By JP Pelzman
Dave Popkin first figured out his eventual career path by trying out for the varsity boys basketball team at Neptune High School. He then received a classic example of good news and bad news.
He was told by the coach that he had made the roster. But he also was told he wouldn’t play unless the Scarlet Fliers were “up or down by 30 points,” Popkin recalled in a phone interview with Piratecrew.com.
But fortunately for Popkin and for Seton Hall fans, he was given another option--to sit high in the bleachers and record the games for the benefit of the coaches with a video camera.
“I thought about it for 30 seconds and said, ‘yeah, I’ll do it,’” he remembered, “and that changed the trajectory for me because the camera had a microphone on it.”
So he got a friend (who eventually became his brother-in-law) to work the camera while Popkin did the play-by-play.
“The coaches laughed and said, ‘you’re really good at this. You should try to do this.’”
More than 30 years later, Popkin still is heeding that advice. He will be doing his 17th consecutive season of radio color analysis of Seton Hall men’s basketball in the fall, and also is the TV play-by-play voice of Northeast Conference men’s basketball, which he has done for 20 years.
“It’s been an enjoyable journey,” he says. “It’s a good outlet to be creative. I like to travel and I’ve been in all but four states.”
Popkin, who graduated from Neptune High in 1989, took a visit to the University of Miami, where he witnessed Brent Musburger of CBS Sports exiting the office of then-football coach Jimmy Johnson.
Between that backdrop and the warm weather, Popkin’s college choice was as easy as the pivotal one he had made at Neptune. “I said, ‘I’m done, I’m here,’ because it was the epicenter of sports at that time. It was an ideal situation for me.”
The first men’s basketball he called was the Hurricanes hosting Hartford, which had future NBA star Vin Baker.
Popkin says, “I came out of that game knowing this is what I wanted to do.”
After graduating from “The U,” Popkin’s first job was in Sioux City, Iowa in 1993, doing pre- and post-game shows for the Sioux City Explorers, a new independent team. His best friend from Miami, Jim Frevola, had helped him get the job. He also did a general sports-talk show for the radio station that carried the Explorers’ games.
“The people there were so kind and so accommodating and so welcoming,” Popkin recalled. “I became a part of the community. … I got good quick. It was trial by fire. I was on the air so much each day it gives you the chance to make mistakes and learn a lot.”
He spent three years there, and says that after that, “my biggest break probably was (then-senior associate athletic director) Keith Meyers hiring me at Seton Hall.” He says “it elevated me” because of the association with the Big East, The Hall and WABC radio, which carried the games back then, to a position where “I got other opportunities as a result.” He also signed on with ESPN 360 at roughly the same time and spent eight years doing broadcasts for them.
Throughout his tenure as one of the radio voices for the Pirates, Popkin has worked alongside renowned play-by-play voice Gary Cohen. So, in essence, Popkin is a point guard playing off the ball, because he is a play-by-play guy in all of his other broadcasting ventures.
Still, he has become adept at not stepping on his broadcast partner, and providing useful information and observations when he does speak. How long did it take to develop that chemistry?
“One game,” Popkin says. “I can appreciate what he does and what the audience needs. My role is to color in the coloring book.”
That could entail contributing “a stat, a trend, some insight, some humor, some perspective. … It’s a work in progress but I’m definitely comfortable with the job I do” on Seton Hall.
During that time, Popkin has gotten to observe longtime head coach Kevin Willard up close, sometimes too close when he blocks the view of Popkin and Cohen, as coaches often do. That minor problem aside, Popkin is impressed by what he sees.
“I think he’s one of the best coaches in the league,” he said of Willard. “I think that the guys know if they follow the defensive scheme and play hard they’re going to get minutes. He’s learned to have patience with his scorers, like Myles Powell, and if they take a bad shot, he lets them stay in the game. He’s a student of analytics, which I think has helped him and the program.”
