The Voice of the Shock
Shawn and Lori Mosqueda
Friday August 1, 2008
We're in the 4th quarter with 1:37 left in the game. The Shock is trailing the opponent 30–34 and the opponent has possession. The Shock has had a difficult time getting anything going the whole game. The crowd is eerily silent, but a voice breaks the quiet, stating, “it ain't over 'til it's over!”
The opponents are on their 7-yard line and the Shock defense are defending yet another drive that looks like it will end with another touchdown. It is 2nd down and 10-yards to go. Over the speakers we hear, “DEFENSE....DEFENSE....DEFENSE! C'mon stand up and help out the boys in blue!” The ninth man slowly stands up and joins the chant. Shock FB/LB Kevin McCullough starts waving the ninth man to get louder.
The QB snaps the ball, drops back just as the pocket collapses and Shock DL Devon Parks comes up with a huge sack! The ninth man roars. Both teams get reorganized and are back in their formations ready to go again. 3rd down and 10-yards.
Again, we hear “DEFENSE...DEFENSE....DEFENSE! C'mon stand up and help out the boys in blue!”. The ninth man starts yelling, chanting, and stomping their feet. It is so loud that you can barely hear yourself think.
The ball is snapped and penalty flags fly. The play is dead. The referee announces a false start penalty against the offense It is now 4th down and 15. The voice over the speakers again gets the crowd in a wild frenzy, chanting, “DEFENSE....DEFENSE....DEFENSE!”
The ball is snapped and the QB frantically scrambles to find an open receiver and throws the ball. Just as the ball is within grasp for the receiver, Shock DB Sergio Gilliam bats the ball away as Shock DS Nygel Rogers tackles the receiver from below. The crowd roars as possession is turned over on downs.
By now I hope it is apparent that the ninth man of the Shock is not just the fans in the stands. Dave Mason, the Voice of the Shock, feels like he is there to get the party started. Dave, who has been involved with announcing and media work for years, shared with us he is as much as a fan as the rest of us.
In addition to exciting the crowd, Dave is responsible for making sure that all the sponsors are announced throughout the course of the game. This includes on average between 150-200 announcements throughout the game. Dave's wife, Marlee, is responsible for keeping tally of every announcement. She will then notify him if he needs to slip in more announcements or if he has satisfied the sponsors' needs.
Have you noticed the new LCD displays that encircle the arena? This is one of the new playgrounds for Dave Mason and his crew. They choreograph the display, music, and video footage that we see on the highlights wall.
Dave has also taken great pride in his line of Shock apparel that is only available at Stadium Sports on E 3rd street. He uses a higher quality material than what is sold in standard sport shops.
There is a flurry of activity in the announcer booth. No matter how crazy it gets, Dave considers his job as the voice of the Shock a pleasure.
Shawn is in the process of completing and publishing an ebook entitled "The Complete HTPC Guide: Everyone's Guide To Building A Home Theater PC". Shawn has a structured wiring company where he helps homeowners create automated homes through the use of home electronics and computers.
Lori is an aspiring children's writer. After years of being an accomplished QA Analyst for a cutting edge software manufacturer, she now enjoys spending her time with her family and writing.
