WEBVTT - TOM's Talks | Marc Zumoff 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.559 search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. This 0:00:08.600 --> 0:00:11.920 week's edition of Tom's Talks is a conversation with one 0:00:11.920 --> 0:00:16.599 of Philadelphia's own NBC Sports Philadelphia TV announcer, Mark zoom Off. 0:00:17.120 --> 0:00:20.480 Mark has called the Sixers games on television since nineteen 0:00:20.600 --> 0:00:23.239 ninety four, and he's been a part of the broadcast 0:00:23.360 --> 0:00:25.319 dating back to the last time the Sixers won the 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:29.600 NBA Championship in nineteen eighty three. We talk about, among 0:00:29.640 --> 0:00:34.360 other topics, broadcasting games offsite, his award winning career, and 0:00:34.440 --> 0:00:37.560 the Sixers chances in the restart to the NBA season. 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:42.800 Here's Mark Zoomof. Welcome once again, everybody to an edition 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:45.760 of Tom's Talks. And today we're joined by award winning 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:49.879 television broadcaster Mark zoom Off from NBC Sports Philadelphia. So 0:00:49.920 --> 0:00:57.400 it's Tom's Talks meets Zoos News. Hello, zus already are 0:00:57.440 --> 0:01:00.160 making me laugh as you normally do. All right, so 0:01:00.680 --> 0:01:03.600 you guys are doing remote broadcasting. You did the three 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:07.039 scrimmages with the Sixers in the bubble in Orlando, and 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:11.640 now the games start. How's the remote broadcasting been working? 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:14.559 And I'm sure you kind of in terms of those scrimmages, 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:16.800 like the dry run, if you even though you were 0:01:16.840 --> 0:01:19.480 on the air, how's that been going with the remote broadcasts. 0:01:20.160 --> 0:01:22.480 So even as I answer, I'm curious as to what 0:01:22.560 --> 0:01:24.640 you think because I know you've been doing the same thing. 0:01:24.720 --> 0:01:28.319 But you're right, the scrimmages were good to sort of 0:01:28.319 --> 0:01:31.360 grease the wheels and get us used to the facility, 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:35.200 the protocols. Entering the building, you have to go through 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.039 security or temperature checked, you go unto the elevator, you 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:39.840 go all the way up to the top to the 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:44.120 hockey press boxes, and then literally we are all situated 0:01:44.240 --> 0:01:49.040 individually in an individual hockey press box. So there's a 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:52.200 work area, there are a couple of thirty two inch screens, 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.720 there's lights that are already there, there's a camera that's 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:57.760 already there. So the reason they're doing is because the 0:01:57.840 --> 0:02:01.280 infrastructure is already in place. In terms of the mechanics, 0:02:01.280 --> 0:02:03.640 I'd really be curious as to what you have to 0:02:03.680 --> 0:02:07.440 say because you're calling the game a lot differently because 0:02:07.520 --> 0:02:11.799 you're not there. You're waiting a beat to either identify 0:02:11.840 --> 0:02:14.080 a player, to make a call, who's the foul, on 0:02:14.200 --> 0:02:17.440 what's the violation that kind of thing. So, but I 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:19.760 think once you get used to that, and I think 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:21.520 it's easier for me Tom that it is for you, 0:02:21.639 --> 0:02:24.160 because I have the pictures to tell the story. So 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:26.440 if I can follow up with a comment that's maybe 0:02:26.480 --> 0:02:28.440 delayed a little bit because I'm not quite sure what's 0:02:28.480 --> 0:02:31.400 going on, it's a little more permissible. With you. There's 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:34.400 always that immediacy and that pressure. Do you feel that 0:02:35.680 --> 0:02:38.800 a little bit? And it's been Honestly, I didn't know 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:40.119 how it was going to go. And I know you've 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:43.000 done remote broadcasting because we actually did the same tournament 0:02:43.400 --> 0:02:46.640 all the way back in two thousand and two. I 0:02:46.720 --> 0:02:52.080 believe that Feeble World Championships from Indianapolis. But anyway, I 0:02:52.120 --> 0:02:53.920 didn't know how it was going to be. Until we 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:56.000 actually started doing it. I felt like we could do it. 