There’s really no way to describe the excitement. The game is so unbelievably fast when you’re watching it up-close. And for as big as some of those guys seem on TV, imagine what they look like when they’re flying out of bounds at you! Plus, you see so much in the bench area– interaction between players and coaches, moments of elation and exasperation that never make air– you feel like the ultimate “insider.”
What’s been the toughest working conditions you’ve had to endure covering a game? –Ken Ortiz, Daly City, CA
Without question, the Raiders-Seahawks, December 16, 2000. It rained so hard that day, I think Husky Stadium (Seattle played its home games there while Quest was being built) was under water before we even kicked-off. I thought my cute rain hat and umbrella would sustain me, but within within five minutes, I had busted two umbrellas. SHEETS of rain. 40 mile an hour wind gusts. It was crazy! At halftime, I went to the restroom, took off my hat, and I swear a gallon of water dumped out of the rim. After that day, there’s hardly anything Mom Nature can throw at me that I can’t handle.
Do you have a favorite NFL team? –Michael Hedrick, Springfield, MO
Tough one, Michael. Being from New Jersey, my family always pulled for the Giants, but after having worked the league for so long, I tend now to root more for individual players and coaches than I do teams. That said, sometimes there are conflicts. Prime example: when Bill Parcells was coaching the Cowboys. Love the man. Loathe the team, lol.
There are those who look to people like you for inspiration, because you knew your destiny at an early age. If you could say something to those who are paralyzed by the “fear of failure”, what would it be? -Stuart Houchin, Louisville, KY
What an intriguing question, Stuart! I can definitely say I have a huge fear of failure, but fortunately, I’ve turned that into a source of motivation, rather than a deterrent from pursuing my dreams. There will always be people who feel women have no business covering football—or sports, in general. If I gave in to the naysayers way back when, my life certainly would’ve taken a different course. While I believe there’s a component of fate in life, I also think we have some control over our destiny. And if you let “fear of failure” paralyze you, you relinquish your ability to do that. So I guess I’d encourage people with any sort of intrepidation to change their mental approach and channel their fear into positive energy that enables them to reach new heights.