You never know what someone is going through, even when that person is a well-known figure in the world of broadcasting. No one is immune from mental health issues. My admiration for those that have come forward to discuss their battles is off the charts. Privacy in these matters is the route a lot of people in my industry choose. It isn’t right or wrong, it’s how that individual chooses to deal with their own personal situation.
One of baseball’s best broadcasters, Eric Nadel, is taking time away from the Texas Rangers, to focus on his own mental health. The Hall of Fame broadcaster is as good a person as I’ve ever met in the game. He’s a hard worker, is always prepared and seemingly has called every Rangers game over the last three and a half decades. He’s been a part of the Rangers broadcast since 1979.
Nadel released a statement at the end of March telling fans that he would be missing the start of the baseball season to deal with his own mental health issues.
Nadel says he originally dealt with mental health issues more than 20 years ago. But those were different days.
“At that time, I was afraid to speak out. That’s how much things have changed,” he told Fox 4. “I was able to power through it, which I found this time around was a lot harder.”
The long-time play-by-play man and Rangers Hall of Famer also said that his family has a long history of mental health issues. In the conversation with Fox just before his annual ‘Birthday Bash’, he was asked how he knew there was a problem this time and when he might be back in the booth.
“This thing started with insomnia, I’m still having issues with sleep, so I wish could make a prediction along those lines,” he said.
For their part, the Rangers are doing right by their long time and popular employee. Support from the employer always gives the person going through mental health issues one less thing to worry about. In Nadel’s case, this is still a dream job for him. Nobody wants to walk away from that dream for any reason, so when the employer makes it easier to take the needed time to get the needed help, that’s a win for everyone.
There are many that probably think “how can a guy like that be depressed?” These people are probably saying something like, “he makes a ton of money, gets to be around the team all the time and has an easy job, what would cause issues?”. Those questions are human nature I guess, but they aren’t particularly insightful or helpful. This ignorance is what makes people afraid to come forward.
Baseball life, while seemingly glamourous, can cause personal stress. It’s not easy to be away from your family for a good chunk of the season. Especially when you routinely have to miss family events and birthdays. People have a hard time understanding the effects a three-city road trip covering multiple time zones can have on your body and mind.
Sure, the travel is via charter and there’s no TSA security line, but you are still logging the miles. Don’t get me wrong. This is not at all meant to be a “woe is me” thing, it’s just fact.
I’m so glad that Nadel came forward and addressed his situation. It took great courage on his part to let complete strangers in on what he’s going through. It really is nobody’s business, but Nadel stepped forward, to try and help himself and others. Admirable isn’t a strong enough word to express how I feel about what he’s done.
His realizations made me look back to a dark time in my broadcasting career several years ago. I was leaving a great job in San Diego for no real good reason and I was angry. When people would ask “what was wrong?” I would say, “nothing, I’m good, just trying to figure out what’s next.” But inside, this sudden realization that my life was about to change was bothering me more than I even knew.
Coming back to Chicago, I was not the same person I was when I left. People in my inner circle noticed it. Some expressed their concerns and wanted me to seek help.
I passed it off as, “well things will be different when I get my next job,” which was naive of me, because that’s not how it works. I didn’t think my inner strife was bad enough to talk to someone. I consider myself a tough person and figured I could get through it by myself. I finally, got fed up with not feeling like myself. I called my doctor and we dealt with it. I learned that admitting that you have flaws and need help is not a sign of weakness.
Luckily for everyone coming forward now, the news isn’t as jarring as it used to be. But there is still a long way to go. May was National Mental Health Awareness Month, designed to shed light on something thousands upon thousands of Americans suffer from in one way or another. June is National Men’s Health Month which also covers the mental side as well as the physical side of that coin. They are equally important.
Thankfully Nadel reports that he’s feeling better every day. He told Fox 4, “There are all kinds of treatment options. I am investigating a lot of them and have experienced lots of them.”
In the Fox 4 interview, Nadel was asked if he had a message for people who may be going through similar issues.
“Don’t be afraid to get help. There are all kinds of therapy out there and there’s no shame in it,” he replied. “Don’t wait. Be alert to the warning signs. If all of a sudden you don’t enjoy the things you used to enjoy that’s a real big warning sign.”
That is great advice. Keep up the fight Eric, and thank you for shedding some light on the subject. I’m sure you have helped many people by going public. Here’s hoping that Nadel is ready to get back into the booth sooner rather than later.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