As for Powell, Popkin says, “he has an uncommon drive and better shooting range than everybody else. If he improves his ballhandling, he can be a good NBA combo guard because he’s a great finisher in transition and in the halfcourt. There’s nothing not to like about to him.”
Who could be the X-factor for the 2019-20 Pirates? Popkin says that player could be Sandro Mamukelashvili.
“I love his game,” he says, “if he develops an outside shot he can become an All-Big East player. He’s a good passer, an excellent rebounder, he can run the floor, he creates matchup problems because of his length.” He added that if “Mamu” can improve his outside shooting, it will help take the scoring load off Powell.
The only player lost was Mike Nzei, whom Popkin said, “was like a big brother (to his teammates). Mike will definitely be missed. His play on the court was underrated. Mike was great for the program and I’m happy for his success off the court” on Wall Street. But Popkin added he believes Florida State transfer Ike Obiagu will be an “impactful player” because of his shot-blocking and rebounding.
Powell and teammate Myles Cale have been selected as part of an all-Big East team to represent the U.S. in the Pan American Games later this summer. Willard will be an assistant coach for the squad.
“I think the Pan Am games will help a lot. It will be a great experience for them basketball-wise,” Popkin says. “The positives clearly outweigh the negatives. It will be a good growing experiece for them.”
Popkin noted that The Hall has a “brutal” non-conference schedule next season, but that if the Pirates can come out of it with some quality wins, “I think it’s reasonable to expect them to challenge for the Big East regular season and tournament titles. … I think the Sweet 16 is a legitimate goal with the experience.
“All of these players have been in the tournament every year of their careers,” he added. “They know now how important seeding and location are, and coming down the stretch, I think it will make them more motivated to close the deal in some of these games so they can cement a higher seed.”
As for the likely return of Connecticut to the Big East, Popkin said, “It would be great for the Big East. UConn has a great history in the league. It would renew a lot of key rivalries. It would cement the New York and Connecticut market for the league and elevate women’s basketball back near the top of the heap, which is important.”
He also noted the league would be adding a “top-notch coach” in Seton Hall alum Danny Hurley, and that the resulting 20-game league schedule would help the conference in terms of strength of schedule and analytical metrics.
As for his tenure with Seton Hall, Popkin’s most famous call likely came in 2016, when he said that Isaiah Whitehead’s game-winning basket in the Big East tournament final sat on the back of the rim “for 23 years,” the length of time since the Pirates had captured the tournament title.
“I had a moment to put it in perspective and that’s what I chose,” he says.
Popkin said his broadcasting influences include Marv Albert, Hubie Brown and the longtime New York Yankees trio of Bill White, Frank Messer and Phil Rizzuto. He says the Yankee announcers “were all very different but I feel like I took something from all of them and I got to meet all of them. They had a balance of reverence and irreverence.”
He also liked the New York Knicks team of Mike Breen and Walt Frazier. “They had a great rapport and they weren’t afraid to be funny. You need to entertain people. … I think it’s what people remember and it’s what keeps the audience over a long period of time.”
Popkin also got good advice from Rich Kurlander, his engineer when Popkin used to call LIU games. Kurlander, who is blind, suggested to Popkin to be “more specific” in his calls.
Popkin, who also calls games of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and the CIT tournament, enjoyed working with Seton Hall alum John Fanta last season when Cohen was unavailable.
Popkin and Cohen saw Fanta’s potential when he was an SHU freshman. “We knew that he was a comer and that he would make it in the business because he pays attention and he works harder than everybody else. He brings a jubilance to his work that is uncommon. He continues to get better every year.”
Although baseball is Popkin’s “first love,” he has enjoyed all these years of doing Pirates basketball.
“I really enjoy being a part of the Seton Hall family and being with the fans on the road,” he says, “and at the Pirate Blue and Booster Club events. People have been very kind to me. I really have enjoyed my association with the school and with Gary over the years.
