Back Gone

How do you throw out your back standing still? I was at soccer practice tonight directing a drill when all of a sudden I felt something in the left side of my back slide and then I was on the ground. Not running. Not kicking. Standing. Going to go to the chiropractor tomorrow... but man this hurts.

Is Monday The Day?

Staffers from both WEEK and WHOI have been informed of Monday, 9AM meetings with the topic presumably the future of both news operations.

Here's hoping, in these tough times, that as many people as possible have seats at the table.

Baltimore Reporter Out of a Job After Posting Doctored Video Clip

Those of you who worked at WMBD in the mid-90s may remember our former promotions guy, John Sanders. John is a funny guy who always seems to take the road less traveled.

Apparently the people at Fox News and WBAL don't share our friend's sense of humor.

Seriously?

So on my way to work this morning... I get stuck behind someone going 30 in a 35. Whatever. I wait, see my opening, change lanes and pass.

I notice as I'm driving by that this woman has her cell phone up to her ear with her right hand and a cigarette in her left hand.

Seriously?

It's bad enough that so many of use our cell phones while we drive... but two hand full? Come on.

I'm assuming she got a lot of dirty looks... well... at least one... not that she noticed.

Happy Trails, Tim

Congrats to WHOI's Tim McGinnis. Tim anchored his last 6:00 newscast tonight. He's headed for WPDE in Myrtle Beach, SC... closer to family and warmer weather. Best of luck, Tim!

The Downfall Of Sports In America

Remember that you read it here. Maybe someone else has written it. I haven't bothered to look. But I am convinced that the Wii is going to be the downfall of sports in America.

Don't get me wrong. It's neat. It's fun. I've been having a great time playing with the kids... and Shannon... even when she beats the tar out of me in boxing. It's really fun watching the four year old play. And I get it, it's much more of an active thing than traditional video games.

But the bad habits and over simplification it breeds in the sports games is frightening.

For example, my son's playing baseball. When he swings... heck when I swing... feet aren't planted, we're all over the place... swinging at pretty much everything. And then, the way it's set up, they don't even show the runner running until after the ball is fielded. Can't you see it now. A whole generation of kids getting hits, then standing at home plate? I see a lot of the same problems with golf. And I'm a much better bowler on the Wii then I could ever dream of being at an alley. I swear my kids are starting to think it's just that easy.

I'm not saying don't buy it or don't play it. I am saying if enough kids are playing a lot of it, there's going to be an impact.

Happy Birthday Dave

Today would have been my father in law's birthday.

I miss him a lot.

Shannon and I both have good days and bad days.

His stuff is still in the trunk of my car. But I think I'm ready to take it to his house.

It hits me in those moments when you don't expect... like when I have a question and my first thought is to call him... and I can't.

I forget for a moment, when I'm watching the Illini that I don't have to call him to get him to the right channel.

I half expect to see him at my son's basketball game, but I know I won't.

I was so lucky to have known him, but boy do I feel the void.

WEEK And WHOI - UPDATED 1/22

Steve Tarter's column talks about the potential changes involving WEEK and WHOI.

I've heard that everyone will find out this Friday, but I know people from both stations had expected word last Thursday. I think the not knowing is the worst part. At least when you know, you can start figuring out a plan.

On Friday, I had dinner with a friend who is at a station in St. Louis now. And the trouble is it's not much better in many of the big markets and many of the same things, like ownership issues/consolidation, are happening there too. Some big markets stations have moved towards one man bands so unlike when I was coming up and there was the explosion in growth with FOX affiliates... there are fewer and fewer jobs.

It's tough all over. Just hoping the people affected land on their feet.

UPDATE: Sounds like management is pulling back from saying anything tomorrow. Lots of signs at WEEK... desks set aside in the newsroom... changes in sales... a set that was being constructed, then put away, then brought back. My thoughts are with the people caught in all this at both stations. Can't be easy. It's too bad they can't just lay it out for everyone.

Coaching Convention

Spent the past four days in St. Louis at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's annual convention. I've been to conventions before. When I worked in TV, I went to a couple of RTNDAs. When I worked in risk management, I went to a risk conference. But this I can say is the first convention I truly enjoyed.

Learning from some of the top soccer minds in the country was inspiring. And it wasn't just the advanced stuff although I was totally sucked into presentations by JIll Ellis (UCLA) and Ray Reid (UConn). It was the presentations that centered on teaching younger kids that really opened my eyes.

Next year's event is in in Philly, so I probably won't be able to make the trip. But I am so glad I took the time this year and I think both the teams I have will benefit from a newly inspired coach.

Thinking About Some Good People

This is a tough week for the people at WHOI. Lots of uncertainty about the future, but it looks as though WEEK will either own or manage WHOI very soon. Though I've been out of TV for almost eight years, I've gotten to know many of their staffers through other friends, at stories, at big events, on Facebook, hiring some of them for freelance work and during Dave's hospital stay.

While last in the ratings through no fault of their own, this newsroom has done a great job in recent years. It wasn't the overly sensational and at times embarassing HOI that was in place when I first moved here. Under Amanda then Jolie, it tried to differentiate itself with class and carve out its own niche. And some of their photographers are among the best in the market with the potential to work in big ones.

No it wasn't perfect. No newsroom is.

And despite all that is looming they were able to pull off a wonderful show last night. I hope all of you find jobs in other markets or in other industries if it's time. I wish you all the best of luck in the future and hope you always have fond memories of this market.

Losing A Friend

Jody Miller was the assistant girls soccer coach at PCHS when I started volunteering in 2001. We worked together... mostly with the JV team for three years.

When the head coach left, I assumed she would move up and I thought it would be my chance to be an assistant. But she didn't want the head job and instead wanted to be my assistant. During my first two years as head coach we had a blast and took a program that had averaged three wins a year and guided our girls to seventeen wins. She was a mother figure to the girls and helped me navigate all the school rules and issues I had no idea about. She was a true friend and great supporter of what I was doing, even after she was no longer coaching.

I saw her a couple of weeks ago and we chatted like we always do after I'd forget to check my mail for a month (she was most recently the assistant to the athletic director). She expressed her concern for Dave and we talked about how excited we were for the upcoming season.

Jody died on Sunday.

I can't believe she's gone. Please say a prayer for Jody and her family

Cleaning And Coping

We're in full out cleaning mode today. Between Dave's extended hospital stay, the funeral and the holidays, everything has been pretty much in disarray. But today we started the overhaul. There's still a lot to go, but to be honest it's a struggle to get things back to the way they were because one thing definitely won't be back the way it was.

I've had all of Dave's belongings from the hospital in bags since the day he died. For most of the past three weeks they've sat in the back seat of my car untouched. If you know me now, you know I don't like to have anything in my car. Anything. Drives me nuts. But there his stuff sat. And I understood. By cleaning it up and taking it back to his house, I was accepting that he was gone. I got it. I could express this in words in a very matter of fact manner. But I just couldn't bring myself to touch any of it.

The other day, I cleaned out my car... but I still couldn't bring myself to go through those bags... take em back to his house. So there it sits in my trunk. Just not there yet. Baby steps.