I did play…Before I started to write…(Photo by Rob Sorge)
By Joe Torosian
Kick it!
“Let’s head on down the road
There’s somewhere I gotta go…”
—Tom Petty
Right off the Top: Mid Valley Sports is not going anywhere. It covers the NFL, NCAA Division-1 football, NCAA Division-2 sports, and the Los Angeles Galaxy…Oh, and CIF Football.
Mid Valley Sports will continue on and into the future.
…But I’m moving on.
***
This is no big shock…The last couple years I’ve backed away from almost all of my duties with Mid Valley Sports…And over the weekend I made some posts to confirm what was already out of the bag.
I came in with Carlos Beltran in 1998…and I depart with Carlos Beltran in 2017. He got his World Series ring…I got to see Mid Valley Sports make it to the NFL. We both finished as pinch-hitters.
The reason is simple…I remain very involved pastoring my church in Burbank…And I’ve been writing books. My available time has shrunk, and I needed to choose which direction to take.
So after twenty years of a lot of fun, taking a few insults, experiencing one threat (not really a threat—but the coach was mad…or at least in a bad mood…), I’m leaving The Mid…
I’ve been good all season knowing this was going to be it, but I have to say, I was a little verklempt the afternoon before the St. Francis final. Last roll out to a game, last time grabbing notebook & pens, last time I’d have to decide between warmth, comfort, and the practical…Last time I’d have to get parking…Last time on a sideline…Last first-half, last quarter and last play…
It began with Temple City’s Jamil Frazier racing 50-plus yards to paydirt and finished with a 37-yard field goal by Rancho Verde’s Luis Santiago on December 1st.
Honestly, none of this happens if…
…I’m not told “paydirt” is a cliche by an editor in the 1980’s who described a Monrovia boys basketball game as “Showtime.”
…If Dana Baskin doesn’t open the door.
…If Connie Keenan doesn’t turn on the lights.
…If Peterson and Barker don’t gun the engine.
…If the old Mid Valley office wasn’t the “Caddyshack” of places to be during the football season…If you weren’t there, you’ll never know…But then again, maybe one of these days you will…
Too many people to mention, too many people to thank, and way too many memories to account for…God has very much blessed me…
I hope to sit in the stands a few times next season…I hope someday to stand and jaw with the clique of people on the sidelines—The people who walk onto on a football sideline like customers used to walk into Cheers…The place where everybody knows your name.
I will be launching a website in 2018 for my books. I’ll be posting “Fanviews” there…and I’m going to keep writing.
My third book (“FaithViews for Storm Riders”) has just come out…I have other projects I’ll be releasing in the next few months.
I’ve also finished the rough draft of a follow up to “Tangent Dreams” I hope to put out by next fall.
I’ll be spending time with my family (now I sound like a “retiring” coach).
…And I’ll be preaching at my church in Burbank.
Like the twenty years of mission trips to Mexico and my 32-years involved in summer camp…This has been one of the best experiences of my life. I loved 98% of it—Because there was a brief period when the Suits were saying volleyball and football coverage should be the same. (Jubilee Dunbar!)
For me, I despised being referenced as a “Journalist” …No way…I was never a Journalist… I was—and in my heart always be—a Sportswriter.
And now…I belong to the ages…
The Dude abides…
672
Jeremiah 29:13
Author of “Tangent Dreams: A High School Football Novel” … “The Dead Bug Tales” …& “FaithViews for Storm Riders”…all three available through Amazon.com.
jtbank1964@yahoo.com
Follow Joe on Twitter @joet13b
Instagram: @joet13b
Joe,
Good Luck, you will be missed by all the wanna-be hacks out there. It has been a pleasure reading all your posts, and articles throughout the years. ” Turn out the lights, the parties over, all good things must end…” Dandy Don.
Sir Joe, “Dilly Dilly”.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Joe. Best of wishes and luck in your future with much respect to you.
Thanks Joe for the many years of your coverage of Temple City sports. It was always a thrill to have your kids name mentioned in one of your articles and became a “keeper”. See you around the City.
God Bless Joe. As a parting gift (I know you love them) I would like to award you the 1st ever Joe Pulitzer Prize. This comes with all honors and genuflecting from those of your peers now jealous of your stature. Feel free to add this Award to your Facebook Profile, resume or Christmas letter updates to distant relatives. Congratulations on this distinct and singular honor.
You knew it was a big game when Joe Torosian was on your sideline. As a coach in the MVL, we were spoiled by you and the rest of the guys at the Mid. When no one else cared to give our athletes coverage, there you were having us on your show, writing up our kids. Talking up a Sandra Gutierrez, taking the first photo of Brandon Martinez. You were the author of “The Circus”, the writer of so many memories that will live in scrap books forever. You will be truly missed. Thank you for all the joy.
So long Joe, vaya con Dios. Remember that things change, but folks, not so much. Just because someone isn’t on the boards every week doesn’t mean they’re gone, just doing something else.
