HALFTIME GUESTS

Every high school football game I broadcast I always try and have halftime guests. It’s a chance to highlight some other school activities going on and other sports that otherwise wouldn’t get radio coverage. Over the years I have had some memorable halftime guests and lots of fun interviewing student/athletes.

Last Friday during the homecoming game at Lac qui Parle Valley I invited a couple of LQPV-DB girls tennis players up to the press box. The girls tennis team is really having a nice season so Claire Lowry and Kali Bormann joined me at halftime to talk about girls tennis. They both did a fantastic job talking on the radio. You could tell they are really having a fun tennis season. Sometimes I ask questions that get answered in a way I wasn’t expecting. I was asking Claire and Kali “Why tennis, why are you out for tennis?” Claire looked right at me with a straight face and said “Because I’m good at it!!” Great answer and it made me laugh. I loved her answer.

One of my most memorable halftime guests happened a number of years ago in Paynesville. The Eagles were playing the Paynesville Bulldogs. The LQPV football team at the time only had one win and were playing a very good Bulldog team. As the second quarter ended and halftime was beginning I noticed someone had entered the press box and I recognized him right away. It was Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune and star of the television show The Sports Show with Patrick, Sid Hartmann, Dark Star and Mike Max. I loved that show and would watch it every Sunday evening.

I couldn’t believe Patrick Reusse was standing next to me in the Paynesville press box. I introduced myself and asked if he would want to join me on the radio at halftime. To my surprise he said he would. My heart was pounding and I got nervous. I am about to interview one of my idols! The interview went well and one of Patrick’s quote I will never forget. “How the hell can the Eagles only have one win the way they are playing?” It was a great interview and one of my most memorable broadcasting moments. The Eagles were leading at halftime and were hoping to upset the Bulldogs but unfortunately they lost the game . I was upset because I never took a picture with Patrick.

Another famous person I interviewed was John Millea of the Minnesota High School League and WCCO radio. John use to write for the Star Tribune. John has been on the radio with me a number of times over the years. Heck of a nice guy and he does a super job covering high school sports. Once I interviewed him when he was in Dawson covering their football game against Minneota. I also interviewed him at a section dance tournament in Montevideo. It was a Saturday afternoon and before we were going to go on the air I warned him that we were about to interrupt the Polka Show on Q-92! We were going to have some upset Polka listeners. He thought that was hilarious and we both had a good laugh. He even talked about that on WCCO radio later that week. John is a good guy and over the years we have gotten to know each other well.

Once at a LQPV football game I had a good number of Minneota Viking football players in the booth, that was fun. I have had cross country runners, former coaches, race car drivers, 4H kids, cheerleaders, ice skaters, swimmers, National Guardsman, water boys, newspaper writers, Activities Directors, robotics teams and a whole lot more halftime guests. Another fun halftime happened during a basketball game in Marshall. My broadcast partner Molly Hennen had her niece Hazel on a few times during section basketball playoffs. We called it “Halftime with Hazel!!” She was great and everyone was talking about her. It’s been a fun ride. Listen this Friday from Canby, I will be interviewing a girl from Canby that did very well at the state fair with her horse.