COMMENTS
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
Dave Popkin first figured out his eventual career path by trying out for the varsity boys basketball team at Neptune High School. He then received a classic example of good news and bad news.
He was told by the coach that he had made the roster. But he also was told he wouldn’t play unless the Scarlet Fliers were “up or down by 30 points,” Popkin recalled in a phone interview with Piratecrew.com.
But fortunately for Popkin and for Seton Hall fans, he was given another option--to sit high in the bleachers and record the games for the benefit of the coaches with a video camera.
“I thought about it for 30 seconds and said, ‘yeah, I’ll do it,’” he remembered, “and that changed the trajectory for me because the camera had a microphone on it.”
So he got a friend (who eventually became his brother-in-law) to work the camera while Popkin did the play-by-play.
“The coaches laughed and said, ‘you’re really good at this. You should try to do this.’”
More than 30 years later, Popkin still is heeding that advice. He will be doing his 17th consecutive season of radio color analysis of Seton Hall men’s basketball in the fall, and also is the TV play-by-play voice of Northeast Conference men’s basketball, which he has done for 20 years.
“It’s been an enjoyable journey,” he says. “It’s a good outlet to be creative. I like to travel and I’ve been in all but four states.”
Popkin, who graduated from Neptune High in 1989, took a visit to the University of Miami, where he witnessed Brent Musburger of CBS Sports exiting the office of then-football coach Jimmy Johnson.
Between that backdrop and the warm weather, Popkin’s college choice was as easy as the pivotal one he had made at Neptune. “I said, ‘I’m done, I’m here,’ because it was the epicenter of sports at that time. It was an ideal situation for me.”
The first men’s basketball he called was the Hurricanes hosting Hartford, which had future NBA star Vin Baker.
Popkin says, “I came out of that game knowing this is what I wanted to do.”
After graduating from “The U,” Popkin’s first job was in Sioux City, Iowa in 1993, doing pre- and post-game shows for the Sioux City Explorers, a new independent team. His best friend from Miami, Jim Frevola, had helped him get the job. He also did a general sports-talk show for the radio station that carried the Explorers’ games.
“The people there were so kind and so accommodating and so welcoming,” Popkin recalled. “I became a part of the community. … I got good quick. It was trial by fire. I was on the air so much each day it gives you the chance to make mistakes and learn a lot.”
He spent three years there, and says that after that, “my biggest break probably was (then-senior associate athletic director) Keith Meyers hiring me at Seton Hall.” He says “it elevated me” because of the association with the Big East, The Hall and WABC radio, which carried the games back then, to a position where “I got other opportunities as a result.” He also signed on with ESPN 360 at roughly the same time and spent eight years doing broadcasts for them.
Throughout his tenure as one of the radio voices for the Pirates, Popkin has worked alongside renowned play-by-play voice Gary Cohen. So, in essence, Popkin is a point guard playing off the ball, because he is a play-by-play guy in all of his other broadcasting ventures.
Still, he has become adept at not stepping on his broadcast partner, and providing useful information and observations when he does speak. How long did it take to develop that chemistry?
“One game,” Popkin says. “I can appreciate what he does and what the audience needs. My role is to color in the coloring book.”
That could entail contributing “a stat, a trend, some insight, some humor, some perspective. … It’s a work in progress but I’m definitely comfortable with the job I do” on Seton Hall.
During that time, Popkin has gotten to observe longtime head coach Kevin Willard up close, sometimes too close when he blocks the view of Popkin and Cohen, as coaches often do. That minor problem aside, Popkin is impressed by what he sees.
“I think he’s one of the best coaches in the league,” he said of Willard. “I think that the guys know if they follow the defensive scheme and play hard they’re going to get minutes. He’s learned to have patience with his scorers, like Myles Powell, and if they take a bad shot, he lets them stay in the game. He’s a student of analytics, which I think has helped him and the program.”