Don
Joe, you’re one of the best!!! A real man, with a heart God, and feet planted in the world, doing your best to make this place more like His place. From what it sounds like … you are not retiring – simply refiring, or something like that. Thank you, and your team, for doing your work, sportswriting, in a way that you told the story, added insight, and kept the lives of those you covered in mind. You never sacrificed a person’s reputation to make a better twist on a story. The basic premise of “speaking the truth in love” – you upheld. Blessings in your continued pastoring and writing!!! Onward and Godward!!! Thanks again, Coach Bog
Joe,
Your work is valued. Thank you for all the contributions you made to this great sport that unifies us all, for better or worse. I hope you find enjoyment in your next endeavor.
From Joe T.: Thank you so much! All my best to you and yours…God Bless!
Thanks for everything Joe! May your life be filled with prosperity, and tons of Baseball Nut Ice cream! Wishing you the best of everything!
From Joe T.: Thank you, Pat! Your family looks happy and I pray it continues. Thank you for always being such a great encourager… God Bless!
Hey Joe,
Thanks for all the years of covering HS Football in the SGV!!! To read your stories were always one of the best things about coaching HS football at SEMHS. Whether we won or lost reading the MVS would always be on my list of things to do do!!! Thanks for being honest and fair and best of luck in all you do!!
Sincerely,
Coach Escamilla
From Joe T.: Thank you, Coach! Thank you for always being open and having time… I pray you are doing well…You did great work …Be proud! Merry Christmas!
P.S. I need a Coach Escamilla review of my football book 😉
Joe, happy trails to you. You will be missed!
From Joe T.: Thank you! And thank you for your contributions over the years… Have a Merry Christmas and a great 2018!
Happy trails to you. Until we meet again.
If I were you’d I’d retire too because SGVFootball Sucks.
From Joe T.: I don’t know if it completely sucks…But I do long for some better days for the sport. God Bless! Have a great Christmas!
Joe,
It was always a pleasure to see you covering a game, or just hanging out and talking sports. Your great coverage took the AHS-RHS girls basketball rivalry to another level-in a positive way! Always looked forward to reading your game stories and fanview articles. You were always positive with your writing, and a true assets when it came to promoting our local schools. We will miss that-GO PHILLIES!
From Joe T.: Has a Mets fan, I must say the team that concerns me most going forward in the N.L. East are the Phillies… The AHS-RHS rivalry was awesome to cover… And I will always remember that three minutes into our first conversation over the phone…you started yelling… 😉 I’m sure we’ll connect down the road. God Bless!
Joe,
Thank you for taking the time to cover the teams I coached and for your dedication to the San Gabriel Valley.
Your style is one of a kind and will truly be missed.
Oh I’ve always been a Joe Torosian fan…
From Joe T.: What? my sportswriting career isn’t even cold and The Urena-Express is stealing my “Oh, I’ve always been…” bit? Thanks, Coach…I really appreciate it…I pray you and yours are well…Have a great Christmas…I’m sure I’ll see you on FB….God Bless!
Joe, thank you for your support of high school athletics in the SGV. May your future years be blessed with much joy, happiness and good health.
From Joe T.: Tony, thank you! Thank you for always being so encouraging and giving props to my book…Somewhere, down the road, I hope to do that novel abot linemen… 🙂 God Bless! And have a great Christmas!
Wow! I cannot believe it. You have always been supportive of high school athletics and coaches. You will be truly missed Joe. Good luck buddy!!
From Joe T.: Thanks, Coach! It was always great covering and interviewing you…And I still think Yepez field goal against Gabrielino went through uprights back in 2000 😉 Hope you and your family are well…I hear your son is a WR…All my best…Have a great Christmas!
P.S. When an I going to get a MATT KOFFLER review about my football book? For goodness-sakes it’s about a quarterback playing in the Mission Valley League… 🙂 God Bless!
Yo
Joe,
I have enjoyed reading your coverage and thoughts about all variety of subjects for years now. You did a great job covering local sports. It was a job well done. All the best pursuing your passions. Thank you.
From Joe T.: Thank you, Coach! Wishing you continued success at G-Stone…Great seeing your family pictures online…Praying the best for you and yours…God Bless!
I will always be grateful for your coverage of TCNL baseball and your story about my son and his last little league game…which then led to writing about him in his high football school years to an actual job at Mid Valley as a contributing sports writer. You encouraged him to be a good human being as well as a sportswriter! While his path has taken a different direction as well, it was your love and support as a dear friend that I will always be thankful for! Congratulations on your new books. Maybe someday we’ll see my son’s books on a shelf next to yours!
(Ps. Do you happen to still have that article about that last little league game?)
From Joe T.: Josh was a pleasure to cover from Little League thru TC football…You both were both so kind, respectful…and I truly thank you…I look forward to having an Ouellette book on my shelf in the future…I’m sorry to say, I do not have that article… Is it the one from 2003? Did it say; “In the fifth-inning, Josh Ouellette got the pitch he’d been looking for all season…” Or something like that? …Little League as a joy to cover…
Thanks for all of the love you gave the Bryant boys
From Joe T.: The Bryant Family was an honor to cover…God Bless and I pray the best for all of you!