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:58.280 We've all seen a million games on TV and basically 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:01.480 that's what we're describing. One thing that strikes me is 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:05.880 I always want to say and the crowd quiets, so 0:03:05.960 --> 0:03:09.920 it's very quiet, and I have to stop because you know, 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:13.240 obviously it's been very quiet. But it's been really it's 0:03:13.240 --> 0:03:15.680 been solid. I mean, the NBA has done a tremendous jobs, 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:18.919 and again for radio to have the audio come in, 0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:21.160 which has been good. And there's been times like they 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:24.440 have a PA announcer, which I love because it you know, 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:27.960 it brings like authenticity, and then it also pays off 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:32.320 of the call because information. As I'm saying Tobias Harris, 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:35.520 he's saying Tobias Herds too. You know. Then like by 0:03:35.600 --> 0:03:38.080 way of example, the second game, the six Ers play 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:42.160 the Spurs, and that's a Sixers home game, so it's 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:45.480 going to be their imaging and I think they're gonna 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:48.040 have Matt Cord with a public address announcement for the 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:50.760 starting lineups. That part is great, and I think it's 0:03:50.760 --> 0:03:54.440 been great for our fans. Have you found that. I'll 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:56.440 tell you what, Speaking of fans, that's the one thing 0:03:56.480 --> 0:04:00.200 that I do miss because you're playing off the fans. 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:03.119 I know, for us, it's an important element. Somebody makes 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:05.400 a big hoop and our director goes wild with our 0:04:05.440 --> 0:04:08.560 crowd and they're very colorful and very much into it. 0:04:08.840 --> 0:04:10.880 And of course from an audio standpoint, it just kind 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:13.040 of supports the whole thing. I mean, that's why they 0:04:13.080 --> 0:04:16.720 call it spectator sports. I think the NBA has done 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:19.000 a really good job with their virtual fans, and I 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:20.599 know the sixer is going to have some sort of 0:04:20.600 --> 0:04:24.400 a contest where whereby fans can become one of those 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:29.000 virtual fans. So listen. It is what it is, whether 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:31.080 we're doing games off a monitor like we used too 0:04:31.120 --> 0:04:33.200 when we were fourteen years old and we were aspiring 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:35.599 play by play announcers, or the fact that we have 0:04:35.680 --> 0:04:37.880 no fans and we have to have virtual fans instead. 0:04:38.080 --> 0:04:40.800 It's just really good to have NBA basketball and I'm 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:44.400 really looking forward to Saturday. One last thing about the fans, 0:04:44.440 --> 0:04:46.000 but I want to get back to that fourteen year 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:48.479 old in a moment. Is I find that fascinating about 0:04:48.480 --> 0:04:51.600 how you began to achieve your dream. But you know, 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:55.440 and you love being in the arena and the fans 0:04:55.480 --> 0:05:00.279 and where we sit in the center, you know, and 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:02.120 you used to sit on the court and you do 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:05.200 a lot on the road. You feel that pulsate through you. 0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:08.760 That's something As a broadcaster, I know you're gonna be 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:11.479 able to meet the moment, but that's what gives you. 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:15.880 You the electricity, and you the energy that's really special, 0:05:15.920 --> 0:05:18.560 and for now that's not the case. But do you 0:05:18.560 --> 0:05:20.800 know what I mean, like over the years, I mean, 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:22.960 you feel you can cut it with an ife, almost 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:26.000 the energy in the building. Well, and think of the 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:28.560 players as well, how they feed off the fans Joel 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.240 and Beat in particular Alan Iverson has used to back 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:33.600 in the day or two thousand and one when they 0:05:33.600 --> 0:05:38.120 went to the finals. It's a it's an imperative, important component. 