Hello!
It's been a while since we've talked. Like, a long while. Let's catch up.
Summer is over. My internship is over. It ended perfectly. Absolutely perfectly. My final week with the Power was incredible and my last game was even more incredible.
My final series with the Power was against the Boston Red Sox affiliate, the Greenville Drive. The Sox were my first love and are my other favorite team besides the Pirates. Their team is loaded with prospects that are almost locks to be in the majors some day, including one of the top ten prospects in the game, Yoan Moncada.
During the last game I had one of the most epic dizzy bat fails of all time. The kids that signed up were barely tall enough to put their heads on the bats and they didn't drop the bats when they were finished spinning. Watch it here. Also, we blew a six run lead. Moncada doubled with two outs in the ninth to give the Drive a one-run lead heading into the bottom half of the ninth. We somehow tied it up and sent it to extras. In the twelfth inning, Michael Suchy, whose signed bat I just acquired, hit a walk-off home run to win the game. Here is the Power Minute from that game, my last highlight recap. I even threw in a, "because, why not?" because, why not?
I was standing in the dugout checking on my camera guy and talking with the grounds crew when Suchy hit the home run to left field. We jumped in the air and I gave a hug to the 6'7" grounds crew intern who became somewhat of an older brother to me during the summer. I stayed on the field and said my goodbyes to a few guys including Connor Joe, who I have come to know pretty well. When I left, Cole Tucker got placed on the disabled list and the 2015 first-round pick was promoted to take his place. It was just announced that Tucker will have shoulder surgery and will miss 10-12 months, which is really quite unfortunate.
I stayed at the ballpark pretty late that night socializing and saying my goodbyes to the staff and other remaining interns. My boss had me sign a baseball for him too, which was cool. The next day, I went in during the early morning to complete my final top ten and say goodbye to the rest of the staff.
Here are links to other works of mine from the summer:
In House Commercial compilation
Power Highlights for WOWK-TV, CBS affiliate in Charleston
Erie Insurance "Seriously Good" Highlight of the Game compilation
Different After Effects projects, including samples of 3D logos I made for each SAL team
Also, my final project video that I mentioned in the previous post was a huge hit. A major success. Please take time to watch it here.
My dad arrived shortly after I was done to move me out and take me home. That night, we went and watched my church softball team win the division championship in a bittersweet game.
I was home for a couple days, one of which was spent at Kennywood with Emily, and then went on a much-needed mini vacation with Emily and her family to Niagara Falls in Canada. What an awesome couple of days.
Then, just like that, it was time to move in to school to begin sophomore year.
I moved in early to help with the Honors Program Welcome Week. I am an honors mentor this year, which means I was given four students to mentor throughout the school year. At the end of our welcome week, we had them all fill out ballots to select their mentors. All of my mentees have been great so far!
After my family moved me in, we went up to Mount Washington to do some sight seeing. The next day, I went to Heniz Field to check out the crowd for the U.S. Women's Soccer Team who was starting a victory tour after winning the 2015 World Cup. My dorm this year is smaller than last year, but my suite as a whole is amazingly better. My view is top of the line as well.
Welcome week was crazy. It was almost non-stop. I walked a marathon and a half over three days throughout the city doing community service and touring the city with freshmen. We also helped out with a new non-profit who throw birthday parties for kids who can't afford them. We all sang happy birthday to them! Watch it here.
I ended the week by heading to the Friday night Pirate's Giants game and caught up with a few friends. The rest of my roommates moved in Saturday. Then, the real work began Monday with the first day of classes. Monday's are my busiest, most non-stop days of the week. They end with a 6-9 class followed by editing and putting together the sports section of The Globe newspaper.
I learned this in the first three days of classes: the only time I will be in my suite this year, 701 Conestoga, will be to sleep, work and eat. Not much else. I'm taking on a lot this semester, but I know I can handle it. Here is just my outside the classroom involvement, much of which I consider more important than classes:
- Sports editor and columnist of The Globe. I am also writing a heavy amount of stories for the paper along with being the section editor and columnist.
- Assistant sports director of WPPJ Radio. Trying to bring back live PPU sports coverage to the student radio station. I also will host my show from last year, "Croup's Corner," with my friend, Jimmy Kail.
- Host, reporter for U-View, continuing from last year.
- Athletic Communications Student Apprentice - I now get paid to cover PPU Sports. I work for the Athletic Department with our assistant athletic director/sports information director. That job is going to be all over the place and will be very demanding/rewarding.
- Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and Marketing Student Advisory Board - The people that paid for me to go to San Diego that led to me awesome summer.
- Honors Program Mentor
I think that's it. For now.
