Underhill has spent the last few days in Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, operating a hand-held camera on the floor as the Indiana Pacers host Los Angeles in the NBA championship series.

The 38-year-old Muncie resident is taking time off from his job as electronic media coordinator for University Relations at Ball State University to work for NBA Entertainment. His video shows up on the NBA World Feed and NBA.Com TV.

Each NBA championship game is being televised to an estimated world audience of 2 million people with announcers calling each game in their native language.

The Finals has attracted hundreds of television, print and Internet reporters from around the world to Indianapolis.

Underhill admits the international representation is mind-boggling.

>"We've got reporters from all over the globe, including Japan, France, Portugal, Israel and Belgium," he said. "When I usually work a game, I hear the announcers through my headset, but it wouldn't do me any good now. I don't think I could understand any of them."

During the games, Underhill operates a hand-held camera near the Pacers' bench. It is one of  more than 30 television cameras used at Conseco. After each game, Underhill moves his equipment to each team's locker room, providing interviews for NBA.Com TV. On games between games, he works a camera for interview sessions with the league's top players, coaches and executives.

Although this is his third year working Indiana Pacer playoff games, the last week has been one of the highlights of his career that has included the Indianapolis 500, NFL contests, Monday Night Football, the Pan Am Games and time spent as a television journalist with several broadcast stations.

"It is pretty exciting to be on the floor for the NBA championship," Underhill said. "It uses up all my vacation days, but I figured it is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager