I am grateful to college football for the many amazing experiences it’s given me over the years, one of the most memorable being getting to know Chris “Boomer” Berman. Those of us who came of age in the 90’s remember his larger-than-life ESPN persona which included all the crazy nicknames he came up with for professional athletes. When I met him last year, I was star-struck. He and Coach Whipple met when he was a broadcaster for the Brown University radio station when Whip played baseball. They became roommates and have been close friend ever since. He’s exactly like you’d expect from t.v. only a lot more profane. I couldn’t believe I was hanging out with him, and out of respect for the fact that he’d been taking pictures and signing autographs all night, I didn’t ask anyone to take our picture. this year, I could think of him more as Chris and asked him for a picture. When I told him why I didn’t ask last year he said “why not? you should have asked.” I never thought I could say a famous sportscaster is part of my family, but he is.