Carney Saves the World
Welcome to “Carney Saves the World”. I’m your host, Scott Carney. I’m a former stand-up comedian & actor, with a degree in Political Science. Oh, and I’m an almost 50yr old only-child/ man-child. So, you can probably see where I’m going with all of this.
Each episode, I’ll pick the brains of some of the best & brightest entrepreneurs, artists, and creative minds that I know. We’ll dive into what got them started down their chosen paths, how they actually got their start and what their motivation is to keep going in their massively competitive industries.
The name for the podcast comes from a dig my wife hits me with all the time when I think I’m right about all subjects. “Oh, Carney’s going to save the world again!”
Well, maybe it’s time we did just that. Come on, let's go save the world.
Carney Saves the World
EP19 Jeff Dooley: Calling the Game – From Pizza Runs to ESPN+
Ever wondered how delivering leftover pizzas could be the stepping stone to a successful broadcasting career? Our guest, Jeff Dooley, shares his remarkable journey from the concession stands at McCoy Stadium to becoming the voice of the Hartford Yardgoats and University of Hartford's basketball teams on ESPN+. Jeff's story is a masterclass in leveraging small opportunities and the power of persistence, filled with delightful anecdotes like his early days networking in the Pawtucket Red Sox press box.
Imagine the sheer thrill of calling Major League Baseball games for the Rockies radio network in Philadelphia. Jeff takes us on an exhilarating ride through his career, from the memorable talent waves he witnessed with the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Twins organization, to his role with the Rockies' affiliate, where he closely followed the development of stars like Trevor Story. As his professional relationships grew, so did his team loyalties, showing how personal growth and connections shape career trajectories in unexpected ways.
Balancing the demanding lifestyle of a minor league broadcaster with family life is no small feat. Jeff opens up about the challenges of extensive travel, the unwavering support of his spouse, and the year-round responsibilities with the Yardgoats. We also get a peek into his wintertime outlet of college basketball broadcasting. From being named Connecticut Sports Caster of the Year to seeing plays featured on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10, Jeff's career highlights are as inspiring as they are diverse. Join us for an episode that showcases the highs, challenges, and serendipitous moments of a life dedicated to sports broadcasting.
***My apologies to Jeff Dooley, as my internet went out and I lost the last few minutes of his interview.
Follow Jeff Dooley on X (formerly Twitter) @JeffDools
To follow the Hartford Yard Goats online: www.milb.com/hartford
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The guest today is Jeff Dooley. Jeff is the lead play-by-play announcer for the Hartford Yardgoats, the AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. When he's not calling home runs, Jeff also is the voice for the University of Hartford's men's and women's basketball teams on ESPN+. Jeff's highlight calls have been featured on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays of the Day and the Mike and Mike Show, as well as the MLB Network. Baseball America has even selected the Yardgoats as having the best broadcast in all of MILB. Jeff Dooley, welcome to Carney Saves the World.
Jeff Dooley:Oh, Carney, it's so great to see you. Scott, Thanks for having me on. I was so excited. I love talking to people that I've obviously crossed paths with before, and it was just pretty cool to get the email from you. And thanks for having me on.
Scott:So jeff and I we worked in a concession stands at mccoy stadium in college summers so I was watching a minor league game on uh mlb network with my wife and I heard this voice that sounds a lot like jeff dooley. I'm like, wait a minute, I think he wasn't broadcast. That can't be jeff dooley. And then you did your reading. I was like it is jeff Jeff D'Olive. I said bullshit, you don't know that guy. Right, right. I'm like I swear to God, she's like you know everybody. That's where the whole the Cardi Saves the World show title comes from. She doesn't believe anything I say. Every time I say something, she's like oh sure you're going.
Jeff Dooley:I know when you left, I was working in the pizza stand and it's funny because when I talk to kids that want to get into broadcasting I'm like, all right, let me tell you about me. I was like I was selling pizza and I was working in burger stands and rolling tarp on the field and just anything that I could do, you know, to talk to people that might eventually have a shot to hire me. I'm always like you know what you want to be a broadcaster that maybe get your start doing something where you're inside the ballpark. And yeah, you know, it's kind of cool how it all worked out.
Scott:You would make these runs up to the press box. We'd see you up in the press box like talking to people and getting in there, and that's how you got your start right there at McCoy State in the Pawtucket Red Sox press box.
