Bojangles Coliseum — Charlotte, NC
This project has been really special. It’s addicting to see people giving it their all to make their dreams and passions come true. For me, hockey is the sport I love and can watch every day. To see TJ in his element and hearing his voice in full swing was something to appreciate.
A Saturday night game between the Checkers and the visiting Hershey Bears had TJ set up to execute a game better than the last. What do you think success is each night you call a game? “Being better than the game before and being as accurate to that as possible. If I can leave a game knowing I nailed that broadcast, I didn’t confuse players like a ten and an 18; I didn’t stutter my words — that is my goal. I’m trying to describe everything I see, every player I see, as accurately as I can.”
We all have those moments where something clicks, and we know what we want to fight for. From a car salesman to hosting a drive-time radio show, where did the inspiration come from? “I was content with selling cars and pushing buttons and speaking on the airwaves. I was very happy with all of it. I will never forget a buddy who worked at the same station came up to me and asked why I didn’t try play-by-play. And that was like a strike of lightning, and my next question was, how do I make that happen? From there, I made a demo, leading me to an internship in the hockey world. The train went in the same direction, but we diverted onto a new track and started rolling that way. I’ll never forget it. The passion chose me; I got lucky and caught the fever.“
What do you say to folks who want to get into this career? “Keep your eyes open for the different jobs because they are not always obvious. Learn about the landscape. Also, keep your mouth open, speak up for yourself and keep practicing.” What’s next? “NHL is the goal. I try to do everything I can to keep fighting for it so I can play ball when the opportunity comes. I want to get better and better. I listen back to our broadcasts and see what I can fix and work on.”
“I'm thankful to be in Charlotte and with the Checkers. I’m lucky — that’s all I can say. It will take time to get where you need to be, but to have the mindset of embracing everything in front of you will be important.”
You know when someone has it, and TJ has it. It’s the voice you want to hear to give you play-by-play for your favorite team. The talent is there, passion is there, and the voice will carry your love for the game to a higher level.