0:05:39.000 --> 0:05:40.919 Not only do the fans have to be there, but 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:45.000 their supportive advertisers paying the ticket prices, doing whatever it 0:05:45.040 --> 0:05:49.480 is that they do. So listen for fans watching now 0:05:49.680 --> 0:05:52.719 you are sorely missed and we can't wait for the 0:05:52.800 --> 0:05:55.120 day we can get your back in the building. So 0:05:55.320 --> 0:05:58.560 you're part of a broadcast crew and have been for years, 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:00.640 and I know your partners have changed a little bit, 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:03.600 but now with Allah and Serena all of you on 0:06:03.640 --> 0:06:06.040 the air, but JR. Quill and now Mike Kerman and 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:10.520 Josh Schrager and Sean Alexiac overseas. I mean, and you 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:13.719 guys have won so many awards. Your shelves are probably 0:06:13.760 --> 0:06:17.920 full of mid Atlantic Emmys. But it's television like tapestry, 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.400 Like I get to see your monitor, I watch the 0:06:20.440 --> 0:06:24.479 games because oftentimes, like Jr. Will the producer will give 0:06:24.520 --> 0:06:26.960 me a monitor to be able to watch the games 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:30.960 even on the road, And I'm just amazed, Like it's 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:34.520 almost like a film. Whereas, let's say it's Martin Luther 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:37.120 King day and I try to bring I open. It's 0:06:37.160 --> 0:06:40.240 just my voice oftentimes and sometimes a sound bite, but 0:06:40.360 --> 0:06:43.680 I get the importance and the import of the day. 0:06:43.920 --> 0:06:46.799 Whereas your opening and they've showed at the NBA broadcast 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:52.200 meetings where it's best practices, it's unbelievable. Speak to that 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:55.440 a little bit. Well, first, you're very kind to say 0:06:55.520 --> 0:06:58.680 all of that. And basically, Thomas, I look at you. 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.520 You have to be everything. You have to convey the mood, 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:04.159 if it's happy, if it's sad, if it's exciting, it's 0:07:04.160 --> 0:07:08.479 not exciting. Is the coach angry? Are you angry? Whereas 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.200 with us, I'm just a cog in a wheel. I guess, 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:14.040 an important cog to that standpoint, but a cog in 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:17.080 the wheel nonetheless, So I'm kind of the ringmaster or 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:19.720 the host, if you will, And then it's my job 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:22.800 to facilitate everyone. So bring I'll add an Abbey in 0:07:22.880 --> 0:07:25.080 for a comment, Bring Serena Winters into for a comment, 0:07:25.160 --> 0:07:28.760 go to our replay, go to a special effect, do 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:31.160 whatever it is that the producer needs to be done. 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:33.960 There's a constant give and take with the director. I 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:36.600 might be telling a story and he's got to show 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:38.720 the pictures, or he shows a picture and I have 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:40.520 to tell the story. I mean, you know you've done 0:07:40.560 --> 0:07:42.440 your share of TV to get all that, and I 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:45.680 appreciate your opportunity to bring my insight to the fans. 0:07:45.760 --> 0:07:49.840 But I think the thing that is good with our 0:07:50.000 --> 0:07:54.080 group is we all leave our egos outside and we 0:07:54.200 --> 0:07:57.680 try to bring a real team spirit to it. So 0:07:57.800 --> 0:08:00.160 while I might have a very high profile position and 0:08:00.680 --> 0:08:03.800 I'm no more important than a guy like Josh Schreger 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:07.360 you mentioned him, our associate producer, who when Joel Embiid 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:11.440 does something great and post numbers that are unprecedented, he's 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:13.720 there with the research and brings it out and that's 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:16.720 his time to shine. So it's just a team effort. 0:08:16.720 --> 0:08:18.960 I appreciate everything you have to say, but you know, 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:20.560 I'm blessed to be able to work with the people 0:08:20.560 --> 0:08:25.680 that I work with. Speaking of numbers and preparation and research, 0:08:26.480 --> 0:08:29.160 you do as much as anybody, and you've really like 0:08:29.240 --> 0:08:32.360 Grett Brown talks about his pregame routine and for home gaming, 0:08:32.720 --> 0:08:36.280 gets to the center and he works in the building 0:08:36.520 --> 0:08:38.719 all the way up until game time, from give or 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:41.840 take nine or ten am, and you really put him 0:08:41.840 --> 0:08:44.280 the time and you get to the building early. Talk 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:47.160 about that preparation and as you say, you might only 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:50.439 use ten or fifteen percent of it, but it's voluminous 0:08:50.600 --> 0:08:53.200 and it makes you comfortable, it makes you prepared, and 0:08:53.280 --> 0:08:56.600 it