About that time I went viral...

What a play by me

In May of 2019, I went viral. I never thought that it would happen to me, but it did. It was a shocking, exhilarating, surreal, hilarious and humbling experience; one that I do not know I will ever enjoy again.

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While on the call for a Somerset Patriots game, I managed to catch a foul ball live on the air. The video footage of that catch, paired with the audio from my call, took off on the internet to stretches I never thought imaginable.

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"I am very proud of myself." "Boy, am I impressive?!" "What a play by me." 

These were the lines that seemed to resonate the most with many of the viewers.

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The video ultimately received over 10 million views online, including 1.3 million views on my personal Twitter page. It was played with an adjoining segment on ESPN shows SportsCenter, Around the Horn and Highly Questionable, made the opening monologue for Jimmy Kimmel Live! and received attention on a countless number of TV and radio affiliates throughout the country.

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Jimmy Kimmel referred to the video as "one of the great moments in sports broadcasting history." There were articles on websites ranging from the front page of CNN to Sports Illustrated and Barstool and Deadspin. It even led to a live interview on ESPN2 with SportsCenter anchor Randy Scott.

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Many nice things were said; some not so nice. I am grateful it happened, but hope it does not define me. My hope is that, if anything, the video can display my ability to multitask, have fun and entertain an audience.

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At the end of the day, I am the most grateful towards those whose days were made with this video. I have received messages and seen comments from people saying how much they enjoyed it and how it brought a smile to their faces. That is our job as broadcasters: to educate, inform and entertain. It humbles and warms me that I was able to contribute to so many in a positive light.