An Enjoyable Waste of Your Time

CNN Wins Prize for Laziest News Segment

2012-01-11T10:39:00.003-05:00

Back to Storify for easier embedding of links, videos, etc. Sorry to make you jump a page, but it's worth it.

"There's A Right Way To Do News, And Then There's This..."

It's my take on CNN's 'Wake 'Em Up' segment and the press it is getting. It's awful, the blog post is better than awful...promise.

Don't Look Now, But I Blogged Something

2012-01-06T16:43:00.003-05:00

I won't apologize for the lack of activity on this blog because you deserve better than that. Like many out there, blogs take time that I don't have. That being said, I'm working on implementing Storify into my advanced writing class and I'm one of those profs that, if I'm going to demand it, I'm going to do it along with you.

So, here's a Storify post I threw together regarding the latest campus media adviser to find themselves occupying the unemployment office due to the actions of their university's newspaper staff and the (overre)actions of their administrators.

Check out the whole thing here on Storify! Some of the language at the beginning and end is for my students to better understand/utilize Storify, so ignore that jank.

Happy 2012 & yes, I'll be more present in the blogosphere...I promise.

Heisman to Cam Would Showcase the Sham

2010-12-07T14:22:00.018-05:00

I recently dropped this in the comments section after a post on the blog WVU Sports with Mike Casazza. Casazza is setting the pace for all writers/bloggers in West Virginia and beyond. He's always a great and fun read and he's built a loyal, invested community of readers through the website. If you're a fan of college athletics, and perhaps have ties to WVU, it's an excellent place to frequent.

What I wrote on the site, I never would have envisioned coming from my brain just a few years ago. But times have changed and my outlooks on education and college athletics have been wildly recast.

Here's my take on why Cam Newton being awarded the Heisman Trophy would be both a sham and a shame.

--------------------------

Climbing gingerly onto the soapbox…

A few might be surprised at what I’m going to say and the fact I am saying it publicly. When I was a sports reporter, I would have looked at this from that perspective and said, “Newton, hands down.” Innocent until proven guilty, etc. would have served as my argument’s rationale. I was always a football fan first, critic second.

But this Heisman race has me more disenchanted with college athletics than at any other time in my life as a fan or follower.

When I look at that Heisman Trust Mission statement, I see the words integrity and diligence. Cam Newton is far and away the most valuable athlete in college football, no doubt. But, his integrity is easily called into question.

This isn’t about the alleged sins of the father. The NCAA believes Cam had no knowledge of his father’s actions, so be it. However, while at Florida, we know Newton was no Boy Scout.

Though the information was leaked illegally through UF, it’s well documented that he violated the university’s honor code by attaching his name to someone else’s work. When he was caught and given a chance to re-do the project, he didn’t even try…he bought it off the Net, according to multiple reports. There’s also the additional problem with his possession of a stolen computer. The stories revolving around those police reports are incredible.

He made mistakes; we all do. But the non-privileged majority of college students have to answer for those mistakes. Cam Newton did not. He was supposed to meet with UF’s Student Conduct Committee, but he bailed and went to Blinn College.

There is no integrity in cheating on a test, buying a paper online and ditching your comeuppance. None.

LaMichael James was suspended for a game for an altercation with his former girlfriend. He served his sentence with electronic surveillance and went through the system. No plagiarism or fabrication. James stood in court and handled it the right way. He’s clear in my eyes.

But, as for Newton, as talented as he may be, the adversity he has overcome has been solely due to his poor choices. His father never would have attempted (ALLEGEDLY) to get cash from Mississippi State if Cam followed the rules and actually tried to be a legitimate student-athlete at Florida. The overwhelming criticism that has been heaped on Auburn’s football program and the Newton family has its origin in his individual decision making.

The Pandora’s box of media speculation around Newton has led to a backlash and wave of support for him. He went from hero to villain to bystander and back to hero. Undoubtedly, he’ll ride that wave of momentum to the Heisman.

But he shouldn’t have been allowed to.

Clearly integrity really doesn’t matter to the Heisman Trust because they are fine with having him as a finalist. They may associate themselves with integrity, but when cash comes calling, they act just as the majority of the NCAA does…they shake the negative thoughts out of their heads, look the other way (preferably toward a camera lens) and take care of business. If the Trust cared about integrity, they would stand up and remove Newton as a finalist. But, sadly, they don’t.

Each voter has earned the right to vote because they worked to get there. And, if Newton is awarded with the Heisman, his athletic talent and indeed his hard work earned that trophy. But, integrity would not have been factored in.

Maybe I’m an old man now, but I would not write Cam Newton’s name on a ballot that I earned through professional merit. A vote I earned by doing my own work would not go to a person, even an amateur student-athlete, who refused to play by the rules and dodged the justice system.

Even if the Heisman Trust no longer stands for the principles in its own statement, I would because I do think we should weigh a person’s integrity and character into such high honors like the Heisman.

Cam Newton has the potential to be the next Matt Ryan. He also has the potential to be the next JaMarcus Russell.

If integrity and honor matter, and I think they do, Cam Newton would not win the Heisman Trophy. However…

On December 11 on ESPN, we’re all going to see, once again, those principles no longer apply to the highest individual achievement in college football.

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Anchors Away? KIAH Drops Its Desk Jockeys

2010-08-17T12:42:00.034-04:00

Who gives you your news?

Perhaps it's a slew of national cable show hosts. Perhaps it's an exclusive pair of big name pundits. Maybe it's a chipper or somber duo (depending on time of day) on a local television channel. It may even be a host of a drive time radio program.

Chances are, especially for the younger audiences, the answer to our lead is 'None Of The Above.' It's a trick question because most of time, it's you. You're surfing through websites and news bulletins, clicking quickly between networks, getting your fact fix at a breakneck pace.

So much of our current media-related technology is based on instantaneous assimilation of desired information...eliminate the middle man, get to the story, move on to the next one. Do consumers, namely local television viewers, still need someone traditionally presenting the news?

KIAH TV in Houston doesn't think so. They haven't just hedged their bets either, they are all in. The station in the nation's tenth largest media market has gone 'anchorless,' electing to cut seated news anchors out of their shows to create a faster and more viewer-engaging product.

The station caused even more industry insiders to scratch their heads by placing a help-wanted ad looking for an 'Executive Producer and Imaginator.' That ad has since been taken down, but the Tribune Company's website shows KIAH continues to search for a 'Producer/Editor - Predictor,' and the very interesting job details say they only want applicants who "Get It" and are "earbud wearing, app downloading, rss reading, podcast playing, text messaging, flip-flop wearing professional[s] of any age or sex."

This is clearly a station looking to do anything it can to make a dent in the local ratings battle where they've been lagging. The KIAH management has taken a highly aggressive approach and noted in the 'Imaginator' job listing that "most TV news sucks." Not really an articulate statement, but accurate nonetheless.

As crazy as this story is, KIAH's approach and the fact they are implementing such a radical shift in newsroom philosophy at a top ten media market has got lots of people talking. In America's #1 market, some anchors and execs lament over dwindling ratings and the loss of the 'anchor-viewer' relationship. WXYZ's Stephen Clark sees the anchor's newsroom role "changing dramatically" but still sees need for a "ringmaster."

This story has lit up media message boards and has the Ron Burgundy and Veronica Corningstone's of the world sweating in their massage-cushioned seats. But, they need fear not. KIAH isn't fooling anyone.

The station's management has touted their new approach, but they are being hypocritical. They're just repackaging with more mobility and are perhaps more anchor-driven than most stations.

As they strive to create new content while shifting away from the traditional approach of tying the viewer to an anchor via presentation, they are making no bones about their big ticket star Mia Gradney. Before the launch of their 'anchorless' newscast, they placed billboards all over town featuring weekday anchor Gradney with the somewhat promiscuous message 'Watch Me at 9' with a cursive 'Mia' signature.

A visit to their website brings viewers to an extensive entertainment section called 'More With Mia' which features photo galleries of Gradney in *ahem* form-fitting clothes and also includes Mia's takes on fashion and film.

But remember...it's not about the anchors anymore at KIAH. It's about the news.

Yeah right.

It's definitely more fast-paced and can keep a viewer's eye engaged, but a lot of it is schlock...content intended to be interactive with a web audience. One visit to the station's 'Hot Videos' website displays clips of 'Indian Pole Gymnastics,' a 'Yo-Yo Contest' winner, 'Woman Gets Face Full of Beer After Foul Ball,' and my personal favorite, 'Old Lady Dances in Wal-Mart.'

Now that's news!

The 'Hot Videos' site is about getting web hits, but the newscast itself isn't as wild as one may think either. You can watch some of their pieces on the website. The clips begin with a station ID full screen graphic and fade to a moving studio camera shot of Gradney standing in front of a CG and or monitor and introducing a reporter's package or story. Nothing groundbreaking.

It appears KIAH's incredibly revolutionary and controversial approach boils down to the following strategy: Take Mia, Remove Desk & Chair, Move Her Around Like A Chess Piece, Use Lots of Reporter Intros/Standups/Look-Lives, Rinse & Repeat.

KIAH has also worked to make their news copy more 'fresh' by encouraging a looser, more 'water cooler' style of writing. They also incorporated more graphics, music and quick hit stories.

KIAH isn't reinventing the wheel, they are putting a sleek, padded cover on it.

However, struggling stations across the country are keeping a weather eye on the Houston ratings battle. If KIAH gets the bump they desperately need, other management teams are sure to follow suit.

In a newsroom, the lead anchors' salaries are often heads-and-shoulders above those of assignment reporters and especially videographers and editors. Their contributions to the newscasts differ from market to market and station to station, some anchors do a lot of producing, calling, writing, editing and managing...others hit the gym after lunch, go home to change, roll in at 4 and go home between shows. Depends on the person, depends on the market and depends on that station's 'chair diva' tolerance.

And much like the general managers at those languishing stations, pampered (and not so pampered) anchors are looking at KIAH while watching their backs. And they should.

They might just have their chair pulled out from under them.

*As I've stated before on this blog, maintaining a consistent 'posting schedule' is incredibly tough, but I'll do better...I promise...again.

Will Stern Flee Satellite? Reviewing Howard's Gamble & His Future in Media

2010-02-19T09:46:00.158-05:00

At one time, not too long ago, Howard Stern was the inescapable face of both broadcast debauchery and success.

In his prime, he was arguably the greatest manipulator of media content since P.T. Barnum.

He was a catalyst for the politically-correct movement in the U.S. Whatever he said became taboo. His shows were like a litmus test for what wasn't socially acceptable.

For the past five years he's been rolling in dough on satellite radio and yet simultaneously ignored by mainstream non-subscribers. But, all of that could change in a few months.

His contract at Sirius XM ends in December and, as John Jurgensen points out in the Wall Street Journal, Stern has got a huge decision to make.

Should he stay or should he go?

The future of satellite radio may depend on it, and the media industry's ears are collectively perked.

