The Overlap

For a broadcaster, we have entered the time of the year that is both very hectic yet very enjoyable.

I am talking, of course about the time period we like to call 'The Overlap.'

It's that two to three week period in November when football is wrapping up and basketball is just starting up. It can sometimes be a tricky proposition for us broadcasters. There are several logistical things we need to address when we first examine the schedules and how they might come together.

The work really begins in the summer - when there are no games. I make sure we have three viable broadcasting kits. These will feature a transmitting device, headsets, crowd microphones, cables, etc. We've never had a situation where we've needed to do four broadcasts at once but we have often had three so it's important for me to have all three events covered and covered professionally.

Once the MAC and Kent State announce the basketball schedules, I'll sit down and lay everything out on a calendar. I also have to throw the weekly radio show in there to make sure it doesn't catch anyone by surprise. The last thing we want is a radio show where all the coaches are traveling for games or recruiting!

When we've identified the overlap areas, I'll start assigning broadcasters to events. We were very fortunate this year to have the football schedule move to the mid-week as early as it did. And thanks to some shrewd maneuvering by our crack office staff, we've been able to keep all the games covered by our familiar voices.

For me, there are two overlap seasons - November and March. The latter takes place when basketball and wrestling teams are heading into post-season (an annual tradition at KSU!) and our fine baseball team is beginning conference play. All the same planning comes into play and I'm fortunate to have true pros like Dave Wilson and Rob Polinsky at my disposal to fill all our Golden Flashes contests.

Tonight, I hope you'll take time to attend Senior Night at Robert C. Dix Stadium as the Flashes battle the Miami RedHawks. And bring a transistor radio or smartphone to listen to our basketball team takes on Seton Hall! It's the Overlap!

TL

Don James

When word first got to me about KSU and UW coaching legend Don James' passing, I immediately thought of a highly entertaining and privileged telephone conversation I had with him just last autumn.

As the reunion of KSU's first (and to this point, only) MAC Championship football team drew near, I was charged with writing a retrospective two-page story to appear in the game program. I sought out several key names from that 1972 team and conducted interviews, including a 30-minute call to James in his suburban Seattle home. When I was finished I was faced with two hard realities: Don James is a coaching icon and this story was going to be much longer than two pages.

It isn't everyday I get to interview a coach who is both a national champion and hall of famer. But for one afternoon last fall, I did. And I cherished every moment of it. Make no mistake, I am very fortunate to have the job I have, but it does have some tough trade-offs. I've missed holidays, graduations, weddings and spend a lot of time away from family and friends due to travel. But the chance to interview a coaching giant in Don James makes it all worth it.

I was immediately saddened to hear of Coach's passing. I thought of his lovely wife Carol and how tough it would have been for her at times - considering all the game and recruiting travel, when times got tough in Kent and Washington - when fans and journalists can be very unforgiving. And yet through it all I shook my head in awe at their astounding 60-plus years of marriage. 

I thought of the James Gang. And how they hadn't seen each other in so many years and decades until that beautiful reunion last August. I thought of our own Herb Page who has gone from a player on James' team to now leading a team of his own in KSU's nationally renowned golf program. And I also thought of many other players on that team whom no one believed in. 

Except Don James.

I have condensed my interview with Coach James down to about 10 minutes and you can listen to it at the link below:

Don James Interview

I have also decided that as my own personal tribute to Coach James and his KSU legacy, I will allow Kent State's first offensive play on Saturday against UB to be run in silence. Rob, Matt and me will turn our microphones off and pay homage to one of the greatest coaches and men to ever grace us.

Homecoming Weekend

Well, as many of you around northeast Ohio have undoubtedly noticed, Mother Nature is starting to change her wardrobe a bit.

This year's homecoming game is quite literally a homecoming. The Flashes haven't played a home game in 28 days. Since dropping that Sept. 7 game to Bowling Green, KSU has traveled 3,174 miles. That's a long haul and keep in mind it's a shorter trip to Seattle, Los Angeles and Mexico City. Fortunately, the grueling three-game road trip ended with a victory in Kalamazoo Saturday night - Kent's first at Waldo Stadium since 1988!

I always enjoyed Homecoming at Kent State more than high school for a few reasons. Number one the game is much more meaningful because the Golden Flashes are not usually playing a cupcake team. Secondly, there's no pressure to ask the pretty blonde out to the dance on Saturday night. And finally, I love seeing all the former athletes and their families back in campus wearing the blue and gold.

