You smile, you nod, you say, "Oh, isn't that nice." Then you move on snickering to yourself. Get your generic degree and become another office drone, like everybody else, you think.

But here's the thing -- there are big-league ballplayers. There are astronauts. And, yes, there are sportscasters. And, chances are, they all had that lofty and unlikely aspiration when they were kids.

So who's laughing now?

"I started doing this as a hobby," says Adam Amin, a recent Valparaiso graduate who was named one of five All-America college sportscasters last month by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America. "I had no idea it was something you could legitimately do and get paid for. I feel like I'm cheating somehow."

It might feel that way, but those of us who've worked alongside Amin know he's gotten to this point the old-fashioned way -- hard work. Sure, he's lucky to have a booming baritone. But he's also logged countless hours and countless miles honing his skills.

The Addison, Ill., native was the analyst for VU men's basketball broadcasts as a junior. He was the play-by-play man for the women's team this past season, as well as the studio host for the men. He's done baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer and tennis at VU. He's broadcast high school basketball in Northwest Indiana, and he's currently working for the RailCats, calling games and working behind the scenes.

So when the STAA announced it was holding its first college contest earlier this year, Amin figured he'd apply. (Any decent sportscaster has an ego as big as his voice, Amin freely admits). He sent in a tape with a half-inning of a RailCats game, a chunk of the VU-at-Green Bay women's basketball game, and a segment of him anchoring the weekly VU basketball show.

And wouldn't you know it, Amin was named a finalist for the Jim Nantz Award. He placed a remarkable fourth in the nation -- earning "All-America" status, a three-month trial representation from the STAA, and the obvious boost in his job search.

At first, Amin thought it was "a cool gimmick." But then he found out who was on the panel -- including veteran broadcasters for the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Falcons and Ohio State.

"It was a big thrill for me," Amin says. "When I saw who was on the panel, I got a little prouder, it meant a little more."

Amin still doesn't have a long-term job lined up. He's willing to go anywhere and do just about anything, so long as he's calling games. He likes the studio stuff, likes being on camera, likes reporting -- but it's the live action that he loves.

"It's not scripted; you're improvising," he says. "It's organized chaos."

Baseball and basketball are his target sports. Most likely, though, he won't start at ESPN. He'll probably be doing some variation of what Andy Viano, his current boss, does with the RailCats -- making long road trips, working media relations, typing up press releases, scheduling promotions... and, yes, calling games. But his long-term goals haven't changed. Not a bit.

"I'd like to work nationally, covering games that mean a lot to a lot of different people," Amin says. "I like how big games turn a bunch of people on and get a lot of attention. If you're watching March Madness, it doesn't matter what the teams are -- it's March Madness and it appeals to everybody. That's what I want to do -- bring that excitement to people."

Lofty goals, to be sure. But, hey, it doesn't seem so unlikely now, does it?

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