MIKE GLESINGER AT HIS BELOVED BULLDOG STADIUM (KEVIN HORN PHOTO)
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"He is a successful failure. But he's his own man."
Glesinger, 49, has successfully announced Alliance Bulldogs sports on KCOW radio for21 years. He has only missedone Alliance High football game since 1988.
Despite his admiration for Homer, don't expect his catch-phrase to change from "Oh, My!" to "D-Oh!" That would mean leaving his comfort zone.
"I truly never thought I would do this for 21 years," Glesinger admits. "But I got in that comfort zone I never wanted to leave. Now the goal is to get better."
The Spalding, Nebraska native arrived in Alliance somewhat by fluke. He was getting ready for another football season at KNLV radio in Ord when a former co-worker informed him of a play by play opening in Alliance.
"Even though I was announcing a lot of games from the top of buses and flatbed trailers, I was happy in Ord," he said. "But Alliance interested me so I slapped together an audition tape and sent it to (former) KCOW Manager Jim Kamerzell. Two days later he called me and wanted an interview."
Glesinger would replace Mike Gastineau, who left Alliance for a sports announcing job in Virginia. The first game the second Mike G. would announce on KCOW was an eight-man contest in Mullen when the Broncos hosted the Alliance St. Agnes Academy Crusaders in early September, 1986.
"To be honest with you, I honestly don't remember the very first Alliance High football broadcast," he said. "I think it was Alliance at Kimball the week after that St. Agnes-Mullen game."
His first two years were spent splitting time between Alliance High and St. Agnes. When the Academy closed its high school in May, 1988, all his focus turned to the Bulldogs.
He has witnessedblazes ofglory along the trail.
"St. Agnes winning the State Volleyball Championship in 1987 was certainly a thrill," he said. "As were the 1988 and 1989 Alliance High Boys Basketball teams that competed at State. They only lost two games in two years. The Bulldog Girls Basketball team also competed at State six of seven years between 1996 and 2002, which was a lot of fun."
Through 21 seasons, Glesinger, an avid reader, has been aboard the roller-coaster that includes state champion seasons to those with only a win or two. While the team's final records have been inconsistent through the years, the coaches and athletic administration has not.
"No matter who they were or what they coached, they always have been accessible and very easy to get along with," Glesinger said. "That isn't the case with every radio station that covers high school sports in this state. Some athletic directors don't want to see radio stations around because they have this silly notion we drive away crowds. That's not the case in Alliance. Our coaches know the radio station only promotes their programs and helps create interest. That has been the case in Alliance since the day I met Skip Olds."
What was the most thrilling moment?
"The 1992 Alliance-Scottsbluff football game was the most exciting high school football game I've ever witnessed," he reminisced. "Late in the game Alliance's Chris Nelson ran the old guard around play for something like 40 yards. Alliance then scored a touchdown a few plays later and won the game by four or five points."
Another football thriller took place ten years later. Alliance traveled across the state and beat Beatrice in three overtimes, 35-34.
"Not only was it a thrilling game, it gave Alliance its first football playoff victory in the school's history," he stressed.
But his top thrills was the Alliance Boys beating Beatrice in the finals of the 2001 Boys State Basketball Tournament and the Alliance Girls State Championship run last March.
The most crushing Alliance defeat he ever announced was a four point overtime loss to Lincoln Piux X in the semi-finals of the 2000 Boys State Basketball Tournament.
"Alliance never should have lost that game," he opined. "Heck, we had a lead of at least ten points late in the third quarter. That really stung. But the pain went away the next year when we won State."
Just like a million other Nebraskans, his favorite team is the Cornhuskers.
"The most exciting athletic event I attended but didn't announce was the 1978 Nebraska/Oklahoma game in Lincoln. I was a student at the U at the time. My whole dorm floor sat in the east stands and watched the game together."
The Huskers upset the No. 1 ranked Sooners and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Simms that cold, grey November day, 17-14.
Glesinger moved from the east stands to the press box of Memorial Stadium a few years later to announce NU football games on KRNU, the campus radio station. Each radio station originating a football broadcast had its own private booth.
Now, 29 years later, Glesinger enjoys his own private booth at Bulldog Stadium.
The Alliance Booster Club donated $45,000 to build the new facility, opened in September, 2005.
"We used to have 15 to 20 people crammed in the old facility," he said. "Not onlydoes this facility give us more room, but a wonderful vantage point to call the game."
The new press box includes private booths for KCOW and the visiting radio station, as well as private boxes for the Bulldog and opponent coaches and other media.
"This facility was the vision of former AHS Activities Administrator Rocky Almond," he said. "I'm sure glad the administration and school board had faith in his vision. I'm also grateful to the generous donors who made this all possible."
For Glesinger, the new press box was well worth the exercise in patience.
"It wasn't the first time I've had to wait to get something I really wanted," he said. "After all, it took me six years to graduate from college," he said.
"But I tell people that's because I was red-shirted for two years."
D-Oh, My!