DOOLEY'S A TREAT WHEN CATS ARE AWAY
As most of you know, I don't get to see the Rock Cats much when they're on the road. I make most of the games over in Norwich, and did get to Manchester, N.H., for a rather snowy opening day, but road games are spent listening to Jeff Dooley on the radio.
The radio waves have never been too kind where I live. Like I tell Dooley, I would have bought a house north and east of Bloomfield (home of Rock Cats flagship station WDRC) instead of south and west if I had only known.
WDRC comes in loud and clear all day, including that dynamic 3-to-6 drive time when Dooley's home-game partner Dan Lovallo reigns supreme on his fabulous talk show. But when the sun sets in the west, WDRC sets in the east. By 8:30 or so, I'm listening to gospel music from someplace in New Jersey where DRC used to be.
Sometimes, Dooley comes in loud and clear on DRC's Buckley Radio Network affiliate out of Torrington, WSNG-610. But when the sky is clear and the AM waves don't bounce, it's a choice of either a muffled Dooley or Dooley and his choir chanting,"The Lord is my Shepherd."
But technology is marvelous. Dooley is always loud and clear on the internet through http://www.milb.com/. So here I am, with my laptop on my knee and the Twins on TV with the volume turned down. (Tonight I'm shifting back and forth between the Twins and Turner Classic Movies. It's Gary Cooper night and The Westerner is one of my faves.)
I always tell my wife that as soon as I turn Dooley on, I can tell if the Cats are winning or losing by his tone. Most of the Rhode Island accent he brought with him to central Connecticut 10 years ago is gone. It comes through now and then when he gets excited, especially when somebody hits a grand slam.
When the Cats are up, Dooley's voice lilts. When they're losing, you wish you could send him a cold beer via email to make him feel better. I heard that lilt tonight and sure enough, the Cats are winning 2-0 and Anthony Swarzak is mowing down the Fisher Cats.
On TV, the Twins are losing by the same score. Dooley says Twins GM Terry Ryan is in attendance in Manchester. Gotta feel for TR. The door to the playoffs in the AL Central is open but the Twins don't seem to have the sparkle they had last year when they burst through on the season's final day. What they need is another power guy. Why can't TR finagle Mike Piazza from Oakland? Oh, well. Perhaps he'll tell me why when he comes to New Britain Thursday.
Back to the Cats, Dooley says they can make the playoffs. But Dooley sees a full glass of beer in front of him when all that's left is foam. I keep saying and writing that it's too late. When they got back to .500 at 47-47 then lost five straight, that was a killer. If they're in fourth place, 4 games out with 5 to play, Dooley will figure it's a piece of cake. Gotta love him.
The radio waves have never been too kind where I live. Like I tell Dooley, I would have bought a house north and east of Bloomfield (home of Rock Cats flagship station WDRC) instead of south and west if I had only known.
WDRC comes in loud and clear all day, including that dynamic 3-to-6 drive time when Dooley's home-game partner Dan Lovallo reigns supreme on his fabulous talk show. But when the sun sets in the west, WDRC sets in the east. By 8:30 or so, I'm listening to gospel music from someplace in New Jersey where DRC used to be.
Sometimes, Dooley comes in loud and clear on DRC's Buckley Radio Network affiliate out of Torrington, WSNG-610. But when the sky is clear and the AM waves don't bounce, it's a choice of either a muffled Dooley or Dooley and his choir chanting,"The Lord is my Shepherd."
But technology is marvelous. Dooley is always loud and clear on the internet through http://www.milb.com/. So here I am, with my laptop on my knee and the Twins on TV with the volume turned down. (Tonight I'm shifting back and forth between the Twins and Turner Classic Movies. It's Gary Cooper night and The Westerner is one of my faves.)
I always tell my wife that as soon as I turn Dooley on, I can tell if the Cats are winning or losing by his tone. Most of the Rhode Island accent he brought with him to central Connecticut 10 years ago is gone. It comes through now and then when he gets excited, especially when somebody hits a grand slam.
When the Cats are up, Dooley's voice lilts. When they're losing, you wish you could send him a cold beer via email to make him feel better. I heard that lilt tonight and sure enough, the Cats are winning 2-0 and Anthony Swarzak is mowing down the Fisher Cats.
On TV, the Twins are losing by the same score. Dooley says Twins GM Terry Ryan is in attendance in Manchester. Gotta feel for TR. The door to the playoffs in the AL Central is open but the Twins don't seem to have the sparkle they had last year when they burst through on the season's final day. What they need is another power guy. Why can't TR finagle Mike Piazza from Oakland? Oh, well. Perhaps he'll tell me why when he comes to New Britain Thursday.
Back to the Cats, Dooley says they can make the playoffs. But Dooley sees a full glass of beer in front of him when all that's left is foam. I keep saying and writing that it's too late. When they got back to .500 at 47-47 then lost five straight, that was a killer. If they're in fourth place, 4 games out with 5 to play, Dooley will figure it's a piece of cake. Gotta love him.
posted by Ken Lipshez at
8:42 PM
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