By: Jeff Melinyshyn (@jmel1125)
If you had told me that I could live out my dreams as a broadcaster calling players such as Ryan Moreland, Leo Asiata, Bailion Siege, Robert Davis, Marcus Duncan, Dijon Swann, Brayden Ennis, Shoto Pence, Tom Pence, Mark Calloway, and Ollie P Peters, I would have thought you were crazy.
I joined the league after watching the Season 2 National Championship. A lot has changed over the last 1,999 games (or the roughly 1,922 games I have seen). Just look at my journey in the league as proof. I have won a National Championship, been an AD, won Offensive and Defensive Player of the Yeas, and been banned three times (and thankfully restored to the league three times). CFSL legend Matt Pack was the first person to welcome me to the league and I still have that DM.
I was lucky enough to join the Broadcast Crew back in Season 6 (or was it Season 7? It has been so long it is hard to remember). I have called a lot of games, from regular-season blowouts to magical comebacks, to National Championships. I had the pleasure of calling the CFSL’s 1000th game between Notre Dame and Florida State. And tonight I will be honored to call the 2,000th game (Mike, go ahead and pencil me in for 3,000 as well).
The players make it a great place, but it’s the people behind the players that make this the best league I have ever been a part of. I have made so many great friendships in this league (far too many to name here) and I am sure you have done the same. We go through the ups and downs of a season together, but more importantly, we go through the ups and downs of life with each other.
We get to live out a dream in a virtual reality. Together we watch games and bet on them to earn credit for your player. We pick our survivors and our Pick Ems (an idea I brought to the league, by the way). We joke around in our locker rooms and League Chat. We build friendly (although intense) rivalries that shape the future of the league. Recruiting, drafting, winning, and losing; it is something that we have all done together.
As we embark on this 2,000th game, it is a celebration of the past, but also a look forward to where this will be and what is to come. Being able to recount past players and games is magical. The past does not just go away with each passing season but rather strengthens the CFSL’s tradition. I take great pride in being able to call your players and their careers.
For this 2,000th game let’s enjoy it and remember the hard work Mike and crew put into this daily. Think about your former players and how much fun it was talking smack and getting the upper hand. Remember the times you were on the losing end and you helped pick your teammates back up. This game is a dedication to the Athletic Directors and coaching staffs who work their tails off in recruiting, game-planning, and finding the edge to put their team over the top. It is a testament to the work that everyone (writers, broadcasters, admin, producers, the stats team, players, coaches, etc) has put into the league to get us here.
Everyone, no matter how many seasons you have been here, can take pride and have a hand in this league getting to 2,000 games. I am honored just like Ryan is, to be a part of this amazing broadcast for this game. And I look forward to helping us get to the 3,000th game. Good luck tonight Oklahoma and Texas. Give us one to remember.