brings you to your television broadcast with the best 0:08:56.679 --> 0:09:00.840 preparation possible. Well, I'm going to bout some insight to 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:06.240 the fans and say this. You are encyclopedic. So when 0:09:06.240 --> 0:09:08.040 we're in the bus, or we're at the arena or 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:10.720 just out the dinner or something like that, your recall 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:13.160 of stories and facts and all of these things is 0:09:13.200 --> 0:09:16.960 just unbelievable. I don't have that luxury, so I literally 0:09:17.000 --> 0:09:19.320 have to bone up before every game and get all 0:09:19.360 --> 0:09:22.440 that stuff and marry it to my frontal lobe and 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:27.199 hope that it stays there. But listen, it's all about preparation. 0:09:27.320 --> 0:09:29.000 If you go on the air and you're not prepared, 0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:31.200 if you don't understand the stakes or the good players 0:09:31.240 --> 0:09:34.079 or the xs and o's or the personalities. Then you're 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:37.199 not only doing a disservice to the fan, but it's 0:09:37.559 --> 0:09:41.000 like performing out of costume. You just don't fit with 0:09:41.040 --> 0:09:44.680 the show. So that's something that I was always taught 0:09:44.720 --> 0:09:46.679 by mentors the late grade. Gen Hard it was the 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:49.599 voice of the Flyers. He would carry around back in 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:53.640 the day like a three inch thick notebook with past 0:09:53.800 --> 0:09:55.680 games and things that he could look up and that 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:57.320 sort of thing. And when I listened to him and 0:09:57.640 --> 0:10:00.079 his ability to recall that stuff and the texture it 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:03.800 added to the broadcast, it just, you know, became my 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:07.000 thing as well. Let's go back. I believe it's say 0:10:07.040 --> 0:10:10.240 the spring of nineteen ninety four, the Sixers have just 0:10:10.320 --> 0:10:12.880 signed Scott Williams, who had been with the Chicago Bulls 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:16.400 for three championships. He's a six ten center. They signed 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:19.560 him as a free agent. At that press conference helped 0:10:19.559 --> 0:10:21.360 me on if I'm not from wrong here, yeah, I 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:25.280 know where you're going. Then owner Harold Katz signs up 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:28.520 to next to you and informs you that you are 0:10:28.520 --> 0:10:31.400 going to be the TV voice of your hometown team, 0:10:31.679 --> 0:10:36.439 the Philadelphia seventy Sixers. What was that like? So you 0:10:36.960 --> 0:10:41.000 just gave me chills recalling that moment. I just want 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:43.600 to say to anybody who is watching, if there is 0:10:43.720 --> 0:10:47.439 any way then you could somehow make a dream come true, 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:51.040 no matter how far fetched it is, go for it. 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:53.640 And even if it doesn't happen exactly the way you plan, 0:10:53.880 --> 0:10:57.520 at least you gave it an effort, and you tried. 0:10:58.600 --> 0:11:01.600 The fact that I was in a nine year old kid, 0:11:01.640 --> 0:11:03.280 ten year old kid turning this sound down of the 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:07.040 TV doing games into the tape recorder, and now doing 0:11:07.080 --> 0:11:09.000 the games. This whole thing has been an out of 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:11.680 body experience. So when I decide that I'm not doing 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:13.720 it anymore and somebody taps you on the shoulder and says, 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:16.400 you know, you're just did seventy six ers basketball and 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:20.640 TV for the last however many years, I won't believe them. 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:24.000 It's It's been that kind of experience for me. So 0:11:24.520 --> 0:11:28.720 I'm just grateful and really happy when I wake up 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:31.680 in the morning that when I look at the ceiling, 0:11:31.679 --> 0:11:33.319 I say to beside, you know what, you're going to 0:11:33.360 --> 0:11:36.600 go do a basketball game. And and that's a privilege 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:39.160 and an honor and very special to be able to 0:11:39.200 --> 0:11:41.760 say that. Appropriate you look at the ceiling, because now 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:43.800 you're right by the ceiling at the very top of 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:50.079 the of the center. What so you practice, as you say, 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:53.360 you probably maybe even on a real to reel. And 0:11:53.440 --> 0:11:56.120 I think back on it, and I used to take 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.839 