Saturday, July 12, 2008

On the subject of Chicago and the IDEA Family

Greetings from Turn One…Saturday afternoon… from the infield at Chicagoland Speedway, where the Sprint Cup race will take place in just a few hours. It is just the opportunity to bring you up to speed on the past week... or at least start.

Life is a series of experiences. If that be true, I have lived a lifetime over the past week.

I arrived in Chicago last Sunday, and moved straight to experience one. Instead of taking the taxi to the hotel, I chose to ride the L – the CTA train from O’Hare to downtown. I was told it would let me off a couple of blocks from the hotel. I had taken many a trip on the Washington DC Metro growing up. This trip was old time subway and elevated. Interesting, until the two blocks walk turned to about 10 wheeling a 50 pound bag and a briefcase.

The IDEA Conference, a gathering of all the people who bring you the big screen shows at your arenas and stadiums, was an educational experience. People who do their jobs very well, shared their knowledge and experience with veterans and novices alike. Last season, I was the novice, this year, the sophomore. There was lots to learn, but this year, I could teach as well.

The conference was the reason for the trip. The people I met, and the things we did after the work was done is the basis for a compendium of memories.

Upon arriving, I missed the opening reception, (thanks to not taking a taxi like I should have.) Thankfully Pete from NC State and the Carolina Hurricanes recognized me from last year, and invited me to join a group at Bar Louie. Famished, I enjoyed the Italian Beef Sandwich. On my own, I was happy to have company… and lots of it as our small group turned to be a table for 10, then 20.

You never know whom you will click with as friends. Most people were at the conference as part of a big group. For me, it was just little ol’ me. (Okay, I am not little.) One other traveling solo was Owen from UT-Chattanooga. We came from similar backgrounds, and were guys who had to play multiple roles to be successful in our jobs. We arrived as strangers, we left as friends.

Night one of the conference meant a trip to the United Center and Soldier Field. Most of the night was spent looking at other peoples work, voting for the best. The rest of the night was open bar, which for someone who has not had a drink since the early nineties, meant I was going to spend a lot of time people watching.

Owen and I were in awe of the facilities, seeing massive and multiple screens where we each have smaller and a lot less screens to work with. We admired the work that went into the presentations, and silently wished we had more to do, but were happy with what we have.

We headed back on the bus. Me, sitting next to a very well inebriated member of the college sports community. Long bus ride, no problems though.

On day two, the university breakout was dedicated to judging the best video board in College Sports. Being my first year, I was not thinking I had a shot. Seeing the others, I didn’t, but following the presentations, many of my counterparts were extremely complimentary of my work. It was a rewarding moment.

Following a busy day, it was off to fulfill a childhood dream. I finally got to go to Wrigley Field.

The aroma of brats wafted through the air. Fans streamed through the streets, stopping at the neighborhood taverns, bursting with people, and amazing energy. It was the stuff of legend… Waveland Avenue. Cubbies fans shouting from the rooftops, and the game was ninety minutes away.

Time stood still. Actually, it was moving backwards. In the years I have worked in sports, I have lost the passion of having a love for one team. In front of my eyes, I stood in the midst of people who still had theirs, and I was caught up in it full force. So much so, I went into Wrigleyville Sports and proceeded to purchase a genuine Cubs Jersey and gameday cap. I looked like Mr. Cub, which was the nickname I earned as I walked into the stadium and into our section. Others had t-shirts and hats; I had the full meal deal... and heard it from everyone in our group.

As the game went on, my friend Owen and I sat next to each other scoring the game, just as I had done as a kid. I was seeing the game as a man of forty-five through the eyes of a boy of nine. Baseball seemed innocent again. The aura of Wrigley was working its magic.

During one inning break, the old TV’s in the rafters displayed an advertisement for Big Red gum. The screen said, “Slim as the chance you will see a Jumbotron replay.” How ironic… a group of Jumbotron operators enjoying a game where there was very little technology in sight.

William Petersen of CSI fame sang “Take me out to the Ballgame,” and I sang it out like Harry Caray would have wanted me to. I even added the customary “let’s get some runs!” Cubs won 7-1 in a game full of web gems. A perfect night.

After the game, Owen and I went over to the legendary watering hole known as the “Cubby Bear.” A very loud cover band provided the soundtrack, and my ears were in a losing battle. After a victory though, “Mr. Cub” was getting high fives from many a drunken stranger… and it was a good thing.

About 11, we took the L back to the hotel. My mind was in the most peaceful place it had been in months.

The final day of the conference put me front and center as a seminar panelist. Mr. Small Production Company sitting next to one of the biggest content providers in the industry. It was a case of big corporation vs. small business. In the court of audience opinion, I was told people liked my style.

We had about 90 minutes before our final event of the conference, and I realized I had not seen any of the real Chicago. I was staying at the Hilton, which had Grant Park, as it’s front yard. So I went zooming out the door, camera in hand, inspired by the funny photos that my improv group takes when they are on a road trip. This one from the Buckingham Fountain (a/k/a the Married with Children fountain). 

On the final night, we went to US Cellular Field, and it was there that I enjoyed the company of Brook and Eric from Sprint Vision. Brook is the kind of woman you could enjoy being around at any time, and it turned out that we had a lot in common when it came to our relationship with our spouses. She seems to be one lucky lady. Eric is a walking encyclopedia of everything. You name it, he knows it, and he exudes the joy of knowing it at every turn. He’s the kind of guy you would never beat at trivia, but he also is someone that you would want working next to you, as he is amazing at noticing details.

The White Sox let us on the field, and I mean on the field. Here, Brook and I decided to cut it up a bit, and then Todd (from Flying Spot in Seattle) and I engaged in a game of you taking a picture of me taking a picture of me you taking a picture of you. Everyone thought we were nuts. (We are.)

It was time to judge the final awards, and my Pac-10 counterpart at Arizona, Greg, and I paid close attention to every one's work, hoping desperately that we could have our shows reach that pinnacle someday.

The evening ended with Karaoke, and after 3 night of sponsor led open bars at the conference, the teetotaler led off the festivities by dedicating Rehab to the group. Brook and Eric kept the night interesting, with Brook doing the “Humpty Dance” (it’s a rap song – get your mind out of the gutter!) and Eric doing a song that looked 180 degrees from his personality. Then there were the highlights from the other singers, like John Adams (not that one) doing the Bee Gee's Tragedy better than Barry F'in Gibb, and leading one regular to the bar to ask "where in the hell did these people come from." And then there were the Backstreet Hokies, who dedicated a song to me, which was very nice and very scary all at the same time.

We all cabbed it back to the conference, and said our goodbyes.

Owen, Brook, Eric, and family of IDEA… they are people I will miss dearly, and hope that we will cross paths again. They are people I could see having over for a barbeque,  or catching an improv show or catching a ball game with,  but most live very far away. I have to be happy with e-mail, or Facebooking with them. And thankfully for me, another journey into cyberspace will allow me to keep being their friends… and not just Facebook friends!.

Tomorrow… Adventures from Turn One, and the Chicagoland Speedway.

Click here for the IDEA Chicago Album or go to my Facebook page.

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