Play by play announcer for the Columbus Crew Chris Doran

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's welcome back to the show. I guess for the
second time.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
I think at this point Chris Dorian, who is play
by play for the Columbus.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
Crew, Chris, is the second time you've been on the show? Right?

Speaker 3 (00:10):
It is Blazer, that's right, second time. Good afternoon to
you and Chuck.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yeah, thank you man, thank you very much for jumping
on with us. You are returning. I was doing a
little bit of digging' you're returning for your and tell
me this is right.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hopefully it'll be right.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
For the fifth consecutive season as the Cruise radio play
by play voice, bringing more than two decades of MLS
broadcast experience to the booth. And you know, the last
time you were here, you were in studio and I lamented.
I was like, you know, you are one of that.
You got to be one of the most talented people
ever because you're in the booth by yourself and you

(00:47):
have to go for forty five plus minutes just talking
about what's happening there. Correct, I mean that hasn't changed
any right, or do you have somebody in there with you?

Speaker 4 (00:57):
Now?

Speaker 3 (00:57):
I don't have anybody in there with me. It doesn't
necessarily mean I'm talented. It just means I can get
along with myself for three hours and I don't need
entertainment from others. But you and I have both met
plenty of people who could talk on and on and
maybe can't pull off what we can. But it's been
a real blessing. We're happy to be back in Ohio

(01:18):
and really enjoy the way this team has been playing,
especially over the last couple of years under Wilfred Nazi.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, this is really cool. The season opener tomorrow night
at lower dot Com Field. The Chicago Fire are in town.
And that was so. You were the radio host for
the Chicago Fire. It looks like as I was looking
kind of into your background, right, Yeah, I.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
Did radio and television for the Chicago Fire for ten years,
and coincidentally, it was a time for Chicago when they
were very successful. The meetings between Columbus and Chicago typically
tilted in favor of the Chicago Fire. We had quite
the roster and Columbus was kind of feeling their way
through I would say not infancy, but maybe their teenage years. Well,

(02:05):
in the last ten years, Blazer, it's been mostly Columbus.
You look at the I think the last twenty eight
meetings or something. Chicago's only got three wins in those
twenty eight meetings, So the big brother's been established. Columbus
with thirty years of experience in Major League Soccer, Chicago
not one of the original clubs. Twenty eight seasons for

(02:26):
the Chicago Fire, and I think that what we're going
to see tomorrow night is a team that has its identity.
Like Columbus we've been playing now this will be our
third season under Wilfried Naci and his staff, and for
the Chicago Fire, a team that's looking to establish a
new identity, a team that's struggled to be to the

(02:47):
I guess a part of the conversation in the playoffs.
And a new head coach in Greg Burhalter, a guy
who's familiar to Columbus fans and men's national team fans
as he's spent some time in Columbus as a head coach.
Very deliberate, he's very defined in what he wants from
his players, very orchestrated, and I think you'll see that
there's a little bit of skiltedness in what Chicago brings

(03:10):
and a little bit more fluidity from what Columbus offers.
So it should be an interesting battle of identities tomorrow night.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
And then I was also and look, I'm not going
to act like I know because I was just reading
some of this stuff and I don't follow it as
closely as I should. However, I am getting a little
more interested in it. It only took me thirty years,
thirty years to finally start getting it.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
But I saw that is it Cuco Hernandez. That's how
you say his name? Correct?

Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, that so he's gone correct? And he was a
very integral part of the Columbus crew. Or is that
a source subject that people don't really want to talk about.

Speaker 4 (03:48):
No, you know this.

Speaker 3 (03:49):
I don't know how it is in other sports. I'll
admit a little bit of I guess disinterested in a
lot of other sports, but I don't know how it
is when players move on to other teams. But in soccer,
especially in Columbus, once you've worn the black and gold,
you're always a part of the family. For Cuco or Nandez,

(04:11):
he came in at the age of twenty three. We
knew he was a talented player. He was way too
young to be committing ten years to this league. All
due respect to the league. It's just that he was
at a level where the expectation was if he improves,
he's going to be plucked out, and that's exactly what happened.
He was the MVP of MLS Cup in twenty twenty

(04:34):
three when we won the playoffs, and then you look
into twenty twenty four, he was a runner up his
league MVP, he was the league's Cup MVP. The accolades
were all over the place for Cuco. He was surrounded
by great people and luckily he was able to grow
his game. La Liga in Spain took notice and Realedattis.

