman Thomas Show" had "more" Z's than I bargained for:
Mark SancheZ, Ryan FitZpatrick and the word capitaliZe.
The Bills won last Sunday against the New York Jets, 16-13, in overtime!

The Buffalo Bills lost a low scoring game a week earlier on October 11,
6-3. The "star" of the game was Cleveland punter Dave Zastudil, who
landed seven of nine punts inside the Bills 20. Here is my game recap.

There are not too many football players with a "Z" starting their last name in the NFL. Only 6 others besides Mr. Zastudil:
- Tom Zbikowski   - Dominique Zeigler
- Joe Zelenka         - Jeff Zgonina
- Keith Zinger       - Jeremy Zuttah

This summer on the Voices.com blog, Stephanie Ciccarelli introduced us to Ann DeWig, the female promo voice behind the Super Bowl XLIII promos on NBC. Read the article here. And, more words of wisdom this past week from Ann in Stephanie's article, The Only Constant is Change.

I asked Stephanie about the "Voices.com huddle" I heard about and she responded back very quickly on Thursday afternoon:
We started doing the daily huddles a month and a half ago. Each huddle lasts about 5 minutes (but no more than 8) and consists of each team member sharing:
1. Good News (whether personal or professional)
2. Numbers (as they pertain to their responsibilities in the company)
3. Broken Systems / Opportunities (We believe systems break down, not people, and are always looking for opportunities for improvement)
4. Top Ones (priority for the day)
5. Cheer in recognition of one of the team member's efforts

Stephanie adds," All of us are capable of leading the huddle. They happen at the same time each day and serve as great opportunities to learn, measure our daily progress, converse, and keep us accountable to each other. When you say you will be doing something publicly, it had better get done!"

Voiceover lady Bobbin Beam is liking the Minnesota Vikings (one of four undefeated teams so far) more all the time, but will always be faithful to the San Diego Chargers and Brett Favre's old team, the Green Bay Packers. Bobbin says her hubby Pete is a Chicago Bears guy, so they have a "no taunting rule" when her beloved teams play his.

Bobbin, I checked Chicago's schedule and it looks like you two are safe until the US Thanksgiving weekend when Chicago is in Minnesota:)

PS Two months to Christmas...

Painful and Pane-Full

2009-10-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

HASS - Got my first ever stitches out yesterday and was back on the basketball court for the first time in three weeks. Then, I sprained my ankle coming down with a rebound. The Sports Physiotherapist we play with was there and figured I'll be out a week or two. Lots of ice the next few days and I am hopping around with my good leg...

GLASS - Watch the Top 10 shattering moments here.
Hockey is represented 6 times and basketball twice - including #1!

BILLS & balloons

2009-10-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, the "balloon boy" stunt last Thursday was a hoax. NO doubt about it. Up-to-date details here. On a local level, a hot air balloonist got into some hot water late last month.

Exactly one year ago today the Buffalo Bills beat San Diego, 23-14, in the "balloon game." San Diego was on Monday Night Football tonight and lost on October 19th again, 34-23 to Denver (6-0). Last weekend we had the Chargers featured on the Bills' 50th Season Moment on the "Thurman Thomas Show." The Bills always win on that segment...so sorry San Diego:

SABRES déjà vu?

2009-10-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

The Buffalo Sabres beat the New York Islanders tonight, 6-3. They have now won four in a row after losing on opening night in overtime to Montreal. Tomorrow, October 17th, Buffalo hosts Atlanta.

Last season, the Sabres won their first four games of the year - including opening night against Montreal. Then Buffalo was going for five straight in Atlanta on October 18th, but settled for a single point after a shootout loss, 3-2. Here is my opener from last year's game on MSG-TV:

SABRES plus a young child in Nashville

2009-10-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Buffalo Sabres are in Nashville to take on the Predators. From the home team's website comes this inspiring speech from someone who is NOT one of Kate and Jon's eight kids:

"SKATE Plus 8" TV show?

2009-10-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

Lots of goals last night in the Western Hockey League! 50 goals scored by 10 teams. The Shaw TV broadcast was in Saskatoon where the Blades scored 8 in beating the Kootenay Ice by 4. The Shaw TV crew will be there again November 4 for our fourth game of the broadcast schedule.
Game three is the "Battle of Alberta":

You know, I would like to voice a hockey reality show called
"SKATE Plus 8" starring Alexander Ovechkin - and I shared as much
on THE Washington Capitals' blog today. Visit that link for a great Sabres' flashback photo too! They know what they are talking about there, like "It was like playing in a Canadian city."

