Mark Patrick Discusses Play-by-Play Duties for the Firebirds
Matthew Pickut
Wednesday June 20, 2001
ArenaFan (that’s me): What was your reaction when you where first approached about doing play-by play for the Firebirds?
Mark Patrick: I was real excited because I had seen a couple of games in person and had seen a lot on television. I was a big fan of the game. To be involved locally was a big thrill for me.
AF: Where do you see Arena Football fitting into the Indiana sports community?
MP: I think that they are going to be a natural fit. The arena is such a great place, the Fieldhouse is such a great place for their environment. They draw such a different fan, they aren’t necessarily the kind of fans who can go to a Colts game, but they love football and they love all the activity.
AF: Doing color commentary on the broadcasts with you is Charles Arbuckle, what does he bring to the broadcast as a former player?
MP: Well, he brings about 300 pounds of someone for me to carry all the time, he doesn’t know anything, and its difficult for me to write down all the stuff for him to say during the broadcast.
AF: Its nice of you to do that, I wish I had some who could do that for me.
MP: Isn’t it nice [of him]. In all seriousness though, he has played in the NFL. He understands what those guys are doing out there. He can recognize a lot of situations before they happen. Its important to the broadcast because he can really tell us why. My job is to say what’s going on, and then he takes the time between the plays to tell why. And he does a great job.
AF: How would you compare doing play-by-play for the AFL to the work you’ve done in college basketball and football?
MP: It’s the fastest paced of anything I’ve ever worked. Not that much time between plays, even after a touchdown you can’t even catch your breath, there’s another score.
AF: On MPOS (Mark Patrick on Sports) you invite guests in to sit in the ‘little chair’ for a show, any chance that you’ll bring the ‘little chair’ to Firebirds’ broadcasts?
MP: I think if there is anyone in attendance we’d try and get them up there, but they probably wouldn’t want to be bothered, they’d miss so much.
Matthew Pickut is a pastor in northern Indiana and a long time AFL fan. He also writes for his own website: The Brown Paper Blog. He graduated from Taylor University in Upland Indiana (class of `96) with degrees in Biblical Literature and Sociology as well as a healthy respect for the medicinal properties of coffee.
