Well, whatever it was, they found it again.

Earlier this month, Skorich and Stan Fracker accepted their second consecutive Emmy for best live/unedited sporting event series on behalf of Palace Television Studios. To win that esteemed category again in such a competitive market speaks volumes about their work. Detroit is one of the select national markets with all four men’s major professional leagues: NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB.

“For that category it’s really all about being nominated,” said Fracker, senior producer of Palace Television Studios. “That sort of cements the idea you’re making a quality broadcast at the highest level.”

“That’s the one I think we as a group are most proud of,” said Skorich, who waited several years for his first live sports series Emmy in 2007. “That would be the one we aim to get.”

Skorich and Fracker have headed up Pistons’ television broadcasts for more than a decade. It seems the time together has allowed them to find an award-winning mix.

“I think for us there are several factors,” Fracker said. “We’ve added a sideline reporter [Eli Zaret] in recent years, so that’s kind of expanded the scope of our broadcast. I think also a lot of the elements we put into our broadcast we’ve fine tuned over the years to come up with a look and feel we’re really happy with.”

Among the elements Fracker cited were the broadcasts’ opening teases, for which he earned an Emmy in the editor-short form category. For the second year in a row, the Michigan chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded The Palace with Emmys in four categories.

“There’s not one item that I can think of that we just try to get it done and get on the air,” Skorich said. “Most of the stuff, time is taken with it and done to the best of our abilities and we just try to make it look and sound as network-quality as it can be.”

The Palace also had a pair of first-time Emmy winners: senior audio engineer Kyle Clements for live broadcast audio and segment producer Matt Arnett for sports editing in the no-time-limit category.

“I’m 1-for-1,” joked Clements, who has been with The Palace for 15 years. “I think I need to pursue an acting Emmy or something.”

Clements juggles the sound input from over 20 microphones, including 14 located near the court. “I guess the way I look at is, if you see it, I gotta try to get you to hear it as well,” he said.

Clements won the Emmy for his microphone manipulation of a Pistons-Pacers game, during which Pacers coach Jim O’Brien barked profanity at a referee (Clements made sure other mics drowned it out). Once O’Brien calmed down, the coach and ref had a discussion about the call, which was picked up by one of three mics located on the scorer’s table. Announcers George Blaha and Greg Kelser let the conversation unfold, providing an insightful look at how coaches and refs communicate during a game.

“Luckily he didn’t say any more un-family friendly words,” Clements said. “And it really played out really nice.”

Arnett’s first Emmy provided a perfect farewell after three seasons at The Palace. A newcomer in 2006, Arnett earned his first nomination in 2007 before taking the trophy for his work on the Pistons’ 2006-07 season-ending music video. Arnett is leaving next month for a mission in Africa.

“He had been kind of a one-man band at a local station in Jackson (Mich.) and was given an opportunity here,” Fracker said. “He is a great example of what can happen to somebody who’s motivated and takes the time to learn what he’s doing and is able to apply it.”

“We really provide a great avenue for people to show their creativity and their expertise,” Skorich added. “The ability to work on a music video is something a lot of people don’t have an opportunity to do if you work at a TV station.”

Fracker, who has produced past award-winning music videos, said the process can be “tedious,” taking anywhere from two days to two weeks searching for the right footage, followed by many hours trying to get the timing right with the music.

“It’s one of the things I enjoy most doing,” Fracker said. “But I don’t know if it’d be fun for the average person to sit and watch it get made.”

Fortunately, the finished product does us just fine.