Stern recently got caught in the news spin cycle as Fox was reportedly considering him to replace Simon Cowell on 'American Idol.' Since the rumors let fly, he's done nothing but insult uber-popular Ellen Degeneres, saying she is going to "ruin 'American Idol'" and saying he's "not going to sit there with her - that dummy." Ellen's made it clear she won't share a space with Howard either. That's a move Fox can't possibly make and likely never even seriously considered.

But it's got people talking about Stern again. Which is just fine by him.

He left the public airwaves on Jan. 1, 2006 to avoid being constantly entangled in more costly government fines. Between 1990-2004, the FCC fined 'The Howard Stern Show' over $5 million, upping the ante each time. Stern lamented about it constantly and got so fed up, he went off the grid.

Since he left the 'public domain Matrix' however, satellite radio has struggled to remain even remotely relevant. Sirius XM monopolizes the medium and Howard Stern is their biggest attraction. After all, they've paid him and his staff a total of half a billion dollars over the past five years to bring in listeners. But the medium hasn't been well received. The hard-core Stern fans are there, but they aren't enough to keep it viable, despite Howard's best attempts.

Stern's bank account is overflowing; he's at no loss for money. But the money has never driven him. His ego is behind the wheel. And it's hungry.

As Jurgensen points out, the self-proclaimed 'King of All Media' could run to the Web, but that has limitations as well. Not only is Stern known for being a radio star, the Web's current struggles with ad revenue are no better than any other mass medium. And, Web-streaming radio isn't exactly lighting the world on fire.

And causing fires is precisely what Stern does best.

When he was on the public dial, for millions of Americans, Stern might as well have been The Antichrist. His show pushed the ethical boundaries of media nearly every day...women faking orgasms, his daily trashing of public (and not so public) figures, his mockery of people with disabilities, his language, the sexual innuendo, his fans' prank call campaign, his sketches...it never ended.

If anyone lived the ideology that, "Any press is good press," it is Howard Stern.

When he was fired from WNBC, he ran all over New York talk shows and bashed them on every network in town. He dominated the country's largest market and, of course, some of the fellow ego-maniacs in NYC ate it up. He somehow managed to balance being 'The Most Arrogant Man on Earth' while painting a sympathetic figure.

Stern worked to make his firing the launching pad for his career. He landed a gig at KRock in New York that he would hold for 20 years. His popularity was mostly relegated to the Big Apple early on, but word was spreading and he started picking up other major markets. Then, his career exploded when 'conformist teen America' got a hold of him.

His appearance as 'Fartman' on MTV's 1992 Video Music Awards sparked a firestorm. At the time, critics called the sketch the 'filthiest' in American media history. Parents saw him as Public Enemy Number 1. He represented all that was tasteless and wrong. So, naturally, kids flocked to his shows and he used that energy to try and top himself at every turn.

He thrived in the attention.

He was beastly and brilliant.

Stern parlayed that new audience into a New York Times best-selling book and then a popular 1997 movie by the same title, 'Private Parts.' He ran for governor of New York, went through a very public divorce and, with his personal life more settled with his now-wife Beth Ostrosky, shocked the radio world by announcing his move to satellite in 2004. He was so anxious to crack the FCC for pushing him off public air that he announced the deal a year and three months before his new contract started.

When he walked out of KRock and into the studios at Sirius, some thought radio would change forever.

It didn't.

Five years later, he's resurfaced from the depths of satellite radio and now prepares to stand on the shores of the mainland.

Like the royalty he alleges to be, Stern wants to act as Poseidon...to make a decision that could send tsunami-like waves down on the media landscape.

Sirius XM says Stern is staying right where he is.

Radio wants him back, as Clear Channel is already courting him, saying their company is "the most logical company for (Stern) to optimize his exposure and financial return."

The online option is there, but critics and fans alike are now wondering if Howard's crown is cracked. Business Insider points to the numbers, which say, 'Yes.' He's still landing some A-List guests (Benicio Del Toro), but a lot of his content is based on in-house shtick with his own cast of characters. Artie Lange, Jackie the Joke Man, Baba Booey, Fred, Benjy and long-time co-host Robin Ophelia Quivers...the crew has always been prominent, but now they are the crux of the show. Can that survive on traditional air after they've been doing everything under the sun on satellite for five years? Can they even reconnect after all that time away?

Clear Channel is willing to bet they can. And, if one of the world's largest and most powerful radio companies is interested, others will follow suit.

With both Conan O'Brien and Howard Stern available, a major network struggling to compete in those formats (like Fox) may be very interested in acquiring such high-profile talent. Fox needs to make a splash in late night TV and News Corp (Fox's parent company) is desperately searching for a way to make dough online. Someone big is going to make a move.

Wherever he lands, Stern is going to do all he can to continue his 'scorched earth' approach to media. He comes in, burns what he sees to the ground, and leaves with the embers still leaking smoke. All the while, he's got a megaphone on his mouth and a Playboy bunny at his side.

Stern is to media what William Tecumseh Sherman was to the South. He's an 'eviscerator'...harsh and unforgiving.

But, unlike Sherman, Stern never tires of battle. After much of the Confederate force had surrendered, General Sherman wrote: "I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting - its glory is all moonshine."

Stern apparently doesn't mind moonshine. His fight for glory continues. He's hinted about using technology to advance himself independently. But other than that, he isn't saying much to non-subscribers. Stern wouldn't talk to Jurgensen, which is more than comical given his profession.

Howard Stern was the King of All Media, but since he moved to satellite, that throne has been left for the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Rush Limbaugh and Ryan Seacrest.

What is to become of Stern?

Will he return as King? Will he instead come back as a media 'Prince of Darkness' under Seacrest's bright and dominant path? Or are Stern's days of royal splendor over...A jester on the fringe, an extra. Part of the play, but rarely on center stage.

To me, he has to base this on dough. Satellite radio is not going to swim; it is sinking. Taking big money from them will keep him out of the public's eye and make him obsolete. It's a career killer.

Stern has two main options if he wants to stay relevant or develop a fresh audience.

Option 1: Stern returns to public radio. Clear Channel owns the Premiere Radio Network with nationally-syndicated shows starring Jim Rome, Steve Harvey, Limbaugh, Seacrest, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and a slew of others. They are the monolith. They can pay him an exorbitant sum.

Problem with Option 1: Working with Premiere and Clear Channel puts Stern under the same corporate umbrella with those hosts. And Stern would likely spend lots of time ripping into Hannity, Beck or Limbaugh, leading to an ego-war of biblical proportions. That may be a headache that Clear Channel doesn't want.

Option 2: Stern creates a newly-branded site with a corresponding show on a pay-TV network like HBO, Cinemax, etc. Stern's old E! TV show was wild, but didn't draw the audience he wanted and never broke through. It got stale quick. He needs to be uncensored, and he can do that online and on pay-TV. He would have to move away from traditional radio, but the writing may be on the wall for that medium as well. Why not try to piggyback off of the success of Websites like FunnyorDie.com and create two streams of income?

Problem with Option 2: The Website would have to be engaging and would have to require subscription. Web surfers hate paying anything to view content and even Howard's most insane fans might not like this shift away from radio. Also, the show would have to be a far cry from the E! TV-style. The nudity & language would draw an audience but it wouldn't make good ratings for very long. His staff is stuck in their ways and a radical shift in format may not be possible.

I've got a feeling Stern's ego will push him out of satellite radio, but there is great risk involved. That being said, throughout his career Stern has mastered and re-mastered the art of turning denial and frustration into dollars and fame.

Stern won't quit or go gently into that good night, and he won't work on the cheap. It means too much to him...there is no middle ground on which he can exist. He desires the biggest pay day and the biggest stage.

This fallen king will return to the throne or die, hand out-stretched and mouth agape, at the foot of it.

WATCH OUT FOR THAT Wii!!

2010-02-12T13:39:00.116-05:00

One day, it will happen.

I will place the following phone call:

"Hey, good morning Captain, it's Jeff. I can't make it into work today, and actually might miss the next two weeks....

What's that? Yes, I said two weeks. It's a funny story really. I'm at Centra Southside Community Hospital...

No, no, I'm okay. Now. But I'll be in a neck brace for a while and I've lost all feeling in the right side of my body.
...
Car accident? Ah..no. Assault and battery? Hmm, not quite. Home invasion? That's pretty close.
...
Actually, like I said it's funny. I was playing Wii, and trying to nail a 100 on Bird's-Eye Bulls-Eye, did you ever play that game? Anyway, my feet got all sweaty and I was flapping my arms like crazy so I slipped off the balance board, smacked my head on our fireplace and caused our plasma TV to land on my head. My head actually went through the TV, it was pretty intense.
...
Yeah, I know. Think our health plan covers that?...I didn't think so. I'm in room 325. Bring ice and a lawyer if you visit. I'm suing the crap out of Nintendo."

You laugh (or at least scoff, I hope), but it's not far from the truth.

Apparently, the Wii is trouble.

Look at this 14-year-old girl's foot. She fractured the base of the fifth metatarsal after playing Wii for five straight hours and falling off the balance board. Nice. Don't believe me, it's in the New England Journal of Medicine as more and more clinicians are seeing patients for 'Wiiitis.'

Watch the video for some of the Wii Fit Plus training games and you'll see why. The games are amazing and fun...if you are coordinated and sober.

Don't think it's serious?

Check this out. People are falling of the balance boards, dislocating shoulders, getting 'Wii-knee,' having resulting corrective surgery and worse. As the article notes, 'traumatic hemothorax' occurs when cavities around a person's lungs fill with blood after a hard fall. Wii-related cases have been document. Try to picture THAT living room scene.

The Wii is friggin' potentially fatal. No, really. A 25-year-old Britain collapsed while jogging during a WiiFit run. Not the Wii's fault, but, I'm just saying...

For those average folks out there, the Wii can be more harmful than tackle football or reporting at the bottom of a snowy hill. [Seriously, go back and click...it's worth it.]

[Still with me? Good.]

Each one of these Wiis should come with a 'Wii-ll & Testament.' And you'd best be ready to get a new TV, furniture, light fixings and/or significant other.

Don't believe me again?

Check out this montage.

Or this one.

Or this one. (My favorite thanks to the Weezer tune. Go the 1:26 mark as the lass destroys a lightbulb. I've come close roughly three dozen times.)

Personally, I'm one 'Grand Slam Tennis' awkward serve away from a tourniquet.

*SIDENOTE: Why would anyone allow a camera to be present and or recording in a room while you are on this thing? Check out Grandpa here. You think anyone is going to be talking about his accomplishments or community service at his wake?

Hell no, they'll be talking about the time he nearly squashed a grandson playing 'Super Hula Hoop.'

And this is me in 30 years. This guy thinks Wii Sports Bowling is 'off' and gets a little furious. He's a new hero of mine.*

While the InterWeb community has also turned the WiiFit into the next, how do I say, 'adult' phenomenon, there's no doubt the Wii's real power is simple.