a tape recorder to games where I was. You know, 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:01.199 I had like a TV pas because I used to 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:03.760 be a television news guy. But I used to simulate 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:06.040 the broadcast, but i'd be in the arena. But you 0:12:06.160 --> 0:12:10.600 did it at home, off the TV and developed, you know, 0:12:10.760 --> 0:12:14.600 the early underpinnings, if you will, of your style. Tell 0:12:14.600 --> 0:12:17.880 me more about that. So now you're leading me into 0:12:17.880 --> 0:12:20.040 a story that I know you've heard no less than 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:22.400 five thousand times, but I'll tell it any way to 0:12:22.440 --> 0:12:24.880 those who may not have heard it. That's exactly what 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:26.520 I did. I would turn the sound down of the 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:28.320 TV and do games into a tape re quarter. And 0:12:28.360 --> 0:12:30.760 back in the day, it wasn't like it is now 0:12:30.800 --> 0:12:32.880 where you could turn on any one of a number 0:12:32.880 --> 0:12:36.120 of sports channels and find an event somewhere, even if 0:12:36.120 --> 0:12:38.840 it's a replay. So I would come home from say 0:12:38.920 --> 0:12:42.280 middle school or high school, and I had this desire 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:45.960 to broadcast a game. So I would take the TV 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:48.160 and put it on Channel eight. And back in the 0:12:48.240 --> 0:12:50.600 day we didn't have cable. We had over the air channels, 0:12:50.600 --> 0:12:53.240 and there was no Channel eight in Philadelphia. It was 0:12:53.280 --> 0:12:55.600 just static that sounded like a crowd. So I would 0:12:55.960 --> 0:12:58.000 regulate the crowd, and I would sit next to the 0:12:58.040 --> 0:12:59.760 speaker and I would literally make up a game in 0:12:59.800 --> 0:13:02.160 my head. Here he goes Greedo Chamberlain, chamber on hook 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:05.160 shot good, and I would crank up the sound and 0:13:05.240 --> 0:13:08.800 the static would be exactly like a crowd. So, in fact, 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:12.120 I've told that story a lot now because various writers 0:13:12.120 --> 0:13:13.679 have interviewed me and they say, what's it going to 0:13:13.760 --> 0:13:15.680 be like to do a game without a crowd? So 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:19.360 here's the funny thing, and I say this about players 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:23.040 all the time, that when you watch players in the NBA, 0:13:23.080 --> 0:13:25.840 while they've had formal training and AAU and college and 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:28.720 high school and coaches and camps and everything else, a 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:32.000 lot of what they do at its very core is 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:33.959 stuff that they develop while they are playing in the 0:13:34.040 --> 0:13:36.880 parks in the playground. So it's kind of it's kind 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:38.600 of the same thing for me. A lot of times, 0:13:38.640 --> 0:13:42.120 I'll listen to myself and I'll remind myself of that 0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:44.880 fourteen year old from back in the day. That's cool 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:47.960 now that may or may not have been a union violation. 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:49.920 You're running your own board back then when you're a 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:54.600 fourteen now. But that's true about a person's background because 0:13:54.600 --> 0:13:57.160 I often think of you know, Aaron McKee was a 0:13:57.200 --> 0:13:59.760 great finisher right around the basket, and maybe that was 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:02.839 as he played in playgrounds in North Philadelphia or whatever, 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:06.080 like Sean Bradley grew up in Castledale, Utah. I don't 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:08.319 know that he backed down a lot of people at 0:14:08.360 --> 0:14:11.080 seven six or whatever, you know, in the early ages 0:14:11.120 --> 0:14:13.760 and stages of his career, and that maybe shaped him 0:14:13.840 --> 0:14:16.760 as a pro. I'll give you one more thing while 0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:18.839 we're at it, World be Free. Always tell us a 0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:20.920 story about playing with the older kids, and that's why 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:22.560 he had such a high arc on his jump shot. 