As for Powell, Popkin says, “he has an uncommon drive and better shooting range than everybody else. If he improves his ballhandling, he can be a good NBA combo guard because he’s a great finisher in transition and in the halfcourt. There’s nothing not to like about to him.”
Who could be the X-factor for the 2019-20 Pirates? Popkin says that player could be Sandro Mamukelashvili.
“I love his game,” he says, “if he develops an outside shot he can become an All-Big East player. He’s a good passer, an excellent rebounder, he can run the floor, he creates matchup problems because of his length.” He added that if “Mamu” can improve his outside shooting, it will help take the scoring load off Powell.
The only player lost was Mike Nzei, whom Popkin said, “was like a big brother (to his teammates). Mike will definitely be missed. His play on the court was underrated. Mike was great for the program and I’m happy for his success off the court” on Wall Street. But Popkin added he believes Florida State transfer Ike Obiagu will be an “impactful player” because of his shot-blocking and rebounding.
Powell and teammate Myles Cale have been selected as part of an all-Big East team to represent the U.S. in the Pan American Games later this summer. Willard will be an assistant coach for the squad.
“I think the Pan Am games will help a lot. It will be a great experience for them basketball-wise,” Popkin says. “The positives clearly outweigh the negatives. It will be a good growing experiece for them.”
Popkin noted that The Hall has a “brutal” non-conference schedule next season, but that if the Pirates can come out of it with some quality wins, “I think it’s reasonable to expect them to challenge for the Big East regular season and tournament titles. … I think the Sweet 16 is a legitimate goal with the experience.
“All of these players have been in the tournament every year of their careers,” he added. “They know now how important seeding and location are, and coming down the stretch, I think it will make them more motivated to close the deal in some of these games so they can cement a higher seed.”
As for the likely return of Connecticut to the Big East, Popkin said, “It would be great for the Big East. UConn has a great history in the league. It would renew a lot of key rivalries. It would cement the New York and Connecticut market for the league and elevate women’s basketball back near the top of the heap, which is important.”
He also noted the league would be adding a “top-notch coach” in Seton Hall alum Danny Hurley, and that the resulting 20-game league schedule would help the conference in terms of strength of schedule and analytical metrics.
As for his tenure with Seton Hall, Popkin’s most famous call likely came in 2016, when he said that Isaiah Whitehead’s game-winning basket in the Big East tournament final sat on the back of the rim “for 23 years,” the length of time since the Pirates had captured the tournament title.
“I had a moment to put it in perspective and that’s what I chose,” he says.
Popkin said his broadcasting influences include Marv Albert, Hubie Brown and the longtime New York Yankees trio of Bill White, Frank Messer and Phil Rizzuto. He says the Yankee announcers “were all very different but I feel like I took something from all of them and I got to meet all of them. They had a balance of reverence and irreverence.”
He also liked the New York Knicks team of Mike Breen and Walt Frazier. “They had a great rapport and they weren’t afraid to be funny. You need to entertain people. … I think it’s what people remember and it’s what keeps the audience over a long period of time.”
Popkin also got good advice from Rich Kurlander, his engineer when Popkin used to call LIU games. Kurlander, who is blind, suggested to Popkin to be “more specific” in his calls.
Popkin, who also calls games of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and the CIT tournament, enjoyed working with Seton Hall alum John Fanta last season when Cohen was unavailable.
Popkin and Cohen saw Fanta’s potential when he was an SHU freshman. “We knew that he was a comer and that he would make it in the business because he pays attention and he works harder than everybody else. He brings a jubilance to his work that is uncommon. He continues to get better every year.”
Although baseball is Popkin’s “first love,” he has enjoyed all these years of doing Pirates basketball.
“I really enjoy being a part of the Seton Hall family and being with the fans on the road,” he says, “and at the Pirate Blue and Booster Club events. People have been very kind to me. I really have enjoyed my association with the school and with Gary over the years.
COMMENTS
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