It makes coordinated, balanced and athletic people look absolutely ridiculous. And it makes uncoordinated, unbalanced and unathletic people look like brain-crazed, hip-flailing zombies.

And the whole concept of it says quite a bit about its users. The linked parody video nails it.

"Don't want to invest $3.19 in a hula hoop? Why not pick up a Wii for $300 and enjoy the same fun in the comfort of your living room, without that annoying plastic hoop."

I can't personally hold too much against WiiFit Plus. It's actually helped me quite a bit.

Since hopping on it for the first time on 1/14, I've dropped over 9.5 pounds.

How you ask?

Well, when I first did the 'Body Test,' my Mii avatar swelled to the size of a Zeppelin. (See inserted picture for reenactment, sans T-shirt and Guinness pajama pants. If I ever had an action figure made of me, it would wear those pants.)

When a dude in that kind of shape hops on the board, the cute, high-pitched WiiFit voice disdainfully says two very painful words.

"That's obese."

The tone of the voice is matter-of-fact and sounds quite, well, disappointed.

Congratulations WiiFit creators, you sucked me in from that point forward. I've been irked to the point of consistent physical activity.

Come hell or high water, by the end of 2010, I will be borderline 'Normal' by the game's Body Mass Index standards. That means I'll have to drop 25+ pounds this year, but I am doing it. I'm already nearly halfway there.

Why am I so motivated?

Is it because I wake up at night with the words, "That's obese," ringing in my ears and think about my Mii shaking his head in disgust and shame?
Is it because the game actually REBUKES you for missing workouts, tests or goals?
Is it because I want to get to 'Normal' and immediately grab the balance board, run outside, place it in front of my car and give it a real Balance Test?

The answer to all of these is an emphatic, "Yes."

And apparently I'm not the only one taking frustration out on the Wii.

This guy shoots one. (It's clear it also called him 'Obese.') And these guys dressed up as two Nintendo legends to smash theirs.

When I do get to 'Normal' stage, and I will, I will have the good people at Nintendo to thank. The WiiFit Plus' constant mockery of my physical conditioning is enough to drive me insane.

Insane enough to lose the weight I've been packing on for the past 14 years since I graduated from high school slim and trim (and dumb). The stack of 'clothes I once wore' will diminish. And it's all thanks to Nintendo.

Of course, I'm happy to credit Nintendo now.

But, if you ever come to visit me in room 325 at Southside Hospital, bring that ice I was talking about. But, right before you enter the room, call this guy because I want a chunk of that Nintendo coin.

And, oh yeah, before we go to trial, make sure you delete this blog post for me.

"Bold & Fresh Tour"? Try 'Bought & Sold'

2010-01-27T12:28:00.136-05:00

The folks over at Fox News are smart. Real smart.

When you've got a good thing going, and they do, you ride it out. In blackjack, any Swingers fan knows you always double down on 11, and in media, you always package your best sellers.

Hence, the 'Bold & Fresh Tour' featuring Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck. These titans of conservative talk take to a stage separately, and then together, to give their takes on the state of the nation. To see a clip, go here. [Click on the 'Fox News' tab in the video player and select the clip called 'Glenn and Bill."]

The 'high energy' ad (lots of music, sound effects, graphics) promises that the duo will provide some comedy, needle each other by questioning their respective statuses in news and then angrily lace into government as they do on their shows.

Original content? Not so much. A chance to see two of the most popular talking heads in person? Bingo. A nice money generator and a way to continue Fox's aggressive 'grass roots' approach to media.

In truth, it's simple.

All media outlets across the country are working desperately to become vital to a local audience. Why watch local TV news when you can watch network/cable nightly news? Well, because only the local station is on your block; you can see them at WalMart. So, as a network, Fox is working to address that issue by creating a viewer community. And, they are using their best and most controversial hosts to drive the campaign.

In more truth, it's brilliant. But, people need to see this tour as what it is.

This sort of traveling rhetorical circus won't clear up the murky swamp of political dialogue. It won't serve to enlighten the minds of supporters or detractors. These 'great minds' of media aren't going to advance our understanding of government infrastructure.

The tour is about selling books, hats, T-shirts, tote bages, travel mugs and tickets. The cheapest tickets, from what I found on ticketmaster.com, sell for $132.50 each for the upcoming event in Florida. Night in and night out, all Beck and O'Reilly discuss is how poor this country is becoming and how our elected leaders are working to suck dollars out of our wallets.

But, if your dollars are going into their wallets...well, that's just fine.

Contradicting themselves is nothing new to Beck or O'Reilly.

Beck's shtick has been to ire the frustrated voting masses and to convince us to take to the streets. His shows are predictable; he uses remotely-linked historical references and quotations to draw comparisons between President Obama and Karl Marx/Stalin/Hitler. He scares you, settles you down and then works to inspire you into immediate action.

Glenn Beck tells you to invest in gold because it's good for all of us. And, coincidentally, good for him...since he is a paid spokesperson for goldline.com. The Daily Show pointed this out last year.

Beck claims that America's health care system doesn't need to be overhauled, just a few months after blasting the same system when he was being paid by CNN. Once again, The Daily Show took the time to outline Beck's 'transgressions' when the man himself wouldn't admit his convenient change of mind.

But Beck's greatest gift to conservatives has been his ability to motivate voters into visible action as part of Fox News' movement to create community among both voters and, more importantly, viewers.

The '912 Project' helped give the now infamous tea baggers an organized way to voice their issues. That could have been a positive thing for the country, except that many instead used it as a forum to showcase misunderstanding and ignorance. The signs at some of these rallies were frighteningly pathetic.

There is just one such 'tea party sign collage' in this blog to serve as an example of just how uneducated and truly scared some of our fellow citizens have become. Referring to our president as 'Osama,' claiming the arrival of white slavery and saying that we are simply a Christian nation, all others aren't welcome, etc.

Beck is working hard to promote his latest rally, one set for August on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The event will raise funds for an excellent cause but, make no mistake, it's also about Beck. After all, it's guaranteed that attendees will chant two things: "USA!" and "GLENN BECK!"...maybe not in that order.

Democratic/liberal hosts go berserk over footage of those tea party rallies while Fox News proudly puffs out their chests as they clamor over each other, praising themselves for reigniting the flame of liberty for modern Americans.

It's not hard to recall when a disoriented and frustrated public showed similar anger at then President George W. Bush. People hanging him in effigy at rallies or making threats to kill him on sight. The same kind of hate and vile behavior found at some tea parties.

Not every tea bagger or liberal-thinking protest participant acts in such a way, but there are enough to make us all nervous.

They sure made O'Reilly nervous six years ago. Okay, maybe not nervous, but certainly upset.

O'Reilly really made his inroads into cable ratings out of those rallies. His shows were intense, his gaze fierce and his words piercing. Words like 'unAmerican' or 'socialist,' or 'communist.' He got in the face of military generals, journalists from all over the world, and famously was very hostile to the son of a 9/11 victim.

Jeremy Glick's stand on that show is memorable to say the least. O'Reilly tells the kid to 'Shut Up' so that O'REILLY can respect Glick's father...incredible television. I can only imagine what Glick's father might have thought. I assume it would be, "Respect me by respecting the son I loved and raised." Even hardened 'No Spin' fans have trouble supporting O'Reilly's actions with Glick.

Both Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly have made their names by being 'out there' on the political right. Their job is not easy, but the premise is. Get ratings, make us money, remain relevant at all times, incite viewer passion, and please don't forget to say 'Fox News.'

It's working. FNC just had their best year ever as 47% of primetime cable news viewers watch Fox. They are crushing CNN, MSNBC and Headline News. It's not even a contest.

And what do you do when you're winning big? You push a hunk of chips into the middle of the table. You work to take every last dime from everyone in the room. That is what the 'Bold and Fresh Tour' is. A marketing ploy meant to sell books and promote two of the richest media figures on the planet. No one involved needs your money. They just want it. Every dime you are willing to play/pay.

These two are frankly the best at what they do. But this latest marketing move shows exactly what Fox thinks about its largest group of viewers.

And Fox does not think much of its viewers.

They don't believe viewers want real, unfiltered news. Their ratings have proven that. This started back in the '80s with The Simpsons and Married With Children. Fox used to aim for the 'lowest common denominator' viewer. Less educated, poor and crude. It worked on me.

As far as news is concerned, Fox believes viewers want faces...faces that yell, alarm the public and can then immediately spin a good joke on another's behalf.

Like all businesses, Fox is selling a product. It just so happens that their product in this case is a pair of men whose rhetoric causes unhealthy distrust and paranoia. The nature of their business allows them to be held unaccountable for their words and actions. Each night you tune in it's a fresh new show, the insults hurled the previous night are either forgotten or retraced with greater vitriol.

And no, Keith Olbermann is no better.

For those of you who plan to attend one of the Beck/O'Reilly tour stops, ask yourself these quick questions:

"Am I really a better citizen by financing this approach to news?"
"Do I truly support every belief these men espouse?"
"Do I have something to gain mentally or spiritually by attending this event?"

If you answer 'Yes,' to any of these questions, then feel free to buy your tickets. Give them your money.

I just hope that when they yell, they don't spit at your $130+ seat on accident. Because if they do, they certainly won't notice.

They won't notice because they are used to it. What's it to them?

After all, every single night, Beck and O'Reilly purposefully spit on millions of Americans.

Dear NFL, Do SOMEthing With the Pro Bowl

2010-01-21T14:24:00.099-05:00

I can't think of a single professional 'all-star' GAME that I actually like.

I love the NHL Skills Competition when good players are in it; last year's was fun.

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is great, though too long and their 3-Point Shootout is watchable when it has recognizable contestants/winners.

The MLB All-Star Game is generally awful, despite the league's best efforts to give it relevance. The Home Run Derby is something to see, but only when a guy catches fire and starts destroying baseballs, such as Josh Hamilton in 2008. The dude hit 28 dingers in the first round...and lost.

In general, the all-star games themselves are glorified exhibitions and make for poor viewing.

But, far and away the worst pro all-star game is the Pro Bowl. The NFL is the country's most powerful sport...incredible ratings, nationwide fanbases, round-the-clock coverage, etc. Yet their all-star product is far and away the worst among all pro sports.

Watching the Pro Bowl is akin to paying for a movie that you really don't want to see. You watch it because your friends want to see it, your fears are immediately met in the first two minutes, and you are forced to sit in utter anguish until its over. Bad vibes going in, bad experience all around. I can't name a single person I know that actually watches it.

I'm a huge Steelers fan...I have the ugly ties, uncouth home decor and annoying license plates to prove it. So when I heard Ben Roethlisberger chose to skip this year's Pro Bowl, I was disappointed. Big Ben says he's sitting out to help heal his shoulder, but that's not the whole story. He's already been to it once, and that experience was probably enough. When asked about Roethlisberger's status, his own coach said nothing was really wrong.