Homecoming Weekend is also a great chance to see several KSU teams in action. For instance, our field hockey team plays today at 1 pm at Murphy Mellis Field. Few people realize what a solid program that has been for a very long time. In fact, it was the field hockey team which started an incredible string of MAC dominance back in 1991 with a league championship. Since then, we have won at least one conference title in each year!

Also, our volleyball team plays tonight against Bowling Green and then tomorrow night against Miami. Coach Gromala's team got the Golden Flashes off on the right foot last weekend in this year's PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge with a thrilling 3-2 win at Rhodes Arena. If you can't make it tonight, we'll have it for you on the Golden Flashes iHeart Radio channel at 7 pm.

Wherever you may be coming from, I wish you and your family safe travels back to campus this weekend! Check out downtown Kent and the beautiful University Esplanade! And let's not forget it will be Dr. Lefton's final homecoming as our president before his well deserved retirement.

Go Flashes!

TL

Life on the Road

Road trips with the KSU Football team are the best.

Not only do we get treated first-class, there is quite a bit of down time to explore whichever locale we might be in.

Never was this more true than last weekend in Louisiana! After our flight arrived in Baton Rouge at noon on Friday, we had ample time to get settled, adjust to the heat and humidity and grab a rental car.

Thanks to KSU Director of New Media Dave Carducci - who seemingly has friends all over the globe - we were welcomed into the beautiful city of New Orleans. I had been there once before on a women's basketball trip and was looking forward to seeing more of the Crescent City. Joining us in our expedition were my broadcast partners Rob Polinsky and Matt Miller as well as ticket office manager Eric Fronczek and video coordinator Nick Kane.

We had a great time checking out Bourbon Street and the surrounding areas. We were able to take in some great live jazz, sample some terrific seafood and even ran into a few other Kent State fans! The great time ended with Carducci buying us all a plate of beignets from the famous Café Du Monde. Talk about a perfect way to finish off a great night!

The game experience was pretty much on par with many other major conference schools we've visited. It was about 92 steamy degrees for tailgating and I think the sweltering heat chased many fans away because Tiger Stadium was nowhere near capacity for the ballgame. It was great to meet longtime LSU radio voice Jim Hawthorne before the game as well.

I am looking forward to Part II of the road trip this weekend when we pack up for State College. The Diner at Penn State is one of my favourite eating establishments of all time, offering cheese fries with a liquid white cheddar sauce and spectacular grilled stickies for dessert. I will probably be fasting for two days leading up to the trip!

On the field, I like what I see from a KSU offense which continues to evolve around quarterback Colin Reardon. Offensive Coordinator Brian Rock has done a masterful job in sending him plays he can succeed with while also raising his confidence. I think we have something special at that position. I am also looking forward to seeing Colin's counterpart this weekend in freshman Christian Hackenburg. I saw him in an Elite 11 QB camp once and am interested in seeing how he's progressed.

Until Saturday at 2:30, Go Flashes!

TL

It's Game Time!

Hi again everybody! Well, after a 235-day wait, Golden Flashes football is finally set to return! Maybe it's me, or maybe it's the excitement from 2012, but this 2013 NCAA Football season sure took its sweet time getting here!

It has been a great Opening Week so far at KSU. From the packed sidewalks to the excitement brought forth by better than 4,200 freshmen, this place has been buzzing all week! 

Part of that excitement was caught on tape Monday afternoon during the season premiere of the Paul Haynes Show. We held it at the MAC Centre and you can hear it all the way until game time Thursday on our Golden Flashes iHeart Radio Channel. Coach Haynes and his staff have been counting down the months, weeks and now days until tomorrow night's opener and they are all very well prepared.

I am a big fan of superheroes, and this summer's blockbuster "Man of Steel" was phenomenal. I just finished producing the special broadcast open for tomorrow's game. Make sure you've got us tuned in right at 5 p.m. to hear it. Kickoff then comes your way at 6 p.m. as Rob Polinsky joins me in the booth for the fourth straight year. We are also welcoming back my former TV-2 partner Matt Miller to report from the sidelines this year. Matt and me were mainstays on TV-2's coverage of KSU basketball and wrestling back in 2005 and 2006 and it'll be great to have that added insight in our broadcasts. Check the photo below from DEEP in the archives!

We'll be LIVE! in the Hungry Howie's Broadcast Hacienda tomorrow night bringing the Thursday night opener to life for you on our flagship WHLO 640. Don't forget all KSU games will be simulblast on our Golden Flashes iHeart Radio Channel. If you haven't yet downloaded the FREE app to your smart phone and/or tablet, do it now!

