Final Blog: Reflection: The right choice

So, the time has come that I must reflect on this past eight weeks of media writing and all of what I shared with you regarding the pursuit of my dream to work at ESPN.

I came to Hesser to create a new path to follow and change the direction of my life. That pursuit has really only begun, and I am truly excited to see what will comes out of all this. I feel more prepared, more confident and better educated than I did before returning to school. I have gained knowledge of my profession and strengthened the tools I already had. I have gained new tools to use to improve my chances in the career I am pursuing.

My passion and love for sports is the key to my success. The knowledge and experience I have gained is second to that passion. Without passion and love for something, the chances of being happy and having success will be limited. This writing course has helped me so much. It has opened my eyes to what's out there even more, and made me a more disciplined writer. It has given me a better understanding of just how important this pursuit is to me. It has allowed me to think more freely and open my mind each day. I can explain myself better and feel more comfortable with myself and with what I am trying to accomplish. I am grateful for the time I have spent here at Hesser and in this class.

I have eight more weeks to go before I complete my associates degree program in radio and video broadcasting. In eight weeks, I will have accomplished the first in a long list of goals I have set for myself. I have great will and determination to go on and succeed in this business and look to continue my education at a higher level. I am in the middle of applying to a four-year school as my time winds down here at Hesser. I am staying on top of all the work I need to do and following through with the plan I have come up with to create a better life for myself and do what I love.


My internship at WGAM is almost complete, and I look forward to seeing whether I will continue working at the station on a permanent basis. Wish me luck. I am fairly proud that I have challenged myself during the most troubling and difficult times I will probably ever have in my life.

I had to keep my head up during very hard times, when at times all I wanted to do was give up. I doubted myself and never thought I could get this far. I am doing this because I truly want to, and I truly have a passion for it. The fire burns inside me. Light is being shed after so much darkness. In the end, I want to know I made the right choice. I want to see the final result and I want to be able to look back and know I made the right choice to continue my education and follow the pursuit of my dream.

World Series 2010

So it is set. After a riveting ALCS and NLCS in Major League Baseball's playoffs, the two teams that will compete for the coveted World Series Championship are now set.

As a Red Sox fan, I am truly pleased to see the New York Yankees out of the race. The Texas Rangers defeated the Yankees in game six of a seven-game series to advance to their first ever World Series. The defending national league champion Phillies were also defeated in game six of their series with the San Fransisco Giants, and the Giants are advancing to their first ever World Series championship since the franchise moved from New York.

To me as a fan of baseball, I am truly enjoying the fact that there are new teams in the World Series. It's easy to get bored of seeing the same teams all the time--unless the Boston Red Sox are involved. Two teams that have never won have something to play for. You're guaranteed a battle to the death to win the series and the championship. Both teams are playing for something. They are going to show us an epic series. If at the beginning of the playoffs I could pick two teams to play in the World Series, these two teams would be it. It should be an interesting series. Honestly, I couldn't tell you who will win or who I would want to pick to win. These teams are just too good and so exciting to watch.

On my Way

Many things are coming together and many opportunities are starting to be exposed.

As this class comes to an end within this next week, I will have completed a 17th class for my two-year associates' degree program. My internship at WGAM-AM will be complete in a few more weeks--about another 30 hours or so of a required 120 hours to obtain credit towards my degree. The grade will also count as a class would making an 18th class complete.

In about a week-and-a-half, I will start my final semester of classes; my final eight weeks here at Hesser College. I am starting to get more acquainted with different people in the radio and video business and immersing myself in different projects that are starting to come together. I am starting to have fun and enjoying the steps I am taking to get to do what I want to do.

I have come so far, and I have made such progress in school towards my education and overall in my life. I picked myself up from a near breakdown, followed my dreams and set goals for myself. I paced myself and took my time to make sure I did things right. So many times, I have thought about what I would do, and what would happen IF I went back to school.

Now, I can ask myself, "What NOW; what do I do next?" I don't have to doubt myself or psyche myself out anymore. I have grown more confident, and I have learned so much in this time, especially about myself. I will follow through with what I want to do. It is time for the next step, so I never have to look back. I have started applying to major colleges and universities to continue my education and obtain my bachelors' degree. I have been making calls and creating work for myself to keep busy and gain experience. I have been doing all I can to make myself better, and I can't wait to see where it all brings me.

Finish them off!!

With a 3-1 lead in a seven-game series, the Texas Rangers have the defending World Series Champion New York Yankees right where they want them. The Texas Rangers, which have never won a World Series title, have a chance to knock the defending champs right onto the couch. The Rangers go into game 5 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, coming off of a 10-3 crushing on Tuesday, when the Rangers hit four home runs to spank the Yanks. The Rangers were led by a three run homer from catcher Bengie Molina and a pair of solo shots from All-Star Josh Hamilton.

The momentum looks to be on the side of the Rangers after going into Yankee Stadium and taking the first two games of a set of three games. The Rangers had won pretty handily on Monday when they won 8-0. Cliff Lee had a dominating performance and held the Yankees to only two hits and 13 strikeouts.

The Rangers look to make quick work and finish off the Yankees on Wednesday. Even if the Yankees can take game five and take the series back to Texas down 3-2, they still have to win game six. Even if they win game six, they will have to face Cliff Lee once again in game seven in Texas with the Rangers ace on the mound. It will be a very daunting task and the Yankees look like they are on their way out of the playoffs.

The Yanks already lost Mark Teixeira when he pulled his hamstring running out a ground ball. Whether they come back and win the series against the Rangers or not, the Yanks have not been scoring runs. New York has been completely shut down by the Rangers pitching stuff. With the exception of coming back from being down five runs in game one they have done nothing offensively since the five-run 8th inning.

You can never count the Yankees out of any series; they are just too good of a team. As a Red Sox fan, I cannot believe I just said that, but it's the truth. With a lineup that consists of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada, and CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Phil Hughes on the mound, this series is not over until it's over. As we learned--for good in 2004--anything can happen. At this moment, I can confidently say the way the Yankees have been shut down this series, I don' think they have a chance and they certainly are not the 2004 Boston Red Sox. I for one can simply say to the Texas Rangers, "Finish them off!"

We are all in for a Treat

With the Celtics regular season one week away, fans in New England are in for quite a treat five days before Halloween.

The star-studded Miami Heat with Lebron James, who left his Cleveland Cavaliers holding the bag to come play in South Beach, are coming to the neighborhood. Lebron James teamed up with All-Star Point Guard Dwayne Wade and All-Star power Forward Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors during the season past. Now, the duo look to begin their quest for an NBA championship starting with the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics. The Miami Heat are heavily favored to win the NBA championship this year, but it's not going to happen if the Celtics can help it.

The Boston Celtics, on the other hand, have other plans. The team added big man and 18-year veteran Shaquille O'Neal, who is a 15-time All-Star and 4-time NBA champion. O'Neal came to Boston to join the Hall of Fame cast of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to bring home banner number 18 and bring O'Neal number 5 for the continuation of his legendary career. The Celtics also added Jermaine O'Neal and Delonte West. They already have Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels and Glenn Davis on the bench to make up a solid team that will contend for a championship.