Jeff Dooley:Yeah yeah, really it was. You know that definitely opened some doors for me, for sure I would. You know I had the ability to. When I went to school, everyone knew I was doing broadcasting and you know. So the PR guy, bill Wallace at the time, would write a pass and I would go down and Chris Parent would let me in the clubhouse. And you know, I actually just saw Chris, the former Paw Sox clubby he was just at a Yardgoats game last week. So we still keep in touch and everything.
Jeff Dooley:And you know I would go in and I would secure these interviews for my sports show. But you know, when I was a little bit older in college, like junior senior year, I would, I would actually the pizzas at the end of the night, the leftovers, instead of throwing things out. I would always make sure I went, you know, got them into the press box so I could talk to the broadcasters about their careers and how they get started, meet the writers and things like that. So, yeah, that was, that was a huge influence on my career and that was really the first time that I met professional athletes and, you know, realized that if I wanted to do this for a living someday, this would be a good way to get going and you know having those early conversations with some of these ballplayers and you know realizing that, wow, they're actually pretty cool and nice and talk to you and you know, before they became famous, and I think that definitely had a big influence on wanting to do this for a career.
Scott:Yeah, that's such a great way to get in there and I mean we saw so many crazy things when we were there. You mentioned we were off mic about seeing the players come in and come out and then the tarp rolls. Every time it was a rain delay we'd get out there and push the tarp around the field and it was just such a fun time yeah, it was a fun spot.
Jeff Dooley:It was fun and you know the friends that you make and the connections and it, like I said, it was cool getting an email from you wanting to reconnect because, uh, you know, I was often wondering what you were doing and you know so many others that that I had a chance to work with there. But it was definitely fun for sure. I always recommend people to you know, hey, if you want a spot to go meet some people and feel like there's a job that's maybe not work or, you know, maybe work for a few hours and, you know, getting to make some lifelong connections, minor league baseball is a good spot, for sure.
Scott:Absolutely is. So. You go to college for broadcasting, you have a sports show at college I remember that too and you graduate. Then what happens?
Jeff Dooley:So I graduated in 95 from St Joseph, maine and I went to that school knowing that I could get on and be a broadcaster my freshman year. So now it's kind of like, all right, you got your demo but you're sending stuff everywhere and I always wanted to work in baseball. So I was sending to like all the rookie league teams and the eight ball teams. But I actually put together a contract with Bryant University. So that was my first job I got. Bryant was a division two team. They were Bryant College at the time. They played in the Northeast 10. And I put together their radio contract to get them on the air. So that was kind of my first step in. Okay, I'm going to do this and actually get paid for it. And I was kind of the liaison between the radio station and the university and we did a package of. It was probably 30 games or so, 35 games men's and women's basketball. The radio station liked it because they made some money, you know, in the school itself. Obviously they were on, you know. So that was, you know, kind of promoting not only the programs but their school. So I had the opportunity to do that and then changed over to Brown University. I was doing games for Brown and that was a collection of like men's and women's basketball and hockey and I did that for a few years.
Jeff Dooley:And then I actually went to someone that I worked with, the Paw Sox. Actually we took a like a minor league little tour of New England and we went down to New Haven and then we went to New Britain and I was really kind of fell in love with the ballpark in New Britain it was. It was new, it was it built in 96 and this was 97 and at the time they did not have a full-time radio deal. So I talked to the general manager, who obviously knew the people in Pawtucket as well, so they could kind of vouch for me, and I said, listen, I know I can get you guys a full-time radio deal. I said I did this for a division two basketball team. There's no reason why a double A team should not be on the radio. So I kind of like it.
Jeff Dooley:Brian Scott, I did what I did with New Britain and I went to the radio station, got the two together, put together a contract and now I said, well, listen, I want to be the broadcaster, but I feel I can also be an asset to the team. I could sell sponsorships. I could do X, y and Z. I want to broadcast the games, but I think you can utilize me in other areas. If not, I'm going to have to go work and serve fast food or work at a bar during the day and then do the games at night, and they're like no, we definitely can utilize you. So I essentially created a full time job for myself.