(04:58):
On the last day of the trade deadline for Spain
was able to put an offer in that, you know,
caught the attention of not just Kucho and his people,
but also the Columbus crew. And you know, you have
to help a guy realize his dreams. And that was
the promise that Columbus made to Kucho when they got
him two and a half years ago. They said, we're

(05:18):
going to help you realize your dreams. If the biggest
dream you want isn't here in Columbus, then we'll find
a way to, you know, help you to the next level.
And that's what happened. Kucho is not a sore subject.
He brought us a lot of great memories.

Speaker 5 (05:30):
Cool.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
We just want to make sure that everyone remembers that.
You know, we've got a roster of players right now,
while it's a little bit short, is a roster of
players that brought so many new records in last year's
performance to the franchise, and we're going to build on
that this year and see what happens. It's going to
be exciting.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
It's kind of on selfish.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
I guess it's the way to describe it, unselfish because
there are so many other sports.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
I think you know this too, Chris.

Speaker 2 (05:59):
We're talking to play by play announcer for the Columbus Crew,
Chris dor And Chris, I think you know, Like, for instance,
I'm a Steeler fan, right and when players leave us,
especially if they go to the Ravens or they go
to somebody within the AFC North which is where they reside, Like, yeah,
they'll go to the Bengals, so they'll go to the Browns,
It's like, hey, the hell with that guy? You know,
Like it's not I'm so happy for him. He's moved on.

(06:21):
He got a bigger contract. Knowing well and good, if
it's me that was in that same position, I would
absolutely So. I'm with the Steelers, I'm making three million
dollars a year, and then I get an offer from
the Ravens to make seven million dollars a year, and
I'm gonna get mad at the guy for going and
bettering himself, especially offering himself up to the football gods.

(06:42):
He could die on any given play, you know, deep down,
I know that. But that's where soccer is very different.

Speaker 5 (06:49):
You're spiteful, that's your probab Well, No.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
I just I think that's what a lot of football
fans experience, and that's just kind of how it goes.

Speaker 4 (06:57):
I never I've never heard your talk with Chris from
the I'm sorry about that. But as I'm listening to
you talk, I have to ask you this, your time
in Chicago versus your time in Columbus. Is the fan
base more more energized, more supportive here in Columbus than
what you saw in Chicago.

Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah? More loyal, Chuck, They're way more loyal. And you
know that actually starts from the top. Chicago's a really
big city. It was always hard to find footing in
the news headlines between the Bears and the Cubs and
White Sox and the Bulls and black Hawks. In Columbus,
you know, you got to find your footing. You're not

(07:37):
handed any headlines or attention because you're a professional sports franchise.
You've got to earn it. But once you do, the
loyalty behind the from the fan base is just exceptional.
And the folks in the front office. And I've said
this publicly, so I don't mind saying it again, and
I'm not you know, looking at any boots here, but I

(07:58):
got to tell you the quality of person in this club,
from top to bottom, is impeccable, and it bleeds over
into the roster, it bleeds out into the fan base,
and the loyalty of the supporters groups is exceptional. I
think we're very fortunate. And I think people who go

(08:19):
to other cities and and you know, sample another team
find that Columbus is extremely unique in that way.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
That's awesome and that explains I guess the success. I'll
be frank with you, when the when the crew first
came to the city, I'm like, this ain't gonna work, Columbus,
and I'm gonna like soccer for guys sakes that we're
not a soccer.

Speaker 1 (08:38):
Here we are thirty years later.

Speaker 5 (08:39):
Yeah, here we are thirty years later, and I'll tell
you what, I developed a lot of respect.

Speaker 4 (08:43):
I'm still not. I don't follow the game real well,
a lot of it doesn't make sense. But as the cold, cold,
cold weather and these guys are out there and them
shorts running up and down that field, I think I
respect that.