The Celtics are going into their third season since winning their franchise's 17th title in the 2007-2008 season. They're now hungrier than ever. Although the Miami Heat look solid and have a very scary trio of James, Wade and Bosh, the Celtics have experience with veterans who have won before and know what it takes to be a champion. This game is the start of one of the greatest seasons the NBA will ever have, and as far as I am concerned, is a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Miami heat may try to play some tricks,but there should be no tricks form the Celtics as long as they play Celtics basketball and play their game and play Celtics defense. We should all be in for a treat.

Kicking it old School

Yesterday afternoon was a pleasant afternoon for any New England Patriots' football fan, despite all the hoopla around the Randy Moss trade to the Minnesota Viking last week.

Even with Randy Moss on the team, the Pats were doubted for their weak defense. The loss of Moss only made those doubts grow stronger. Many were saying that the Patriots would not be as well off as they would be if Randy Moss was still on the team. Without Moss, they wouldn't be considered as as good of a team or one of the top elite teams in the league.

On Sunday afternoon, they seemed to have overcome any doubts of becoming less of a team by defeating the 4-1 powerhouse Baltimore Ravens 23-20 in an overtime thriller. The New England Patriots were led by Tom Brady and Randy Moss's replacement, Wide Receiver Deion Branch.

In an interview after the game, Branch had made a statement to make all Patriots fans feel much more comfortable: "Tom and I have been away for four years and I honestly don't feel we missed a beat," Branch told the Associated Press.

Branch led the Patriots with 9 receptions for 98 yards in his homecoming debut for his old team. Branch was MVP of the 2005 Super Bowl when he caught 11 passes for 133 yards. After 4 seasons away from the Patriots playing for the Seattle Seahawks, Branch made his presence known to everyone at Gillette stadium and all the fans watching at home.They had simply put some of the doubts that the Patriots would struggle without Moss to rest for the time being.

Tom Brady completed 27 of 44 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown was to no other than Deion Branch for a 5-yarder in the back corner of the end zone late in the fourth quarter. The touchdown put the Patriots in reach with a chance to tie a game where they trailed 20-10 going into the 4th Quarter. A Stephen Gostkowski 24-yard game tying field goal with 1:51 left in the fourth quarter sent the teams into overtime.

What was a defensive battle throughout the entire game leading toward the end of regulation play led all the way to the bitter end of an overtime period. After the Ravens won the coin toss, the Patriots defense held the Ravens and forced them to punt three times. The Ravens forced a Patriots' punt only twice.

On the last possession of overtime, Branch caught passes for 23 and 10 yards, setting up the winning field goal kick by Stephen Gostkowski. The New England Patriots defeated the heavily favored Ravens 23-20 and have Tom Brady, Deion Branch and the rest of the team and defense to thank for it. The Patriots improved to 4-1 on the season, trailing the New York Jets in the AFC East. The Jets are now 5-1 after defeating the Denver Broncos late yesterday on a late touchdown to make the final, 24-20.

The Patriots look to improve to 5-1 next Sunday when they face the 2-4 San Diego Chargers out in California at a 4:15 p.m. start next Sunday.

Please knock them off their Throwns

The Major League Baseball playoffs are in full swing this fall and include some very appealing match-ups.

The New York Yankees are defending World Series Champions. Last year the Yanks knocked off the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win their 27th title. It was their first World Series title in their new stadium. Currently, the Yankees are in the ALCS against the Texas Rangers, led by pitching ace Cliff Lee. Also on their team, the Yanks have this year's front runner for American League MVP; namely, All-Star Center Fielder Josh Hamilton.

This year marks the first time in Texas Rangers history that the team made it past the first round of the playoffs. In that round, the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2. The Yankees, on the other hand, took care of the Minnesota Twins 3-0 in a best of five series. This was the Yanks third consecutive victory over the Twins.

The Yankees have a powerful lineup that includes All Stars Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter with pitchers such as C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes. While the Rangers have a well-balanced and aggressive lineup with with Hamilton, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler, this series looks to be explosive to those who enjoy baseball. The two teams seem to be well matched. The Rangers are hoping to make their first World Series in franchise history, so they could make the extra push to win.

In the National League, the defending NLCS champion Philadelphia Phillies face a very difficult San Fransisco Giants team that has great pitching and a lineup that gives teams fits. The Phillies look for their second World Series title in the last three years. The team most recently took the title in 2008 when they defeated the Rays 4-1 in a best-of-seven series. The San Francisco Giants last appeared in the World Series back in 2002 when they were beat by the Los Angeles Anaheim Angels in seven games, 4-3. The Giants look to win their first World Series title since their last title in 1954, which is the third-longest drought in MLB history behind that of the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. The former New York Giants look to win their first World Series as the San Francisco Giants.

All Star phenom Tim Lincecum, who went 16-10 in the regular season with 231 strikeouts and a 3.43 ERA, along with Jonathan Sanchez, who went 13-9 with 205 strikeouts and a 3.07 ERA, look to lead the way for the Giants. They'll face a very intimidating Phillies lineup, which includes Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino. The Phillies counter with CY Young candidate Pitcher Roy Halladay, who went 21-10 in the regular season with 219 strikeouts and a 2.44 ERA. Halladay was also in his first playoff appearance against the Cincinnati Reds, when he pitched a complete game no-hitter. The Phillies have their veteran Pitcher Roy Oswalt, who was added to the roster this past season from the Houston Astros. Oswalt went 13-13 with 193 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.76 in the regular season.

What looks to be a very interesting and exciting postseason, strictly by the pitching match-ups in both leagues, should be one for the ages. As a Red Sox fan, I would like to see the Yankees sent home early. As a true fan of baseball and someone who likes to see something new, I would like to see the Texas Rangers handle business and upset the favored Yankees in the ALCS, and I like the Giants' chances in the National League. Both the Rangers and the Giants have great pitching and play small ball. They play the games the way they should; namely, with speed, great pitching and defense. If theses two teams can upset the defending champions in both leagues, we should have ourselves a heck of a World Series here in 2010.

Time Travel

At this point, although I'm happy and proud of myself in some aspects, the main purpose of doing all this is to be happy. I gave myself the best chance for success by going to school. This again is not about money or status, this is about having a better and more structured lifestyle--a more organized and happy life.

I have spent the majority of my 20s pretty much all over the place and honestly confused. I spent my time hawking cell phones, bouncing from one carrier to another, which came with inconsistent paychecks. Although I did very well most of the time and did not have to really worry about my job, I felt very uneasy and nervous about my future. I had worked my way into a good position, but many different factors about what I was doing were not healthy and not really ideal for a structured and organized work environment. I had made good money, and what I was doing was fun at times, but it was not something I truly loved to do and honestly there really wasn't much of a future in selling phones.

I made the decision to go to school and use my "life" experience and natural sales ability that built up my personality and made me stronger to go ahead and pursue my dreams. It was my time to make a move, and make sure 100 percent that I knew what I wanted to do.

My main objective is to become a broadcaster or a radio personality, but I also wanted to keep an open mind and learn as much as I could when I went back to school.

My passion and love for sports and music influenced me to pursue a career in radio and TV broadcasting. As I have grown older, I have calmed down and have thought about having a more behind-the-scenes career. Throw me behind a camera and put me on a baseball field working for ESPN or behind the microphone on the radio or behind the scenes, and I'd be happy. This is pretty much how I think now. Sure. being on the radio talking about sports or being a broadcaster for ESPN would be unbelievable and a dream come true, but I like the idea of being more accessible and having more options.