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, you know, and that's kind of how it got together. And you know I've been there ever since. We spent 18 years in New Britain and then the team was sold. I'm on my third ownership group and these guys are phenomenal. And back in 2015, we got it approved, where they basically built a $100 million stadium for us in downtown Hartford, which is a beautiful ballpark, four-time ballpark of the year, and now that's our home and we rebranded from the Rockettes to the Hartford Yard Goats. So that's kind of my little behind behind the scenes story and how I got there. You know it's been a great place to work. That's awesome.
Scott:You just hustled and made it yourself. That's fantastic. Congrats, man. Speaking about the ballpark, I looked it up. That is an absolute gorgeous ballpark Was it.
Jeff Dooley:Duncan Park. Yeah, duncan Park. Yeah, we're very fortunate, scott, I heard it and it's absolutely true. It's more of a tiny, tiny, tiny major league park as opposed to like a big, big minor league park, a small major league park as opposed to a gigantic minor league park. It holds about 6,000, 7,000 people it's 360, so you can walk around the whole thing. It's like we have a party for 6,000 people every night. Every 10 feet there's a concession stand, a beer stand, a souvenir spot to grab some merchandise.
Jeff Dooley:But we do well, because I think the park is so cool. It's right in downtown. So we're getting the college kids, we're getting the early 20-something, we're getting the professionals that come in and you know they'll use this as a starting point. You know, have a couple of drinks, watch the game and then kind of wander downtown after the game. So watch the game and then kind of wander downtown after the game. So it's been really, really good since we moved in 2017. We have live goats in the outfield, out in center field. You can't go a couple of feet without seeing a beer stand or concessions or souvenirs. So we make sure that you know the fans are fed well, and we were nominated and won actually four times the AA Park of the Year best ballpark in the country. So it's cool, it's a great vibe to be downtown.
Scott:We don't have our hometown Pawtucket Red Sox anymore, so disappointing and sad.
Jeff Dooley:It is, and you know when that happened, we got a bunch of fans that came down and they're like yeah, we're coming to Yardgoats games. It's a little bit longer of a drive, but we're coming and we said come on here. I said, trust me, I know, I worked there for years.
Scott:It's a shame what happened there, but we're always welcoming new Yardgoat fans, so that's good Nice, you know you said that they started out as a Red Sox organization, then they went to the Twins, then they go to the Rockies. Was that a hard transition for you to have new organization?
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, that's a great question, and probably me, scott, more than anyone else in the organization, because I'm the one that deals with the players and you know, for the most part, you know some upper management does as well. They'll deal with the farm directors and you know the general managers of teams and stuff, but I would say it was the biggest change for me. Now, that being said, we knew heading into the season that, okay, this is the change, now that we're now moving away from the Minnesota Twins, we're going to be the Colorado Rockies. So I had to do a ton of research and really learn the history, the organization, the players and getting to new, new coaches and things like that. So, but yeah, now we've been together for I believe this is year eight with the Colorado Rockies, maybe in year nine, and it's been a great relationship. That's awesome.
Jeff Dooley:You know, one of my dreams has always been to broadcast Major League Baseball and you know the Rockies called me up last year. I get to do a couple of games for the Rockies radio network in Philadelphia. That's something that you know. It's just. Yeah, you talk about doing it and making as a player or broadcast and broadcaster, and you know it's always been something that I wanted to do and, you know, when I got that text from them saying that they wanted to know my availability, I, you know, had one of those things where you read it you know 10 times to see if someone's messing with you or not. But it was pretty cool to be in Philadelphia, you know, with 45,000 fans. You know it was certainly something that, yeah, kind of a dream come true for sure.
Scott:That's so wild, that's so amazing. Is there anybody coming off the Red Sox, the Twins, the Rockies? Is there anybody that really stuck out in your head over those years and now has made it and you're just like man, he's just a good guy.