Well, I'm off to beautiful Robert C. Dix Stadium! Talk to y'all tomorrow!

GO FLASHES!!

TL

Training Camp Wrap-up and Back to School

Hi again everybody!

Training camp unofficially wrapped up yesterday for the Golden Flashes and after a couple well deserved days off, the boys in blue and gold will start to begin preparation for the Liberty Flames. It will be good to see former Buffalo coach Turner Gill back on the sidelines at Robert C. Dix Stadium and he and his team will provide a worthy first opponent for Paul Haynes.

The coaching staff announced recently that Colin Reardon will be the starter behind center for the opener. He hails from one of the best-kept secrets in Ohio high school football - the Poland Seminary Bulldogs. As an avid fan of Ohio prep football, the Bulldogs are always a threat in Division III. David Fisher had a solid camp and I like what I've seen from the younger guys as well. Having been around this program for 13 years, I can't remember a time we've had this much quality depth at QB.

. . .

I haven't picked out my traditional opening night tuxedo yet. I was thinking either white with a gold vest or maybe something completely off-the-wall like purple and green.

. . .

The first day of school always brings mixed emotions. Part of it is putting summer in a casket and the doom of impending cold weather. The other part is seeing old friends again and the sense of a new beginning.

I have some good first day of school memories and some not so good. I remember my first day of Kindergarten at Shumaker Elementary and finding a note in my Peanuts lunch box from my mom wishing me luck. Then there was the first time I got to get on the big yellow bus with my brother - putting on the brave face so he wouldn't be nervous.

Then there was my first day as a freshman at Kent State. I foolishly scheduled a 7:45 a.m. class and the Cleveland Indians kept me up late the night before and badda bing badda boom I totally missed my alarm. I was able to hitch a ride from my aunt (and roommate), softball coach Karen Linder. She dropped me off at Bowman Hall for my next class and about halfway through it I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

I consider myself a connoisseur of the English language but I'm telling you, there were words in that syllabus Mr. Webster himself had never seen. My heart sank deeper as I saw one of the class requirements was a 5-6 page paper due every Friday. My bankroll vanished when I noticed there were four required textbooks for the course. My mind started racing as I thought of possible career alternatives.

Finally I realized the male professor I had signed up to take wasn't much of a male at all. The male professor was in fact a silver-haired female professor in a polka-dotted dress. My eyes shot down to the syllabus again.

PSYCH 30043 - ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY 

I was in the wrong classroom.

I had managed to put myself in the second of Bowman Hall's lecture rooms. I was sitting in a senior-level advanced psychology class. To this day I thank the Lord I was in an aisle seat so I was able to sprint... err, walk quickly out of there without drawing attention to myself.

My most sincere welcome to the KSU Class of 2017. You will love it here.

TL

Wollet Ready for Senior Season

Hi again everybody! I just came from morning practice where - believe it or not - you almost needed a jacket. It continues to be unseasonably cool for football training camp 2013. We are also approaching that "stale" or "dead" period of camp when things start to get monotonous for everyone.

Senior Luke Wollet is currently enjoying his final training camp with the Golden Flashes. That's hard to believe as it seems like just yesterday the Poland Seminary product was making key plays for the Flashes' defense under the watchful eye of veterans like Brian Lainhart and Dan Hartman. It's been a joy to watch him evolve into one of the MAC's best playmakers.

Wollet is now under the charge of his third defensive coordinator in his KSU experience. I had the chance to catch up to the man who may enjoy McDonald's chicken nuggets even more than me.

"Camp's been good. We got a new group of guys and I think we are growing every day chemistry-wise and it's a process but I think we are taking the right steps," he said.

Wollet finished his junior season with 116 tackles - six of them for a loss - and added four interceptions to a Kent State defense which was known for wreaking havoc.

"We lost some great seniors last year and guys need to step up. For the younger guys it's about seizing opportunity - you only get so many chances in life.

"It was a really physical spring and coach Haynes is doing a good job of keeping our best interests in mind," he added.

One of the themes around this year's football team is trying to move on from the unprecedented success enjoyed by the 2012 season - something Wollet says is tough, but necessary.

"It's a new challenge for all of us. We've always had to come back from failure. We've always been faced with adversity here so we're excited for the challenge."

KSU will get a good look at many position battles and also look to build depth at Saturday (8/17) morning's jersey scrimmage.

