by Bailey White
Staff Writer
In an office lit with several computer monitors, crowded with a large assortment of cords and wires, and ringing with the sound of Jacksonville Jaguars play calls, Dan Gadd sometimes spends 12 hours of his day editing film, conducting interviews and, along with two other “computer junkies,” handling the daily updates of the Jacksonville Jaguars website.
The equipment may seem overwhelming to the uninitiated but “everything plugs into everything else,” said Gadd. But the multimedia specialist with perfectionist tendencies knew what he was getting into when he took the job.
“I started as a broadcasting intern in July 2001 and worked through the season,” he said. “In February, just as my internship was ending, I heard about the opening for my position. Timing-wise, it worked out perfectly. I was starting to panic.”
During the internship, Gadd learned a little bit about life in the National Football League.
“I know you don’t ask for vacation during the season,” said Gadd.
When he started his current position, Gadd was met with a daunting task — restructuring the entire website.
“I definitely jumped into the fire,” said Gadd. “My college friends would have laughed if I’d told them I’d be working with computers. I didn’t know much about them.”
The team, which includes webmaster Steve Hall and web designer Rob Lampkin, pulled “a couple of all nighters,” but they had the site up and running just as the players were arriving for training camp.
Since the initial website overhaul, Gadd continues to work well past the 5 p.m. whistle. The extended hours don’t seem to faze him.
“That comes from my dad; he is my inspiration,” said Gadd. “He has been through a lot, and he keeps on fighting. I couldn’t slack off knowing that I have to answer to him.”
Game days are obviously hectic. Gadd begins the day on the field, catching the sights and sounds of the game through his camera.
“I’m trying to capture emotion, celebration shots. I want anything that brings out the best of the sport,” he said.
After the game he records reactions from Coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Mark Brunell during the post game press conference. Then he’s off to the locker room to speak with other key players from the game.
The rest of the week, Gadd is attending press conferences, putting together highlight packages and gathering information for the two segments he writes for the website each week. For the AFC South Report, Gadd reports on how the other three teams in the Jaguars division played, and for The End Zone, a lifestyle piece on a featured player, he puts together articles and interviews.
“I love this job because I can be as creative as I want, as in-depth as I want. I enjoy having that control. My favorite part of the job is when I have the time to put together a creative and fun highlight package,” said Gadd.
For the highlight packages, Gadd combines his own footage of the game with commentary from radio broadcasters Matt Robinson and Brian Sexton and a selection of music for a three or four minute tape.
“There is always something to be done,” said Gadd. “I feel like this is the perfect experience. I’m learning every day.”
The possibility of a future in sportscasting has attracted Gadd to the photography and editing responsibilities of his job.
“They’re both great ways to get my foot in the door,” he said.
Road games offer no relief in the work load because Gadd travels with the team to the host city, where he maintains his responsibilities. Traveling with the team has been “a good way to see other cities,” said Gadd.
Not that he needs the opportunity.
Gadd’s father, in his eighth year as head football coach (and recently honored as the winningest coach) at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., brought Gadd, his brother and mother with him to other coaching jobs around the country. Gadd has lived in California, Minnesota, Utah and New Mexico. The communications major also spent five years playing football at Western Maryland College.
And now he is in Jacksonville, enjoying the fact that wearing shorts in February isn’t out of the question. In fact, his internship with the Jaguars saved him from “a cold, Foxboro [Mass.] winter.”
Before family friend and Jaguars defensive coordinator John Pease let Gadd know about the broadcasting internship, Gadd had accepted an internship with the New England Patriots.
“I wasn’t looking forward to another winter up north,” said Gadd. “As soon as I heard about the Jaguars position, I said, ‘Sign me up.’ ”
During the season, Gadd doesn’t have a lot of time off. The small amount of downtime he does have, Gadd is running, enjoying the beach and the sights of the St. John’s River, or watching the sport he can’t seem to get enough of — football.
“I like to go some place with friends to watch the game. I’ll watch it all — pro, college, high school. I just love football,” he said.