NEWS BLOG (WSAU) Last Friday was an interesting day.

I left Wausau extra early, knowing that I’d spend the night in the Fox Valley for the DC Everest-Kimberly football game. First stop: our Midwest Communications offices in Green Bay for some late-afternoon meetings. Then I made the quick drive down Highway 41 through Appleton. I arrived at Kimberly’s football stadium at 5pm. The parking lot was empty. As best I could see, I was the first person there.

I grabbed my broadcast gear and walked across the football field to the press box. There were two Kimberly staff members setting up for the game. I asked where we’d be setting up for the game broadcast.

“We don’t have room for you,” came the reply.

Don’t have room?

“We didn’t know you were coming.” WRIG has done play-by-play for every D.C. Everest football game since 1964. We’re always coming.

The press box had three broadcast areas. One had been reserved for an Appleton radio station that regularly covers Kimberly sports. Another was set aside for a group of high school students who do a web-cast of the games. The last was assigned to the Appleton newspaper, which is providing a live-stream feed of the game. Three studios in the press box, all assigned to home-team media. No room at the inn for the visiting team’s radio station.

I was offered a ladder to climb to the roof of the press box. Then, no, that wouldn’t work. Safety railings up there had been removed. So, I was told to broadcast the game from the bleachers. Which I did.

And then it started to rain.

I put my coat over the broadcast equipment. The rain stopped after the first quarter, but everything was wet and the night turned cold. A miserable evening, and a miserable 52-0 game.

The Kimberly band parents who sat next to me in the stands were friendly and accommodating. Their school’s athletic department was not. The visiting team is referred to as “guest” for a reason.

Tonight on Fox Sports 1390:
DC Everest hosts Appleton-West, 6:45pm
Wausau-East hosts Kaukauna, 9:30pm (tape delay)

Here are my week four football picks:

Everest will get its first win of the season over Appleton West.
Wausau-East will get back on track against Kaukauna
Appleton-North will beat Wausau-West
Marshfield will stay undefeated againstNeenah
SPASH overFond du Lac
Wisconsin Rapids over Oshkosh-West
Lakeland over Merrill
Mosinee over Viroqua
Gilman over Newman
Pacelli over Schicton

Last week: 5-2 Season: 22-5

Chris Conley
9/14