Hey Tennis Friends!
Long hours here at the microphone. I work from 9:30AM to . . . what is now 11:27PM. Not only do I do my regular court announcer duties, but I have homework as well. Most of the time I begin during the later matches. I get my assignments really late (around 6:30PM) and then have to do research and come up with bios for about fourteen players each night. I have to double, and sometimes, triple check my facts. It’s like being in college!
After it gets too cool on Stadium 2, I move somewhat indoors to the main stadium announcer booth to finish my “thesis”. I have a window wide open, so as not to feel too confined. It’s pretty quiet, save for the hum of the fans on the electronic equipment, and the scuffling of the maintenance crew doing their final cleaning of the stadium.
Above is the view from my evening “office” taken from the built-in camera of my MacBook. I know that it is similar to yesterday’s pic, . . . I’ll try to do better tomorrow.
I didn’t mind working the long hours, but the parking situation was not very fun. As “employees” we parked in a remote lot way off behind the tournament. The problem is that the free shuttles end about one hour after final play. This meant that after I had completed my homework, I had to trudge what seemed to be a half mile in the dark to get to my truck. Fortunately, after mentioning this a couple of days later, I was given a pass for the closer parking.
I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!
– Marcus Tennis
Tags: 2008, Coachella Valley, Indian Wells, MacBook, Pacific Life Open, Southern California, Tennis