And in truth, Ben is right. Why should he go? The game is boring, it has no 'stick' among players/coaches (no one cares), the hassle of travel is unnecessary and there's no real incentive. These guys make so much money, the bonus isn't worth it.

Get selected and then get out, that's what the stars do. They don't even attend the game after stepping out. They collectively thumb their nose at it every year...it's a joke.

Here are some of the other players who have declined their invitations this year:
Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss, Stephen Jackson, Jake Long, Lance Briggs, Andre Gurode, Charles Woodson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Wes Welker.

Welker and Rodgers-Cromartie have nasty injuries that would keep them off the field even if they wanted to play. But, the majority of the other injured players were all more than willing to suit up for a game they cared about, a game that mattered. The Pro Bowl doesn't matter and no one cares, therefore, they see no reason to play in it.

Imagine Moss & Brady talking it over last week after PLAYING the Ravens:

TB - "Dude, you going to the Pro Bowl?"

RM - "What?!?" (Incredulous look) "LAME! You?"

TB - "Not unless you go too, I don't want to do all of that."

RM - "No way man, I'm going to go see 'Edge of Darkness' that day. Big plans, don't want to break them, you know. But Ochocinco will go for me, he loves that crap."

As fans, it's an insult. Why would anyone pay over $100 to watch a bunch of alternates play a few snaps and sit down? The players laugh the whole time, tackle half-heartedly, yuck it up for the cameras, do sideline interviews...on-air garbage.

For kicks, I just visited Ticketmaster's Pro Bowl site and could have bought a ticket at the 20-yard line for $130 right this minute. The game is in 10 days! The fact the tickets are available and cheap is a clear sign that NO ONE is interested.

Check out this pic from the stands last year.

Aloha Stadium, the traditional and now former home of the NFL's annual dog & pony show, seats 50,000, but, despite the game's location and the league's prestige, it was never a good game environment. Empty seats abound, the crowd noise is low. Awful.

This year's game will be at Sun Life (formerly Dolphins) Stadium in Miami, with a football seating capacity of 75,540. And, ten days before the game, individual seats on the 20-yard line are going for $130. Can't wait. That stadium's lower level will fill up...after ushers say, 'Screw it,' five minutes in and let people sit in the first deck.

I understand why the NFL needs this. It's closure to the season for any fan whose team is not in the Super Bowl, but when the league's stars aren't interested, it needs to be revamped. The NFL did the right thing by placing it before the Super Bowl, at least our interest will be somewhat piqued. But, that eliminates some of the best players...a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

The NFL also plans on bouncing the Pro Bowl from town to town each year, hoping to cash in on markets/fans excited to host it. With this year's game being in Miami, you would think a few Dolphins would be there to help draw local interest. Nope. Jake Long was the only local selection, and he's out due to injury. Nice move. It's important to note the tickets are available to Miami season ticket holders, which I'll admit would be a nice 'bonus' at the end of the year.

However, it's too little, too late.

The fans have spoken. We're not interested. For whatever reason, the Pro Bowl doesn't click. Really, of all the major pro all-star events, only the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest resonates...all of the actual all-star games struggle to bring in a good audience. The MLB game gets a few casual viewers because of their asinine decision to link the game's winner to home-field advantage in the World Series. That almost makes it interesting...but not really.

I propose that we drop the traditional all-star games all together or find a way to incorporate skills challenges into the game somehow...make it fun, mix it up. Who cares, no one is watching anyway.

Bring back the NFL Quarterback Challenge and the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge. The reason the NFL QB Challenge got canned was because Mike Vick was prominently featured in the 2007 version, then he got busted...rather than edit him out in time, they dropped it. Nice.

These challenges are kind of fun, and holding them at halftime would give non-starters and specially selected players (snubs) a chance to enjoy the game as well. Hell, an EA Sports Madden Challenge for players would be great. They already host one anyway and the players take it very seriously. You could do this as the pre/postgame show...would be awesome. Grant you, it would have to be heavily censored for language, but hey, it'd be a great pay-per-view event!

Dear NFL, do SOMEthing with the Pro Bowl.

Otherwise you'll see more athletes passing up the chance to shine as an all-star for the opportunity to rest and relax. All they are doing is diminishing the all-pro legacy while ignoring the game of football, and the fans, that made them rich.

Mark 'The Liar' McGwire Has No Place In Baseball

2010-01-12T18:38:00.008-05:00

Time for a lightning-quick take on the 'stunning announcement' that Mark McGwire juiced for nearly a decade while crushing bombs in the majors.

It's important to note that sports fanatics and critics are likely on one side of the fence on the steroids issue. You are either completely against using steroids and find the act a crime against baseball. Or, your take is that it's too difficult to determine what effect Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) may have had and, therefore, though it's unfortunate, the game is bigger than the sin.

The folks on the latter side of the fence are wrong.

I've blogged about steroids before, regarding a player very close to my heart. But McGwire's admission brought me back to the issue.

For those of you willing to take McGwire's apology, watch this interview with ESPN's investigative reporter T.J. Quinn. Did you listen to it?

McGwire claims taking steroids didn't lead to a single home run. You can't hit homers if you don't play in the game and take at-bats. McGwire said he took the drugs to get onto the field and...take at-bats. Therefore he is lying or in denial.

McGwire's career batting average was .263. Though that's respectable, the guys on the all-time homer leader list with him have generally better numbers. A-Rod (ANOTHER admitted user) is right behind Big Mac on the list, soon to pass him, but his career average is over .300. Frank Robinson (just ahead of McGwire) batted .294. Barry Bonds, MLB's tainted home run king, batted .298.

What does all that mean?

That McGwire was a pop-or-flop hitter. The ultimate fence-swinger.

He had over double the number of homers than he did doubles, 583 to 252, and he struck out more than he walked, 1596 to 1317. That final stat means less and less in today's playing era, but it still shows that he was by no means a patient or incredibly talented hitter.

He doesn't deserve the Hall of Fame...he never really did.

Did he help save baseball in the late 90s? That's arguable. He captured our attention and his feats impressed us. I was there watching every swing. But it didn't feel right then and it feels a lot worse now. To think that we idolized Big Mac and Sosa...two of the worst cheaters in the league's history...it's sad. I'm embarrassed.

And McGwire should be too. I find it unbelievable that a team, an owner and a group of players would find it acceptable to have him stand as their hitting coach.

He didn't do it on talent and work ethic alone. He cheated.

Aren't we taught that cheaters never prosper...that they don't win?

Some fans and reporters may choose to remember the following Mark McGwire:

But I choose to remember THIS Mark McGwire:
The one that lied to our nation's elected leaders and to all of us. The one that evaded the truth...until he wanted to get back into baseball and was FORCED to admit his wrongdoing. Commissioner Bud Selig said McGwire needed to do this to ease his transition back into the game. How sad.

The game, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Hall of Fame don't need him.

In my opinion, they never did.

No More Late Nights: I'm Tuning Out

2010-01-11T10:45:00.013-05:00

*Yep, I'm trying to get back to blogging again...once, maybe twice a week. Quick posts, no more 3,000+ word novellas. Too much time and I can't stay on top of them. (Obviously, since it's been over half a year. I'm embarrassed.) Now, let's get to it...*

Friends, NBC is about to kill late night television.

The ridiculous notion of returning Jay Leno to 11:35p.m., moving Conan to 12:05a.m. and pushing Jimmy Fallon to 1:05a.m. will only help solidify Letterman's recent ratings boost. And, when that fades (probably by first quarter 2011) we will see late night TV take a nosedive. Forever.

I can only imagine CBS execs calling each other like giddy pre-teens: "Did you hear? They pushed Jay back to the Tonight time and smacked Conan to 12:05! OMG! That's stupid, right?!? That's so stupid!...I know, right!...Ha ha, what?...Oh, who cares if Dave and Craig are awful, we're going to make a killing!"

It's clear that the best TV comedy went to cable a long time ago. I wouldn't be surprised if Conan, or even Fallon, follows suit. Conan better if he wants to stay relevant.

It wasn't always like this...these guys used to be incredible...

Growing up, staying up late was cool. It was the coolest. Cooler than Reebok pumps, slap-on wristbands or NKOTB. (If that acronym doesn't ring a bell, imagine the Jonas Brothers/Hanson and Justin Timberlake all rolled into an awkward tween-girl megacraze...that about sums up their impact on girls in my middle school.)

I always wondered what my parents watched on TV when we went to sleep. It HAD to have been awesome...that was my thought process. Of course now I realize that my Dad was writing checks and my Mom was falling asleep on the couch, but back then it seemed like they had the potential to witness amazing things first-hand during the night, while I jealously tried to avoid thinking about schoolwork.

At school, the 'cool' kids (the ones whose parents I would later discover were lazy) used to talk about how funny stuff on TV was late at night. The coolest kids would all retell SNL jokes on Monday and Tuesday. I didn't even know what they were talking about. I saw my first SNL show when I was 17. Ultra-lamo, that's me.

But, far and away the coolest thing about watching TV that late at night was Carson/Leno or Letterman. I don't think the younger generations today could understand their full effect on comedy during that time. Even though TV viewing options were expanding, they still defined 'funny.' They were monsters for the networks and ate up the ratings books. Every comic looked to them to try and get an edge. They drove America's comedy shortbus.

When I finally got 'hip,' I would watch them whenever I could and I would bounce between Leno and Letterman. Honestly, neither of them ever related to me, but I respected what they did and occasionally they were side-splittingly good. But throughout the last few years, the one guy that I could sit and watch night in and night out was Conan O'Brien.

I still remember his first few shows. He was really awkward and his timing, well, it took time. But when he nailed it, he was something to watch. Our college dorm lobbies were packed every night with students fighting over the 'huge' 24-inch TVs...we would fight over Leno/Letterman, but everyone agreed Conan was the best. And he earned his shot at the Tonight Show...

Which makes the current farce at NBC too much to take.

I can't imagine trying to buoy the guys' egos while fretting over a ratings disaster, but to say NBC is mismanaging their late night schedule is akin to saying that Gilbert Arenas may need to take an online course on gun safety.

Up until the past few months I was a guy who would stay up late and surf the late night shows, just as I did as a college kid, to see the guests...try to catch a Conan skit. But not one of these media giants and their staffs could figure out how to stay viable and fresh. Some of Jimmy Kimmel's stuff is great, but it happens so rarely than watching online is a better use of your time. The best stuff Fallon's show ever did was in the webisodes leading up to the show's debut.

And that makes me realize that late night TV is going to fall hard. Letterman's shtick doesn't appeal to the Millenials and Conan is grasping at straws. It may take a few years to get there, but I get the impression that Dave is just trying to wait out Leno. Once Jay fizzes out, Letterman will throw some more barbs at NBC for passing on him and he'll just up and quit. I think he'll do it abruptly, much as he handled his office sex scandal. But, he'll likely go out on his own terms, which is something Jay can not say.

