Troops overseas protecting our freedoms
They make sure that we will see some
Better days ahead no matter what the cost
And making sure our freedom is never, ever lost
Meanwhile our own country takes ‘em from granted
No media coverage as our men stay stranded
Away from their families, away from their homes
And they risk their lives against terroristic kingdoms
But we all remember and we respect what they give
As they are true Americans and they let us live
So whether or not, show love for our troops
This is a thanks to them for all that they do.

Growing up, my father really got me into listening to sports on the radio. As early as I can remember, my old man always had the Mets on WFAN 660 AM with Bob Murphy calling the play-by-play. Even though in the mid 1990's the Mets were absolutely awful, I legitimately believe that listening to those games on the radio made me fall in love with doing commentary.

The art of calling a sports game or a wrestling match is so tricky to get. You have to know how to translate the action of the sport going on without actually taking away from it. When the audience reacts or buzzes, you have to stop talking and let the listening audience hear the fans so they can get emotionally invested in the game by reactions. Commentators have to know the select stats to keep the fans intrigued, but mainly it comes down to... IT. To make it in play-by-play or as a color analyst, you simply have to have the ability to call a game or a show and have it NOT take away from the game at large. It truly is an art to do so.

Over the years, I truly began to appreciate radio when it came to athletic events. Unlike the image-conscious corporate atmosphere of TV games, the radio is where you can get the true aspect and feel of an event. I will not lie when I say Howie Rose is an incredible play-by-play guy, vastly underrated in the scheme of New York, simply because he calls a fantastic game, tells his feelings on subjects revolving the topic brought up, says how he feels in a serious, unabashed manner, and makes sure you feel the quality of his opinion without taking away from the Mets at all. Why isn’t Howie Rose talked about more? Because he isn’t trying to be a shock jock and get himself recognition. He truly loves the game and his team.

I honestly believe that there are many people who believe that calling a game or a show is the easiest thing in the world. It isn’t. You continuously learn, bust your butt calling each show with as much fire and passion as possible, dictate the pace, get quips in without taking away from the game, and just have fun.

Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes I purposely put on a game or wrestling match just so I can listen to the commentary and see what certain guys do to really elevate or degrade themselves on each show. I rely on 4-5 main commentators to listen to in different situations. In Sports, I have Howard Cosell, Bob Eucker, and Gus Johnson. In wrestling, it’s Gorilla Monsoon and Joey Styles. 5 totally different styles, but all 5 men have one common trait; they are the top of their respected fields.

Sometimes, I even drift away listening to a match or game of any of those five, and I envision how the situation is playing out in my mind. Honestly, I can see people back in the 1930's and 1940's doing the exact same thing, trying to get the mental image of what's going down within the arena or stadium of a selected event.

Commentary is a special art. If you can find a way to truly give people the ability to envision what’s going on within the inner sanctum of their mind, then you are gifted.

One day, I dream of being that gifted.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com

#professionalism

There is a reason I’ve posted this little phone video piece online.

When you work, you always start and end with what you believe in.

I truly believe in Professionalism. I believe in it personally, professionally, spiritually, emotionally, every which way possible. People think it’s a gimmick; it’s real life.

Almost everybody doesn’t get it.

Trust me when I say, the people that truly don’t get it, aren’t smart enough to.

It isn’t time to just to save wrestling: it’s time to save the world. People need to think smart and get back to exercising their dreams to life.

#professionalism

Jon
jon@thejonharder.com

Written At a Starbucks at 12:09 AM While Piecing Things Together – 5/10/12

The revolution is always a tough game to play
Building from scratch
It’s tough to find footing
Small audiences follow immediate
But mainstream never follow through
The spin is always tough to reverse
The more revolutions a revolution endures
It falters like a old building
And crumbles to rubble
So always continue the edit work
And keep the base strong
That’s how revolutions endure
The impending storm.

It’s funny that I sit here listening to Beastie Boys’ “To the Five Boroughs” on my laptop, as at one time, it truly was a major point of my life. When I was a few years younger, that CD really got me through some of the toughest times any confused kid goes through as he enters manhood. Trust me, that one LP got me through, especially the track “3 the Hardway”, which obviously played a major part into the name of a certain wrestling podcast.

Now to hear that one of the trio, Adam “MCA” Yauch, passed away, all you have are the legacy that he left behind through his music and what he did in life through his actions. Many people have said through Twitter and other forms of social media that MCA was a genuine, big hearted person who made a lot of positive and innovative maneuvers within the length of his existence, mainly through charities and contributions to different causes. Most importantly, the majority of celebrities or just fans were saying that MCA truly was a genuine person that cared about people, but was also an incredibly hard worker. Look at all the things MCA was able to do:

Hip Hop Artist
Alternative Rocker
Film Director (as Nathanial Hörnblowér)
Film Distributor
Music Producer
Milarepa Fund creator (non-profit organization for Tibetan independence)
Philanthropist
Father
Husband

I look at all the things MCA was able to do within 47 years of life and it really makes me start to think. There are so many different ventures he was able to delve into and continuously keep busy. Amazingly, the final two things on that list was amazing in its fact that despite all the busy time MCA had with his projects, he was still able to start a family and have a child. That to me is a testament within itself.

There have been a lot of personal things going on that really have changed the face of Jon Harder over the past year. I have doing a lot more thinking than I should be, combined with all real life matters coming into play and I think it’s time to really take things to another level with life. I genuinely believe I am just not living up to my potential within this life and I’m a true underachiever. Over the next several weeks, things are going down. Trust me. You’ll see.

I’m going to go back and listen to some Beastie Boys to get inspired. You don’t hear innovative music like you hear nowadays that truly makes you think.

Jon Harder
jon@thejonharder.com