All the work I have done, and everything I been through in my sales career and in my life, has made me strong-minded and determined to succeed, no matter what I do.

I have gotten experience and have learned so much, and I am in a good position to be involved in the field of work that I desire. Regardless of whether I become a personality on the radio or not, I have created an opportunity for myself and have given myself the tools I need to have that more structured and organized career and lifestyle.

My education has made me a better person, and my experience in sales has made me strong enough and confident enough to make my decsion to move on and overcome many obstacles. Without the path that I had traveled, I could have never steered onto the right path for my future.

Take Your Pick

So it is currently the busiest and most entertaining period of the year for sports. We are full blown into the Major League Baseball playoffs, with each league starting its championship series. We are near the start of the NBA season with the preseason under way. The NHL season starts this week, while the NFL is entering week six. And don't forget about college football, which is in full swing as well. Within the next month or two, college basketball will begin. For sports fans around the country and especially around New England, we simply can't go wrong.

In baseball, the American League Championship series between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees begins Friday night, and the National League series between the Philadelphia Phillie's and the San Fransisco Giants begins on Saturday. The Yankees are looking to win back-to-back World Series titles and the Phillies are looking for their second title in the last three years. On the other hand, the Texas Rangers are fresh off their first ever playoff series win and are looking for their first ever World Series title. The Rangers look for payback against the Yankees. In Texas's only other three playoff appearances, the Rangers lost to the Yankees in the first round. The San Fransisco Giants have not been in a World Series since 2002. They lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, despite a strong performance by legendary homerun king Barry Bonds.

In football, our New England Patriots are 3-1. They are in second place to the 4-1 New York Jets in the AFC East, and they are coming off their bye week to play the very difficult and powerful 4-1 Baltimore Ravens. The game this week is very important for the Patriots, and will be a true test for the team as they pursue victory the rest of this season. The Patriots are fresh off a blowout win against their AFC East rival Miami Dolphins. But, they are going to be without star
Wide Receiver Randy Moss, who was traded last week to the Minnesota Vikings. Randy Moss joins Hall of Fame Quarterback Brett Farve in Minnesota where the 1-3 Vikings look to make a strong push to the playoffs with two of the greatest players to ever play the game. In place of Moss, the Patriots signed veteran Wide Receiver and ex-Patriot Deion Branch, who was a vital part in the Patriots Super Bowl titles. He was named Superbowl MVP in 2005 when the Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21. He is familiar to the Bellichick system and the Patriot offense, and he has a great relationship with Tom Brady. Branch will be making his return to the Patriots this Sunday against the Ravens.

With all the talk about Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat being favored to win the NBA championship this year, the Celtics look to play spoilers of the Heat's plans and look to avenge last year's Game 7 loss handed to them by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are looking to win their third-straight title this year and sixth within the last decade. The Celtics added Hall of Fame superstar Center Shaquille O'Neal in the off season as well as Jermaine O'Neal. The team also brought back Coach Doc Rivers and the big three: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The Celtics look to win a title with the Hall of Fame lineup for banner number 18. It would be their second title in the last four years with the big three. The NBA season should be one of epic proportions, with a star-studded cast on teams around the league and the excitement of such young talented players.

Clearly, this time of the year is a great time for New England sports fans. We should be very excited and grateful for such entertainment. Despite the fact the Boston Red Sox are not in this year's playoffs or the fact the Patriots traded such and explosive and talented receiver in Randy Moss, we are in good shape and should enjoy every moment in New England sports. We have won three Super Bowls, two World Series and one NBA championship in the last decade, and maybe one or two this year, so we really cannot complain. So sit back, get comfortable and enjoy.

Confidence is Key

I am now about 80 hours into my externship and have two weeks left in this Media Writing class as well as two more months until I graduate with my associates degree. Hesser College has been a great experience and has given me much more confidence than I ever could have expected.

Currently, but especially right before I decided to go back to school, it has been very difficult to land a job. I feel the more and more education I give myself and the more I learn, the more chances I will have to get a job.

I know I have already touched on these subjects in prior blog entries, but I feel it is very important to stress just how important advancing your education can be. Not only do I want a career I can enjoy, I want to be good at it, and I want to be taken seriously.

I have given myself the chance to obtain some very healthy experience along with my education at Hesser. I am already seeing a difference in how I complete my work and even how I go about my business. I was a little on edge when I started to take classes. I was nervous and did not know what to expect. I honestly did not feel that going to school would even help as much as it is starting to show. Sure, I thought I would learn something and maybe I could get a good job, but although I knew what I wanted to do, I would never have thought I would have set myself up so well. I feel like I will have a good chance at success, and I am not as nervous as I once was.

I had to start over. I had to change who I was, and I had to think differently. Like I said before, it is hard to change who you are. It's probably the hardest thing to do. I have more confidence now and have more of a positive outlook on things, which is not to say I haven't been positive in the past. I have had my doubts at times where I did not feel comfortable in my own skin. I have had times where I got discouraged. I didn't know whether I could actually do this--complete school-- or ever be able to land the job that I have wanted when this is all said and done.

There are people at school helping me and pointing me into the right direction, either keeping me updated with jobs that may be available or asking me how I am doing. There are people who are assisting me on continuing my education at another school or giving me tips on how to land a job.

I have been applying for jobs. I have been trying to put myself out there to find a good situation to be involved with. Despite what I feel, I have put aside my ego. At one time, I was not good with criticism and did not like people telling me what I should do or how to go about doing things. But I have realized that people are trying to help me, and I need to improve myself by listening. I have taken criticism, I have toned down and I have built my confidence. I feel like I am so close to what I have been working toward. I have to stay confident and positive that my hard work will take me where I want to go. Confidence is the key to success; it is the key to making myself a better person.

Frustrated, but Prepared

Sometimes, I just feel so overwhelmed and frustrated, despite the fact that what I am working for is something I want so bad. I need to keep my composure and stay on track.

I really am grateful for being able to go to school again and be challenged, but sometimes it just seems too much. Some of the work that I have been having to do has been very trying. It's not like it is difficult, it is just the amount of work and the fact that it is a writing class that I am taking that makes it even more challenging. I want to and need to become a better writer, so I have a better understanding and can be more prepared for a career in broadcasting. Sports broadcasting is what I want to be involved with, either in radio or TV.

In class today, we talked about broadcasting and how to put a newscast together. We were given an assignment to write three, two-minute newscasts in relation to some stories in an exercise. At first, we had to do five exercises, but professor Manuse changed his mind and said three.

So despite my current mood or the fact that I feel it is too much work, along with the article project we have to do and the press release project, I have to get it done. This assignment will help drill it into my head how to write a newscast and how to better read and write a broadcast.

We have all this work to do as well as chapter reviews to finish, and fortunately, I have time to do this writing, even though I am working at my internship three days a week. I have to remain calm, work steadily and be patient. I want to not only complete this class and get a good grade, but I want to actually learn and become better at writing, because it will be beneficial to me in the future of my career.

We have three weeks left of class, or about five more classes after this one tonight. Out of all the classes I have had at Hesser College, this has been the most challenging. Yet, this will be one of the classes that will best prepare me for my future career. This class will prepare me, whether I am writing sports newscasts for personalities or whether I am the personality myself.

Hopefully, I will play a major role in the sports reporting industry, and I can look back at this class with great respect. Right now, it is pretty frustrating, but in the end I am sure it will pay off.

Now Hiring?