Conan gets the raw deal, but he didn't carry the ratings...he had an incredible run, but he missed his chance. Time and comedy seem to have passed him by, which his shocking given how connected and strong he was just a few short years ago. 'In the Year 2000' and 'Photo Gallery' were must-watch skits that kept you tuned in every night, but Conan's creativity is gone.

NBC isn't doing anyone any favors, except CBS of course. They've abused the Jay/Conan fan bases enough...moving time slots, making their problems public, etc. Those insulted viewers are going to go elsewhere...and I'm starting right now.

I pledge to never watch another live late night show of this ilk ever again. If you haven't been paying attention, funnyordie.com, collegehumor.com and The Onion are reinventing funny online. And, there's no TV-ratings/language filter...some of it is nasty, but by God most of it is funny.

They're fresh, they're occasionally insightful (okay, very occasionally) and they're hilarious. And, they aren't embarrassing themselves nightly.

Hey, late night! You are dead to me.

I'm going online.

Now, who's coming with me?

Another One Bites The Digi Dust & The State of Media

2009-07-23T10:05:00.035-04:00

The Ann Arbor News is the latest daily to take the plunge. After 174 years of doing business, the AAN will become AnnArbor.com, publishing web stories while still cranking out two print editions per week.

This really isn't news in Ann Arbor as the paper announced the decision in March. However, today's edition will be their last daily. Imagine being Geoff Larcom and having to write about it.

Revenues/profits are down and costs are up. And, after taking wallops to their wallets for several years now, dailies are essentially surrendering to the digital age.

We as media consumers have had it so good for so long that our expectations for 'free' online news have all but destroyed the metro daily. And folks like those at newspaperdeathwatch.com are watching intently.

The Rocky Mountain News. The Seattle Post Intelligencer. The Cincinnati Post...the list keeps growing. And, the guys/gals at The Onion (who I've been reading for over a decade now) have been having their laughs as well. And, as the folks at newspaperdeathwatch.com pointed out, The Onion's new video packages are dead-on. They have mastered the art of crafting media cliches and the ridiculously over-the-top way media tend to attack stories. This clip is classic. My favorite is 'Expert In a Suit.'

Video nearly killed the radio star, but the Internet is massacring print.

We can't underestimate television news' troubling role in this problem. As the late great Walter Cronkite was always so quick to note, the evening news and cable news programs currently dominating the industry have succumbed to the popularity of commentary. Unbiased reporting is slowly dying in the broadcast medium as most of the highest-rated news programs are based on 'infotainment.' I first heard that term on The Simpsons and laughed...no one is laughing anymore.

We as consumers have fallen for it. Watching the news can be 'boring' and 'hard,' but watching Bill O'Reilly bash Democrats and pausing to watch a TIVO'd Keith Olbermann rip Republicans is much more fun. While the shows are entertaining, their rhetoric is biased and at times hateful. The new stories are second-class citizens, afterthoughts to the personalities driving the ratings. I'm at the point where I can't watch any of it.

More and more media consumers are going to the web because we don't have to sit through commercials or listen to people vapidly insult each other. The place to deviate from that coverage used to be a good paper...when we were sick of watching poorly constructed or loosely written TV news, we could sift through our fishwraps and make our own decisions.

But, print is dying a very slow and agonizing death. It won't last in its current state. More dailies are going to focus on web content while publishing limited print editions just to survive. In our 'must have it now' age of news, journalists have to turn to Twitter and other web marketing/media tools to get there first. And the quality of coverage is suffering.

Yesterday's battle over video of Jordan Crawford's dunk over Lebron James was another example of how newspapers can't compete in today's media industry. TMZ originally planned to launch a video of their own at 6:45p.m. ET, but ESPN got a hold of video from ebaumnation.com and ran it before TMZ's self-created deadline. Ebaumnation posted it at 3:28p.m. ET and killed TMZ's exclusive. The story itself was weak and the video widely seen as a joke. It wasn't even a real story but nationwide competition forced a frenzied pace. How can any newspaper keep up with that?

They can't. That is why the future of media will continue to evolve/devolve towards the Net. If a media outlet doesn't meet our demands of immediacy, we give up on them. Even magazines are suffering...

Why wait a few weeks to get Sports Illustrated or Vanity Fair when I can poach websites until I feel satiated? The best articles regarding the life and times of Michael Jackson were written by Vanity Fair's Maureen Orth between 1994 to 2005. Orth is the widow of the late Tim Russert and a respected writer.

Her incredibly detailed and damning reports were hardly discussed as the media scrambled to track Michael Jackson's corpse around Los Angeles. The remains of his body became more important than the body of his life. MSNBC spoke with Orth in late June, but has since pulled the video...I have yet to find anything except a brief from The Huffington Post about her appearance. MSNBC and NBC have nothing available. It's sad, but it's indicative of the current media climate.

That's what it has come to. We have to settle for inferior news coverage as the media attempts to figure out how best to cash in on our demands for knowledge.

But, it's important to note that we are also to blame. The Ann Arbor News is effectively dying today because it wasn't enough for its readers anymore. They wanted more and advertisers followed the masses. It's our fault. Our demands are being met quicker, but our understanding of the news is eroding.

The next time you read a truly well-written, researched and unbiased article, email the writer and that person's editor to say thanks. It may not save their jobs or change the media industry, but it will remind those journalists why they got into the business in the first place. To make a difference while telling accurate and great stories.

Make sure they know you care. Because, if they don't think you do, they'll go where the money tells them to go. They will end up ignoring their duties and we will all be worse off for it.

Newsflash...

2009-07-16T13:39:00.002-04:00

Dateline: Farmville, Virginia

I am not dead. Friends, I realize how long it has been since I last posted my musings/thoughts on the media industry. I have no excuse. I pledge the following.

By next Friday, July 24, I will return with a detailed observation worthy of your time. Perhaps I'll focus on the continued fascination with citizen journalism, cable news' continued dominance...I'm not certain yet. If you've got a topic you want me to hit, comment or throw it my way via Facebook or Twitter.

Yeah, I'm on Twitter.

All the best. Next Friday. Hold me to it!

Local TV Stations Must Invest in Sports

2009-03-23T15:22:00.047-04:00

First and foremost, I need to apologize for not blogging more often. It's been over two months. I've got both reasons and excuses, but it's unnecessary to list them. I owe devoted readers an apology...so, I apologize.

Careful observation of the 'local television news' landscape shows an alarming trend. Across the country, respected and market-leading stations are dumping their sports departments. If they aren't dumping them, they're gutting them.

Many stations have stopped investing money, show time and (most importantly) concern in these reporters and anchors. Ever since Richard Huff in the New York Daily News started beating the drum about whether or not local sportscasts are needed, a national discussion about the topic has heated up.

In his article, Huff discusses how small market audiences could generally do without sportscasts. But, in his opinion, the larger markets such as New York could not. In fact, the opposite is true.

As often is the case, Huff was probably foreshadowing a future column. Three days later, two sports anchors at WCBS got axed and Huff had the story. WCBS had made cuts to their sports staff and programming in the previous year and perhaps Huff got wind that more cutbacks were on the way.

But, as far as the necessity of local television sports coverage is concerned, Huff is dead wrong.

It's not his fault, he's looking at it from the 'big media' market perspective. Large market fans have it good...in general. In New York, Boston, L.A., Detroit, Philly, etc., there are multiple options to get content. If you're a Celtics or Red Sox fan, as I am, you don't have to go any further than SportsCenter if you want scores, quick highlights and brief analysis. Large market sports coverage is generally slightly more in-depth and gets a few more minutes of time on game nights. Lots of large market network affiliates have created additional sports programming like call-in shows or weekly 'coach talks' to give fans more content.

Most of those major cities also have their own city or regional cable outlets. MSG, NESN, Comcast, etc. Those cable groups carry the sports content the rest of the day. There is no need or want for more coverage. So, it's easy to say that 'local' sports coverage from the network affiliates isn't necessary or at times irrelevant.

However, if you're a 'medium media' market sports fan, cheering on teams in Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Memphis, Oakland, etc., you can't get that kind of access via the national cable media. You can only turn to regional cable (FoxSports Pittsburgh) or your local stations. After that, it's up to the fan to surf the Web.

It's important to note these regional cable guys get a lot of respect from the community. The best in the business is Dan Potash at FoxSports Pittsburgh. He's so big, people post video of him walking past them on YouTube. That's pretty big.

And, unfortunately for the 'small media' market sports fans, you've got very little media content to rely on. Sure there's always the Web; but after that, it's up to local radio and local television coverage. And, if station managers buy into this mantra that sports coverage isn't necessary, these fans will suffer tremendously. And suffer for no reason.

It's important to clearly identify my bias. I was a sports reporter and anchor at WDTV in Clarksburg/Bridgeport, West Virginia. I may NEVER live THIS picture down, but I loved my time there. And occasionally miss it a great deal.

Our market was media market #166. There are only 210, so our station fit the 'small market' group. In our little neck of the woods, we served North Central West Virginia and essentially rode the coattails of the West Virginia University Mountaineer athletic teams.

We fared as they fared. When they played well or made postseason bowl games or tournaments, we produced special half-hour shows and brought in thousands of additional advertising monies to the station. If the teams did poorly, our shows reflected it.

But, in our viewing area in the great state of WV, we were IT for local sports. While our competitors averaged three minute nightly sportscasts, we averaged five minutes. On weekends, we would receive unprecedented chunks of the evening news. Our sportscasts would average anywhere from eight to ten minutes or more every Saturday and Sunday night. In our newsroom, it was established that sports would 'earn their time' and we certainly did. We were all local, all the time.

And we were good at it. When the state-wide awards roll around every year, WDTV is well represented in sports despite only having two full-time staff members in the department. I've got a few plaques to prove it.

During my time at WDTV, I coveraged dozens (and I mean dozens) of Little League All-Star tournament games. I'm talking about first round tournament elimination games for 8 & 9 year-olds. I've never heard/seen of another station doing that. But, the local people loved us for it. No matter where I went, people recognized us as the leader in TV sports in our area.

Our competitors had more resources, but we had the will, work ethic and attitude to dominate our market. And, as far as sports coverage is concerned, we DOMINATED. People respected us and watched the news for our stuff. I knew more than one person who set their alarm clocks to wake up in time for our morning sports report. That meant a lot to us.

Much of that success was due to the tenacity of sports director Joe Brocato. When I took the job, I had no idea what I was getting into. But, I knew right out of the gate that I had never met a guy like Joe. He outworked everyone. His passion for his job is incredible. He made me care about every story and about every person. He was my mentor and greatly influenced my approach to my job and broadcasting. Joe cared more about the daily effort than any person I have ever met. And Joe wanted to win every sportscast, every night. He is a competitor.

And his passion and intensity affected everyone in the newsroom and even in management. Joe had to fight for our time, but he won a lot of battles and earned their respect. Sports coverage was appreciated and cherished at WDTV. Maybe not all of the time or to the extent we wanted it, but we were respected.

But, that respect came from our hard work and willingness to cover any story. We never lost sight of the role we were playing for local sports fans.

