I spend a lot of time in press boxes at ball fields and gyms around the area. It always amazes me at the different kinds of music that is played between innings or timeouts to entertain the crowd. I know that we all have different tastes in music, but some songs aren’t made to be played at athletic events and then some songs just rock the place!

Now, my taste of music may be different than yours, but I will share my dislikes and likes. Some songs just get played over and over and if I hear Sweet Caroline one more time I will jump out of the press box! Remember Kung Fu Fighting? That’s another song that needs to be retired. Twist and Shout can go also. They don’t play Who Let the Dogs Out too much anymore, but I got so sick of that song I actually would scream NO when it started to play. YMCA by the Village People can stop anytime. Others that drive me crazy, Baby Shark, Cotton Eye Joe and We are Champions! The worst of all songs at a athletic event is a polka!! When I hear a polka being played I want to hurt someone at the scorers table!

I was doing a football game a few years ago and will not mention the school, but during an injury timeout a song came on with the F word being said over and over again with sexual references. I was actually brave enough to mention to the PA guy that maybe he shouldn’t play that song anymore. I wasn’t happy about it and the people in the press box thought it was funny. I couldn’t believe school officials allowed that to happen and nobody from the crowd complained to the press box.

Okay, enough of the bad songs that are played at high school sporting events. How about my favorites that I can rock out to when broadcasting. First of all, two people come to mind with having a great play list. Greg Wyum from Dawson during Blackjack football and basketball games and Hollie Thompson for Dawson baseball. I happened to be in Dawson this past week for a baseball game and in the press box was Hollie and Bucky Staab. We sure have fun laughing and rocking out between innings. I was so excited about the music she was playing that when I came back from each commercial break I made sure to mention the song and artist.

Now these are the songs I enjoy listening to at a ballgame. Hollie’s list included, Crazy Train by Ozzie and Black Sabbath, Thunderstruck and TNT by ACDC, Kiss songs, Fat Bottom Girls by Queen and maybe my favorite, Let’s Go Crazy by Prince! She had just some fun songs like, Mambo #5 by Lou B. and You Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer, which probably has run its course, but it’s fun to sing along with. Start Me Up by the Stones is by far my favorite. You have to have some really jamming, upbeat songs to pump up the crowd! That’s what it’s all about, not polka music!! Hollie and Greg do a fantastic job, I applaud them.

So, the next time I am at a game and you hear polka music or Sweet Caroline or Baby Shark being played, know that Paul is not liking it! Please feel free to share your favorite music at sporting events, maybe I missed some.