When I first enrolled in Hesser College, I had the whole mindset that the education would help make me a better person and land me a better job. With my background and personality, I felt that if I focused directly on a certain goal and subject, I would be a monster who employers would take seriously after I graduated.

I wanted to get into radio and video broadcasting due to my love for sports. I am sure you all understand that by now. I really wouldn't mind being a radio personality or a sports broadcaster, but I am open for behind-the-scenes jobs and just being involved in the industry. Whether working for ESPN, NESN, Comcast, SportsNet, Fox sports, CBS or some type of sports affiliated station, whether radio or TV, I want a job in sports. If not sports, I want to be well-rounded and experienced enough to get into music or movies, or work for a TV station. I have tried to put myself out there and gain as much experience as possible.

Now, I've been starting to apply for jobs, with a more pronounced resume that I feel comfortable with. Sure, I could use more experience, but in order to get more experience you need experience--go figure. The recession seems to still be having its effect on the economy, and whatever it is that's causing it, hopefully it will get better and businesses will start hiring. I have gotten by to this point, and hopefully soon, something will fall through. I am a bit nervous. There are jobs out there, but it's very difficult to even get an interview.

Even with someone like me, with my sales experience and my abilities, I have tried to get a job in sales for the time being until I finish school. Even that has been a hard thing to do.

Honestly, I have not even received calls for sales jobs. Even though I shouldn't, I am starting to take it personally, and I'm thinking something is wrong with me. I just want a job; something to hold me over with pay even if its $10-$12/hour.

I go to school and I have my internship, and I would be more than happy to work full time or part time. Eventually, I want to get a paying job really soon in the business that I am pursuing. I'd love to run a camera or just help out somewhere for moderate pay. I want more experience and generally would like to get paid. I feel I am just about there, and something will come soon. I am trying, and I am applying. Lets hope I get a call.

Taking Shape

As I have come closer and closer to receiving an associates' degree, I have to come to the conclusion that I should have done this years ago instead of waiting this long to pursue my dreams.

The thing about it is, if I did not go the path I went, maybe I would have never realized what I wanted to do. Maybe I wouldn't have the same personality or drive if I did not do the things that I did. In a way, I got the life experience and the personality that has prepared me for what is about to come next. Although it took years to realize what I wanted to do with me life, I am finally doing what I want to do.

The passion for sports was always there, even though the personality was not. I was quite shy growing up, with moments of outburst as I grew older. I was not so outgoing and driven.

I guess I just really never set goals besides focusing on playing sports. I was not the greatest athlete, but I had my moments, and I thought I might have a had a future playing. I had friendships but sometimes liked to be alone. I was good at things, but never followed through.

The way I was, I wanted to do millions of different things all at once and could never make up my mind on what I truly loved to do. I was into art, I wanted to be an astronomer, I was into drafting, I wanted to be an architect and build homes. At one point I wanted to be a lawyer or work on Wall Street. I was a salesman for years working various jobs, and the majority of the time, I was selling cell phones. Although my time in sales molded me, made me stronger and brought out my driven personality, I was not happy. I felt like I was going nowhere, and I needed to figure out what I wanted to do.

Things happened. My eyes were opened. I realized I was wasting valuable time and probably did not have much of a future. Even though I was really good at what I did and made decent money in my 20s, it was inconsistent. I was not happy. I decided to focus on what I wanted and to set goals and just go back to school and find my way as I go. Slowly but surely, things are making more sense and starting to take shape. I have a good understanding of things and an even better understanding of myself.

I am relieved that I finally found something to focus on. I used to feel uneasy or nervous that the path I was on was not a good one and that I had no direction or goals. I realized what I needed to do, and although I am still uneasy and nervous now, I am on one path that I know is safe to follow. I think the nervousness is just the excitement of what is about to come. I am very eager to see where this path leads me, and hope I can make it worth the wait.

No Moss

As I was watching the end of the World Series of poker, the ESPN news ticker was scrolling across the screen. To my astonishment, I saw a report I could not believe. It read that the Patriots were in trade talks with the Minnesota Vikings for Wide Receiver Randy Moss. There had been multiple reports on multiple channels that Moss would be traded to the Vikings, because he was not happy with the Patriots.

Since day one of the season, Moss said that this probably was his last year with the Patriots. He felt no one respected him or wanted him in New England. I know I personally enjoy Moss on the Patriots, especially with Tom Brady at quarterback. I felt these reports were nothing to worry about--just "trade talk." As I watched SportsCenter, the show led off with the reports of Moss possibly being traded. At first, reports were not official, so I fell asleep.

The first thing I saw when I turned on the TV today was the report that Randy Moss was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round draft pick. I honestly thought it was a joke, but after a minute or so of watching the TV, I suddenly started to get sick and depressed.

How could this guy not be happy with the Patriots?

I was astonished. He had been complaining since the first game against the Bengals. He talked about how he felt unwanted and unappreciated. He is one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game and is exciting to watch. The people in New England love him.

How can he feel this way?



Randy Moss has broken many records in his time with many more ready to be broken. He has a few years left to play and could have had another four-to-five years to play with one of the greatest quarterbacks to finish out his career. He was also on one of the greatest teams any pro football player could play for, and he just did not realize that.

He brought much excitement to the team, and he was great to watch. I remember Brady throwing deep passes and Moss making one-handed catches. On the other hand, internally with the organization, he was causing problems and did not agree with the entire scheme of things.

My thought is he is as rich as can be already. How much money does he need to make? How can you possibly make this guy happy?

Maybe the Patriots are better off, and hopefully Coach Bill Belichick knows what he is doing. It has been years since the Pats last Superbowl. I am sure that in order to get another one, something drastic like this needs to be done to gain the focus and attention of the team.

The Patriots did not make Moss an offer for an extension yet, and from his perspective, I guess I can see how he might be upset. Brady got his extension, yes, but Brady also brought three Superbowl titles to the Patriots. Brady has been consistent and is two years removed from an injury. Brady wanted Moss here, but Moss was being impatient and was worrying about himself rather than winning for the team.

Randy Moss put himself before his team when he should have just kept his mouth shut and played out his final year. He should have played out his contract with Pats, and he should have played his ass off. If he had listened to the coaching staff and kept his eye on what was most important, I am sure he would have been taken care of.

Moss says he wants to win? His best chance was with Brady and the Patriots. Now, he will find out just how good he had it. I will truly miss the excitment of Brady's long, deep passes to Randy Moss. The excitement was somethig to look forward to.

Back in the Saddle Again

The Patriots are fresh off opening a can of tuna on the Miami Dolphins last night. The Patriots defense and special teams dominated the Dolphins, giving New England its second, straight divisional game. The Pats are now 2-1 in the division and 3-1 total on the season. They are tied for first place in the AFC East with the NY Jets, and they are now 2-0 at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots young defense and special teams play completely annihilated the Miami Dolphins in the second half of last night's Monday Night blowout. The Patriots, who have struggled on the road in the second half, were down 7-6 going into halftime of this game, and then they came through when it counted and showed us what type of team they really are.

Sports analysts have doubted the Patriots' defense, but the team stepped up last night. This game was not all about Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker like it usually is. Randy Moss did not even have one reception, and Wes Welker only had eight receptions for 70 yards. Tom Brady was on point, but only went 19/24 with 153 yards and one touchdown, which is not normal for Tom Brady. Yet, he got the job done, looked sharp and spread the ball out.

