Flaherty and Filippelli Come to STAC


West Nyack’s very own and former New York Yankee, John Flaherty, alongside with John Filippelli, both with YES Network, had spoken to a number of students in the STAC community about their past endeavors and how their experience may help those aspiring to be just like them.

Speaking in a packed Sullivan Theatre on Tuesday, John Flaherty spoke briefly about his career as a professional ball player and retiring to become a sports broadcaster for the Yankees. His transition from player to analyst is different to say the least. Flaherty even admits that after nearly ten years of broadcasting he still “gets nervous.” During his time as a player he was the one being asked the questions by a reporter before and after a game but now the roles have reversed, as he is now the one asking the big questions. Being the reporter has its moments but there are a number of times where things get a bit nerve wracking, Flaherty admits. “…As I’ve done it now for ten years you still get nervous. There are tense moments, but you find a way to get better at it.”

Not knowing what he was getting himself into at the time, Flaherty’s agent encouraged him to learn the ropes of broadcast journalism and get a lot camera time in order to get used to it. Flaherty was nearly about to take a job as a Mets broadcaster when the unexpected had happened. “Somebody by the name of Mr. Steinbrenner had seen me on TV with the Mets. He didn’t really like that that was a possibility that might go forward,” said Flaherty. After hearing that the longtime Yankees owner had said that, John Filippelli, YES Network’s president of production, or “Flip” as Flaherty likes to call him, offered him a thirty game package, where he will broadcast the games live.

During his career, Filippelli has earned the Network over three hundred Emmy nods and over fifty wins. “(to) be passionate, tenacious and knowledgeable” is what it takes for young journalists, like most of the students in attendance, to make to where they want to be in their careers.

Filippelli had received a type of “education that no college could have ever given me.” Knowing good telecast from the bad, Filippelli has notice people come and gone in his line of work and feels that it something that is not necessary. He helped Bob Costas and Joe Buck start their careers in telecast. If people like them had made it, then why can’t students like us? He has people who work for him over the years and tells them to never take anything negative said about them to heart, and the best advice he gives under something like that is to stop. “You drive yourself and everyone around you crazy and its not worth it.” As long as someone knows what he or she are doing, they do not need an Emmy to prove you’re better.

“How you document a moment is almost as important as the moment itself because it how people will remember that moment”

-Brendan Dolan