I'm also taking 18 credits this semester. Six classes, four of which are general classes. Science, English Writing, Spanish and Psychology. I'm also taking Sports Media and Marketing, my night class that goes down as an elective, and Broadcast Production, which goes down as a requirement for my minor.
Oh yeah, I declared a minor.
I'm a broadcast reporting major with a minor in media production and management. All it means is four extra classes, which I would have taken as electives anyways. Killing two birds with one stone, essentially.
I'll give feedback on my classes and professors once I've completed a full week with all of them. It will be interesting for sure.
If this summer taught me anything, it's that I can work myself into the ground with 16 hour days and 65 hour weeks and be totally fine. I'm young and have a lot of energy and a strong work ethic. I'm confident in what I do and know how to balance my time, energy and friends. The final one of the three is going to be the most difficult this year. If I worry about it, it won't be fine. If I don't worry about it, it will work out. It always does. Everything will be fine in the end.
I wasn't sure how I was going to eat or survive this summer. I wasn't sure what I was going to do.
I survived and I thrived. I did everything and anything and was fine. I survived a summer in Minor League Baseball. I was once told by someone who used to work in the game and who now works with a Pittsburgh news station that if you can survive a summer in the MiLB, you can do absolutely anything. That's the mindset that I'm going into this school year with.
This quote will get me through a lot of days this year. It should also get anyone through any day ever.
"So far you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You’re doing great."
No matter what happens in this life, you have to stay positive. You have know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that things do get easier. There were days this summer that I didn't think I could make it out of. There were days where I questioned why I was there. There were plenty of those days last year. There will be plenty more this year. Everything will be okay in the end, it always is. No matter how terrible things seem right now, they will get better. The work will get done, the stress and drama will eventually go away and everything will be okay. That will get me through this year.
We've made it this far.
On a sadder note, today's tragedy in Roanoke, Virginia, is devastating. The broadcasting and the journalism community is in shock.
WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward were both shot and killed during a live shot on their morning show by a former WDBJ employee. I actually have a friend, a PPU grad, who is a reporter at Parker's former station, WCTI.
It was not a dangerous story. It was not a protest or a riot. They were interviewing a woman about increasing tourism in the area. The shooter filmed himself performing the senseless act and posted it online. The crew was live on the air when the incident happened.
I watched both videos. They brought me to tears. How can somebody performing such an evil act? Why target these young people? What was there to gain from this? They didn't deserve any of this. It is not fair, not one bit. I was angry, upset, heart broken and in disbelief, all within five minutes. I still cannot wrap my mind around the whole situation.
Anything can happen to anyone at anytime at any place. There is nothing we can do to hide from evil. All we can do is promote love and peace, spreading God's love to everyone. This world needs him right now. This world needs love. There is so much hate and so much sadness. It's not fair, no. We can't focus on the hate. We can't focus on the evil. We all need to sell. Sell good vibes. Sell good news. Sell good thoughts. We can't eliminate hate, there's no chance. But we can sell love.
Love is stronger than hate.
That's it.
Life is a mirror. If you smile at it, it will smile back.
I'm not going to be able to get passed this for a while. It is not fair, it is not right and it is not okay. We all need a little love. Smile at people instead of ignoring them, look up instead of down at your phone and love instead of hate.
Because, why not?
Josh
It's been a while since we've talked. Like, a long while. Let's catch up.
 |
| I was festive on "Pirate Night" |
My final series with the Power was against the Boston Red Sox affiliate, the Greenville Drive. The Sox were my first love and are my other favorite team besides the Pirates. Their team is loaded with prospects that are almost locks to be in the majors some day, including one of the top ten prospects in the game, Yoan Moncada.
 |
| Suchy signs autographs minutes after winning the gamewith a solo-HR |
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| The box score from my final game. |
I stayed at the ballpark pretty late that night socializing and saying my goodbyes to the staff and other remaining interns. My boss had me sign a baseball for him too, which was cool. The next day, I went in during the early morning to complete my final top ten and say goodbye to the rest of the staff.
Here are links to other works of mine from the summer:
In House Commercial compilation
Power Highlights for WOWK-TV, CBS affiliate in Charleston
Erie Insurance "Seriously Good" Highlight of the Game compilation
Different After Effects projects, including samples of 3D logos I made for each SAL team
 |
| The baseball my boss had me sign |
My dad arrived shortly after I was done to move me out and take me home. That night, we went and watched my church softball team win the division championship in a bittersweet game.
I was home for a couple days, one of which was spent at Kennywood with Emily, and then went on a much-needed mini vacation with Emily and her family to Niagara Falls in Canada. What an awesome couple of days.