The Patriots attack in the air was not so impressive, and their ground attack of 111 yards wasn't anything special. The story of the game was its defense and special teams, and it looked like they were having fun. I know I had fun watching the game.

To Start off second half, rookie Brandon Tate returned a kickoff for 103 yards. Pat Chung had the game of his life, blocking a punt to set up a touchdown and blocking a field goal that was returned by Kyle Arrington for 35 yard touchdown. Chung also had an interception for a touchdown to cap off his night.

Bill Bellichick fired these guys up. He let them know they had something to prove, and they certainly did the job by blowing out the Miami Dolphins 41-14. After this game, the Patriots might have grabbed the attention of the league. I don't think anyone will be disrespecting New England again, especially if the Pats keep playing like they did Monday Night.

Focused

Today, I am pretty excited about where I am at with school and in my externship. Things are going right along. The work load for media writing has been moderately busier than most other classes, but I have learned a lot about writing. I am getting better. I am also halfway done with my externship, with 60 hours of 120 already complete.

My resume is put together rather well, and I am actually starting to get some contacts for potential paying positions in the field of radio and video broadcasting. I really want to work at the station I am interning at full time. It is a goal. This is what I want to do. I am trying to see what I may be able to do with these contacts for some side work, and then I'll see what happens.

Despite some outside aggravation, I am trying to stay focused on the goal at hand and keep positive. I have come a long way and have worked really hard to create opportunities. I just want things to work out. I have been building my resume and fine tuning how I present it to employers to give myself the best chance to land a job.

I am at the point where I am really focused on getting a paying position in this field, and I am doing the best I can. This externship has been great, and and I am really excited to see what happens next. I just need to stay calm, stay focused and I need to stay positive. I am so close to where I want to be and have worked hard to do what I can with what I got. Focus is the key to success.

Give yourself a Chance

Going to school and pursuing my dreams has allowed me to grow as a person, and I have learned more that I could ever imagine about myself by continuing my education. Honestly, going back to school and setting goals for myself has changed me. Many outside forces other than school have also had a huge impact in my life and has changed me. Going to school has slowly opened doors for me that seemed could never be opened.

I felt trapped for the longest time and was not sure if I could do it. Deep down I knew it was something I had to do. I had to change the way I lived. I wanted to be a better person. I wanted to give myself the chance.

I went to college after a year off from high school, but I dropped out and did no go back for eight years. I was always going back to the same jobs, dealing with the same people and getting the same results. I wanted better than that, and I needed to do something about it. I procrastinated long enough, and it was time to just go and do it and start the transformation into the new me. I felt if I did this, slowly but surely things would get better and all the hard work would pay off. Slowly but surely, I would see things in a different light.

I have seen things from a different perspective, and I have learned how to change. Sure, I still have some parts of me I need to work on, but I have definitely made progress.

I am doing this for myself. I wanted to challenge myself and to grow as a person. I wanted to give myself the chance, despite all the mistakes I may have made in the past. I was always stuck and getting the same results from how I was living my life. I didn't think I could ever change the way I lived. Sometimes, I thought I didn't even deserve the chance to become a better me. Despite all the things that may have happened in the past or the mistakes I might have made, just remember I deserve the chance; we all deserve the chance to improve ourselves.

Higher Learning

In my last post, I discussed how I am just about done with my classes and will soon receive my associates degree from Hesser College. I am very pleased with the progress I have made thus far. I have exactly 12 weeks left until I am finished with all my classes.

Although I will be satisfied and somewhat proud of myself, I still feel there is more for me to do than just get an associates degree. Times are still difficult, and I still feel I need more of an edge to adapt and grow and survive in the future. Sure, I am 29 years old now, but I have been through things and realize what I need to do to better myself and my chances for success.

Going for my bachelors degree is the next step for my future . I thought about this many times: where should I go and what should I focus on the most? I do have the hands-on experience in the video and radio fields. I am familiar with the business, and feel I have a good understanding of how it works. I have debated continuing with a focus on radio and video production to obtain more hands-on experience by going to a school like Emerson College in Boston.

Other options include schools like Boston University, which also has a very good radio and video program. I might go to schools, such as Boston College, Northeastern, UNH and SNHU to study business and communications. Perhaps going for a broader major would help me develop better skills and give me an edge with potential employers. I want to be smart about what I am doing so I can be prepared for whatever comes next.

I have until November to apply to these schools, and I am just about ready to get going on the applications. I want to be well-rounded, and I want to be taken seriously. I want to learn from the best and become the best at what I do. I want to have more experience, live in a city and have more opportunities. I must go for it now and not look back with any regrets.

I am leaning towards a school like Emerson. It's a great school with notoriety, and it has a great program for radio and video. My grades are good, my goals set high and my passion and determination are there.

The questions I keep asking myself are, "Am I ready for this?" "Am I ready to challenge myself even more?" "Am I ready for the next step?"

I'm obviously into sports, it's what I want to be involved with and is the reason I wanted to get into broadcasting. I am also huge into movies and music as well, and even if I was involved in either of those aspects of the industry, I would be happy. I want to have fun and be happy with what I am doing. That's whats most important to me in this quest.

Maybe along the way, I will find myself and in the end, I can look back and be happy with the decisions I made. I learned more about myself than I ever thought I could. Hopefully, I will get to where I need to be and where I want to go. Hopefully, I will be in a good place and will be happy with the future me.

Staying Positive

It is now the end of September, and there are about four weeks left in this semester.

After these next four weeks, I will personally be in the home stretch for finishing out my associates degree here at Hesser College. To think back over a year ago how I thought about the pursuit of my dreams, I was not sure how it would go. Sure, I feel like my life experiences and my background and determination would help me get pretty far with my degree, but I was still unsure about where I would end up.

Since I have been at Hesser, I have accumulated fairly decent grades--all As and Bs. I've had a fairly easy time with the work load. I have kept a routine with my work, and I try not to get flustered. I make sure my work gets completed and that I study for midterms and finals when necessary. I try to stay consistent and pace myself with my work. That way I do not fall behind. I have done all I can to make sure I do well in school. For me, there was no room for failure.

It has been a long road and a lot has happened in my life in the last two-to-three years. To some, they would think it was a miracle I made it even this far. I have surprised myself. I set goals, and I have nearly completed them, although I have many more goals I want to accomplish. I have learned a lot about myself, and feel I still have much more to learn.

This media writing class has been the most challenging so far at Hesser, yet it is slowly becoming the most rewarding of all the classes I have taken. I have pushed myself hard through some difficult times, and to see how far I have come has surprised myself. I will have two classes left here at Hesser after these next few weeks, and I am halfway done with my externship, which I have thouroughly enjoyed.

I am excited to see what the next few months bring, and I am eager to see just how much all this work will pay off. I stayed positive. I have had ups and downs and even doubted what I was doing at times. But, when I keep asking myself why I am doing this, deep down I know the answer is that I could never give up.

Evolving

Sometimes in the pursuit of your dreams there are days you may get flustered. Some days you may feel like you are overwhelmed with work and thoughts about what you are actually trying to accomplish. Some days do not go as planned, and some days do not go as well as others. Life in general does not exactly always go as we had wished or planned. And some times, you may doubt yourself.