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, I mean there's been a ton. I mean my first team, my 98 team, so 98 was the first. I left Pawtucket after the 97 team. I wanted to really leave for 97, but there were some changes in the front office and they were actually doing their 25th anniversary. So you know the general manager, lou Schweckheimer at the time, who actually just passed away recently. He said listen, we know you want to broadcast, but you could do us a huge favor if you wanted to do our 25th anniversary team and stay, and you know work in the ticket office. Wow, so I did. I stayed for the 97 season, but I knew 98, I had to get away and I had to go do this. You know be the play-by-play guy somewhere. So, yeah, that 98 team was loaded. I think there were scott, I think there were 15 major league guys on the team. Wow, doug mckavich was one of the big ones. Mckavich obviously is famous for he caught the last out when the Red Sox won the World Series. So yeah, doug was with us in 98. He was a really good player, probably the best in the league and the captain of the team. So he was our first baseman. Christian Guzman was the shortstop, aj Pruszynski was the catcher on that team. The outfield had Torrey Hunter was in center, a Gold Glove Award winner. Jock Jones was in right, chad Allen was in left, joe Mays was on that pitching staff, jc Romero I mean, the team was loaded. So that was the first wave of talent that came through. Then, in 2001, was the next wave and that was Justin Morneau who won American League. Mvp. Michael Kadir had a long run in the big leagues. He was that second wave and then the third wave of talent with the twins came in in in 2003. And that's what Joe Maurer and Joe obviously just going into the hall of fame. So and let me tell you, joe's a better person that he isn't a player and he's a pretty good player, obviously to be in Cooperstown. So there are some really good ones. And then you know, as you know, those guys graduated, new players came in with, like Matt Garza and you know, kyle Gibson who's still pitching in the big leagues. And then you know we make the transition to Colorado and you know that last year of new Britain we actually were a Rockies affiliate Trevor story Now with the red Sox, he was, he was a, he was a new Britain rock cat that last year and it's so funny to me because I went up to fenway because the rockies were in boston and he had just been called up, yeah, as a rocky, and like he, he comes up to me before the game, he's like duels, this is crazy.
Jeff Dooley:Like pinch me, like I'm gonna play at fenway tonight, you know. And now he's like this. You know he was a rookie then he was like pinch me. Now he's like the red sox shortstop, which is when I was telling all my red sox fan friends that you know, I'm like well, just so, you know, yeah, when he was a rocky, he was like so nervous to have his first game at fenway. Now he's starting shortstop. So so, yeah, he was pretty good. And then you know, the transition to duncan park and hartford with with, uh, you know, uh, ryan mcmahon, who just made the All-Star team this year, and Brendan Rodgers, who was a Gold Glove Award winner. So, yeah, there's some really good ones, but top of the list is probably Joe Maurer, just because of the fact that he went to the Hall of Fame this year, and he's just a great person.
Scott:That's awesome, that's great. You grew up in New England, rhode Island. Is it hard to transition from Red Sox fan to Yardgoats fan? Or you know, in the different organizations I had Major League umpire Trip Gibson on and I asked him that and he said well, I had my allegiances kind of split, you know, growing up because he grew up in Kentucky. But for us, we grew up in Rhode Island, we worked for the Kentucky Red Sox, we're diehard Red Sox fans. Is that hard to change from or are you still a Red?
Jeff Dooley:Sox fan. No, I've changed. I've changed. The job has definitely changed me for sure. I'll be honest. First of all, your paycheck right, you got to have allegiance to the paycheck.
Jeff Dooley:I'm sure too, yes, no-transcript to listen, but they're like oh, no, we can tell by your mode, like if you know time, and then you make that transition. Then you meet the Twins people and you know, you know the general manager and you know the assistant general manager, and then you go to Minnesota for a playoff game and they make you feel like you're part of them and they bring you into their offices and they ask you questions and even though they may, you know, not use anything that you said, they're still hey, jeff, tell me about this guy, like, what's your thoughts on this guy? And I'm like, well, you guys are the evaluators and they're like, yeah, but you see them play a lot more than we do, and I'm like so again, I don't know if they're using the information, but it makes you feel good that they asked. So it was a great relationship with the twins and you get to know their players and you know, you're on the bus rides with them, you know, arriving at a place, a hotel, at four in the morning and you want to make sure that you know that they're settled in and you hear the stories about their and you get to meet their families and you know their families come up to you and you know cause. You're kind of the connection between the player and cause. None of these kids are really from the area, they're from all over the world now. So you meet their families and they talk about like hey, you're the connection between me and my son, you know. So that is cool to hear.
Jeff Dooley:But I thought the biggest thing was when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 for the first time. I was so happy for so many people that I knew like my family were like you know they were just so excited that it happened, that I knew like my family were like you know, they were just so excited that it happened. But for me I didn't feel like I would have felt 10 years before when I before I worked for the twins. So it definitely changed me with being in the business and working, you know, from for another organization Not everybody that I work with for the Yardgoats.