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:27.240 We'll continue our conversation in a moment. In this time 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:32.240 of social distancing, Novacare Rehabilitation is offering physical therapy from 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:35.400 the comfort and safety of your home. Through their new 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:40.200 tell A Rehab program. Novacare will virtually bring their services 0:14:40.240 --> 0:14:43.920 to you so you may heal, build strength, and get 0:14:43.920 --> 0:14:46.720 back to the things you love. Tell A rehab let 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:50.560 you easily connect with one of Novocare's licensed therapists through 0:14:50.640 --> 0:14:54.640 web based technology that is Hippo compliant. For more information, 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.480 visit novacare dot com. Now back to my chat with 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:02.800 Mark Zumov. So, one of the things I think your 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:05.680 listeners and the listeners of our podcast here ll get 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:08.360 a kick out of is you got when your career 0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:10.360 was starting and you went to Temple And I'd like 0:15:10.440 --> 0:15:13.200 to delve into that in a moment, But first, you 0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:16.440 guys were part of the Prism and Sports Channel crew 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:18.680 at what we call Room ten. It was in this 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:22.080 spectrum and there's so many of you that are still 0:15:22.160 --> 0:15:26.120 friends today, John Slovakia, I mentioned j R. Quilla, Sean 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:29.880 Alexei Ac, Larry Rosen was, don't know Paul Jalovich was 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:31.880 in that room. But all of that it was a 0:15:31.920 --> 0:15:34.160 little room. No, I mean the Deck Uron is probably 0:15:34.200 --> 0:15:37.560 just as big on that event level of the spectrum. 0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:41.040 And how almost all of you have excelled and are 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:44.680 still in the business a special deal that dates all 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:47.400 the way back twenty five thirty years ago. Tell me 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:53.000 more about that Room ten is we've often joked that 0:15:53.080 --> 0:15:56.080 it should be a series on TV. It should be 0:15:56.120 --> 0:16:00.440 a sitcom. Because there was a small room at the spectrum. 0:16:00.480 --> 0:16:02.680 We were an adjunct to the events then, so we 0:16:02.720 --> 0:16:05.760 did between periods, We did halftime, pregame, postgame, that sort 0:16:05.760 --> 0:16:10.920 of thing. We did features and provided other information for 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:14.320 the old Prism TV, the four Runners, NBC Sports Philadelphia, 0:16:14.320 --> 0:16:16.720 they had a commodation of movies and of course the 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:20.480 hometown sports. And we worked in an environment that while 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:25.080 we were covering major market teams and broadcasting to a 0:16:25.120 --> 0:16:28.200 major market, it was no different Tom than you know, 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:30.560 you working in one of the Panhandle cities that you 0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:33.920 worked in when you were coming from one. Yeah, but 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:35.560 my point to you is, I don't know if it 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:39.320 was Pensacola, what was it. It was Panama City. It 0:16:39.360 --> 0:16:42.680 was Panama City. Okay, all right, but but but my 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:46.080 point to you is we had small market conditions where 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:49.160 equipment didn't work, and we got paid very little and 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:51.480 that sort of thing. But being thrown together in this 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:54.320 little room, I think kind of bonded us and gave 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:57.040 us a really good work ethic. So John slovakians a 0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:00.440 vice president of NBC Sports Regional Networks, and Sear Lexiyak, 0:17:00.480 --> 0:17:03.720 who was also my intern, is now my boss, Jeff 0:17:03.720 --> 0:17:08.080 Hallickman is the producer for Philly's Baseball, and the list 0:17:08.119 --> 0:17:10.800 goes on. So we're really proud of it. It's nice 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:13.639 to bring it up, and I'm it dredged up some 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:16.920 good memories being able to just talk about it well 0:17:16.960 --> 0:17:19.800 and the late Tony Irving. You guys did a lot 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:23.920 of work together, and you know the speak of those cameras. 0:17:24.359 --> 0:17:27.200 You might drive up to Boston to interview Larry Bird 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:29.119 at Hill Senate College and on the way back go 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:31.760 to the garden and go into the locker room of 0:17:31.840 --> 0:17:34.560 the Lakers. I mean today, certainly there would be some 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:37.959 for planning. You could accomplish some interviews, but not like 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:40.960 back then where you're going, you know, interview Larry Bird 0:17:41.080 --> 0:17:43.760 in the afternoon and the next day see or that 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:47.240 nice see Magic Johnson? Those are that those were your 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:51.920 salad days. That was a pretty good appetizer. You're absolutely right. 