Unfortunately, lots of televisions sportscasters have lost their ways. Too many are comfortable in running national stories, slapping video over it, sending out a photographer to shoot a game for them and wrapping it up in two minutes every night at 10 or 11. They got lazy and unwilling to do the work. If they don't shape up or get out of the way, sports on local television may perish.

When you apply for sports reporting/anchoring jobs, every news director puts the words "I don't want any SportsCenter want-to-be's applying" in the job description. But, lots of news directors didn't practice what they preached. They didn't demand local coverage and medium market sports reporters started focusing on national stories.

I don't want to sound too harsh here. I know all of the work that goes into TV...it's quite a lot. But honestly, watching local TV sports where I live now makes me sick. I've got DirecTV in a market-less place in Virginia. Because of that, we get Richmond, VA news pumped in via satellite and I've watched them all.

And, while I hate to say it to guys/gals I respect, Richmond TV sports coverage is garbage.

-They don't run enough local content.
-They don't get off their rear ends to shoot enough local content.
-They don't get much time to show it in anyways.
-They don't seem to care much either.

The top locally-rated news station is WWBT, NBC 12. NBC 12 has been kicking tail in the ratings for years. Last December, a week before Christmas, they canned their sports director along with several other staff members. Then sports director Ben Hamlin had been with the station for 28 years. As a viewer and former reporter, I felt his reports and content were getting stale. Lots of national stuff without much of a local focus. But, he was a great on-air persona and clearly respected by the community. He deserved better and so did NBC 12's viewers.

NBC 12 also runs the content for FOX 35 News and the station lists only two sports anchor/reporters. That's two guys to cover all of the stories, night in and night out, for two stations. It's ridiculous and insulting.

I don't blame Jamie or Joe, NBC 12's sports guys. I don't know them personally. But, I watch them when I can. And when I watch, I see two guys that are knowledgeable about sports in the area yet seem detached from it as well. I believe the blame lies on their newsroom management. They aren't provided with the time or resources to show us much else.

As a viewer, I demand more.

As a former 'sports guy,' I am downright angry.

Whenever we worked our tails off to create a half-hour show or fly across the country to continue to provide coverage for our viewers, we never saw an additional dime. But, our managers and sales staff did. They sold our reports in special sponsorship ad packages to local businesses. Almost everything we did for high school football or 'bonus' coverage was stamped by a car dealership or law firm. All of that was extra dough to cover our trip expenses and pad the commissions for whatever salesperson could work a telephone.

Though I could complain more, I'll move on. Long story short, whenever we worked hard and did our job, the station made more money. We also got more viewers. It was always at our expense...our time, our sweat, our work. But, the station and our viewers were better for it.

That's why opinions like that of Huff's are incorrect. Local television sports coverage is good for the local fan. But station managers across the country are forgetting that.

Consider this case in Scranton, PA. Three different stations with three different approaches. WNEP is the area's #1 station and, interestingly enough, is the one station in the bunch that prides itself on airing nightly sportscasts. They trimmed their time, but are the only station committed to nightly sportscasts in their market. They have three reporters/anchors to work for their station, while NBC 12 in Richmond has two. Scranton is media market #54, Richmond is #58.

Many news directors claim they are investing in airing more local news stories, but how can we actually know if that is the case? A few more seconds for weather or another commercial, and that time is gone. And, stations are literally turning away viewers.

I urge station managers and news directors to take a chance on local sports coverage. Don't limit their coverage or time, force the anchor/reporters to go and seek more stories. Television journalists aren't working for their stories much anymore, they show up to events and piece-meal soundbites together. Not a lot of time for investigative pieces nowadays. But, to win over the viewers and keep them tuned in, news directors need to train and then to trust their staff.

People say local TV sports is dying. It will only die if the sports reporters sit idly by and allow it to. They need to aggressively attack their audience by getting back out into the communities. Talking at high school events, visiting classes, actually GOING to local games, covering the 'fringe' sports, etc.

By covering Little League baseball, we hooked viewers for life. If a parent was truly appreciative of us showing their eight year-old punch a double to score a run in an all-star game one Tuesday night, they would keep tuning in to see what else we were showing. Those viewers stuck around.

That is what makes Joe the most recognizable sports guy in the northern part of the state. Even now, years removed from working in the area, when I meet someone from North Central WV...it always comes up.

"I know you from somewhere. You worked at WDTV, right? You worked with Joe Brocato?!? Cool. I watch him all the time."

I'm always proud of that. Proud to be associated with a fine product and with a fine man.

News directors need to invest time in local sports or more viewers will stop investing time with those stations.

Don't push sports viewers to cable, because news viewers will follow them. If that happens, local TV news will die.

And no one will be watching to mourn it.

Stay The Course: Journalism Students Shouldn't Fear For Media's Future

2009-01-14T17:14:00.060-05:00

As our campus sprung back to life earlier this week, with many folks slowly re-entering our academic world, I prepared to meet my news writing and broadcast production students anew. But, I felt that in our first classes together I needed to address the 'elephant' in the newsroom. The future of mass media.

Many students are quite concerned about the job climate upon their graduation either this year or the next. Who wouldn't be? There are certainly reasons to be concerned. Lots of reasons. Journalists, scholars, media watchdogs and consumers are all collectively watching in horror as our nation's newspaper industry is being eviscerated.

Gannett employees have been required to take an unpaid week off. An unprecedented move.

The Star Tribune could be filing for the big 'B' in Minnesota.

Want to buy the 22nd largest paper in the country? The print version is up for bid.

And for 75K (a cool 100K on Sundays) you can advertise on the front page of the NY Times.

From small to monstrous, no newspaper is going unscathed. But, the broadcast media has felt the pinch as well. Major layoffs in Miami, Sacramento and Denver shocked the industry last year. No station/market is safe. Check out the list my friends at tvjobs.com have compiled. Stations all over the country are swinging axes. In radio and in TV, hours are being reduced...shows cut and responsibilities broadened.

All of that could make a journalism/media student think about a life in sales, retail or cubicle country. But we all know what happens when people work in cubicles too long...they put a gangster beat-down on the copier/printer/fax machine Office Space-style. (Not for virgin ears)

If you're 'called' to be a journalist, don't run for another major/occupation just yet. This may be the storm before the calm. Many in the media are losing their jobs but there are positions to fill in their wake.

The one-man-band era has been on the verge of taking over the media world for several years. Now, it has officially arrived.

It started in journalism schools whose graduates then entered the media world at the small market level. Their responsibilities were then reduced as they went higher up the market ladder. They no longer had to shoot for themselves or cut their own tapes. The station had that covered. Dig up stories, hit the streets, report, write, front it and go home. Your friends in the back of the newsroom (the part not always on the tour) will do the rest.

Not anymore.

Those editors and videographer/photographer positions are slowly fading from newsrooms. Sure the more dominant companies and larger markets can afford to and will continue to carry some of those positions. But entry-level reporters are expected to be skilled in multiple platforms of story-telling. Video and audio editing, writing for the Web, basic videography skills, etc. Stations and papers hope to see college graduates 'prepackaged' with knowledge across all mass mediums.

And they've been getting it. Though the responsibilities are certainly greater for each cub reporter, they can handle it in a given workday and save the company thousands in additional salary monies. In rough economic times, why would any organization pay two or three people to do the job that one talented (though overworked) person could do alone? Though the transition happened quite slowly, those organizations are thinning out their newsrooms and streamlining their products. The result may not always be better news but it is nearly always better business.

This trend, while not favorable to those embedded in the media industries, works heavily in the favor of the untested but well-equipped college graduate.

My undergraduate journalism courses (way back in the '90s) focused on the inverted pyramid, the AP stylebook and an endless barrage of articles and interviews. My radio and broadcast production courses forced us to venture into an editing booth a grand total of three times. I wasn't ready at graduation. It took some time and thirty grand for graduate school to get the experience I needed. But that isn't the case anymore.

Now, the top academic programs in the country and those striving to match them immerse their students in all forms of media. Classes attack the Web with fervor. The average journalism graduate in this country is now familiar with print, broadcast and Web writing techniques while also being able to produce audio and video projects.

These students are tech-savvy and forward-thinking. They've grown up with Internet in their homes or even bedrooms. They haven't hand-written anything but class notes and most won't even do that anymore. Typewriters? Those are in museums and attics. Twitter, Gabcast and all of the social/professional tools on the Net have made instantaneous access to news an expectation, not a novelty.

And they are carrying that mindset into the workforce 'en masse' every December and May. And they will get jobs.

They are cheaper than the industry veteran who won't budge. They are more willing to adapt to newer technologies than the photog who sticks by their DVC-Pro or Beta tapes. The doors to the newsrooms will be reopened to veterans willing to take on more responsibility and/or a pay cut as well as to the next wave of so-called 'backpack' journalists.

Those currently in the business of telling the news are certainly already wary. Either you embrace it, or you lose your job. Joanne Ostrow's article in the Denver Post last month detailed KUSA and KMGH's efforts to morph their journalists. KUSA is one of the most respected television stations in the country and has been seen as an industry leader. If the leader of a top 20 market is going this way, expect many more to follow. This isn't to say KUSA is keeping all of its employees as they move forward. They let go of veteran news anchor Bob Kendrick just before Halloween. There will be attrition.

Reading Ostrow's article, one notes how KCNC's management feels a little differently about 'one-man-band' journalists. Of course they do; they cut over half a dozen staff members a few months earlier. One of which had just received a national press award for video editing. It will be interesting to see how they compete as KCNC and KUSA have been neck-in-neck in their market's ratings battle. Which approach will work?

It's likely that industry executives will be more willing to bet on the one-man-band reporters.

As Tim Robbins' character Andy Dufresne says in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption," you either "get busy living or get busy dying." Newsrooms that want to live are going to continue to open their arms to younger (and initially cheaper) journalists who can do more with less.

Future journalists of the world: Don't panic. Jobs are awaiting you. Even in the print industry...just more will be required of you. Across the board, all news providers are going to turn to 'backpackers,' 'VJs' (Video Journalists) or one-man-banders. While you may have to enter an unwelcoming newsroom at first, your skills across the mass mediums will pay off. Just be sure that you and your company are keeping up with technology.

You'll be ready.

As long as I see you in class.

*Writer's Note: My sincerest apologies for not sticking to my guns about more frequent posts. I have only excuses but no proper reasons. I'll do better.

Testing, Testing...1-2-3

2009-01-06T14:30:00.003-05:00

Working on some new ideas for the Advanced Media Writing course and trying out a 'neat' (I know I'm the only one that still says that) new website where you can post audio to the Net straight through your cellphone. Just neat (there I go again) stuff...

Click to listen...it's not much...yet: My Gabcast Channel

A Public 'Mea Culpa' to My Mother

2008-11-05T20:34:00.045-05:00

It recently occurred to me that I've used this blog to talk about many of the most important people in my life. But, due to simple ignorance, I have yet to write about the most beautiful woman in my world. My mother.