Jeff Dooley:I mean, we're a minor league team, we're a affiliate of the Rockies. Like I said I'm more close to the Rockies organization than some of the others. But we have Red Sox fans, we have Yankee fans. You know we have some Mets fans too, that we a lot of work there. But overall it was. You know, I've kind of changed with the job and and I thought I would feel differently, like when the Red Sox won that World Series and I was just, I was more happy for because I mean when the Red Sox lost in 86, I didn't go to school for five days.
Jeff Dooley:I cried. I think you know that's great.
Scott:So you mentioned the travel aspect of it. So you travel with the team and you were in that crazy travel schedule as well.
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, so I travel, so we do all the broadcasts. Yeah, so I travel, so we do all the broadcasts. Yeah, so we do. It's 142 games for a million years and I think they trimmed a couple. I think it's 138 now. Yeah, so we're all over the place. The Eastern League is a bus travel and now with the new changes with Major League Baseball, with Minor League Baseball, we basically go to a Monday's, a travel day or off day. The series begins on Tuesday. You play Tuesday through Sunday and then come back home and then they're off on Monday. So they're trying to make it like a little bit easier on the players, because that, at the end of the day, is what it's all about in development.
Scott:And today is Monday. We're recording on Monday. Is this your off day, or is or this is an off day, but are you traveling as well?
Jeff Dooley:No, so we're back home. So we've traveled to New Hampshire. We played the Fisher Cats up in Manchester, new Hampshire, yesterday, the weekend. So sometimes I'll drive. If it's close Like, I'll drive to New Hampshire, I'll usually drive. It's nice to have the car Portland. Once in a while I'll drive, but most of the time I'll just hop on the bus. You know that way, after the last game on a Sunday I could just sleep on the way back.
Jeff Dooley:But yeah, it's a full bus league. So the Eastern League goes as far north as Portland, maine, as far south as Richmond, virginia Richmond Braves used to be a AAA team for years and as far west as Akron, ohio. So, speaking of the travel, like the Yardgoats clinched the playoffs, so we'll have a playoff game in September, a playoff series it's a best of three. Oh, but we finish this season in akron, ohio and a bus, so we're gonna have to travel from akron, ohio. And if the season were to end today, we'd be playing the red sox affiliate portland, so we'd have to travel from ohio to maine. Yeah, so that's, and get ready for a playoff game. So that travel is not going to be great. Yeah, on a bus. I mean, I don't know, they might want to fly the guys for that one, just because it's about a 15-hour trip. But I'm thinking, why are we ever ending? And it's a night game, no less, in Akron. You know it doesn't make much sense.
Scott:Oh, that's brutal. That's brutal, mm-hmm. I didn't realize that this is your one-off day and away from your family so much during the summertime. I really appreciate your time here. You got how many kids? Two kids, I think.
Jeff Dooley:So two boys, yeah, two boys, joe and Ryan. And Joe's just left to go back to college. He's a junior at the University of Hartford. Yeah, so he's a pitcher, he's on the baseball team. So the kids kind of grew up around it. So, yeah, as you know, scott, like it's a lot of hours, it's, you're all over the place and stuff, but there are definitely some benefits to with the kids. So they've got to. They've got to meet some pretty cool people over the years. You know, before they were famous and you know that's amazing.
Jeff Dooley:That's fun when they kind of talk about that. And then Ryan is, he's a baseball player too. He's going into his junior year in high school, yeah so. And Marnie's super mom she's like you know has to get everything done while I'm going through this crazy schedule and everything. So it's but it's. Yeah, it's nice in the fall, though. It's nice when you know we're back home and you know, and everything is kind of. You know, I still work for the Yardgoats full time, so I do. I'm on the sponsorship sales team too, so we'll do all that stuff, you know, once we put the season in bed and kind of get ready for the next year.
Scott:Wow, so you work full time with them off season as well yeah, oh yeah.
Jeff Dooley:So I, I go to the ballpark every day, yep, I um, I go in and in the off season, starting like in the end of september, and then we'll do, uh, major league baseball kind of change the meetings to the fall meetings now they're in charlotte actually this year, so that's in october. So I'll go down to that for a week and then we'll come back and then it's basically, uh, you know, get into the sponsorship sales stuff. I'll do that that from October, even sometimes late September With the playoffs. It'll be hard this year, but October, right through March, then my role changes. Really it's crazy to transition because most of the sponsorship team stays on and they'll sell right through the summer months with me.