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:55.560 The accessibility was a lot different, and I understand why 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:59.239 they're not as accessible now because the Internet, because there 0:17:59.240 --> 0:18:02.960 are so many different media outlets. There are legitimate ones, 0:18:03.040 --> 0:18:05.720 there are pretenders, there are people who are clamoring for 0:18:05.760 --> 0:18:09.520 their time, and because of that, they need people to 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:13.439 I don't want to say shield them, but certainly sift 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:17.560 through the legitimate requests and the ones that aren't so legitimate. 0:18:17.600 --> 0:18:21.760 But yeah, back then it was great. And Tony was 0:18:21.800 --> 0:18:25.200 an African American God Rest his soul from North Philly, 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:28.440 and he taught me the game. And I have to 0:18:28.480 --> 0:18:31.359 admit that because I was with him interacting with other 0:18:31.400 --> 0:18:34.760 African Americans, he helped to open that door. So we 0:18:34.800 --> 0:18:37.080 would settle up to Magic Johnson and he would talk 0:18:37.119 --> 0:18:39.159 the talk, and then the next thing you know, Magic 0:18:39.240 --> 0:18:41.480 Johnson is telling us about the Robert Hall suit that 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:43.560 he wore from the time he was twelve until the 0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:47.000 time he was sixteen. So you know, I have a 0:18:47.080 --> 0:18:50.200 lot of gratitude for Tony for showing me those ropes, 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:53.160 and yeah, they were great times. That taught me the game, 0:18:53.240 --> 0:18:56.400 and that I think has what enabled me to cover 0:18:56.440 --> 0:18:59.360 the game as I do now. Tony had a swagger. 0:18:59.400 --> 0:19:03.080 He wasn't ready to go in there and ask somebody where. 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:06.320 Sometimes I might be like two polite or whatever, but 0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:08.639 I want to get the Temple and you're a proud 0:19:08.640 --> 0:19:12.560 Owl alum and Temple University and we just lost Luke 0:19:12.640 --> 0:19:16.080 Lein a year or two ago. But and we've been there. 0:19:16.240 --> 0:19:19.320 You got the Luke Clein Award where you got into 0:19:19.359 --> 0:19:21.919 the Temple Hall of Fame for that, as well as 0:19:21.960 --> 0:19:25.480 some of the people we've already spoke of Sean and whatnot. 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:29.520 And I've gone there, and when you see some of 0:19:29.560 --> 0:19:32.960 the people that went to school there, I mean, right 0:19:33.040 --> 0:19:38.200 here in Philadelphia. What an incredible training ground to get 0:19:38.280 --> 0:19:40.960 experience in a market this size at a school like that, 0:19:41.440 --> 0:19:45.920 the Luke Clin School of Journalism Communications, What a neat 0:19:45.960 --> 0:19:49.080 thing that is. I think it's easy to say that. 0:19:49.359 --> 0:19:51.119 I would say this when you look at some of 0:19:51.160 --> 0:19:55.119 the other schools as well, Syracuse, Ball State, Indiana University, 0:19:55.720 --> 0:19:59.760 those other schools that have supplied a lot of people 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:05.000 in our business. It's probably a combination of great faculty, 0:20:05.640 --> 0:20:10.320 great facilities, great curriculum, and if you have one or 0:20:10.359 --> 0:20:13.399 two notable graduates, like you look back at Syracuse and 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:17.879 you have Marv Albert, or you have Marty Glickman I 0:20:17.880 --> 0:20:21.800 believe was at Fordham, and then you know Mike Breen 0:20:21.880 --> 0:20:25.159 went there. So I think that what happens is it 0:20:25.240 --> 0:20:28.200 kind of feeds upon itself. I'm not sure what comes first, 0:20:28.200 --> 0:20:30.919 the chicken or the egg, but the fact that you 0:20:31.040 --> 0:20:33.680 have one or two notable graduates, I think is an attraction, 0:20:33.680 --> 0:20:36.040 along with the fact that Temple just does a great 0:20:36.119 --> 0:20:43.239 job training and graduating prospective broadcasters. And speaking of prospective broadcasters, 0:20:43.280 --> 0:20:47.720 college students, young people in the business. You've taken to 0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:52.120 mentoring and actually helped evolve that into a business. You've 0:20:52.119 --> 0:20:55.719 helped dozens and dozens of young broadcasters. Mark tell us 0:20:55.760 --> 0:20:59.400 more about that. Yes, I don't do it anymore as 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:01.520 a business. I stopped it a couple of years ago, 0:21:01.640 --> 0:21:05.240 but it's something that I really enjoy. I often refer 0:21:05.480 --> 0:21:10.399 to the late physicist Richard Feynman who had a saying 0:21:10.520 --> 0:21:13.480