Sports Writing for early April 18, 2017

2017 APRIL 18 Sports Update Material

MLB/BRAVES

HOW SWEEP IT IS.

THE ATLANTA BRAVES WALK OFF WITH A FIVE-FOUR WIN OVER THE SAN DIEGO PADRES, SWEEPING THEM IN A FOUR GAME SERIES ON MONDAY NIGHT.

DANSBY SWANSON GOT SUNTRUST PARK’S FIRST WALK-OFF WIN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH WITH A BASE HIT. 

BRAVES ARE NOW 4-0 IN THEIR NEW HOME AND WILL START A THREE-GAME SERIES AGAINST THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

NBA PLAYOFFS

CAVS 117 PACERS 111 GAME TWO (CLEVELAND LEADS 2-0)(LEBRON, LOVE, AND IRVING COMBINE FOR 89)

SPURS 92 GRIZZLIES 82 (SAN ANTONIO LEADS 2-0)(KAHWAI LEONARD WITH 37)

TONIGHT’S GAME TWO’S

MILWALKEE AT TORONTO (MIL 1-0)

CHICAGO AT BOSTON (CHI 1-0)

UTAH AT LA CLIPPERS (UTAH 1-0)

NHL PLAYOFFS

OTTAWA 4 BOSTON 3 (F/OT) OTT LEADS 2-1

TORONTO 4 WASHINGTON 3 (F/OT) TOR LEADS 2-1

NASHVILLE 3 CHICAGO 2 (F/OT) NASH LEADS 3-0

ANAHEIM 5 CALGARY 4 (F/OT) ANA LEADS 3-0

TONIGHT’S GAME THREE’S

MONTREAL AT NY RANGERS (MTL 2-1)

PITTSBURGH AT COLUMBUS (PIT 3-0)

EDMONTON AT SAN JOSE (EDM 2-1)

Zach Irwin Sports Update Demo for April 7, 2017

ZACH IRWIN SPORTS UPDATE DEMO 3.29.2017

Zach Irwin Sports Update Demo March 27, 2017

Dreams of news and a TV cop show came together

Early this morning, I had a scary dream where I was going to be late for an early morning work shift.  I was afraid that I would over sleep, and I did. 

I was on my way to work, but instead of editing like I usually do, I was set to cover what I believed to be a crime story.  I was going to shoot and field edit video from a crime scene.  In there dream, there were two piles of money lying around.  For a while, I thought I was on the set of a TV crime drama. 

The work/TV crime drama was set somewhere near North Hollywood near where the 134 and 170 freeways meet. 

I had to edit/blur out some video that I was supposed to cut in order to make air on time.  Instead of using an AVID machine like I would usually use, I had to edit with a blurry screen covering a camera in order not to show some things nobody should see on TV.  Presumable, I had to avoid showing some of the gory parts of a crime scene near a couple of TV trucks. 

Along the way, I met with an engineer that I normally work with here at CBS46 in Atlanta.  He seemed calm, cool, and collected while I just stood somewhere clueless and didn't know what was going on.

In reality, I woke up from the dream and I woke up twice.  I got up a bit early at 1:15am and then I woke up for good at 1:26am.  I made it to work on time and early around 2:50am.  I'm about to go home for the day very soon. 

Let the rest of the day begin.

Zach Irwin Edit - Falcons Improving Defense (January 20, 2017)

My dream of being a Chargers fan ended on January 12, 2017

After all the Boos from me about this, and me booing Chargers Owner Alex Spanos, I recognized a death in my fandom.

I've had a week to let the loss of (what once were) my Chargers in San Diego last week. Even thought I haven't lived in Southern California for more than 3 decades, I still felt some sort of a kinship with that team.

It's true that the team probably never knew my name, but I knew most of theirs (both players and coaches). I really started following football in 1990 with the Phoenix Cardinals and later the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers didn't start winning again until 1992 after starting off at a horrific 0-4 clip. My Chargers went 11-1 to finish the season and win the AFC WEST and a home playoff game versus the Kansas City Chiefs. My fandom reached an all-time high at the time.

My fandom would be eclipsed in a big big way in 1994. My Chargers started 6-0 to propel them to another AFC WEST crown and a pair of playoff victories (including an improbable win in Pittsburgh to win the AFC and a trip to Super Bowl XXIX).

That victory and the start of Super Bowl XXIX were the peak of success for my team and would never be reached again.

After that, I suffered through Kevin Gilbride, Ryan Leaf, and Mike Riley among other things before Marty Schottenheimer, Drew Brees, and LaDainian Tomlinson turned things around for my team and gave me hope again.

Some of my best times as a Charger fan were when I got to log some games for CNN and get paid for them. I even went into fanboy mode and bought an LT jersey (I got another one as a gift).

After my team fired Schottenheimer, I suffered from the Norv Turner years (even though he took Marty's team to the 2007 AFC TITLE GAME). I even suffered through the Mike McCoy years (even though we got a playoff victory out of him).

The next best times of my Charger fandom were when I attended the Christmas Eve Monday Night Football Game vs. the Broncos in 2007 and this season's game here in Atlanta vs. the Falcons on October 23, 2016. Little did I know that was the last San Diego Chargers game I'd ever see again.

Now that they've moved on to Los Angeles, a move that nobody wanted. I will always have my memories of them. My three favorite teams are the following, the ones that defied all pre-season expectations: the 1992, 1994, and 2004 teams.

When the Chargers "bolt"ed for San Diego, a piece of my heart was taken away from me as well.

Distant Video Replay of 2017 #1: Bronski Beat - "Smalltown Boy" (1984)

Dreaming about working with my CNN friend again

On Monday, I had a dream where I was back at CNN working in front of a computer.

I was working with my friend Eric in this computer room working with some 1990's style Macs.  We weren't editing anything like we usually did.  We were working either on a computer program or on an essay together.

While we were at work, Eric was trying to teach me some valuable work/life lessons along the way.  He was trying to teach me about having a good attitude at work.  I swear I've heard this story and lesson in real life a few times before.

He basically told me that I need to have a good attitude, don't piss anybody off, don't rub people the wrong way, and be happy to be at work where you are.

In the dream, I remember being happy about being back at work back at CNN.  I remember finding my happy place in that computer room.  Maybe I was just happy to be in a computer room anywhere I could find one.

In real life:  I haven't worked for CNN since I was laid off there in November 2011.  I've adjusted to working at CBS46 here in Atlanta pretty well as far as I can tell. 

I can't tell where the future will take me, but I will pray to the Lord to help him tell me where he needs me to be.

For the record, I enjoy working with my Ex-CNN colleagues here at CBS46.

Zach Irwin Sports Update Demo 11.17.2016