Veteran broadcasters man the booth for playoffs
Published on March 29, 2005 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
When the Santa Fe Roadrunners take the ice on Friday night in Santa Fe for the opening round of the North American Hockey League playoffs against the Texarkana, TX Bandits, three new voices will be heard on the live play-by-play broadcast of the game. Roadrunner players have filled in admirably all season behind the microphone for home broadcasts, but this weekend broadcast booth and hockey veterans John Bessone, Rick Bailey, and Steve Loomis will take over the microphones for fans that aren't lucky enough to make it to the games.
Bessone, son of long-time Michigan State hockey coach Amo Bessone, got his start in broadcasting as the voice of Williams College Football and after graduating from Williams, worked for 7 years for ABC Sports in sports television production. The highlight of his time there was being in the booth with ABC's Al Michaels and Ken Dryden for the 1980 broadcast of the US vs. Soviet Union Olympic ice hockey game that has come to be known as the "Miracle on Ice." Bessone now makes his home in Santa Fe and coaches the son Peter on the Northern Alliance Bantam travel team.
Bailey is a graduate of Temple University who was the voice behind the broadcast of many Temple Owl sports. He plays recreational ice hockey and is hopeful his daughter will be lacing up skates for the first time this summer. He is well-known by many of the Roadrunner players who have helped out in his studio preparing backdrops for traveling art exhibits.
Steve Loomis will be the color analyst of the trio. Loomis was captain of Minnesota State-Mankato's NCAA DIV II National Championship hockey team in 1980 and was one of the last players cut from the Olympic squad that would play in the Miracle game. Loomis has lived in Santa Fe since 1995 and coaches for the Northern Alliance Bantams, as well as for Santa Fe's recreational hockey teams.
Fans can catch the broadcast on the Roadrunners' website at www.santaferoadrunners.com. The Roadrunners take on the Texarkana Bandits in Game 1 Friday, April 1 at 7:30 pm and Game 2 Saturday, April 2 at 7:30 pm in the best-of-five South Division Semi-finals this weekend in Santa Fe. Game 3 of the series will be in Texarkana, Friday April 8th at 7:30 pm with Games 4 and 5, if necessary, on Saturday (7:05 pm) and Sunday (1:00 pm). The winner goes on to the best-of-seven Division Finals and battles for a spot in the National Championships to be held April 26-30th between the North, South, and West Division winners and the host Bismarck Bobcats.
Home game playoff tickets are on sale now for $10 each at the Roadrunner box office, the front desk of the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, the Villa Linda Mall Customer Service Desk, and all Los Alamos National Bank locations. Tickets for the away game or games in Texarkana are on sale for $12 adults and $10 children if purchased in advance. Roadrunner fans can call the Bandits office at 903-794-7825 for information on tickets and hotels.
For more information contact Roadrunners General Manager Bob Pope at 505-469-5200.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2005
- Let's keep the Cups - Texas Tornado
- Veteran broadcasters man the booth for playoffs - Topeka Pilots
- Phantoms announce more college signings - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NAHL playoff series set - NAHL
- Roadrunners bring playoff hockey to Santa Fe - Topeka Pilots
- Blizzard update - Alexandria Blizzard
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
