I’ve been on two “business trips” this past semester. One to
Los Angeles and the Pac-12 basketball tournament and another, this past week,
to Las Vegas and the National Broadcasters Association/Broadcasters Educational
Association conference. So I’ve had some enjoyable moments, and as one friend
put it, “ If they didn’t want us to have any fun they’d send us to Cleveland.”
The latest trip to the NAB/BEA conference was definitely one
to remember.
After a tumultuous trip to Las Vegas, which was supposed to
be the easy part, coming home from Sin City is the one that’s gives people the
most fits, we jumped right in.
We saw the producer, director, and writer (all one guy) of
“Breaking Bad”. Interesting lecture on a show that probably took more than a
few extracurricular experiences to drum up.
After that it all becomes one big blur, in a good way.
For the next three days we were in “go-mode”. Never a dull
moment and nary a time to ourselves, but, heck, that’s what Las Vegas is all
about.
We sat second row at speech by James Cameron, just some guy
who directed Titanic and Avatar, and Vince Pace, his equal and partner of
innovations in 3-D technology.
They talked, most of the devices and terminology
went sky-high over my head but these great minds are at the forefront of this
curve. For how much they talked about techy stuff they equally lectured on its
promise in sport. From the Masters, in 3-D (amazing by the way), to the
X-Games, which used 34 3-D cameras, they were truly passionate, because it was
a true challenge, about making sports “pop” off the screen and into people’s
homes.
The next day we went to an honoring of Betty White. Again we
snagged a front table and saw the Golden Girl in action. She is just as funny
as any interview or show you’ve seen on television. A true icon.
Right after, and I mean right after we headed to a
conference about Geoffery Mason, and hosted by Bob Ley, ESPN personality. I’d
heard the name before from books and whatnot but it didn’t really register with
me who this was. And apparently neither did it register with anybody else at
the conference. We met Bob Ley before the lecture, talked with him for 20
minutes about just whatever. He was friendly and helpful, and just a good guy.
Then the lecture began and we were literally 4 of only 20 people in the entire
hall, and half were family and friends of Mason. Once the lecture began I
immediately knew where I’d heard the name, the World Cup. Mason executive
produced the whole tournament and is the Executive Vice President of Production
for ESPN. He’s done several Olympic games, Americas Cups, and pretty much any
sport you could ever imagine. He is the boss I someday want to work for, and
not just because he is with ESPN but because he is transforming the way sports
are broadcast.
Coming off that high the final day outlived my expectations.
We went to the career fair, a main reason we were there, but at that point,
just a footnote on an overall great learning experience and trip.
I received great feedback from some top
hiring directors in the business. I talked to people from USA Today Sports, NBC
Sports, and several stations that were enthusiastic about my potential (nice to
get a pat on the back sometimes).
The trip ended, sadly and yet happily we left Vegas. (I don’t
know if I can say the same for the other 300 flights out of Sin City that day.)
Next stop, Denver, or who knows.
