Opportunities can come in unique ways.

Like the time I landed an associate producer job with a local sports talk radio show, while having zero radio experience, simply by responding to a job posting by Vic Lombardi on Twitter.

Vic and his “sports life partner” and radio show co-host, the venerable Gary Miller, needed a new associate producer to run the internet side of their morning show. I listened to their show during my daily commute and enjoyed their local perspective and chemistry with one another. It sounded fun so I figured, “what the hell?” and responded to Vic’s tweet, offering my services.

I’ve always wanted to get into sports media, be it writing, photography, radio, broadcast. Whatever. Sports are a serious passion (obsession) of mine, especially following all things relating to Denver sports. I’ve just never had an opportunity to work in the field.

After many, many…many tweets in response to his post, Vic finally responded back to me. I called in to the show the next day and gave, in two minutes or less, along with several other callers, my reasons for wanting/deserving the job. Shortly after, I was invited to interview in person, live in Vic’s basement studio. The guys must have found me to be somewhat competent/non-threatening and offered me the job on a Friday afternoon in March. I was to start the following Monday morning. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was. (And nervous. I really had no idea what I was getting into.)

Working on the Vic and Gary show would require me to move my day job schedule, working for an insurance company, to later in the day to accommodate the morning hours. Most of my workdays in the subsequent months lasted well over 12 hours, a sacrifice I would make again a hundred times over.

Essentially, my duties on the Vic and Gary show were to provide in house-technical support (being that the show was produced at a different studio location) and to operate and archive the livestream video broadcast of each show. The show is unique in that way, at least among Denver radio shows, in that we offer a live video feed and chat room during each show. It’s a great way for listeners to interact with the hosts and offer information.

I was also there to provide information, stats, etc. to the guys on the fly during each broadcast, as they are still learning the subtle nuances and intricacies of Google.com.

I quickly learned that both Vic and Gary were akin to offer gentle ribbings from time to time, so I began to dish it right back. I like to think I was able to gel with the guys immediately. Just three guys, sitting in a basement, chewing some gum and talking about sports. However, the final, unofficial number of times Gary has “fired” me is somewhere well into the hundreds.

I tried not to overstep my boundaries, as the show wasn’t about me, but I was counted on to have opinions. I was given an outlet for those opinions. I was given a voice. That’s a powerful feeling. It’s a high, really. Deep down, I’m just a sports fan who wants a voice. Losing the Vic and Gary Show is going to strip me of that, and I’m among the many disappointed fans that the show will be off the air.

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with two consummate professionals. Two more knowledgeable, affable individuals in the Denver sports media scene, there are not.

I’ve learned a lot from these gentlemen and had an absolute blast working with them. (What better time to be involved in Denver sports radio than in 2011?) They’ve shown me how to cover sports accurately and for the most part in an unbiased fashion. They’ve shown me how fun it can be.

If I’m able to land somewhere else in the sports media field, it will be because I was given the opportunity to learn on the job from the best. Vic, Gary, thank you. I hope that you guys are able to get back on the radio airwaves. Denver sports fans need you. You need a producer? Tweet me.