Until next time, Go Flashes!

TL

Looking in on Day Three of Full Pads

Hi again everybody! Well the morning rains gave way to some intermittent sunshine this morning at Robert C. Dix Stadium allowing the Golden Flashes to pop some pads on day seven of training camp.

I have been attending training camp practice sessions every year since 2007 and I can't ever remember such intense energy and competition this early in the season. From the players to the coaches, it was a terrific high-energy morning session. I think Flashes fans are in for another entertaining football season.

One person I paid particular attention to was new defensive coordinator Brian George. Coach George worked with the defensive line a year ago and was a natural candidate for the promotion once Paul Haynes was hired. If this practice was any indication, Flashes fans are going to love Coach George in his new position. He was all over the field, working just as hard with a starter as a third string guy and his attention to detail is going to keep the KSU defense operating at the high level it has enjoyed for years.

Another young man I was delighted to see was Tyshon Goode. Old number five had a tremendous 2011 campaign and was key to Kent State's late-season surge. He missed 2012 due to injury but has been practicing all week and on this day made a fine over-the-shoulder grab. It was indeed a sight for sore eyes!

"He can bring a lot. We need those numbers (from 2011) again," coach Haynes told us afterward.

Quarterbacks David Fisher and Colin Reardon both took time with the other first string offensive players against the first and second team defenses. They both looked pretty good and I think either is capable of leading the team. Coach Haynes said neither has taken a "lead" in the competition.

"We're still trying to put some offense in and both of those guys are still learning so they are going to make some mistakes. We won't have a great feel until after the jersey scrimmage (Aug 17)."

The Flashes will have a pair of practice sessions tomorrow before a kick scrimmage on Saturday morning.

Until next time!

TL

Radio Show Update!

Hi again everybody! The dog days of August are here, and so far the weather has been kind to the Golden Flashes football team and coaches. It certainly has been an odd spring and summer around here, hasn't it?

Today marks the first day out at Robert C. Dix Stadium where the team will be going with full pads and helmets. Tomorrow will be the first "two-a-day" practice with one in the morning and a nightcap in the afternoon. I'll be checking them out over the next few days and report my findings here!

Speaking of football, I have some news regarding the weekly football radio shows. Last year we shifted the show from the early evening to the afternoon to accommodate the lunch crowd at Water Street Tavern and the response was phenomenal! This year we are going to make just a slight change.

Starting with the season premier on August 26, the Paul Haynes Show will take place on Mondays at the Water Street Tavern and will follow Paul's weekly news conference. I am pretty excited about this little tweak and think it will get game week off to a great start each and every week of the 2013 season. Cajun Dave's - the restaurant at WST - will remain open for lunch as well. The radio show will air live on our iHeart Radio channel and then be replayed throughout the week. It will also get replay time on our flagship, 640 WHLO.

I'll have more information on this and other topics as we get closer. Until then, have a great Tuesday!

TL

Greetings from Northwest Florida

Hi everyone, this is David Carducci, Director of New Media at Kent State.

Welcome to Kent State Blogs, the official blog home of the new www.kentstatesports.com.  I'm looking forward to following "LInder's Look" and reading - instead of just hearing - what the voice of the Golden Flashes has to say about the Golden Flashes teams.

Ty Linder is out of town as we launch the new website, but he sent this message and asked me to post it as his first blog entry.

Be sure to check back here and at our other blogs on the Kent State website. We hope to make the new site more interactive for our fans, so feel free to start some online conversations with the @KSUvoice.

Here's the message from Ty:



By Ty Linder

Greetings from Northwest Florida and the Naval Support Activity Base! Located in Panama City, Among other commands, it houses Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) and the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU). I'm down here catching up with former Golden Flashes wrestler Josh Walbom who is in the United States Coast Guard!

It's an honor to be able to gain such great access to a military base and be surrounded by some of the bravest and best minds in our country!

This is pretty much my last chance to enjoy some down time before KSU football gets going very soon. I think you are all going to be pleased with the radio coverage on the Golden Flashes Radio Network this year. Thanks to some big time equipment upgrades, I can't wait until our first live broadcast on Thursday night, August 29!

If you haven't already done so, check out "Flashback" on the Golden Flashes iHeart Radio Channel! I put together a 60-minute radio show which recaps the entire 2012-2013 season. It runs every hour, on the hour. 

Any and all feedback is welcomed and appreciated! My email is tlinder@kent.edu.

Be on the lookout for football training camp video updates soon!

Until next time, Go Flashes!