Meanwhile, you can follow the NHL's "Battle of Alberta" here. BC hockey fans are breathing a little easier this morning. The Vancouver Canucks avoided losing 4 in a row last night by destroying Montreal, 7-1. Locally, the Kelowna Rockets won their 4th in a row thanks to a shootout winner by Cody Chikie. Cody is being billeted by a good friend of mine, Darryl J.

Part of 4 exciting finishes!

2009-10-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

I handled PA at yesterday's Westside Warriors' 5-4 overtime win over Merritt. That was a great way to wrap up the game! Unfortunately on Friday night, yours truly and Westside experienced the opposite emotion as Vernon scored with 2.3 seconds remaining to beat the Warriors 4-3.

Several blowouts in the NFL yesterday. Six games were won by 17 or more points. The worst was San Francisco shutting out the St. Louis Rams, 35-0. The second most embarrassing score was 38-10 for Miami over my Buffalo Bills.

On a more positive note, here is a segment I voiced for the weekend's "Thurman Thomas Show." It is a Bills' 50th Season Moment remembering a comeback win against those same Miami Dolphins on October 9, 1983:

A couple of weeks ago on the Bills' 50th Season Moment, we picked on Miami again:

Considering it was a full moon last night, maybe I should have titled this post:

CanuCks: C factor

2009-10-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

Four games kick off the NHL season tonight and CBC-TV has a Hockey Night in Canada doubleheader. Montreal in Toronto is the early game. I don't even think the Habs will make the playoffs this season. The Vancouver Canucks are in Calgary for the late game. Here is what I "C" in the Canucks' immediate future:

Colorado - Game 2 on Saturday
Columbus - Game 3 next Monday
Canadiens - Game 4 next Wednesday
Cal Clutterbuck - Game 7 on October 17 versus Minnesota. The Canucks better see him on the ice or they will get crunched! Clutterbuck lead all NHL forwards in bodychecks last season with 356 - 71 more than Dustin Brown of the LA Kings.

The Canucks will win a division title like last year and fare better than Chicago, who knocked them out of the playoffs.

Watch out for falling debris! NOT leaves or snow...

2009-09-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Our church has an amazing youth group! They do a lot of great work in our city and also out of town. Over the weekend the Senior Youth were in Grand Forks helping out that community with everything from yardwork to organizing a church service. To quote from the youth website:

We are an army of young people who love each other like best friends (that's called kahoots) and desire to see people meet Christ, the source of all real life!

Our daughter, Ashley, is one of four recent grads interning in the Youth Department this year. She will be taking several courses through Briercrest Bible College as well as receiving credit hours for her service with the youth at different locations. Over the years, the Youth have been known to attract a crowd when they throw items like old appliances and pumpkins off the main church building! That inspired me to find this TV intro with falling TV's from SCTV in the mid-'80's:

$$urrounded by Millionaire$$?

2009-09-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

I will be doing the public address announcing at tomorrow afternoon's Westside Warriors game. The Quesnel Millionaires will be the visitors.
On Thursday the team gave me a call as the regular voice, Wayne Moore, realized he had a conflict with the Okanagan Sun football game he was committed to. So, three Sundays in a row coming up for me "high in the gondala." What a great word - made famous by the legendary Foster Hewitt! The Millionaires sort of have a billionaire in the lineup...on defense is a 17 year old named Tyler Billon.

Hear all about the famed Maple Leaf Gardens broadcasting gondola and how its dizzying heights made strong men go weak in the knees by clicking here. This interview with Foster first aired in March of 1965.

Off to church tonight. It would be nice if a millionaire could make a donation so our church can buy another letter K...

Edwards takes the snap...

2009-09-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

Kara Edwards and Trent Edwards...

Besides being a very good voice talent, Kara Edwards is an avid photographer. She snapped the one below at a recent Pee Wee football game in Tampa Bay that her neighbors' son was in.
She calls it "Horizontal Child":)

Trent Edwards takes the snaps as the quarterback of the Buffalo Bills. This past Sunday, the Bills beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
33-20. Mr. Edwards had a quarterback rating of 97.5 against the Bucs. It was the 12th time in his career that he had a QB rating of 80.0 (minimum 20 attempts) or higher and the Bills are 11-1 when he reaches that mark in his career. Trent's only loss came in week one this season as New England eked out a 25-24 win. After two weeks of the NFL season, Trent Edwards has the fifth highest QB rating in the league at 104.9. Number one on that list is Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, who visit Buffalo this Sunday.

Kara Edwards is also an avid blogger like me. We both started in late 2006. She currently leads in posts with 147. But I am now only two touchdowns behind with 133 posts...Time flies when you are having fun!
Or, to quote Groucho Marx:
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

NO NFL team scored 13 points on the 13th

2009-09-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

Denver won by five and Jacksonville lost by two as they each scored 12 points today as the NFL season got rolling - but NO team scored 13. Oddly enough, I shared footage from Bills games against those two teams two posts back. However, the NFL season opener on Thursday saw Pittsburgh score a 13-10 overtime victory versus Tennessee.