Jeff Dooley:Once we get to spring training, like around mid-March, I'm like all baseball mode, so like I'll go to Scottsdale, arizona for spring training for a week, we do a show, get together with the coaches, we'll try to figure out kind of what's you know happening with the team, and then once we get into the season, it's all you know, it's all baseball and media as well. So we do a lot of stuff with our media, you know, and I kind of lead that, charge stuff, so yeah, and then in the wintertime too I do college basketball at the University of Hartford, so I've done that for a while now, so that's been fun too. That kind of keeps my little, gives me my broadcast fix in the wintertime.
Scott:God, what are you working like? 16 hour days in the wintertime?
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, it's not really work, though for the basketball. I mean I just show up, basically hit a button and I'm on really yeah, yeah. No, I mean there's obviously some prep work and stuff like that, but it's uh, it's not like the lifestyle of the baseball for sure definitely a very busy schedule so a couple things.
Scott:I saw that you are in 2015. You were selected as the connecticut sports caster of the year. That's, how did that come about?
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, that was fun, that was really cool to get. It's basically there's a committee of peers that were on and yeah, they voted me. So again, it was one of those things where I was like, is this real or not? Why would they pick me? And it was awesome. It was actually down in North Carolina, so it got to go down to Charlotte, no-transcript, so we're at dinner and you know and we all.
Jeff Dooley:It was cool, we got a chance to go up and we got our trophy and everything is the as the local guys. And then chris berman spoke in front of everyone and then chris in his speech recognized, recognized Dom and I as the Connecticut and he's like, hey, I want to recognize two guys from my state where I live, you know, Jeff Dooley, dom Morey, and then he worked a yard goat joke in there too. But it was really, really cool that you know for Chris Berman, who's, like I said, one of the maybe the top ESPN guy in the history of the network. You know, to mention us the day that he's getting the national award was really really cool. So it was fun time it was.
Jeff Dooley:It was cool that you go down there and they, they really make it feel like a million bucks you know for for the few days that you're down there with the hotel and you know they bring you around town and they have the dinner, and then you get to network with other broadcasters, you meet some young ones coming up, so it's definitely a fun couple of days. I was honored, obviously, to win that. That's so cool.
Scott:You've been on SportsCenter Top 10 Plays and Mike and Mike shows and MLB Tonight. Does someone tell you that you're going to be on there, or do you just have to find out? Or how do you know that you're on there?
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, well, I just found out. It's funny you bring that up, because last homestand last Friday yeah, actually Saturday night, it was the number one play on ESPN SportsCenter. Our first baseman, kyle Datras, made an unbelievable catch. He was running full speed and he flipped over, he basically did a somersault into the opposing dugout, got and his like hands were out like we thought he knocked himself out. And he was like, look, because it was a guy at third base looking to tag, so we thought he was going to throw home and it was just, it was an unbelievable play. So it was actually number one on sports center that night. And then the next morning it got bumped to number two because patrick mahomes threw it behind the pass uh, touchdown-pass, touchdown to Travis Kelsey in a football game. But I was like, ah, that's fine, number one, number two, that still works. But so, yeah, I knew it was probably going to be a top-ten play, but I don't think we've had number one before. And then it was the first time I had a call at number one on ESPN. That was cool. In fact we've had a handful that have been in the top 10.
Jeff Dooley:And yeah, the the MLB network stuff was, um, that was really cool because so that's when I went to the major leagues and you know it was, you know it's. Obviously it was a cool story for them that you know 25 years in the minor leagues and he's finally getting his major league call up. When I was filling in um for Jack Corrigan, I did the game with the one of the voices of the Rockies, sherry Schemmel, and really you know, honestly, scott, I just wanted to go there and do the game and not screw it up, right, I didn't need all the publicity and you know, and I get that. And it was cool because one of the local TV stations called me there like, listen, jeff, like our news director wants us to go with you for this. And I only told them I'm doing this if I get your blessing and I said, listen, I really appreciate that. But I said, guys, if I show up with a news crew, like they're never asking me to come back again, you know what I mean.
Scott:I'm like I'm done, I brought my own crew, yeah yeah.
