I was 18, I'd just graduated high school and I had the best summer of my life coming up. Basically I was on top of the world. Until I got knocked off, hard.
Having been a hardcore follower of ESPN's Dream Job, a reality TV show bringing together contestants to test their sports knowledge, personality and anchor skills, I for some reason thought I was capable of winning. No, not just getting to the third round, but winning. With a dream in mind, I packed up my car the week after my high school graduation, and took the just over five hour drive to Boston to audition for Dream Job.
Having arrived the night before allowing myself plenty of time, I checked into my Days Inn hotel room at about 8:30 p.m. As I hung up my dress shirt, tie, Khaki pants and sport coat, I made sure ESPN was on just to get the sport knowledge flowing through my brain. Some pizza for dinner and a few phone calls later, I was ready for bed. It was going to be an early morning and a long day.
"Doors open at 10 a.m.," read the Dream Job information page on their Web site. You know what that means? Get there at 8 a.m. if you even want to touch an application. Sure enough, I was there at 8 a.m. and was 11th in line.
Making sure I had my USA Today Sports handy, I started small talk with a young fellow next to me. The guy was 24 and had graduated from New House, the prestigious Communications school at Syracuse University. He was now in his last year of graduate school at Ithaca College. Two thoughts came over me. 1. Wow, this guy drove a long way too, cool. 2. I'm totally F'ed. What was I thinking? This guy could probably perform open heart surgery on me while at the same time listing all the NFC wildcard teams for the last decade. After a few deep breaths and easy sports talk, I felt okay.
The time began to creep by and the line began to grow. I checked my newly acquired Fossil watch, which read 10:06 a.m. It was time, the line began to move and the doors to the bar and grill, which ESPN had taken over for their use, opened wide. I felt like Charlie going into Wonka's factory.
Now came the big time. Two producers for the show asked for everyone's attention and were reading to take the first 10 contestants who volunteered. I sat still and said nothing. No way was I going in the first group of 10, what are you insane? I patiently waited until the second group was called and that was my key to move upstairs where the magic didn't happen.
After being escorted upstairs, our group of 10 was sat at a long table. Sitting in front of us was a 20 question fill-in-the-blank quiz on sports. We had exactly 10 minutes.
Go.
Question 1. Name the mascot for the University of Oregon? Boo ya I got this. The Ducks.
Question 2. Name the head coach for the University of Connecticut's women basketball team. Still got it. Geno Aureimma.
Question 3. Name the last player to win the Heisman at Notre Dame. Yeah about that. OK so first slip. Just put down something logical. After 30 seconds I put down Rudy.
The quiz went on with more mixed up questions that I felt half and half about. Time was up and the quizzes were collected and graded. We were then arranged around the table in the order from highest grade to least. Well I sure wasn't first, but I wasn't last. I took the seventh spot.
From there a talent representative led us through a series of common sports games. Game one started with each person around the table having to do a play-by play of their favorite sports moment. Being a Syracuse native, I calmly and collectedly performed my rendition of Syracuse winning the national championship in 2003.
Game two asked the contestants to use their own original catch phrase. Mine was simple and cheesy. "Sosa doesn't make the home run, he makes it go farther." Lastly, my specialty, a college mascot game. Almost like pulling a 10 in King's Cup, the person who can't name one or takes too long to answer was out. I lasted five go-a-rounds the table until the talent guy stopped us with only two other guys still left. I felt good. So what was next? Reading off a prompter? Oh, maybe meeting Stewart Scott! The end was next.
Still standing next to the table the talent rep walked away to talk to other reps. He came back and simply said, "Ok guys thanks a lot for coming out today, if we are interested we will be contacting you within the next 48 hours, have a good day."
That's it? Three games and a quiz? As I walked towards my car I saw more hopefuls in line that had no idea the disappointment that was coming to them.
After a phone call to let my parents know how it went, I packed my car and headed back East. Feeling disappointed with a lack of test or various sports related activities, I realized this wasn't for me. I didn't work hard to get here, I didn't earn getting through. I am just another hopeful who thinks they had what it took, when in reality nobody really had any idea. Overall it was a great experience and I am glad I did it, but in the end I realized that dreams don't come from a show, they come from you doing what you want and getting there.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
