This is going to sound heartless and mean spirited, but I always chuckle a little when an intern remarks that his professional plan is to land in the play-by-play booth.  “All right.  Solid.  Let me know how that works out for you,” is my typical response.

OK, now hear me out.

I don’t savor the opportunity to squash dreams, and I don’t seek out an opening to assert some macho, egomaniacal, “let me tell you something about this business” stance.  It’s simply reality. A spot in the booth of a professional sports team is vacated less frequently than the Oval Office. 

Play-by-play guys don’t retire…they die.  And when they kick it, they are replaced by retired athletes or dudes who have been schleppin’ it in the “minors” for a decade plus.  Take for example, Vin Scully.  Scully, 84, is returning to the mic behind which he has sat since the 1950’s…since before the Dodgers moved to LA.  Dude is entering year 64 in that capacity.  I hope still to be alive at 64.

KTLA sports anchor, Rebecca Hall, rattles off an impressive list of just a handful of Scully’s eye-witness moments.  Oh, and she drops something else as well.

WARNING: This video is uncensored and contains offensive language

So, Scully’s seat may not be vacant any time soon, but there just might be an opening at KTLA. 

UPDATE:

Well, I guess this has become quite a popular vid, as Tribune has yanked it from YouTube.  So, here's the transcript:

"So for 63 years, he's been the voice of the Dodgers, since Harry Truman was president. He's described Jackie Robinson, the Brooklyn Bums, the '55 champs, Don Larsen's perfect game, Sandy Koufax's four no-hitters, Fernandomania, Kirk Gibson and seven world championships. Phew. (wipes brow)  C'mon Vin, get your @#$! together! Is that all you got? ... Get your stuff together, that's what I meant to say."