The 'original' Susan Halliday.

Her birthday is less than two days away. I won't reveal her age for fear of being ostracized from our upcoming holiday celebrations. Age is but a number, and my Mom remains the passionate spitfire she has always been.

And, I want to apologize to her. I've done it countless times before and will certainly do so again.

Mom, I'm sorry I didn't treat you with the respect you deserved when I was a child. I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you. I'm sorry I talked back and attempted to humiliate you. I'm sorry for making life hell for you on the sad occasions where I chose to be arrogant and self-righteous. I'm sorry if, for even a single moment, you ever felt that I didn't regard you as a crucial and wonderful part of my life. If you ever felt that way, and I am certain you did, I pray you will forgive me. You will always be the most important woman in my world.

In case you hadn't figured it out, I wasn't particularly kind to Mom.

As a kid, I idolized my Dad. He was the embodiment of what a man should be. Father, friend, teacher, enforcer. I wrote about him just before his birthday this April. My Dad continues to have the greatest influence on my life.

Early on, my Mom saw that connection my father and I had. She knew how important it was...how a strong relationship between a father and his son can shape both men forever and effect generations. Mom recognized that power and never did anything to get in the way. Even when I turned my boyish angst against her. Yelling back. Refusing to obey or even make eye contact. Laughing at her orders. Purposely upsetting her as I tested my limits and her patience.

I made my Mom cry. A lot. She would get so upset she couldn't contain her emotions. It wasn't because she was overly protective or because she had a thin skin; it was because I was terrible to her. Terrible in every way. And when Dad came home, my sister and I would morph into more tolerable children. After all, Dad was the man of the house.

Mom often said, "You wait until Dad gets home." And we would. The moment he stepped through the door we showered him with 'Hellos' and love. Superman was home. Meanwhile, my sister and I had likely just spent the last three hours frustrating our mother...for no reason. Dad got the love; Mom got the laughs.

For the majority of my childhood, Mom was a 'stay at home' woman. No one looked down on housewives during my Mom's generation. But suddenly during the 80s and 90s, more and more women were active in the workplace and my Mom's role was somewhat abnormal to us. Most of my friends' Moms worked. I think my sister and I internalized that and showed our mother less reverence because of it.

Now, as a father of two, I recognize all that she did. I know our house is never as clean as my Mom kept hers; she is a gourmet chef and her meals are legendary. She poured her life into her children and her home. All while dealing with children who didn't show her the proper amount of respect.

This isn't to say that I didn't love her. I did. I told her I loved her all the time.

But I didn't act like it. I would denounce her ideas and ignore her requests to dedicate myself to my studies. She would drive me to algebra tutoring and I would complain the whole time. I refused to see what she was trying to do for me. It was easier to show her disdain.

In middle school, she saw I was struggling in a science course. She recognized my general apathy and worked with me to improve my dedication. She also saw that my teacher (a truly broken man who took pleasure in ignoring others) didn't care about how his students performed. He was punching the clock, learning be damned. My Mom acted. She fought for my test scores to see my shortcomings and to get me help. When the administrators and the teacher's union laughed in her face, she protested the school. She was arrested for trespassing. My Mom was on the front page of our local paper, being shoved into a police cruiser. She was damn proud of her efforts. She made a difference.

But, her only son mocked her. I was ashamed. Mortified. A middle-school boy whose Mom made the paper for being, as classmates told me, "a nutjob." Five years later, in my senior yearbook, one of my friends wrote in the margin next to his picture, "Hope your Mom gets out of jail soon." Kids can be cruel. They taunted me endlessly and I took it out on her.

I was such a fool.

And when I came home from college and blew off any suggested curfew and ignored my parents' requests to 'do something constructive,' my Mom took the brunt of my rude retorts. When I graduated from college and prepared to leave for a teaching expedition to China, she tried to tell me how concerned she was and how she didn't want me to go. I cursed at her...I cursed her up and down.

I still remember the look on her face. She was so offended and hurt. She wailed and moaned...crying for a long time. She refused to look me in the eye. And, of course, I left the house before my Dad came home for dinner.

I was such a coward.

And, when giving a commencement speech at Syracuse University at the age of 24, I talked at length about my father. I acknowledged my Mom and told her I loved her, but I placed my father on a pedestal yet again. I didn't mean to upset her, but I know it bothered her...even if it was a fleeting thought. She deserved to share more of that moment than what I allowed.

I was such an imbecile.

For all of these reasons, I owe my Mom infinite apologies. I've apologized to her before, many times. I always say I am sorry for all of the terrible things I said and did. Each time I apologize she laughs lightly, kisses my cheek and says, "Oh honey, I love you. It is over. Thank you but it's okay. I love you."

I keep apologizing because I keep remembering the way I treated her. I'm often reminded of those moments thanks to my brilliantly wonderful and equally defiant daughter Isabelle. She calls me 'Jeff' instead of Daddy and likes to ignore/refuse my demands. She gets a kick out of upsetting me. After the way I treated my Mom, I deserve it.

Mom, I promise to never undervalue the impact that you've made in my life. And, perhaps more importantly, I also pledge to honor my wife's role in our family. I will always respect her opinion, as Dad did yours. Though we were mean to you, Dad always told me how much he respected you and how we were to listen to you. When we talked back to you, and Dad was there to hear it, we were instantly punished. He constantly berated me for not being more respectful to you. And while it didn't work all the time back then, it has worked.

Though I was rude to you, you always encouraged me. You always pushed me to explore my writing skill and my passion for serving others. Now look at me. Teaching college students how to serve the public as responsible and ethical journalists. You have a lot to do with my success.

Please know that I remain indebted to you and apologize for the way I treated you. I know you have already forgiven me, but that doesn't absolve me of my wrongdoing. Thank you for loving me enough to look beyond my faults.

Perhaps it's not just coincidence that I married a woman named Susan. A passionate and exceptional woman that is not afraid to speak her mind and has a steel backbone. A spitfire.

Just like you Mom.

When Susan and I were just starting to date, I told my now wife that she was not the most beautiful woman in the world. And she still isn't.

You are Mom.

I love you so very much.

Happy Birthday to the woman who helped make me a man and never got the proper credit she deserved.

Until now.

Our Second Child: Kenneth Edward IV

2008-10-07T21:40:00.036-04:00

I've used this blog for several purposes. From extending those 'intrapersonal' discussions I carry within me during the day, to discussing the media industry and finally as a form of catharsis. This entry is of the cathartic persuasion.

This entry is for our son, Kenneth Edward Halliday IV.

We named Kenny after my father, Kenneth Edward Halliday III. Naming my firstborn son after my Dad is something I set my sights on as a child. When I was a boy, my sister and I took your typical sibling rivalry to unenviable levels. We coveted everything the other owned. And that included Matchbox cars, baseball cards and even Cabbage Patch dolls. You read correctly, I had a Cabbage Patch doll. If my sister was going to own one, I wasn't going to be left out.

My Mom bought me a boy doll (of course) that matched my brown hair and brown eyes. Without hesitation, I named him Ken. I held my father in such high regard even then. While I'm certain he wasn't particularly excited about having his son's plastic doll as a namesake, my father was quite honored on October 3, 2007.

That is the day our son was born. We had been calling him Kenny for months, but he was finally with us. However, his journey was not without struggle. Some of the most difficult moments Susan and I have or will ever face.

I was standing on a baseline at the Charleston Civic Center, filming a high school basketball game, when my wife called to tell me she was pregnant with our second child. Because I worked late shifts, I had to learn I was a father anew over the phone. She couldn't contain her excitement and I couldn't get home soon enough. I'll never forgive myself.

A few weeks later, standard blood screenings showed that our son could have Down Syndrome. A nurse told us, "Most of the time these screenings end up in negative results...so don't worry too much." Susan didn't worry; I was beside myself. I did research, sought advice and prepared.

On May 23, 2007, we saw specialists at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia. Our son had a clean bill of health. I felt ashamed for being so selfishly fearful and, honestly, I was quite relieved. I texted my father with the news and he replied, "Keep holding Sue's hand. You have a lot to be thankful for this day. Love Always, Dad" I still have that message saved in my phone.

It now serves as a reminder on just how thankful I truly should be.

Less than five months later on October 3rd, Kenny was born. And as Kenny entered the world, I sat teetering between joy and terror. I couldn't properly celebrate his arrival because I was scared I would lose him.

Kenny was born with a cancerous tumor that was slowly killing him.

Nearly a week before his birth, Susan and I went to a 'routine' ultrasound. As the radiologist went through her checklist, she came across a large and curious oval-shaped mass. It was so big on the screen, I asked if that was my son's head. She shook her head and excused herself from the room. Susan and I shrugged our shoulders. Shortly thereafter, we were taken into one of the exam rooms.

"There is no way to say this other than to come right out and say it. Your son has a tumor. A very large tumor on his kidney."

I was dumbfounded. A tumor meant cancer. I blurted out with, "How does an unborn child get cancer?" Susan was rock solid. Her mind was racing towards the future, what needed to be done, where do we go, etc. My mind was mush. I repeated, "Our son has cancer? How?" Susan turned to me and said, "That doesn't matter. The question is what do we do about it?" She was right. We don't question why we are challenged, we simply meet those challenges as best we can. Susan is always there to remind me of that.

Six days later, Kenny came into the world. After Susan urged him to fight, Kenny wailed to the heavens. I kept taking pictures of him in the operating room and would not take my eyes off of him. The staff told us the tumor had engulfed his entire right kidney and was roughly the size of a baseball...they estimated that the tumor weighed a pound. He weighed just over four pounds all together.

The tumor was so big, it was easily visible from a distance. The mass heaved in his abdomen with each breath like an ever-present nightmare. I was so fearful my time with him would be fleeting, I never wanted to leave him. I didn't want him to carry that nightmare alone.

But, we couldn't be with him. Our son, hampered by needles, IVs, monitors and wires was bound to the Henrico Doctors Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). We could sit with him, but only two at a time. To give our family members a chance to know him, I gave them my seat. I couldn't bear to be with him and I couldn't bear to be away from him.

I have never in my life felt more helpless.

Six days after his birth, Kenny went under the knife. The surgeon, Dr. Charles Bagwell, told us that Kenny's prognosis was 'pretty good.' Susan looked him in the eyes as the prepared Kenny for surgery and said, "Take care of our son, help him live. Bring him back to us." To Dr. Bagwell's credit, he looked my aching wife in the eyes and replied, "I promise I will." I wanted to believe him. I couldn't keep the tears at bay.

Then, they wheeled our son off to surgery.

It was the single worst moment I have ever experienced. I can not capture it in words. So many times I called out to God and begged him to allow me to suffer in my son's place. At that moment, I felt as if I had failed to protect that which I loved the most. That initial sense of helplessness spiraled downward towards hopelessness. Susan and I clung to each other and wept. The NICU staff stood by quietly. They had witnessed this scene so many times. That thought sent chills down my spine and straight into my soul.

