The Best Michigan Sporting Events

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Brian Gets a Job

I started a new job on Friday, but I still drive the bus. I am now the official voice of Michigan Mens Tennis. I do the PA announcements, and not much else. Before the match I read the lineups and at intermission I read the winner of the superfan raffle. At the end of the match I read the score. I get paid $30 per game but only spend about 3 minutes doing actual work. The rest of the time I get to watch the games or do whatever I want. It's further away then the bus depot and I get paid about half as much per hour, but I like it. I was even invited to join the tennis team at Pizza House on Friday night. I also now understand tennis a little bit better, and get to support Michigan athletics. I've noticed two things about the game of tennis though:

1) It is the one sport where your performance only matters on the end result. If you lose a set in a tie-break or lose a set 6-0 it is still a loss and means the same exact thing. It's like if a baseball game were decided based on who won the most innings. You could give up 18 runs in the 1st, but as long as you score one more run than your opponent in every other inning you would win. It doesn't matter how much you score overall, it only matters that you score more in any given round. The only comparable sport would be a skins match in golf. It only matters who wins the hole. If you lose a hole by 4 strokes but then win the next two by one stroke your still up 2-1. It makes every part of the game really important.

2) Being a tennis referee is the hardest officiating job in sports. In most sports there are multiple officials and very few tough calls. But in tennis every call is really hard. You have to tell where a ball traveling 90 mph exactly landed. I was amazed at how anyone could call a ball in or out. Also, since it is a sport where the players get to make calls, sometimes players will make a call in their self interest. It is a gentleman's sport, but some players get a little upset when they think a call should go the other way. I've also noticed that it is a sport where in some cases they allow do-overs. If something is debated heavily the ref will have they play the point over again. I can't think of any other sport that has do-overs.

I really like this job, and so for I have gotten free pizza and a free T-shirt. Although sometimes it is a bitch to get there, I think this is one of the better campus jobs.