The Monday night football tradition returns tomorrow. San Diego and Oakland battle for California bragging rights after the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots go at it. 13-0 was the final score for the Pats the last time they met to close out the 2008 season. The "Thurman Thomas Show" ran for the first time this weekend and the Bills' 50th Season Moment flashed back to September 7, 1980:

A date close to that was September 1, 1980. On that date, Canadian hero Terry Fox, stopped running outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. His primary cancer had spread to his lungs so after 143 days and 5, 373 kilometres (3,339 miles), his Marathon of Hope came to an end. On June 28, 1981, after treatment with chemotherapy and interferon, Terry Fox died at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, BC.

The annual Terry Fox Run went off all across Canada today. In Kelowna, 548 participants took part raising almost $22, 000 dollars for cancer research. Next year will be the 30th Terry Fox Run! It is an innovative and volunteer-led event, all-inclusive, non-competitive, with no corporate sponsorship, incentives or fundraising minimums.

The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research is taking place in New York City on October 17 at Central Park. More details here.
Other international events are listed here.

I am a Warrior - not a worrier...

2009-09-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday and Sunday, I had the chance to be the public address announcer at the final two exhibition hockey games of the Westside Warriors. The last time I did this was two Septembers ago in 2007. I won't have to wait as long for my next opportunity as I'll be doing the Warriors' games on October 2nd and 4th. I have asked my music partner in the booth, Chris, to track down this song to get the fans into the game:
"The Warrior" by Scandal (featuring Patty Smyth) hit number 7
on the U.S. pop charts in September of 1984.

Besides a lightning strike knocking out power for a while, Sunday's game had quite the finish! Westside won 6-5 when they scored with 66 seconds left! Number 24 on defense had a great game with three assists. Hometown boy, Brendan Ellis, also had a couple penalties but number 24 on the other team (Merritt), Joey McEwan, got a little out of control with five seconds left in the game as he picked up two roughing penalties, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, a ten minute misconduct and a game misconduct!...sounds like John McEnroe in his prime:)

Last night at the US Open, after men's No. 4 seed, Novak Djokovic, defeated No. 15 Radek Stepanek, John McEnroe joined him from the TV booth to play a "fun" grudge match:

In case you are keeping score, John McEnroe and Patty Smyth have been married for twelve years now - and I won my first match tonight in my fall tennis league!

Football FEVER!

2009-08-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

Denver hosts Chicago tonight in the lone NFL preseason game. The Buffalo Bills went into Denver late last season and won 30-23! This is the first video footage I am able to share from my work on the "Thurman Thomas Show."

Here is early season footage from the Bills' second game in Jacksonville.
It was another win!

Hockey HEAT!

2009-08-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in Kelowna, Dany HEATley finally talked about why he wants to leave the Ottawa Senators. He should have done that months ago because his reputation has been tarnished since vetoing a trade to Edmonton.

The Calgary Flames' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate is now the Abbotsford HEAT - relocating from Quad Cities, Iowa. Two days ago, I spoke with their Director of Communications and Broadcast, Dave Sheldon. He is set to announce his color commentator in the broadcast booth and Dave says we will be surprised because his partner is not an athlete.

Below are five Buffalo Sabres games to enjoy (featuring my voiceovers) with:
- Inauguration footage with President Obama
- A rock 'n' roll classic from 1976
- Trade deadline day footage

A BIG thank you to Brent Luehr, Director of Technology, at HuStream Technologies here in Kelowna for spending a Friday afternoon converting the footage from an awkward (technically speaking) 353 mb UDF file from Sabreville.

By the way, HuStream specializes in production of modern interactive video technology solutions for organizations throughout the world. To see a great new example, press play now when you arrive here. Or check out HuStream's portfolio!

I am faster than Usain Bolt!

2009-08-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Bolt burned up the track in Berlin two days ago setting a new 100m World record of 9.58 seconds!

But, I was faster in voicing these two recent TV commercial tags:
-- 401 Dixie Kia in Mississauga, Ontario
-- Clean Slate TV show airs across Canada the next two Saturdays (August 22 and 29). Here is the behind the scenes story.

But my audition for an EA Sports racing video game was over Bolt's 9.58 seconds. My thanks to Herb Merriweather for his production help on that one.

All for now...I continue my sports journey in a moment by "hitting the gym."

Happy Birthday Sidney Crosby & Herb Merriweather!

2009-08-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Sidney Crosby got to bring the Stanley Cup home today on his 22nd birthday! Nova Scotia hosted SC X 2.