Then, just like that, it was time to move in to school to begin sophomore year.
 |
| World Cup trophy |
 |
| Part of my new room |
After my family moved me in, we went up to Mount Washington to do some sight seeing. The next day, I went to Heniz Field to check out the crowd for the U.S. Women's Soccer Team who was starting a victory tour after winning the 2015 World Cup. My dorm this year is smaller than last year, but my suite as a whole is amazingly better. My view is top of the line as well.
 |
| Look closely: Between my brother and mother, you can see my suite on the top building of the brown brick building with the fire escape. |
I ended the week by heading to the Friday night Pirate's Giants game and caught up with a few friends. The rest of my roommates moved in Saturday. Then, the real work began Monday with the first day of classes. Monday's are my busiest, most non-stop days of the week. They end with a 6-9 class followed by editing and putting together the sports section of The Globe newspaper.
  |
| Some of the freshmen in my groups for honors welcome week. |
- Sports editor and columnist of The Globe. I am also writing a heavy amount of stories for the paper along with being the section editor and columnist.
- Assistant sports director of WPPJ Radio. Trying to bring back live PPU sports coverage to the student radio station. I also will host my show from last year, "Croup's Corner," with my friend, Jimmy Kail.
- Host, reporter for U-View, continuing from last year.
- Athletic Communications Student Apprentice - I now get paid to cover PPU Sports. I work for the Athletic Department with our assistant athletic director/sports information director. That job is going to be all over the place and will be very demanding/rewarding.
- Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and Marketing Student Advisory Board - The people that paid for me to go to San Diego that led to me awesome summer.
- Honors Program Mentor
I think that's it. For now.
I'm also taking 18 credits this semester. Six classes, four of which are general classes. Science, English Writing, Spanish and Psychology. I'm also taking Sports Media and Marketing, my night class that goes down as an elective, and Broadcast Production, which goes down as a requirement for my minor.
Oh yeah, I declared a minor.
I'm a broadcast reporting major with a minor in media production and management. All it means is four extra classes, which I would have taken as electives anyways. Killing two birds with one stone, essentially.
I'll give feedback on my classes and professors once I've completed a full week with all of them. It will be interesting for sure.
If this summer taught me anything, it's that I can work myself into the ground with 16 hour days and 65 hour weeks and be totally fine. I'm young and have a lot of energy and a strong work ethic. I'm confident in what I do and know how to balance my time, energy and friends. The final one of the three is going to be the most difficult this year. If I worry about it, it won't be fine. If I don't worry about it, it will work out. It always does. Everything will be fine in the end.
I wasn't sure how I was going to eat or survive this summer. I wasn't sure what I was going to do.
I survived and I thrived. I did everything and anything and was fine. I survived a summer in Minor League Baseball. I was once told by someone who used to work in the game and who now works with a Pittsburgh news station that if you can survive a summer in the MiLB, you can do absolutely anything. That's the mindset that I'm going into this school year with.
 |
| The view from my suite. What a beautiful world we live in. What a beautiful city I live in. |
"So far you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You’re doing great."
No matter what happens in this life, you have to stay positive. You have know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that things do get easier. There were days this summer that I didn't think I could make it out of. There were days where I questioned why I was there. There were plenty of those days last year. There will be plenty more this year. Everything will be okay in the end, it always is. No matter how terrible things seem right now, they will get better. The work will get done, the stress and drama will eventually go away and everything will be okay. That will get me through this year.
We've made it this far.
On a sadder note, today's tragedy in Roanoke, Virginia, is devastating. The broadcasting and the journalism community is in shock.
WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward were both shot and killed during a live shot on their morning show by a former WDBJ employee. I actually have a friend, a PPU grad, who is a reporter at Parker's former station, WCTI.
It was not a dangerous story. It was not a protest or a riot. They were interviewing a woman about increasing tourism in the area. The shooter filmed himself performing the senseless act and posted it online. The crew was live on the air when the incident happened.
I watched both videos. They brought me to tears. How can somebody performing such an evil act? Why target these young people? What was there to gain from this? They didn't deserve any of this. It is not fair, not one bit. I was angry, upset, heart broken and in disbelief, all within five minutes. I still cannot wrap my mind around the whole situation.
Anything can happen to anyone at anytime at any place. There is nothing we can do to hide from evil. All we can do is promote love and peace, spreading God's love to everyone. This world needs him right now. This world needs love. There is so much hate and so much sadness. It's not fair, no. We can't focus on the hate. We can't focus on the evil. We all need to sell. Sell good vibes. Sell good news. Sell good thoughts. We can't eliminate hate, there's no chance. But we can sell love.
Love is stronger than hate.
That's it.
Life is a mirror. If you smile at it, it will smile back.
I'm not going to be able to get passed this for a while. It is not fair, it is not right and it is not okay. We all need a little love. Smile at people instead of ignoring them, look up instead of down at your phone and love instead of hate.
Because, why not?
Josh
