Andrew (Andy) Pagana

And I mean with a passion. See, I am using the word ‘hate’ here. You know when a couple first gets together and the word ‘love’ cant describe even a fraction of what they feel for each other? Well, the same goes for me with the word hate to describe sports. I just simply don’t get it. BORING! Would somebody explain to me what the fascination is with watching two people hit a ball back and forth to each other, or kicking a ball or hitting a ball? And to watch it live I guess is one thing, but to watch it on TV… that I REALLY can’t understand. I mean, seriously, the same old boring shots. Wide shot. Full body shot with a long lens. Wide shot again. AAhhhhhh!!! I hate it. I’m angry just thinking how obsessed people get with it. And Im an obsessive person. (No really, I am)

And then to PLAY sports… what the hell is this? Exercise for fun? How is that possible? And the hero worship REALLY gets me. These delicate geniuses are treated like gods for what? Are they really better than me? Why? Because they can hit a ball fast? Or ski fast? Or get a ball in a hole? Or what? Who cares???

I can actually go on with specifics of what I REALLY think about sports but I won’t for reasons I do not care to disclose at this time. What I do have to say is that it has been my misfortune, after a lifetime of feeling the way I do about sports, to have worked nearly exclusively on sports-related projects for about ten years. The U.S. Olympic Committee (don’t get me started), The NBA(Ahhhhh!), PGA Tour Sunday, and The U.S. Tennis Open just to name a few.

I made the best of it, I assure you. I even had some fun. I traveled and goofed around, and always did a bang up job as I don’t know how to be any other way. (I am awesome). Although I must admit my ignorance of sports etiquette has caused a few touch and go moments. I had a lens smashed by a female golfer with a nervous swing (I was REALLY close to the ball in her defense and she was slammin hot, so I forgive her), I was thrown out of a tennis match on national TV by one of the players  for disturbing him (apparently these delicate tennis players are very sensitive to noise) and almost got beat up by some hard core fans. And then I was almost beaten to death for saying I hope one of these multi-retiring athletes loses his final match because I was stuck in a hall for several minutes while we waited for him to pass on through. Damn it! I have an all access pass. I should be allowed to move freely. Didn’t someone tell them the position of God was already taken?  (By the way, I would name these athletes here but I don’t remember or know how to spell them.)

Andyway, back to the point. The point is, the less I know about sports, the more amused I am with myself going into these jobs. But it can cause confusion. So lucky for me I made a friend in WNBC’s Bruce Beck (sports anchor – New York) during my stint doing a radio show at the US Tennis Open. He was always kind enough to answer any questions I may have. Luckily, I was even able to have one of these moments caught on tape. (I had a question about the numbers in parenthasis after the players name on the roster, apparently called ‘seeds’). So here, check it out…

Andy Pagana and Bruce Beck discuss Tennis