Unlike the royal family, I鈥檓 always willing to offer proof
鈥 Joey Zanaboni (@joey_zana)
City SC radio play-by-play announcer Joey Zanaboni鈥檚 style certainly doesn鈥檛 emanate for Broadcast 101 classes. Rambunctious is an understatement. So is boisterous.
Zanyboni, anyone?
His wild and has earned him quite the reputation, from past roles as a minor league baseball broadcaster and as a 鈥渉ype man鈥 at sporting events to his current posts of serving as the radio play-by-play broadcaster or the City SC and Ambush soccer clubs.
His one-liners can cover the gamut of topics, from current events to pop culture to the arcane. And he might have topped all his wild lines on Saturday night, when he managed to compare a goalie鈥檚 save to a controversial picture in which the image of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, was altered into a British Royal family recent photo at a time when her whereabouts had been a mystery following health concerns. Then on Friday she announced that she is being treated for cancer.
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City SC was playing the Galaxy in Los Angeles and when City goalie Roman Burki batted away a point-blank shot by Dejan Joveljic, Zanaboni erupted:
鈥淥oooh!!! Roman Burki stones Joveljic!!! Panels one away!! Ooooh!!! Roman Burki, altering that shot like it鈥檚 a Kate Middleton Mother鈥檚 Day photo!!鈥
He knew he had a hit.
鈥淟ike half of the western world, my eyes have been suction-cupped to the ongoing Kate Middleton drama,鈥 Zanaboni said Thursday. 鈥... When the line itself came to me, I knew it was special. The rising tide of royal photo drama meets an incredible athletic feat. I thought it was his best save of the game, though I could have used it on really any of the spectacular plays he made. It鈥檚 a privilege to watch him play. I鈥檓 not sure I was planning to use it in any specific moment, but I was just glad it came out when it did.鈥
The call drew some national attention, including from . That website covers sports broadcasting and pointed out that Zanaboni鈥檚 鈥渃reative commentary probably isn鈥檛 for everyone鈥 because of 鈥渋ts focus on entertainment and laughs. But when it lands like this it鈥檚 a work of art.鈥
Zanaboni always is looking for drops of paint to add to his verbal brush.
鈥As an American, I don鈥檛 know why I am so entertained by the antiquated and stuffy drama of the British monarchy, but I鈥檓 also just like, 鈥榃hy fight it?鈥 I read Harry鈥檚 memoir. I watched every episode of The Crown. I鈥檓 doing research. I鈥檓 watching film,鈥 he said. 鈥淓verything leads up to game day. People sometimes have divided opinions but there was a lot of support for this particular line. They loved it. I guess it鈥檚 just in the zeitgeist. By next week, they鈥檒l probably forget about all the Kate and Will Photoshop stuff. Say 鈥檈m while you got 鈥檈m!鈥
He takes pride in the zingers.
鈥淲hen I make a call like that, I know I鈥檝e got siblings and longtime buddies listening,鈥 Zanaboni said. 鈥淚f I can entertain them, I figure most other people will be entertained as well. It鈥檚 an honor to entertain 最新杏吧原创, my hometown, and I tear up thinking about what a great privilege it is.鈥
Gatter chatter
Zanaboni isn鈥檛 the only one with ties to City SC to be in the spotlight this week.
最新杏吧原创an Nate Gatter, co-host with Jen Siess of 鈥溩钚滦影稍 City Soccer Report鈥 that airs on KMOX (1120 AM) throughout the team鈥檚 season, called his first NCAA Tournament games this week as he did the national radio play-by-play for Westwood One of all four play-in contests in Dayton, Ohio. He worked alongside analyst and former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.
鈥淚t was fantastic,鈥 Gatter said of the experience. 鈥淚 got to work with a legend in Jim, who couldn鈥檛 have been nicer, and experience what鈥檚 always a first-class atmosphere in Dayton. I was also really humbled by broadcasters who took the time to reach out 鈥 I got a 鈥榳elcome to the tournament鈥 text from Ian Eagle (the new lead TV voice of the tourney) and Spero Dedes, who was calling the First Four on TV, made a point to come over before the first game and give me some encouragement.
鈥淔or somebody in my position who鈥檚 grown up admiring those guys, it means the world to be a small part of their club.鈥
Gatter, 27, has broadcast a lot of Mizzou events, including men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball, baseball, volleyball, women鈥檚 soccer, gymnastics and softball games on ESPN-related outlets and has an extensive resume of sportscasting at many levels.
That often leads to quite a busy schedule, but rarely if ever as hectic as he is encountering this week. After finishing his time in Dayton on Wednesday night, he traveled Thursday to Kansas City 鈥 where he will call four games on Friday and four more on Saturday in the NAIA men鈥檚 basketball tournament for the .
鈥淚t鈥檚 rare in broadcasting that we worry about the physical toll of the job 鈥 it鈥檚 not that hard to sit courtside in a suit, after all 鈥 but when you鈥檙e doing multiple games per day for multiple days in a row, you have to make a conscious effort to take care of your voice,鈥 Gatter said. 鈥For me, that means lots of water and usually some cough drops mixed in 鈥 but also trying to pace myself on the air.聽I have to be careful not to go too big with my excitement early in the day 鈥檆ause I need to have juice left if there鈥檚 high drama in the late-night game.鈥
Then next month he calls a bevy of Mizzou baseball and softball games for SEC Network+, an ESPN property.聽聽
City SC beat writer Tom Timmermann and Beth O鈥橫alley discuss the monster game City SC goalkeeper Roman Burki had in his team鈥檚 3-3 with the Los Angeles Galaxy. One of the best games you鈥檒l see by a keeper who allowed three goals.
