Monday December 22 2008 - 11:15am Pacific
I’m not sure how interesting this will be for some of you, but I was sitting back last night … thinking about the insanity of the NBA schedule. I guess it hits home that much more around this time of the year - when folks are celebrating the holidays with family and friends.
WARNING: I am NOT complaining. I know I have a great gig and I’m privileged to have a job I love; a job that has a lot of fringe benefits too (like flying on the team charter and not having to go commercial like Doug Smith, Mike Grange, etc).
But check out this sked that started last Thursday …
Dec. 18 - wake up in Toronto … fly to Oklahoma City
Dec. 19 - wake up in OKC … play the Thunder … fly to San Antonio
Dec. 20 - wake up in San Antonio … play the Spurs … fly to Los Angeles
Dec. 21 - wake up in Los Angeles … off day
Dec. 22 - wake up in Los Angeles … play the Clippers … fly red-eye to Toronto
I woke up in 4 different cities and 3 different time zones in 4 days! No wonder I haven’t been able to kick this annoying cold! The flight from OKC to San Antonio landed at about 1:30am and it was even later from San Antonio to LA (which is a 3+ hour flight).
Yeah, yeah … I know … the cynics out there are saying “Poor Eric, what a rough life” … but … I’m telling you … the travel takes its toll on the body … and I’m not even PLAYING! This is my fourth year on the charter, and if I haven’t said it before … I have a new respect for professional athletes and what they go through with the travel. It’s FAR better than flying commercial and they (we) still live a very pampered life, but the flying and late nights do add up and they can be very taxing - even for a broadcaster.
All that said, you’ve got to fight through it. Especially the players. Especially THESE players - the Raptors - who are in the midst of a 5-game losing streak and dying for a victory!
After tonight’s game against the Clippers, most of the players and coaches will catch a late-night or early-morning flight to their respective homes around the United States. But the rest of us - Jonesy, Jack, Matt, the trainers, etc. - will fly back to Toronto on the red-eye. We’ll be home for two days … then it’s back on the road …
Dec. 23 - arrive in the morning off the red-eye
Dec. 24 - OFF
Dec. 25 - wake up in Toronto … leave for Sacramento around 1pm
Dec. 26 - wake up in Sacramento … play the Kings … fly to Portland
Dec. 27 - wake up in Portland … play the Blazers … fly to San Francisco
Dec. 28 - wake up in San Fran … off day
Dec. 29 - wake up in San Fran … play the Warriors … fly red-eye to Toronto
Again, waking up in 4 cities in 4 days. This time, only dealing with TWO time-zones though! Ha.
And then we’ve got an off-day on the 30th before firing-it-up again on the 31st for a New Year’s Eve tilt against the Denver Nuggets.
Crazy times indeed. I wouldn’t trade it for the world … but … it can be physically draining at times.
Happy Holidays to all of you back home … I’ll be vloggin’ this afternoon so check back again in a couple of hours.
E. Smith
Click here to subscribe to Smith's blog
Eric, when the players are going home for christmas, do they fly on charter flights or on regular flights? Also, what is it like inside the team plane? can you take pics to show?
- BehzadUnless they have the ability - and the money - to do so, the players probably won’t be able to charter a play; they’d fly commercial (first class I’m sure)
As for pictures, sorry, but that’s not going to happen … for security reasons.
Thanks Behzad
- E. SmithThe travel is the easy part…having to sit through and call the previous five games is what probably drained you…painful…but this is why you get paid the big bucks!!
- Mr. TAnybody wanna see this link to the NBA power rankings? Trust me. Your mouth will drop til hits the ground and your eyes will blast wide open once you see this!!!!
http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/
- Steven