As you are in the midst of your degree or just about to finish, you have to remember one thing: Stick to what got you to this point and stay positive. Going back to the way you used to do things is not an option, and there is no giving up on the dreams you are pursuing. You decided to go back to school, you asked to be challenged and taught things you may not have known before. You chose to work for free to learn your new career. You are working a part-time or full-time job while going to school to keep yourself afloat. You took on a goal, something you necessarily didn't even need to do. No one said you had to change the way you lived and no one made you create more work for yourself.

Each of us decided to change our lives for the better and become more accessible to employers and enhance our way of thinking. We decided to become a better person and take steps on improving our livlihoods. Some of us may be doing what we do for monetary reasons, some for their love and passion of a particular subject, and some who just want to find a way to be happy.

So my advice to you is stay focused on your goals, stay determined, keep doing the right thing and follow your heart. If you think people do not care about what you are trying to do, you're wrong. Those people who doubt you do not need to be in your life. What is important is that you are making the effort; you are changing and evolving whether you realize it or not.

Back on Track

The New England Patriots bounced back from last week's loss to the New York Jets with a much needed win against the ailing Buffalo Bills. Tom Brady led the charge and spread out the ball, going 21-27, with 252 yards and three touchdowns in a solid performance at Gillette stadium.

Although the defense gave up some points and the Bills would just not go away, the Patriots held on after breaking away from the pesky Bills. The Bills kept it close for the majority of the game going into halftime only down by one point with the Patriots lead at 17-16. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Patriots pulled away to a 38-23 lead. The Bills scored a late touchdown to make the game 38-31, and they made things interesting for awhile.

Tom Brady and the Pats improved to 16-1 against the Bills and won their 14th straight overall game since 2003 against Buffalo. Randy Moss scored two of three touchdown passes from Brady and had key performances from a new acquisition from the Jets. Danny Woodhead, who was signed this week after the injury to Kevin Faulk, scored his first career touchdown.

Randy Moss, Woodhead, Rookie Tight End Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez played big in this week's game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the attack on the ground with 98 yards rushing on 16 carries and one touchdown. On defense, Patrick Chung and Brandon Meriweather made key interceptions.

It appears the Patriots could be back on track, but the Bills kept it close. Should we be concerned or relieved about their performance? Offensively, they looked sharp but they gave up points they shouldn't have on defense. For now, they look like they worked out some bugs. We'll see how next week goes against the 2-1 Dolphins.

The AFC East is up for grabs among the 3-0 Jets and the 2-1 Patriots and Dolphins. The 0-3 Bills look like they might just not recover this year. Lets hope the Pats are back on track and keep the momentum going, but they have their work cut out for them.

The Final Stretch

It is late September, and the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are arm wrestling for the division crown. The two teams have swapped first place in the division all year with the exception of only eight days. Regardless of who wins the division, both these teams will be playing in the playoffs, and they will most likely see each other again after this week's series.

The thing is, the Yankees and the Devil Rays have played each other seven times in the last 10 days, and what should be the most interesting race in baseball is the least exciting of all. There really is no urgency with either of these teams, and it takes away from any type of showdown that might have been. It's just not the same as the Red Sox and the Yankees battling it out down the stretch. The Rays and Yankees are both really good teams, don't get me wrong, but wouldn't it be much more interesting if the Red Sox were healthy and contending for a title?

Because both teams will make the playoffs regardless of which wins the division, the battle is far less appealing. Both are going to rest up so they have their battle plan ready for the postseason.

The Minnesota Twins have wrapped up the central division, clinching the division title. And while the Texas Rangers have just about clinched the American League West, the American League is pretty much set for the playoffs. There is really not much to watch until the postseason.

With races in the National League heating up, the Philadelphia Phillies have the East Division pretty much wrapped up. They are looking like a well-oiled machine. The Cincinnati Reds have control in the Central Division. The San Fransisco Giants have a half game lead in the west over the San Diego Padres, which had the division wrapped up before they lost 10 games in a row.

The most intriguing race is in the west and for the wild card spot. The Atlanta Braves, in the final year of Bobby Cox's coaching career, hold a very slim lead in the wild card pursuit, with a half a game lead over the Padres and three-and-a-half game lead on the Colorado Rockies, which always give teams fits down the stretch.

The National League race is a lot more interesting than the American League, but once the dust has settled this all should make for a pretty good October, besides the fact that the Red Sox will sadly be watching on TV this year.

Confidence Boost

This Sunday, the New England Patriots look to redeem themselves from last week's loss to the Jets when they face the struggling Buffalo Bills.

The Pats will play host to the Bills in Foxboro, Mass., at Gillette stadium at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Patriots have dominated the Bills in the last seven years, when the Patriots handled the division rival easily with a 14-1 record.

So, the Patriots need a confidence boost--a game that will help bring the team together and get them back on the right path. There's no more of an important game this season than this one. The Patriots are 1-1 and do not want to fall to 1-2 with a 0-2 record in the division. This would not be good.

Not many people believe the Patriots will have much difficulty facing the Bills and should have an easy win. Then, they'll be on their way to Miami next weekend with much confidence.

I know, I got ahead of myself for last week's game due to my excitement for the match up. But Brady had a bad game, the Patriots as a whole played horridly. I believe they got the loss out of their system and learned a lot about themselves. They will make their adjustments and now will be just fine. This week, the Patriots will dominate and destroy the Buffalo Bills and their offense and defense will click.

You will see Brady spreading the ball around, getting Hernandez and Gronkowski more involved. You will see plays by Wes Welker and Brady bombs to Randy Moss that will make your head spin. I wouldn't be surprised or upset or think anything less of the Pats if they went ahead and ran up the score. They need to send a message to the Jets and the rest of the league that they are not a team to be messed with. They will click together. They will play some magical football this season. They will win.

It all starts Sunday, when the Pats will get back on track and shake the bugs out from the unexpected loss to the Jets last week. It's time to continue to dominate, and it starts with these Bills.

Faded Hope

In baseball, the regular season is winding down, and October is on its way. Normally we would be getting ready for some playoff baseball in New England. While making a valiant effort in the final push for the playoffs, the Boston Red Sox will fall short of the playoffs this year. It is not something we as Boston Sports fans are used to, since we have been spoiled with championship teams in various sports within the last decade.

Injuries to key players such as Kevein Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury put a damper on any hopes of playoff baseball in Boston. If the Red Sox did not sustain such a blow to their starting lineup with so many injuries throughout the season, the outcome would have been much different.

Several Red Sox players stepped up in place of the fallen all-stars, and players like Daniel Nava, Bill Hall, Darnell McDonald, Ryan Kalish and Josh Reddick did their best to give us a chance. Veterans such as Victor Martinez, Marco Scutoro and David Ortiz also played their role. But despite there numbers and great effort, it just was not enough. With 10 games left, the glimmer of hope has faded, and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays seem to have the Northeast division and Wild Card spot wrapped up.

The Sox are 84-68, eight games behind the Yankees in the division, and six-and-a-half games out in the wild card behind the Rays. Although I was very optimistic within these last few weeks, I can say with confidence that I just don't think it is going to happen.

In the last decade, the Sox were in the playoffs in 2003-2005 and 2007-2009, and they won two World Series titles along the way. We cannot really be that disappointed. This year, they just weren't all that healthy. All-in-all, it was a good year and we now know of some talent in the system, which foreshadows a bright future.

As they say, "we'll get 'em next year." At least we have the Patriots to look forward too, right?

