3 September 29, 2021
LIFESTYLE
THE RECORDER
From Blue Devils to Podcast Empire BY TED SHERIDAN
C
CONTRIBUTOR
entral Connecticut State alums Jimmy O’Brien and Jake Storiale met with students virtually to share their stories about their CCSU journey to running a highly successful baseball media company. The virtual talk was sponsored by the CCSU Communication Department and the Robert C. Vance Endowed Chair in Journalism and Mass Communication. The talk, moderated by Prof. Carolyn Lumsden, provided behindthe-scenes insight into the development and operation of Jomboy Media. Jomboy Media is a digital media company that boasts over a million subscribers and followers across multiple platforms. They produce a wide range of sports content with a primary focus on baseball and a healthy infusion of comedy. On YouTube, O’Brien, more commonly known as “Jomboy,” is known for his videos that break down dramatic moments in sports such as brawls, ejections, or unusual plays. O’Brien and Storiale record podcasts such as “Talkin’ Yanks” and “Talkin’ Baseball.” Before going viral and building a successful company with one of his best friends, O’Brien barely made ends meet as an event videographer. Nevertheless, he held out hope that one day he could make a living doing what he had a passion for: creating content. In his free time, O’Brien was recording, editing, and posting videos he enjoyed online. “I was doing as much on the side then as I am now,”
O’Brien said. “People just weren’t watching. I would do all these videos, and I would spend all of this time editing, just because that’s what I liked doing. So I stayed as a wedding videographer, not making enough to live, hoping the hobby would take off, and luckily it did.” In 2017, O’Brien’s hard work finally paid off. With investment from a friend, O’Brien quit his job, partnered with Storiale, and committed all his time to a podcast about their favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees, called “Talkin’ Yanks.” O’Brien credited that early investment for his rapid success in Jomboy Media and the company’s unique trajectory in the sports media landscape. “That early investor really helped everything and gave us the mindset of ‘let’s build a company,’” O’Brien said. “You’re not going just to be Jimmy O’Brien and Jake Storiale started their baseball podcast empire JOMBOY MEDIA somebody that gets hired by after graduating from Central. ESPN. You’re not going to be said. “‘Baseball is a dying sport.’ forward-thinking, and I think somebody that gets hired by us to say, ‘well, why not?’” O’Brien offered advice for The financials won’t tell you that. they’ve gotten to the point where MLB or FOX. This is not talent those who want to become Our audience won’t tell you that. they’d admit that,” Storiale building. We’re building a successful content creators, It’s a narrative.” said. “It’s about personalities. company.” emphasizing the importance of O’Brien was quick to Like, sports are the best reality Jomboy Media is based in the being a go-getter. harmonize with Storiale’s TV. When you know the stories Bronx, New York, blocks away “If you’re looking to get into sentiment. behind guys, that’s how you get from Yankee Stadium. It employs content, do it,” O’Brien said. “The first time those words attached.” over 30 people to manage social “Don’t wait for an internship. were written was in a newspaper CCSU baseball player, Noah media, sales, production, and Don’t wait for anyone to tell you in 1887,” he said. “‘Why is Martinez, cited the unique lens editing of various podcasts and to go. You have to go. Have the baseball dying?’ It’s the ‘how’s Jomboy videos portray baseball Youtube shows. tenacity to just go. I made videos the weather?’ of the sports world.” through as a reason for becoming O’Brien stressed the role for six years, nobody watched O’Brien and Storiale said interested in the sport. confidence played in the growth them, and then I broke out.” baseball dying is simply a “You turn on MLB Network, of Jomboy Media. O’Brien and Storiale pushed narrative and concede that the and it’s more analyzing statistics “We’ll bet on ourselves more back on the idea that baseball is sport has catching up to do with and data and all of that stuff, but than people think we will,” a dying sport, pointing to evermarketing, a task that Jomboy Jomboy is more the drama and O’Brien said. “Our belief that increasing revenue around the Media seems to understand well. the cool stuff that goes on around we’re gonna be successful no sport. “Not to be a shot across the baseball,” Martinez said. “It’s a matter what allows us to try things “Our audience, MLB, told us it bow to [MLB], but there are cool spin on what’s going on, and and pivot. It allows us to not act didn’t exist, and it does,” Storiale some parts, they were not super it’s very entertaining.” from a state of fear, but it allows
Mystic Gets Its Garlic On
O
BY MELODY RIVERA CONTRIBUTOR
lde Mistick Village held its 14th Annual Garlic Festival to help farmers, small businesses and vendors around the area sell their fresh garlic and serve garlic-related products on September 18-19.
TSHERIDAN@MY.CCSU.EDU
Since the festival was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people from the food industry participated and distributed their signature garlic specials this year. Chet Dimauro, the owner of Chet’s Italian Ice, was selling Garlic Sorbet at the stand and shared how he made it. “We use fresh local garlic and fold it into our classic lemon Italian Ice,”
The Brown Dog Farm stand at 2020 garlic festival
JAMES HOLLEY VIA BOSTON GLOBE
Dimauro said. “Our Garlic Sorbet is only for the Garlic Festival, and it’s worldfamous! People from all over the world visit the village.” As coach buses arrived in front of Olde Mistick Village, people were welcomed by a band named Chris Mackay and the Tone Shifters. The band introduced themselves and kicked off the festival with their guitarist and vocalist, Tim Stawarz, saying, “our first song is about a relationship that garlic can’t even cure.” Olde Mistick Village recently won first place for “Best Place to Take a Visitor” in The Day’s seventh annual Best of Reader’s Choice Awards. This is done to recognize businesses and places in the southeastern region of Connecticut. Sticky Situations, a family-owned small business in the village, sold garlic honey, garlic honey butter, and balsamic garlic vinegar. The store had popsicle sticks at every table for visitors to sample their naturally-made honey and maple syrup. The Cloak and Wand, a fantasy shop that opened in May of this year, gave away free wooden stakes for people to protect themselves from vampire attacks with
every garlic product purchase. John Rose, an employee from Ryan’s Pub, said the restaurant has been open for over 40 years. Rose, along with the other employees, was cooking and serving their famous Garlic Ranch Fries and Garlic Ranch Corn Fritters. “The most interesting thing about the Garlic Festival is the creative food options,” Rose said. “The food is the highlight.” Although most food vendors and farmers were from Connecticut, some were from outside the state. Frank and Mary Ann Williams are garlic farmers who traveled to Olde Mistick Village from Palmyra, New York, to participate in the festival. From one village to another, they sold a type of garlic called Music Garlic. Mary Ann Williams talked about the history behind garlic and how it got its name. “The garlic is named after a man from Canada named Al Music,” Williams said. “He developed the seed.” MELODYRIVERA@MY.CCSU.EDU