Jeff Dooley:So I was, like I said Honestly, it means the world, thank them, thank the news people and I and I understand, like I said honestly, it means the world Thank them, thank the news people and I and I understand like it's. They're like this is way above sports, like this is. They want it to be a news story. I'm like no, no, we're good. So you know, I'm doing the game and I'm doing the broadcast and having the time of my life and it's a good game. And about the sixth inning I got a text message from the Rockies PR guy and he's like hey, mlb network wants to know if you'll go on quick pitch with them, like right after the game. And again I'm like Whoa, I don't want to.
Jeff Dooley:I don't need it for me. Like I'm, trust me, I'm already in, like La La Land doing the game. I said this is the, this is the best. But I said if you want me to do this interview and it's good for the Rockies and you think it's good for me, or whatever I'm in, I'll do it. And they're like we think it would be good for the Rockies and you if you do it. So I'm like all right, I'm in.
Jeff Dooley:So this is funny stuff. Cause I'm like all right, how does this work? Right, like are they going to send me a zoom link? Or you know, I have no idea. And so the MLB network guy, when the game ends, just go to the Phillies dugout when the game ends, and there'll be like four guys ready for you. And I'm like, oh, so that's how it works up here there's no zoom link. So so I did, I went down and, uh, that was really cool, cause a lot nobody knew I was going to be on, cause I didn't really have a chance to tell mlb tonight, and a bunch of people like happened to see it. They're like, oh, and they and they played some calls and stuff. So it was, it was really cool, that's awesome congrats.
Scott:That's so cool. Oh, like dream recognized, like it's amazing. So you've also had some crazy things go on with with broadcasting, like in my league, baseball had uh, did you get a season canceled because of COVID?
Jeff Dooley:We did, yeah yeah, we lost the 2020 season, yeah yeah, yeah With COVID and then. And then we came back and even in 2021, that was even more 2020 sucked because there was nothing, you know, there was just there was no baseball there was. There was, there was nothing. You know, the only good thing was it was for the first time I could see all my kids' games because they were playing. You know, I think my oldest was doing Legion, my youngest was just going out to the Big Diamond, so I get to see them play every night. I never did that before. So that was awesome that I got to do that.
Jeff Dooley:But it was hard not having, you know, not working that summer. And then in 2021, it was really strange because basically, it was coming out of COVID and we had to keep getting tested and you really, they didn't really want you around the players, so there was like a little bit of a distance thing. Like, I mean, we did learn some cool things out of there. We, we could have our manager text lineups and I didn't have to go down and get it. So a lot of that stuff selfishly.
Jeff Dooley:Uh, we still do today, which is awesome, but you know, it was just a little bit weird, like I didn't get to know that team as well as as I got to know some of the other ones, just because we kind of limited our time, like, even though I was allowed, so they had different tiers of your access and I did get all access but I still felt like man. The last thing I need to do is test positive for COVID and we have to miss a series because I gave it to the team so I would try to keep my distance. You know best I could.
Scott:So I was looking up the team and Bobby Meacham, former Yankees player, is the Yardgoats manager. So you must meet all kinds of old timer baseball players as well.
Jeff Dooley:Yeah, for sure. Yeah, meacham has been great. You know, I think he's the. You know he's got that old school mentality because he played in college in the late 70s at San Diego State and then, obviously you know, played five years in New York with the Yankees. He was the Yankees starting shortstop and he's got great stories about playing for Billy Martin.
Scott:Well, jeff, I know you have a hard stop. I want to thank you so much for your time. This was great. I wish we'd do a whole series of these. I'm sure you have 100 billion stories and it's just awesome to catch up with you. I'm so happy for you. You're always such a good guy and I'm really happy for you. Absolutely, my friend. I'm so happy for you. Thank you again for being on. Folks, he's down next week Again. Thank you again, jeff, it's again. Uh, thank you again, jeff. It's been great and uh, take care of my friend. Oh, hold on one second. I'm losing again. What is going on with the internet? Can you hear me now? That has never happened to me. This is episode 19. This has never happened. This is awful. This has never happened. My internet keeps cutting out and everything's all messed up, and I'm on the podcast with a professional broadcaster. I'm disgusted with myself, disgusted God. This is so embarrassing.
Jeff Dooley:Hey, come on, you knew me way before I was any sort of announcer, okay.