In a Good Place

Today after completing my shift at WGAM 1250/900-AM, I will have worked 40-hours.

As part of the requirements to complete my internship for Hesser College, I am one third of the way to completing and receiving credit toward my associates degree. It has been a great experience so far, and I have learned a lot about how a sports radio station functions on a daily basis. Yet, there is still so much more to learn.

I am very excited to go to the station every day. To think that I set a goal to follow my dreams of being part of the sports environment and do something I enjoy makes me quite enthusiastic about where I may end up.

Almost two years ago now, I was not even in school and could not make up my mind on what to do with my life. I wasn't even sure whether I should go back to school. I followed my heart and set a goal not only to get into school and do well, but to actually be involved in the pursuit of my career. I am at a loss of words to think that I am even at this point and that I am actually involved with the radio personalities I usually listen to and the sports teams I watched growing up.

Now, I know I am not working in my dream job yet, but to me I am somewhere. I have come a long way and battled to create such an opportunity. I set the bar high and am dedicated to reach my goals.

This has been quite a learning experience these past two years. Not only did I learn a lot from my education at Hesser and from people I came in contact with along the way, I learned a lot about myself and what I am truly made of. As long as I follow my dreams and stay focused, I can make anything happen.

At this time, my job at WGAM is only an externship--I understand that. But, I really feel that I am now well-prepared for a full-time job in the industry.

Sports Talk Part 2: Patriots Meltdown

OK, so I was wrong. I got ahead of myself when I said the Patriots would demolish the Jets this Sunday. I am just a big fan of the team, and I'm an optimist.

The Patriots second-half road game troubles continued as they were outscored 18-0 by Mark Sanchez and the Jets. Tom Brady was not Tom Brady in the second half, when he threw to Randy Moss and Wes Welker only twice for a total of five-yards passing. Such an abysmal passing game is not going to help them win games. Brady was all over the place with his throws, despite having good protection from the offensive line and plenty of time to throw the ball. Brady was 20-of-36 for 248 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. I really did not think the Jets could play as well as they did, or should I say, I did not think the Patriots could play so poorly.

It was a tough loss. To quote Tom Brady, the Patriots "sucked." But, being the optimist I am and being a huge fan of Brady, Moss, Welker and the rest of the team, I will stick by my words from my first blog about the Patriots. New England will get better as the season goes on and they will contend for a championship and redeem themselves.

As for this loss to the Jets, it is even more fuel to throw in the fire. The team will work the bugs out. Players will get used to playing with one another and develop their chemistry. Brady will work with the new guys and the defense will get stronger. There is a lot of football left this season. So look out New York Jets, we will see you again on Monday, Dec. 6, and it will be a different story then. For now, enjoy your victory while it lasts, because you just got an early Christmas gift.

Inside the 'Friday Night Lights'

Tonight is the third time I'm working the "Friday Night Lights" radio show on WGAM.

The show covers all the local high school football teams in Southern New Hampshire. It gives live call-in reports from station correspondents who are down at the fields. This is a very fast paced, informative show that gives exposure to local high school athletes. It also keeps listeners up to date on all scores, news and highlights of the game.

So far, when I do these types of shows, I have answered the phones and relayed the reports coming in from the correspondents to the guys on air. Last week, we had a live show. When the correspondents called in, we would get them right on the air for live updates to give the listeners a real-time perspective on what was going on. Such a format can be really intense.

This week, we will be doing the same thing, but because the Red Sox are playing and the game is being aired lived on the station, we will be doing a recorded show. We will still have to update the Web site with the current scores for each quarter, and highlights from the games. We will also have to post updates on Twitter.

Tonight, I will be still relay reports from the correspondents, but I will also have to update the Web site and make sure the information is accurate and sent to the guys recording the show in a timely manner. This will be a vital role during the show. I will really need to make sure I am on my game.

This externship has been exciting and a great learning experience all around. I will just need to stay focused and do what is asked of me. The guys who do the show are great, and I have been learning lot from them. I've watched them do their thing on air and picked up different ways to prepare for shows. The hands-on experience has given me real insight into how things are run around the station.

Stay tuned every Friday night on wgamfnl@twitter.com and listen in online at wgam.com.

Don't dis the Patriots

As the Patriots prepare to face the Jets in this weekend's game, I have been amused by how much some people are doubting the Patriots and giving the Jets so much credit.

Most of the hype is from people watching too much of HBO's "Hard Knocks," and not looking at the big picture. Yes, the Jets made the AFC Championship last year, but only by a miracle. They had a 9-7 record during regular season.

Obviously Tom Brady and the Patriots did not play over the weekend like they did in the 2007-2008 season, when they went undefeated in the regular season and playoffs until they faced the New York Giants in the Superbowl and finished 18-1. During that season, Tom Brady threw 50 Touchdowns, Randy Moss set a NFL record with 23 touchdowns and Wes Welker led the league in receptions.

Last year, Brady was coming off an injury to his knee and a majority of the defense was in its first year. Don't forget: Wes Welker blew out his knee right before the playoffs. The Patriots were not at full strength.

Yes, it's been two years since the Pats dominated, but now Tom Brady is two years removed from his injury and a lot stronger and comfortable with his knee. He is on a mission this year. He will make a point of proving the Patriots are still one of the greats next time the Patriots face the over-hyped New York Jets.

This year, the Patriots are all more prepared. They're a lot stronger, wiser and comfortable in their roles. The team also added some strong players. The message they're all hearing from Head Coach Bill Bellichik is how important it is to win and show everyone who doubts the team how good they truly are.

The Patriots are champions. The Jets on the other hand had no business being in the playoffs last year. If the Patriots were fully healthy last year and the year before, we all know what would have happened. So turn of your HBO, get yourself pumped up and get ready for the next big game.

Will work for FREE!

Whether you attend a community college, a small college like Hesser College or a major four-year University, your education is vital as you work toward your dream career. A college degree, whether an associates, bachelors or masters degree, helps people grow and become more valuable to companies offering employment. It's just that simple.

In radio and video broadcasting, however, especially if you have no prior experience in the field, a degree alone in your hand probably will not land you a job. You must get involved in your industry with hands-on experience. Many times, the only way to get experience in the media is to work for free.

Volunteering your time, whether you work full time or part time, is a very important part of building your resume and backing up your degree. Get yourself involved, make connections, go to your local public access TV station or radio station and let them know you're interest. Tell them you want to help them fill whatever need they have. Show up on time when they want you to be there, stay later than you planned, ask questions, show interest, get your hands dirty and get involved.

Doing such volunteer work in my field has absolutely helped me. I have gained more knowledge from this experience than what I learned in class. In addition, the real-world experience has given me a real awareness of how the business world works.

Put yourself out there. If you see a truck with a production sign on it, call that number. If you meet someone working with someone you know, ask them if they need help. You must immerse yourself into the field you want to work in, and you need to do so often.

If you can't find work, even the volunteer variety, it still helps to build your resume and apply for different jobs. Look for that guy who needs help shooting footage or someone else looking for help on a different project. Many people are looking for production assistants, camera operators, radio hosts, or board operators. There are many opportunities out there, and all of them will provide you with the experience you need to move up in your career.

Getting into the game

I am working in the WGAM the GAME studio again today for a few hours. I am just getting started with my internship at the local sports-radio station. I have 25 hours under my belt with about 95 hours to go to successfully complete my internship requirement of 120 hours.