Keep the faith, and best of luck to you always!
From Joe T.: Thank you, Ron! Thank you for your contributions through the years…Hoping the best for the Moors…and praying that you and yours have a great Christmas and awesome 2018… God Bless!
Thank you for all you have done to cover local sports and to provide wonderful memories for countless parents and student athletes. It’s the end of an era.
Peace Out…
The Darkside of the Moon
Joe T.: You know, if you’d thrown the hitch to Desmond more often–like I said–you’d probably be a candidate for the Tennessee job right now 😉 It’s been and will continue to be my pleasure to know you…From a high school senior coming off a knee injury…to your Oklahoma pound out of the clock…to the big-timing event…to all the great interactions…I pray the best for you…and a RING real soon…God Bless! Have a great Christmas…
Joe,
You’re always welcome watch games in the press box, I won’t toss you for not being a working sportswriter.
From Joe T.: The sideline was SO entertaining through the years…but I’m glad I didn’t go up to the pressbox until the end of my run…I would have gotten waaaay too comfortable…It was awesome…I’d love to hangout again with you sometime…Thank you for always being such an encourager to me..Even back in my troubled high school days at El Monte…and the last two decades as a sportswriter…God Bless and all my best!
Thank you for all the years of coverage and giving these local kids so much love making them feel like stars!
From Joe T.: Thank you for all the help with names, clicks, and support! I will always say…and make sure everyone knows… “You haven’t been hit, till you’ve been hit by The Ranch!” God Bless!
It’s been a honor and a privilege to read all of your stories in the Mid Valley Sports for all these years, Joe. I must say, you will definitely be missed, Mr. Torosian. Enjoy your retirement, brother.
P.S. In this ending you do get to ride off with your horse into the sunset…(and with your fair lady.)
Best wishes to you again, Joe!
From Joe T.: You, Amigo, have always been a great supporter and encourager of The MID…So glad I got to stick around long enough to see your alma mater get a ring…I pray you are happy and well…and blessed by God…Take Care!
Extremely grateful for your reportage and humanity through the years. Much happiness in the future, and do stay in touch.
From Joe T.: Thank you so much. I very much appreciate your thoughts…God Bless!
Best if luck Joe even though son graduated in 2016 it was fun and enjoyable reading your post. Some was good and some was like really!!! Lol. May u be blessed in all u do.
From Joe T.: Thank you, very much…Thanks for seeing the humor and not trying to make everything life and death…although sometimes it did seem like the Fate of The World was in the balance LOL…God Bless!
Hope to see you in Arizona…Congrats Joe on a great run!! “THE” obnoxious Giants fan…
From Joe T.: So happy about the awesome connection we made…Let’s stay in touch through FB…I hope to be at Spring Training…some of my particulars may be changing on that trip…I hope all of you Obnoxious Giant fans get Giancarlo!
You insight and love for the High School game will be missed. Good Luck.
From Joe T.: Thank you! I expect to have a long connection with you, Chief!
Defiantly you are one of my favorite people to talk to. I enjoyed my short time at the Mid even though you sent me to some of the worst games in the valley. Hope to see you around some time soon and I promise to buy one of your books. By the way Big Boy wants to do lunch with you.
From Joe T.: You know…if you had stuck around…your games would have improved…When we expanded everyone started doing great games…Sorry about the View-Workman matchups LOL … I appreciate you and getting to know your brothers…Great conversations…and soon as I see a pic or a receipt for Tangent Dreams posted…We’ll do lunch… 😉
Thanks for all your unique takes Joe and thorough coverage of the San Gabriel Valley for so many years. Hard to see all the guys I’ve worked around for 20 years not around anymore, and certainly you will be missed as much as any of them. Best wishes in life.
From Joe T.: Thanks, Fred! I do appreciate it…It is hard to see the world changing…But it was a great run…and so much fun going at with you guys…I pray you are happy and blessed…have a Great Christmas!
Damn I’ve thought you’ve been gone for like two or three seasons already. Haven’t read anything from you in ages before this. Jk
Gonna miss you jefe, thanks for the opportunity to be apart of the MVS family. The Paraclete/Rosemead trip, moonpies, Tuesday night shows and just everything I’ve learned from you from sports, politics or religion. I’m sure I’ll see you around old man.
From Joe T.: You’ve always ticked me off because beyond the fighting, the button pushing, the tats, the cursing that still makes me laugh…you are a good writer and I don’t know if enough people are aware of that…Twist this anyway you want…But I love Big George! God Bless!
:'(
From Joe T.: Thanks, Mission Valley League Stats Guru!
:”(
From Joe T.: I have the same expression when I have to buy lunch… 😉
Joe.
Thanks for you dedication, and devotion to the countless kids in the area with your quest to getting their names heard/read.
As you go forward in your writing endeavors just remember this :
A paper cut is just a tree’s last act of revenge.
Good luck dude!
From Joe T.: Thank you, Colt! Always appreciated your comments, takes, and opinions…You’ve been a great support through the years…God Bless and I pray the best for you and yours!
P.S. Did you read my football book? I’d love to know your thought…