Nate’s Notes 34: Greg Wrubell | What-e’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part

I could have listened to Greg share his insights for hours. And luckily, I still get to whenever he calls a game.

First, “What-e’er thou art, act well thy part.” Greg wanted to be in sports, but got his foot in the door with regular news on the weekends, doing 12 hour shifts on Saturdays and 4-6 hour shifts on Sundays. Then he got the graveyard shift working 10 pm – 6 am weeknights, all while he was still in school. For three years Greg grinded in the news world until an opportunity in sports opened up. But during those three years, Greg showed that he would put as much passion and effort into the news product as he would into sports, demonstrating the wisdom of Mendenhalls’ mantra: “The more you can do, the more you can do.” If we “act well our part” like Greg Wrubell, things will likely turn out pretty good for us.

Second, learn from others, and then teach others. For nine years, Greg learned the intricacies of play-by-play from Paul James. And even though Greg doubted his own ability to do play-by-play, once he was given the opportunity, he learned that he had already learned how to do the job successfully. If I ever doubt my own abilities, I am going to remember that Greg Wrubell doubted his own abilities as well. And then I will shift my focus from doubting myself to learning from others, all the while generously sharing with others what I learn along the way.

And finally, learn to differentiate the constructive feedback from the destructive feedback. If we ever do work in the public eye, we will likely generate both kinds of feedback, but we need to make sure we’re weighting each kind of feedback appropriately. Greg seeks to minimize the presence and mitigate the effects of the destructive feedback, all while seeking out the constructive feedback.

Greg shared the lessons that have helped him become an all-time successful broadcaster, a career spanning four different decades. But what I love about Greg’s lessons is that they are also a recipe for success in life. By following his lessons, we drastically increase our odds of succeeding in our careers and in life. 

 It’s a simple idea. Please take it seriously.

Greg Wrubell Bio:

Greg Wrubell is a pro. As the “Voice of the Cougars,” Greg has been part of the BYU football radio broadcast crew since 1991. He has served as the play-by-play voice for BYU basketball since 1996, BYU football since 2001, BYU women’s soccer since 2014, and BYU mens baseball since 2021. 

Aside from his incredible ability to seamlessly cover so many sports, often simultaneously, what truly separates Greg Wrubell in my mind is his preparation, his passion, and his perspicacity. I had to go with three Ps there because Greg is also a master of alliteration.

No one prepares more than Greg. No one is more passionate about cougar sports than Greg. And no one is more quick-witted and insightful than Greg. 

And it was for these reasons I wanted to talk with Greg. I hope you enjoyed learning from Greg Wrubell, because I always do.