To me, this internship is the opportunity I have been waiting for. It's a chance to pursue my goal of becoming a sportscaster. At the station, I work on a show that is by far one of the greatest in New England sports radio; namely, "The Hometeam" with Mike Mutnansky and Justin Bastinelli. With P.J. Hout producing the show; clearly, I am learning from the best. I hope this opportunity will expand beyond my internship.

In the studio, the environment is very comfortable and easygoing, but sports are obviously taken very seriously. I do what station producers ask me to do and take-in everything I can with open arms. It is amazing to watch the natural ability and talent that these guys have. I cannot say enough about their personalities and knowledge of sports; they put these skills on demonstration every time they're on the air.

As I've watched how the professionals prepare for their show and conduct themselves, I've tried to come up with my own methods and systems. Still, if I ever get the chance to be on air or do what these guys do, I can only hope to be half as good.

Encouragement and Advice

All the work I have done in the last year-and-a-half in school, all the hours of volunteer video work I have logged and some of the people I met along the way have put me on a good path toward success.

I been more involved with radio recently, and I have really enjoyed it so far. I know there is still a lot more I have to learn.

I try to keep as busy and productive as I can. As I am writing this blog, I just finished three different papers due for school in preparation for class tonight. I'm also working on my radio internship on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I also made contact with a colleague to get some work on his TV show this week. All of these activities will give me more experience and help me build my relationships with people in the business.

School has helped me a lot; it opens doors. But once doors are opened, it is important to take action. It's important to make connections with people and let them know your desires and interests. It's important to work really hard to help people in established careers, because they can help you and teach you things that you may not already know. In the media business, nothing is going to happen unless you take the action to make it happen for you.

I have yet to secure a paying job in the industry, and I am just trying to survive and make a life for myself. But I am certain that all this time and energy spent on my goals will pay off. Things are starting to come together.

Hopefully, by the end of my internship, an opportunity will open up at the radio station. I will have to be patient, in the meantime, and continue to work toward my goals. I can promise you this: I will not give up, and I will do whatever I need to do to make this happen.

I'll keep you all posted as I continue to blog daily about my experiences, but I just wanted to give some words of advice if you are pursuing similar goals: Do all you can to work for free, be reliable, be on time, do what is asked of you and have fun with what you're doing. Be open to criticism and get yourself involved with as many projects and people as you possibly can.

Motivation and inspiration

This blog is part of an assignment for my media writing class, but really it is just one more step toward the pursuit of my dream career.

To me this is not an assignment; it is something I probably would be doing anyway. Maybe I wouldn't choose this specific topic, but I would probably be blogging about sports.

Sports are captivating for most. Even the casual speed walker or runner who is into his or her personal health is into sports. Those who read magazines on fitness or natural health are into sports. Sports enthusiasts can be die-hard Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics or Bruins fans; they might be into their local high school or college football team. Any way you look at it, sports are in most people's lives.

My experience at school has helped me grow as a person. It has broadened my knowledge, but also given me the opportunities for hands-on experience, which is even more instructional that classroom work. Either way, the experience has advanced my goals. As I head toward graduation, it will be important for me to continue to work hard, maintain a positive attitude and always remember what I set out to do so that I will never give up.

Perhaps readers of this blog have stumbled in life. If I could leave you with anything, it is this: your past is called your past for a reason, and your future can be whatever you want it to be. If you need to, go back to school, start over or start off in whatever direction you imagine to help you reach your goals and dreams. Life is short, so you may as well just go for it.

I was told by someone I love to do what I love and what makes me happy. It is that voice that echoes in my head everyday, and it is that voice that drives me to make my dreams come true.

Pondering and preparing for my career

At times, I think it is important to consider my thought process concerning my current direction.

As I said in my first blog entry, I am currently a student at Hesser College in Manchester, N.H., and I'm pursuing a major in radio and video broadcasting production. I intend to use this education to pursue employment in sports broadcasting, and my dream is to get a job with the worldwide leader in sports: ESPN. On the road, I would love to work for a major sports network or radio station. I have my eyes and ears open for opportunities that will lead me in this direction, and I am working hard to prepare myself for the day when they are revealed.

To be a good sportscaster, it is important to watch the various sporting events, and my favorites are baseball, football and basketball. I often have SportCenter on TV so I can keep up to date with what is going on in sports.

My favorite teams are the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots and Boston Celtics, but I know its important to look beyond these teams to the wider world of sports, which is so very different and magical when compared to day-to-day life. Sports tend to grab hold of the American psyche; they play with our emotions and can even influence how we feel in a given day, week or month. Many people are completely infatuated with what goes on in sports, and yet, we only know what is going on through the coverage by major networks and radio stations.

I want to be part of this world. I want to be on the field or on the airways and as close to the action as I possibly can be. I want to talk about sports, and I want to weigh in to sports events with my opinions. I want to use my personality and passion to express my excitement to sports fans everywhere. I want to argue my case.

Since the beginning of my associates degree program, I have volunteered and worked for public access TV as well as many side projects. I have tried to set up and produce broadcasts myself, and I have helped others set up and produce their productions. I have been intricately involved in sports broadcasting to learn what I need to learn and make myself well-rounded. This, I know, will help prepare me for opportunities.

Reinvention

My name is Nick Ricciardone. I would like to thank you for visiting my blog; a place where I will share my hopes, dreams and aspirations. I will use this blog to write about what I am trying to do to reach my career goals. I will also share the tips or ideas I have to help other aspiring sports enthusiasts who may be looking to pursue a career in radio or video broadcasting.

Since growing up in the small town of Chester, N.H., I have always been an avid sports fan. I grew up loving the Red Sox, the Patriots and the Celtics. I've always wanted to do something that I love, something that I have a passion for, and, most importantly, something I can have fun with. For a long time, I did not know what I wanted to do with my life, but the answer was always right there in front of my face.

I now know my goal is to be a sports broadcaster and involved with sports in general. Whether in TV or radio, I want to be behind the scenes and behind the camera or behind the microphone. I know I have what it takes to make these dreams a reality, and I will never give up on trying to achieve what I have set out to do.

Not long ago, I was a telecommunications salesman. My time in sales taught me a lot about myself, other people and life in general. But I always knew sales wasn't what I really wanted to do.

A lot has happened to make me realize how short life really is. I've realized how important it is not to take people, moments and things for granted; how important it is to follow through with moments of intense passion; how important it is to truly grasp what I want to do with my life; and how important it is to never look back. I realized that I needed to make some changes in my life so I could do something I truly love and enjoy.

Since I discovered sportscasting, I have become immersed in sports talk radio, sports coverage on ESPN and Comcast SportsNet. Broadcasting greats, such as Vin Scully, Bob Montgomery and Sean McDonough, have paved the way for the next generation of broadcasters. Radio greats Joe Castiglione and Gene Santos, and local sports talk show hosts such as Pete Shepard and Mike Mutnansky, have always been an inspiration to me.

I am now nearly finished with my associates' degree in radio and video broadcasting production at Hesser College in Manchester, N.H. I have experience in video production for public access TV, and I am currently immersed in radio with my internship at WGAM the GAME 1250-AM in Manchester, N.H., and 900-AM in Nashua, N.H. I am excited to be a part of the station. I look forward to enhancing my skills with this experience so that I can work to become a permanent fixture in the industry.