What am I doing here?

Why does a guy who's happy to be out of the public eye want back in?

LEFT: Last official puck drop | RIGHT: Livin’ the dream in the Desert

I’m a 63-year-old retired NHL play-by-play broadcaster, living in one of the most beautiful places in the country. I live alone, I got a pool, bicycles, golf clubs, and all the time I need. I’ve taken decent care of myself and am still quite spry. That’s a word you use about people over 60. I’m happy these days. 

I don’t have to do anything but I gotta do something.  

NOW – here on Substack – I get to write WHATEVER I WANT. And I’m pulling no punches here – you’re gonna get unfiltered, unplugged Ralph and get to know me in a new way.

If you’re an old Stars fan – Ralph fan – you kinda know me like that. The straight man.  The big game caller.  The voice of your hockey-watching youth. But I was working for others so I had to ‘watch it…’ more than I would like. Here – I don’t have to watch it.  

I did some of the best work of my life with my childhood hockey team and for you. I’m so proud of those 25 years and my work in Dallas and with the Stars. I got to call some dandies. Met and got close with so many fans. Watched that fan base grow and mature. Made some great friends.

I love being around young, energetic people. That’s the players and the office staff.  The older I got the more I enjoyed that. They became family and I treated them that way. I helped people around and below me. Helped em get in and move up. That’s the best stuff.  

Restating what I said when my time with the Stars was over – I left. My call. I’ve heard plenty of stories about why I left and lots of em were comical. Heard one recently from somebody says I got “fired for alcoholism” which is awesome because I wasn’t fired, and I haven’t had a drink in almost 40 years.

It’s never one thing. 

I called my last NHL game in December of 2021 and I’m so proud of that game, what happened, and who I worked with. I went out in style. I’ll tell ya about it in later posts.  

I haven’t worked in the last couple years. Here’s a scoop…the corporate world is not for me. You’ll hear more about that too. Let’s go.  

I’ll tell ya more about all this with these SubStack posts. I’m a writer at heart. We write because we have something to say. I have things to say. And I have some really fun and interesting things coming your way. Stay tuned… 

I’m sarcastic and I’m always questioning why things are the way they are. I don’t think we ask those questions enough. Especially in sports, especially in hockey.  Let’s look at things differently.  

I will be the NHL satirist that will fill a void. Let’s have fun with that.  

We’ll live chat during hockey games – and you can AMA as the kids put it. I have plans for a podcast and more. I work only for myself now. I’m a free man. Hard to get here but here I am.    

My SubStack posts will be categorized this way: 

• Stars/Hockey/NHL Satire 

• BETTING HOCKEY PROPS MY WAY – we’re gonna do some damage.  

• NFL/Vikings/Fantasy

• Inside Sports Broadcasting – Reviews/Critiques/Observations

• RALPHISMINGS – my words and phrases told through stories of my broadcast and life experiences.

• Here’s Why… - a section where I explain how things work and how I see them. 

Lots of the best content will be behind the paywall. Some will be out there for nothin.  Love to have you along for the ride if you can make it. But in or out please keep in mind the following RALPHISMING – “beware of any human model where you only get to go fishing 3 days a year.”  

Peace.

Ralph