This past week had some highs and lows from the local and regional sports scene. Much like the old ABC Sports intro, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” tagline.
We are wrapping up our 12th season of video streaming with SVI Media which seems both accurate and wild considering where it started and how it has evolved. One story that gets told with lots of laughs (and some shame from me) is the first season I was carrying long SDI cables in a cardboard box after a soccer match because the reels to roll them up had been delayed on a slow boat from somewhere. So, every game we had to untangle the cords. Even going out the door from the building into the parking lot of the Bank of Star Valley. I was not on medication at the time (but should have been) and had just about had it and made a few terse remarks as I wrangled the cords with frozen fingers and a less than patient attitude. Like I said, things have evolved and gotten better but certainly they have changed in just about every way.
One thing that hasn’t is what universally makes us happy as streamers is when we know someone who can’t be at the match or game gets to watch and wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Whether that’s a dad that’s deployed overseas or a grandma that just can’t walk up to the field anymore, we like being able to fill that role. This past week, we lost one of our original streaming grandmas as Geri Hoopes passed away. Being close friends with one of her sons, I often refer to him as my brother from another mother, and so I hurt for him and his family this week. Geri had my phone number and texted me often about SVI-related things. Start times, schedule changes and such. If things were late, she wanted to know why. It even goes back to when we first started in the fall of 2014 and we were basically educating the public on how to watch. It was also an education for us on how to convey that process to those who wanted to do it. I went to her house in those early seasons to make sure things worked because missing the game was not an option. I know viewers like that make up the backbone of what we do at SVI because of their passion, commitment and community pride. I’ll miss knowing that Geri’s texts will not be coming anymore but the good news is, she’s got the best view in the house now from an angle that we simply can’t provide. My thoughts and condolences are with the Hoopes family this week. We’re on the job for a few more matches this week and hope to fill the need for those who can’t always be where they want to be.
Speaking of frozen fingers, our camera operators had them as the Braves pulled out a 2-2 tie this past Friday night against Natrona County on the soccer pitch. That was a fun match and I hope that casual fans of soccer in general will maybe make the commitment to come out this Friday night and make some noise for the local kids who are repping the Crimson & Gold.
This past weekend was also one of my favorite off-season events as the NFL Draft came and went. Maybe it seems odd that someone would want to pay attention to that, but I’m certainly not alone. More than 800,000 people were counted as being part of the three-day event in Pittsburgh with next year’s draft heading to Washington D.C. No Wyoming players were selected although four of them were signed to free agent deals to try and make squads. The favorite to do so has to be “The Vanilla Gorilla”, Caden Barnett who inked with the Chicago Bears. I would not be surprised in the least if he is on the final roster this next fall.
