Job-Related Hazards

One of the most difficult parts of my job is pronouncing the names of various athletes. Hockey players are, of course, the most difficult. Lots of lenghty Slavic surnames. Some African-American first names stump me (for example, is "Jonquis" pronounced "JOHN-kwiss" or "John-KEES?"). Usually, I'll know how to say the name when I sit down on the set, but when it comes up in the script, and I'm narrating play-by-play at breakneck speed, I sometimes stumble over the names.

Thank goodness we don't cover Stetson University. It would probably take me an entire basketball season before I could spit out the name "Grlenntys 'Chief' Kickingstallionsims, Junior."