Two NHLers retired in the last 2 days. They each finished wearing number 27 (my niece, Jessica, hit this age 2 days ago) but never got to hoist the Stanley Cup in their 20-year careers. Teppo Numminen finished his career with the Buffalo Sabres while Jeremy Roenick finished up in San Jose. While Numminen was "normal", Roenick could be classified as "raucous." You can see it all here on TSN's Top 10 Jeremy Roenick Moments.

I have a voiceover friend celebrating a birthday today in California. Herb Merriweather is a big sports fan too! The St. Louis Cardinals would be topping his list right about now. He also recently started blogging.
You can follow Herb here.

Michaels and Vancouver

2009-07-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

The late, great Michael Jackson came to Vancouver in 1984. He performed three sold-out concerts at B.C. Place but also had a run-in with police. However, that was a positive experience and NOT a negative one.
See the story, picture and video here.

"Everybody learned something" from Michael Jackson is how this clip started off last night on ABC's 20/20. It was in reference to his amazing influence in making videos. Through the media, we have all learned a lot more than we ever knew about Michael since he died on June 25. Unfortunately, too much of it is sensationalized and I don't think it
will end after Tuesday's public memorial service.

Here are some life lessons that I wish Michael Jackson had taken to heart:
-- It is more important what is on the inside than the outside
-- Take advice from those that truly love you
-- Money can't buy happiness

Remembering Michael Jackson in Music and in Sports.

This is a good read from Michael Ielpi, a New Jersey Devils fan.

The Vancouver Canucks "stepped up to the mic" yesterday. GM Mike Gillis signed right winger Mikael Samuelsson to a three-year deal.

If you would like to "Step Up to the MIC" as a voiceover artist, you will want to click on this link for a book by Rodney Saulsberry.

Saluting the Red, White and Blue

2009-07-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

To all my US friends, I hope you have a great Independence Day coming up on July 4th!

We celebrated Canada Day yesterday and I made sure to sport something red. My Buffalo Bills shirt had that and so did our new basketball net. My "artistic" photo taken tonight is here:

5 marketing lessons from Ralph the artist.

This is not from me but Atlanta voice-over talent, Karen Commins.

Also new on the blogroll today is Atlanta's Craig Crumpton with Voice Actors in the News.

Finding your voice through magic?

2009-06-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

That was an amazing interview on Tuesday on the NBA halftime show with a proud father named Izzy Rodriguez! Ryan Rodriguez is his young son. He was a boy of few words - until the Orlando Magic got in the picture. Sports columnist Mike Bianchi also wrote about this magical story last month in the Orlando Sentinel. By the way, this website (http://www.magicalvoice.com/) does not belong to a voice talent in Orlando but right here in Kelowna.

Ryan or Izzy should have been shooting free throws for Dwight Howard of the Magic last night. He made only 6/14, meaning he missed more freebies than the LA Lakers did in the whole game (5). The Lakers can win the NBA title on Sunday night as they have a commanding 3-1 series lead now.

The 15th Game 7 in NHL Stanley Cup history goes tonight with Pittsburgh in Detroit. Game 7s have provided some of the NHL's finest moments. But it will not compare to my daughter's graduation ceremony!

The world needs you. It needs your voice, your smile.

It needs your talents,

your passion.

It needs all the gifts you have to give.

Listen to your heart,

trust your strengths,

follow your joy.

And give generously

of all those things that make you

so perfectly you.

Because the world needs you...

just as you are.

Thanks Hallmark!

Thank you Ashley!!

Signed, your proud father

DOC on the mend and on the mind

2009-06-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to AZ VO talent Doc Phillips!
As mentioned on his blog, he is dealing with congestive heart failure.

Thanks to NBC play-by-play announcer, Doc Emrick, TV ratings for the Stanley Cup finals are off to their best start since 2002. Doc (Mike) has been the voice of the New Jersey Devils since 1993. A very nice tribute to Doc here from DR - Daryl Reaugh, who has a blog that is very sharp and humorous. Daryl "Razor" Reaugh has been working as the Dallas Stars' color commentator since 1996. I think it's only a matter of time before "Razor" and I work together...he likes Ralphs! The play-by-play announcer for the Dallas Stars is Ralph Strangis and Daryl first appeared as a broadcast regular in 1991 on the American Hockey League-produced weekly series, Rinkside, partnered with fellow goaltender Jim Ralph.

Another former NHL goalie, John Davidson, will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. He is currently the St. Louis Blues' President of Hockey Operations.

I had the chance to speak yesterday with St. Louis' Executive Director of Broadcasting and Blues Alumni, Bruce Affleck. Bruce is from nearby Penticton, BC, where he has helped put together the Hall of Fame Summer Classic on July 25. This blog post from early last year
shows you that I also like the St. Louis Blues.