OPINION

Opinion: Time out on the field

Sep 24, 2022, 11:00 AM | Updated: Nov 16, 2022, 1:57 pm

Follow @amandadickson...

This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

SALT LAKE CITY — One of my first jobs when I started at KSL in 1990 was running the board for BYU games, football and basketball. In fact, my morning partner now, Tim Hughes, taught me how to run the board. The board at that time looked like something from an airplane cockpit to me. There were forty “pots,” and each one could go to fifty different places, plus an A and B channel for each.

Just running that board for a regular show gave me the flop sweats, but BYU was a master class in multi-tasking. We had to play different commercials (on 8 track tapes we called “carts”) on KSL’s air than we played on the BYU network, which included ten or twenty other stations. So, I had to be dexterous enough to hit buttons simultaneously, play different station IDs or leave some of the network silent for individual stations to insert their own IDs.

The biggest thrill of this job, in addition to having a front row studio seat to fantastic BYU athletes, was giving cues to then play-by-play announcer Paul James. I would push a button and talk in Paul’s ear, telling him how much time was left before the end of the commercial break, and then letting him know he was back on live with a soft, “Go.”

I was constantly at the ready for Paul to say, “We’ve got a time out on the field, and we’ll take a time out here on the Cougar Sports Network.” That was my cue to turn Paul off and hit the commercials. As soon as I turned Paul off, I put his channel in cue so I could continue to hear him talk in case he needed me.

Usually, time outs are predictable. They fall at the first play stoppage after certain set times in the game, but once in a while something will happen that puts a timeout at an unusual place. I remember one game in particular where we had just come back from a time out, and I didn’t anticipate another one for at least ten minutes. I thought, “I can get down the hall to the bathroom. I’ve got ten minutes.”

You have to remember, when you add the pre-game show, the kickoff show, the game itself, the postgame show and the coach’s call-in show, BYU broadcasts would last six hours or more. (Maybe I should have cut back on the Diet Coke.)

But I digress. Back to the game where I am in the bathroom in which, thanks to station wide speakers, I can continue to listen to the game. I had just sat down (sorry for the TMI) when I hear, “We’ve got an injury on the field. Why don’t we take a quick time out while they check out this player, and we’ll be back in a minute on the Cougar Sports Network.”

What?! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got out of there and zipped as I ran down the hall, back into the booth, going so fast that, as I rounded the corner, I knocked a 20-high stack of carts off the counter. As they came crashing down making a terrific sound that reminded me of a light car crash, I reached for Paul’s off button. I almost . . . almost got to it before he started talking.

Of course, Paul assumed his mic was muted from the second he said, “Time out on the field,” because it almost always was. But on this occasion, a few of his comments to the color commentator went out over the air. It’s been more than thirty years, so I don’t remember the exact words, but I remember very clearly thinking I might get fired.

I never told Paul his mic had been open. I probably should have because, undoubtedly, someone told him later. I think I got away with that moment of incompetence because, well, Paul liked me. (The feeling was wholly mutual.) Years later when I married my first husband, Scott Seeger, Scott told me that Paul James had warned him, “You know you’re marrying KSL’s sweetheart, right? You better treat her right.”

At least, I think that’s what he said.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Opinion

cricket ball, cricket in us...

Jeff Caplan

Jeff Caplan’s Minute of News: The rise of cricket in the US

It’s not enough that we’re obsessed with Kate Middleton, but now the US is apparently embracing another British sport, cricket.

9 hours ago

One Life might be the newest Schindler's List....

Steve Salles

KSL Movie Show review: ‘One Life’ might just be the British version of Schindler

"Arthur the King" is a deeply inspiring story, sprinkled with a handful of cheese, but nonetheless, entertaining and emotionally tortuous.

4 days ago

Arthur the King surprised KSL Movie Show host Stevel Salles with how moving it was....

Steve Salles

KSL Movie Show review: ‘Arthur the King’ got to me, and I’m not ashamed to admit it

"Arthur the King" is a deeply inspiring story, sprinkled with a handful of cheese, but nonetheless, entertaining and emotionally tortuous.

4 days ago

Utah perseverance rover...

Jeff Caplan

Jeff Caplan’s Minute of News: I’ll sit out on the next mission to Mars

There are a few things we know about the trip to Mars. What Jeff Caplan knows, is that he has no desire to take it.

5 days ago

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Follow @amandadickson...

Amanda Dickson

Dickson: I’m committed to not texting my kids while they’re in school

Amanda Dickson says she's totally guilty of texting her kids while they're in school. She's committed to stoping it.

5 days ago

worm FILE: Microbialites found during a University of Utah sampling trip at the Great Salt Lake on ...

Jeff Caplan

Jeff Caplan’s Minute of News: It’s a good day to be a worm researcher

Jeff Caplan interviewed one of the researchers who just discovered only the third species ever found in the Great Salt Lake — tiny worms.

5 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Opinion: Time out on the field