Q&A With Bob Lobel, “Sports Journalist in Residence” at SSU | The Salem State Log – By the Students, for the Students.

http://salemstatelog.org/wordpress/2014/11/17/qa-with-bob-lobel-sports-journalist-in-residence-at-ssu/[4/21/2016 10:29:06 AM]

Photo courtesy of Salem News

Above is veteran sportscaster Bob

Lobel, who began teaching part-time

at Salem State University this

semester as Sports Journalist in

Residence. He has more than 30 years

of experience in sports media.

By Harold Rivera / Log Staff Writer

Longtime sportscaster Bob Lobel has been hired as “Sports Journalist in

Residence” here at Salem State University. Lobel, who began his role this

semester, brings with him more than 30 years of experience in sports media.

The former host of Patriots 5th Quarter on WBZ-TV, Lobel has covered a

broad range of sports events on both the local and national scale. Most recently

he’s started his own sports blog and was also one of three Public Address

Announcers at Fenway Park for the Red Sox during the 2013 season, in which

they won the World Series.

He sat down to answer a few questions about his new job at Salem State, his

career in sports media, and his take on the Patriots this season. (This interview

has been somewhat condensed.)

1. You were brought in as a “Sports Journalist in Residence” at Salem

State University. What are some of the responsibilities that come with that

role?

“It’s a work in progress. So far I’ve been sitting in on classes, getting up to speed on things that classes dwell on. Professor

(Carrie) Berger (Sports and Movement Science) and I will teach a few classes together. I have to use other professors to

find out what I don’t know. Coming up with lesson plans and things like that –It’s a bit over my head. I have to know

what I don’t know.”

2. What do you hope to bring to Salem State University?

“I’m not sure what Salem State wants. They know my wealth of experience in Sports Broadcasting. I have experience,

unique knowledge…. You’ll have to ask other faculty members. Right now I’m just bringing myself and letting things

develop.”

3. How did you end up here at Salem State University?

“I was at a fundraising event for a place called ‘Bridgewell’ in Lynn and I was the emcee at the event. They were honoring

(Salem State President) Pat Meservey at the event. We got to talking about education and I mentioned my master’s

[degree] in education, and that’s kind of how I got started. A chance meeting between me and Pat Meservey.”

Q&A With Bob Lobel, “Sports Journalist in Residence” at SSU | The Salem State Log – By the Students, for the Students.

http://salemstatelog.org/wordpress/2014/11/17/qa-with-bob-lobel-sports-journalist-in-residence-at-ssu/[4/21/2016 10:29:06 AM]

4. How did you get started in Sports Broadcasting?

“Accidentally. I have a master’s in education and my plans were to become a guidance counselor. I got a chance to do

Public Address Announcing for the football team at the University of Vermont. From there I got into radio. Then I began

in television, with Channel 22 in a small studio at St. Michael’s College in Burlington. It was just me and one other guy

and we would switch-off using the camera to record. They showed me how to take video, how to edit. I also did radio in

Burlington before I moved to radio full-time in Manchester in the mid-‘70s. Five years later I came to Boston to take a job

at WBZ Radio. It was nothing close to what I wanted to do. I didn’t plan on being a sports broadcaster. Radio at WBZ

morphed in television. It became a hobby and I was going to ride it as long as it went.”

5. You’re known for coining phrases such as “Why can’t we get players like that?” What’s the story behind those?

“[Laughs] Wise guy, you know. I think I was serious about not being serious. It’s a sarcastic statement. I always used my

sense of humor. The Red Sox traded Jeff Bagwell for a pitcher named Larry Anderson in August to help them in the

playoffs. Sarcastically, every time Bagwell hit a home run I’d say “Why can’t we get players like that?” because we had

players like that, we had Jeff Bagwell. I could’ve said it again in this year’s World Series with Jake Peavy if he’d pitched

well.”

6. You’ve done radio, television, and now you have your own blog as well. Which form of media is your favorite to

do?

“I have my own blog. It’s on suitesports.com. I’ve been doing that for about a year now. It’s tough to find something to

write about every Monday–that’s the hardest part about it. Radio was my favorite. You had less worries–didn’t have to

worry about your makeup or your hair. There were no deadlines, you had to be on time but there were no deadlines, no

cameras and it was ad-lib. We could be having a conversation just like this over the radio. Radio’s much more fun and not

nearly as structured.”

7. What’s your best memory in your career as a sports broadcaster?

“I had many really good, solid memories of things I never thought I’d do. I think when the Patriots won their first

Superbowl in 2002- that was about as exciting a win as I’ve ever been involved in. The Red Sox winning the World Series

was also a good one. Watching Larry Bird play was exciting. I’d also say sitting down with Larry Bird, Ted Williams and

Bobby Orr was huge for me. That was really special. To have those three sports legends all in the same program –you just

can’t do that today. I think more people refer to that than anything.”

8. What advice do you give to aspiring young journalists and sports broadcasters?

“Stay in school as long as you possibly can. Think about going to grad school and getting a master’s. Look for internships.

Internships are great to get an idea and see how it all comes together behind the scenes. There’s no better experience than

to be there. I’d just be patient and let things go as they go.”

9. How have sports media today changed from when you first started?

“Twitter’s replaced everything. It’s put newspapers out and it might put television out too. It’s a wave no one’s going to be

able to stop. There’s much less face-to-face interaction and more phone-to-phone interaction. I can’t wait to see what the

Q&A With Bob Lobel, “Sports Journalist in Residence” at SSU | The Salem State Log – By the Students, for the Students.

http://salemstatelog.org/wordpress/2014/11/17/qa-with-bob-lobel-sports-journalist-in-residence-at-ssu/[4/21/2016 10:29:06 AM]

world will look like in 10 years. Right now even with our phones we have everything we need. If I was to teach a course

I’d teach Ethics because it’s something you can’t look up. For, instance if you were the General Manager of a football

team would you hire Ray Rice if it got you to the playoffs?”

10. Most people know you for hosting Patriot’s 5th Quarter. How do you feel about the Patriots this season?

“That was my favorite show to do. The Patriots are a lot better than last year. They’re better on offense and much better on

defense. Unfortunately right now Denver is a better team. They’re the best team in the NFL. Denver’s in the first tier and

everyone else is in the second tier. The Patriots top the second tier.

By the way, no, I wouldn’t hire Ray Rice if it got my team to the playoffs.”

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