Introduction of Carrier Dome PA Announcer Michael Veley
Press Conference Transcript
September 6, 2006
September 6, 2006
Dr. Daryl Gross’ introduction of Michael Veley as the new Carrier Dome public address announcer
“This is a very special for us as we make a great announcement here. As we know Carl Eilenberg, the announcer for the Dome for many, many years, did a great job, retired at the end of May. Today we introduce the guy who’ll be the second voice of the Dome. Somebody who’s passion has been Syracuse athletics and the Syracuse community. A person who loves this school so much. He has worked in the Dome for many years and has done some announcing of all kinds of things in the Dome. A lot of us know him as ‘Mr. Excitement’. We know him as that, and as Michael Veley. A person who is so close to our department, who’s worked in our department, with marketing and corporate sponsorship, and now is the director of our Sports Management Program and has done a wonderful job. I am sure when you hear his voice you’ll know that all his heart, his passion and his love for Syracuse will be in it. Right now, it gives me a great pleasure and honor to introduce the new voice of the Dome, Mr. Excitement himself, Michael Veley.”
Michael Veley’s opening statement
“I want to first thank Daryl and Pat Campbell, especially, for this opportunity. As a youngster, I grew up in the pre-cable TV days and I used to go to sleep at night with a transistor radio tucked under my pillow. One of the things I used to do when I wasn’t listening to Syracuse basketball was listen to the Philadelphia 76ers on WCAU Radio. The broadcaster was Andy Musser, who is a Syracuse alum. The 76ers had a PA announcer by the name of Dave Zinkoff. He was a PA announcer who became a legend. Dave Zinkoff had a very unique style. He gave nicknames to players. I used to fall asleep at night wishing that someday I could become Dave Zinkoff. Not necessarily become the play-by-play or PA announcer for the 76ers, but my real passion was Syracuse University athletics. Since I was old enough to buy that transistor radio and listen to Floyd Little and Larry Csonka running in the backfield and Dave Bing and Jim Boeheim on the basketball court, I’ve followed this program. To be able to follow a legend like Carl –
someone I have the utmost respect for as the consummate professional – to try to fill his shoes, is somewhat daunting. I look forward to the challenge. And, I look forward to turning the Loud House into the House of Excitement come Saturday.”
Any reflections on your personal style or how much information you are going to provide to fans?
“I think a good public address announcer tries to provide information to the fans. First of all, no one buys a ticket to hear the PA announcer. The PA announcer is never bigger than the game itself. I want to just try to keep people informed, updated, be cognizant of potential records that could be broken, any accomplishments that happen during the course of the game. I think the other thing a PA announcer can do is add a level of excitement to the crowd enthusiasm and sort of be a blend of information person and entertainment. People are at the game to be entertained. I don’t think I will have a specific style and I think it will vary sport to sport, to be honest with you. There is a different kind of crowd that goes to a football or basketball or lacrosse game. I think you feed off the emotions of the fans, a lot like a player. You see things that work and work effectively, and you continue to do those things. That’s kind of my gameplan going in.”
Are you nervous at all for the first game?
“I’m not nervous today. I’ll probably have some anxious moments on Saturday (for Syracuse’s football season-opener against Iowa). It’s not like I haven’t done PA announcing before. I go back to when I was in college I was working for a radio station covering the NFL, NHL, and the ABA in Buffalo. During my senior year, the Buffalo Braves had their training camp at SUNY Geneseo, where I was an undergraduate. I got to be the PA announcer all during training camp for the Buffalo Braves. I’ve done a lot of high school and sectional championship games in Section IV. I’ve done a lot of PA announcing at the Dome for the last 10 years. I’ve been feeding off the excitement and the energy level of the crowd. Most of all, I want to carry on the legacy and the respect that this program has built and the consummate professionalism that Carl Eilenberg brought to the announcer’s booth for nearly 30 years. When you try to replace someone who has done something for nearly three decades, I don’t think that anyone would say that’s a piece of cake. Do I have a little anxiety? Somewhat, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
What are you most looking forward to, football games, basketball games or lacrosse games?
“Well, let’s see. If you had a sold out game and we were playing for the National Championship … I think back to the years when I was in the Dome. To be the PA announcer when Donovan McNabb was a senior when we played Miami and beat them 66-13. The energy level at a place like that, would I take that? In a heartbeat. Would I take being at the Carrier Dome when you set an all-time attendance record? Sure. I don’t think I have a favorite sport, one over the other. I look forward to all the sports.”
Do you feel like you have pressure on you considering the way the football team has performed and the attitude of the fans toward them?
“No, I don’t feel the pressure’s on the public address announcer. As I said, the fans don’t come to the game to hear me. If they are, they need to consult a psychiatrist. Do I hope we can help the team? Absolutely. If my job is to get fans to come to the game and be part of the excitement and get this program turned around, I certainly am here to help the athletic department do that. I believe in coach (Greg) Robinson. He has a plan and a plan can’t happen overnight. I would encourage fans that are on the fence to come out Saturday and get behind this team. If you’re passionate about a program, it’s sort of like being passionate about your family. If a member of your family is going through a tough time, you don’t abandon a family member. You are there to try to help them through the tough time and its all the more gratifying at the other end of it. I hope our fans kind of take that approach. Obviously, the more fans there are in the crowd, the more excitement there is in the team and the more excitement I feel as the PA announcer. We have no excuse. Let’s rally around the troops, show up, and wear your orange on Saturday.”