Speaker 5 (08:55):
That's awesome.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
I think I think injury when I see that, I'm like, man,
you really to warm up because you get out there
like there goes.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
A hammy snapping like a shade, you know on your window.

Speaker 5 (09:06):
Endurance is pretty impressive.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, it's crazy.

Speaker 3 (09:09):
Well, we've got we've got a grounds crew that was
voted last year as the top grounds crew in the league.
We have a facility that's one of the best in
the nation. The heat system underneath this field is going
to keep it nice and warm. Not completely. It's not
going to feel like Daytona beach in March, but it
is going to be warm. As they keep the earth

(09:30):
fertile and the grass growing through the winter months, they
crank up the warm water heating system under the field
and the players will feel a little bit of that
radiant heat. So it's not going to be what it
feels like in section tomorrow, right right, right, but it'll
be it'll be comfortable enough. And you know, I know

(09:51):
everybody the guy's talking to the media this week, they're
all chomping at the bit to get started, and they
love playing in front of twenty thousand fans at lower
dot Com. It just doesn't any better.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
The cardioc the cardiovascular capacity in any sport is unrivaled
in soccer because yeah, you got you know, two hundred
feet in hockey and they're flying around, you got And
I understand that it's they're not running literally the you know,
for forty five minutes straight, but there is what is it,
seven eight hundred yards the size of a.

Speaker 1 (10:21):
Sick at least it looks that way on TV.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
It's so big and they're constantly running on being a
little facetious that Chris, but I mean it's like it's
unrivaled though, right, I mean, the the ability to keep
your wind about you is unrivaled in any other sport
on Earth.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
I would think, Yeah, we talk about the number of
yards or miles really that these players cover and your
wing midfielders are going to cover anywhere from between six
and nine miles. There are guys that are going to
cover slightly more than that. I know Dwan Jones who's
one of our wingers. He joined us last year, but
he's got targets that he tries to hit, especially when

(11:00):
he starts. We're talking well in excess of eight miles
of coverage during the course of a game.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
Oh no, sanity, Yes, you know.

Speaker 3 (11:10):
And they're doing it at a full sprint, you know,
for fifty yards, but then they're backing off and then
they're doing another three quarter sprint for sixty five yards.
So it's an awful lot and you know, you're going
to feel like if you're sitting in the stands tomorrow
that you might be inspired to take a sprint or
two with thirty degree temperatures. But it'll be, uh, it'll be.

(11:30):
One of the things that the crew has been very
successful with over the last couple of years is fitness
and in training their team to be not just fit,
but continuously healthy into the end of the season, because
when you think about the playoffs arriving in late October,
you have to be peaking at that point. You know,
you can't be training until September and then have your

(11:52):
body sort of taper off at October. You have to
be ready to go yet again for another six weeks
with the playoffs. So you know, our staff has been terrific.
Our coaching staff has been very attentive to players who
can't be one hundred percent at any given time, and
the guys who are fit, they put in a full game.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
Also, you think about, in addition to that the games
that you're talking about, the practice that leads to being
able to withstand that kind of you know, beating during
the game. And I was just thinking about this before
we went to the top of the hour. I was outside,
you know, walked out and was kind of thinking of stuff,
and I go, man, those guys probably get to consume.

(12:31):
Remember Michael Phelps when they showed those tables of food,
the guy was consuming like twelve thousand calories and it
was like something insane. Those guys probably literally can eat
anything that they want, not that they do, because certainly
the type of food you put in you is the
type of fuel you're going to get out of it.
So they're not all having hot fudge cake every day

(12:53):
or whatever. But I just started thinking, I'm like, man,
those guys, if they're running like that, they get just
burned through everything that they eat. It's got to be
it's got to be like a schedule that they have
to eat.

Speaker 1 (13:06):
Eat.

Speaker 4 (13:06):
They may not eat it, but it's probably available down
there with all the other stuff they've got, probably right.

Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah, yeah, well they are. That's one of the things.
When the Ohio Health Performance Center came online in twenty
twenty one at the old side of the historicru Stadium,
they built onto that entire structure, and in training there,
you've also got access to a full dining room and chefs.
Throughout the week, most of the guys eat breakfast and
lunch there. They monitor their diets and they're given diets

(13:32):
from the nutritionists so that they're putting the right fuel
in their bodies. Tomorrow, during halftime, we'll expect that the
players will have access to things like hot teas and
hot soups to fuel themselves at halftime. It won't be
unlike what you have available to you on the concourse,
although there are plenty of other grape dishes that are
available for the supporters to fuel up too.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
I got some of those in front of me right now,
not the actual food, but I dug up some of
the stuff Chris and uh, pork dumpling salad is one
of those. I'm staring at him like, oh my lord.
Then I see you know, dirty frank Chicago dog is
going to be sold.

Speaker 1 (14:12):
Is that a nod to Chicago?

Speaker 2 (14:13):
Since here in town I would imagine got sport peppers
and then you know the what is it the type
of buns that they have, the little poppy seed buns
and yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, fully loaded with the peppers and pickles on top
of h.

Speaker 2 (14:25):
Yeah, man, it looks so amazing. Then like the strawberry
cream nachos, I'm just like, what like, looking at this,
it's crazy. All this sample size of brisket mac and
brisket mac bowl which is like mac and cheese brisket.
It just looks amazing when you start looking at all
the different types of they kind of to your point

(14:47):
with regard to looks like a nod to Swinson's. Even
they're having like potato teasers and the galley boy. So
it's interesting all the different types of food you can
get there too at lower dot com.

Speaker 1 (14:58):
That's awesome.

Speaker 3 (14:59):
Yeah, and let's just make sure in case people are
listening in and out, that's not what the players are
eating it.

Speaker 5 (15:06):
Right.

Speaker 3 (15:08):
Shout out to chef John Digiowani, who spent some time
with me this week and went through all of those
dishes in full display. I looked at the was it
strawberry chips or they're not tortilla chips?

Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, strawberry cream nacho yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:25):
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (15:25):
I had to clarify whether or not that was a dessert,
and he said it's absolutely a dessert. And they sample
recipes all through the off season and all through the
years so that they can pinpoint exactly what fans want
make sure they're available around the concourse at lower dot com.

Speaker 1 (15:40):
Yeah, man, it looks it looks very yummy, very very yummy.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
Will you partake in that, like in your breaks, because
you're burning a lot of calories. To Chris, you're by yourself,
you're going at it for well forty five minutes, But
then it's always longer than that, typically right before you
get to a break.

Speaker 3 (15:58):
Yeah, it's always longer than that. They treat us nicely upstairs,
and I'll have something to eat before I go on
the air, but I won't be eating during the game.
Plenty of fans take advantage of what's downstairs. The media people.
You guys have all been in press boxes before. There
are a few press folks who enjoyed just showing up
for the buffet. Oh yeah, but they treat us really,

(16:19):
really nicely upstairs.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
Very cool.

Speaker 2 (16:21):
Man the Crew season opener tomorrow night, seven thirty pmlower
dot Comfield versus the Chicago Fire, and he's played by
play announcer Chris Dora. And Chris, thank you so much,
man for jumping on. I know, I just kind of
hit you up earlier today. Glad you were able to
squeeze in some time for us, and we'll do this
periodically throughout.

Speaker 1 (16:39):
The season if you're good with that. Man.

Speaker 2 (16:41):
I love when you come on. I remember the last
time of your aunt was a lot of fun and
you're an interesting guy and you got a lot to say.

Speaker 1 (16:47):
So I love it, man, I love it very much.

Speaker 3 (16:49):
I appreciate it. Blazer, Chuck, you guys have a great weekend.
I'll talk to you again soon.

Speaker 1 (16:53):
Thanks brother, you too.

Speaker 4 (16:54):
We need to work out some of those buffet press passes,
like for foody Fridays, we can go down there and
eat ourselves silly and then review the food.

Speaker 2 (17:03):
Yeah, I think we could probably work that out. I
haven't even been to Lower don Com yet, so I'd
love to get down there just to It's a spectacle.

Speaker 1 (17:10):
Man, a place is beautiful to coars.

Speaker 4 (17:12):
Want some dessert nachos at What a concept that is?
Those look pretty sweet.

Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yeah,