Dr. Bagwell said the surgery could last anywhere from 90 minutes to 6 hours depending on the extent of the tumor. As a family, we went down to the hospital's cafeteria. I literally couldn't taste the food. My father sat to my right and kept a careful eye on me. He knew I wouldn't buckle, but I wasn't so sure. All I remember was silently staring at the wall and wondering if I would ever see my son alive again.

After lunch we came back up to the waiting room and I tried to prepare to wait. I was pacing the room. My father told me to relax. My mother read a magazine. Our pastors, Reverends Bob and Ruth Partlow, made small talk and sat with us. Their presence was so calming.

Just days before, they had held a private baptism for Kenny right there in the NICU at our request. Bob told me, "We aren't going to close the baptism because the second part of the service calls for the congregation to acknowledge and accept him. We'll do that part when this is all over and you bring Kenny to church. He's going to make it."

I will always cherish that.

Just as I was getting used to the pain of waiting, the phone rang. It was Kenny's nurse from surgery. They were done after 90 minutes and our son was alive and well. She told me the tumor weighed a little over a pound and had grown to the size of a softball. I cried and shook with emotion. We gathered for prayer and Bob couldn't get through it. Ruth finished his prayer. I was so touched by their emotional connection to our family. They were overjoyed for our son and for us.

Susan and I rushed to see him. His scar stretched from hip-to-hip and the sutures were intimidating. Looking at the pictures is still difficult for me.

Kenneth Edward Halliday IV was already stronger and tougher than his father would ever be. A cancer survivor at six days old.

He stayed in the hospital until we took him home on November 1st. His big sister Isabelle greeted him with love and curiosity. She kissed him and laughed as she stroked his head. She loved him instantly, just as we did. A sibling relationship born instinctively and instantaneously.

Last Friday, Kenny turned a year old. During a quiet family celebration, we sang to him and enjoyed his company. He laughed and babbled, playing games of Peek-A-Boo and smiling at everyone who met his glance.

He is the son I have always wanted. Sitting across from Isabelle, I watched as the two of them played together. It is the sort of moment you dream of when you picture what being a father is like. The love they share for each other and for us is based on the love we have for them.

Our love inspires them and their love inspires us.

When they removed the cancerous tumor, leaving him with only his left kidney, the doctors concurred that the Wilms tumor appeared to be benign, but that only time would tell. Every three months for the first three years of his life, Kenny will undergo either an MRI or an ultrasound to make sure the cancer doesn't return to attack his remaining kidney.

His life it seems will always hang in the balance. The threat of cancer is like a sword of Damocles over our heads when we discuss his health. We are at the beginning of a long journey, and possibly a long battle. But we are ready.

We are ready because we are motivated by our son.

His grip leaves my fingers sore and purple. He is impossible to tame. He is stronger than Isabelle was at his age and twice as adventurous. He will soon surpass his sister in height and already weighs more than she does. But he is gentle and sweet. His laugh is brilliant, his smile tender.

It is as if he knows that we only get one shot at life. Ken has taught me so much. About God, about the power of prayer, about the importance of family and friends, about love and about loss.

Thank you Kenny. Thank you for showing me how wonderful and precious life is and how powerful love can be.

Thank you son. Thank you for fighting and for inspiring me to fight. I am indebted to you.

Your mother and I will spend every moment of our lives working to improve yours. Just as my father and mother did for me.

When my father writes to me, he always ends his messages the same way. I carry that on now as I write to Kenneth Edward Halliday IV, our son and my inspiration.

"Love Always,

Dad"

From Erotica To The Evening News

2008-08-19T15:23:00.047-04:00

One of my daily must-hit websites is TVSpy.com and there is a reason. Their staff does an absolutely incredible job of sending out ShopTalk, a perfectly mashed set of links leading to the major television media stories of the day.

When I clicked on a particularly racy story recently, my heart skipped a beat.

It was HER!

I laughed.

Then, my heart sank.

Be forewarned, the content of the story is both controversial and sexual in nature. Several of the links on this article lead to adult websites that build the story's background.

Now that your interest is likely piqued, here's the link.

The story details the lawsuit of a former news director at KOIN, the CBS affiliate in Portland, Oregon. The ousted Jeff Alan filed the suit against KOIN claiming he was fired partly because he made "significant objections" to the hiring of a new reporter.

Kacey Montoya.

With a collegiate reporting award from the Society of Professional Journalists, a CNN internship and experience at two television stations, Montoya's resume looked relatively solid.

Then Alan and the station's Human Resources Department did some 'Googling,' and their innocent search turned up some jaw-dropping, eye-opening material.

It seems Ms. Montoya had also used the names Kacey Aliece and Kasey Bytheway. And she had a very 'visual' history.

As an erotica star.

The Willamette Week's story includes links to the adult sites. Amazingly, there are no membership restrictions and anyone who can click a mouse can access these pornographic images.

When first reading this story, my heart skipped because I recognized that picture. And the surname Bytheway tends to stick with you.

Kacey got her first on-air television gig in Oak Hill, West Virginia. But, before WOAY-TV started her illustrious broadcasting career, her resume reel found its way to countless other news directors.

One of those people was Scott Snider. My old news director at WDTV.

I was in his office as he sifted through the resume tapes for our job opening. He tore open one of the postal packages and removed the tape and paper.

He guffawed and said, "What the hell?"

Kacey's tape caused quite a stir. As I recall, her resume material included a glamour shot of her in a bikini top. Some of the video clips she included on her tape were clearly designed to draw attention to her physique rather than her reporting ability. She was indeed beautiful. But the way she was going about it was shameless.

And, of course, I instantly thought this must have been some pageant queen desperately seeking a career. But, her resume showed some learned skills in college and the SPJ award. She was legit. Still, Scott was clearly skeptical. He hit the web.

He 'Googled' the name on her resume, Kacey Bytheway.

It didn't take long to find out what she was doing with her spare time.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Scott, to his credit, dismissed hiring her outright. After all, how could you possibly value newsroom ethics after hiring a reporter with that kind of background? Journalists (and that's what television reporters should be) are supposed to serve the public fairly and with dignity. What message does putting a former erotica model into your newsroom send to female reporters?

After Scott tossed her resume material into his office's wastebasket, I told him, "This is what it has come to. May God punish the *SOB* that hires that woman."

And the 'good' people of WOAY did just that. She aimed her tapes at the low market stations that may have low market morals and got her start. On her KOIN biography page, Montoya says West Virginia is "a place where she never thought she would ever visit, much less call home." That's a nice back-handed compliment.

In a few short years, 'Montoya' jumped from media market #155 in West Virginia to #144 in Palm Springs and then to #23 in Portland, Oregon. A 121 market jump from Job B to Job C. That's quite significant.

She was part of one Emmy-award winning morning show at KPSP in Palm Springs. That MUST have been how she made the leap to Portland.

This story would make the writers of 'Anchorman' shake their heads.

Since the story first ran in the Willamette Week, KOIN-TV has remained mum on the subject. Montoya is still actively employed and on the air in Oregon.

One can only imagine what the outing of this news did to Bytheway mentally. It's likely been a personal hell for her. She responded to questions by saying she was "not a porn star" and station management says she will face no repercussions. Of course not. How could they punish her? They are the ones that put her on-air in Portland. Making her a prominent face in television journalism in a job that pays her a salary Alan called 'exorbitant.' Anyone who has worked in television knows that 'exorbitant' in a Top-25 market means nearing six figures.

Six figures for a reporter, not an anchor, that spends about two-to-three minutes per day physically on the air.

When the story first broke, Montoya was one of nine female on-air personalities at KOIN. Its highly likely she is pulling in more coin that at least six of her fellow female colleagues. I wonder what they would have to say about the matter. I wonder because the staff at KOIN has refused to discuss this story and it's clear there is a gag order in place.

To make matters even more interesting, a female news director was hired to replace Jeff Alan shortly after Montoya was hired. To date, Lynn Heider has only said Montoya is a "team player and hard worker." I wonder what she says when no one is around.

There's one erroneous web report that claims Montoya was fired two weeks ago. That never happened. But I can understand why it was written. Because it simply makes sense. How could a former pin-up swimsuit/lingerie/erotica model retain a job as a respected journalist?

She can't. At least, she shouldn't.

Stations like KOIN, KPSP and WOAY continue to make terrible moral choices like this because they say they wish to 'go in a different direction.' Competing with cable networks and news 'hunks' and 'babes' is apparently becoming too difficult. Why work to beat them with investigative news stories when you can simply overpay for an attractive reporter or anchor? The rating books and the advertisers won't know the difference.

Kasey Montoya has received awards for her journalism. She earned them. She has talent in telling stories. But why was she given the opportunity?

We live in a country that values second chances. However, we can't value those more than we do the hard work and ethics of the equally deserving. Those young men and women in 'J-schools' all over the U.S. working part-time jobs or internships to make their mark, they deserve the opportunities. Not those who would stoop to posing indecently and then using that material to capture a respectable job.

For the tens of thousands of students toiling across the country to become future journalists, this is devastating news. An erotica model can beat them out of an entry-level job if they can work a microphone. How hard can that be? The erotica stars can already work a camera.

KOIN-TV General Manager Chris Sehring needs to be put to task for this. For whatever reason, no one outside of the people at the Willamette Week seem to be interested. A former KOIN reporter and anchor tole the Week that Montoya's modeling doesn't negate or erase her talent. But, what type of talent are we talking about?

No one in the national television news media has made a peep about this lawsuit. That to me is the most disturbing revelation. Perhaps no one cares nationally because this is simply being accepted as the adopted future of television news. Beauty over ability. But, that can not be true.

We must not allow it to be. Journalists serve the public and these stations must answer to us. Write the advertisers and threaten to pull your business if they support the station. That will get their attention.

Finally, its also time for the well-respected female journalists of the world to condemn this employment strategy. Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Paula Zahn, Suze Orman...anyone. Use your voice to end this nonsense.

Otherwise I'm sending all of my creative, intelligent and incredibly talented female students to E! Entertainment Television. Or better yet, to 222 S.W. Columbia Street in Portland, Oregon.

There they can meet Chris Sehring at his office and ask him for job. Maybe he'll request some prurient pics though before he sees an audition tape, that's what history seems to show.

Is Media Favoring or Following Obama?

2008-07-28T13:28:00.067-04:00

Last Monday, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain touched down in Manchester, New Hampshire for a typical campaign stop.

Waiting for him on the tarmac...a single print reporter with a photographer in tow. Senator McCain probably thought he landed at the wrong airport or that a PR-staffer left a few dozen people off of a fax list.

One of two presumptive Presidential nominees comes to your state, and only one reporter shows up? That's the equivalent of the Boston Red Sox playing the New York Yankees in front of an elementary school class.

Meanwhile, when Barack Obama arrived in Iraq that same week, the reception was quite different. The Democratic Presidential candidate was enveloped by reporters with flashbulbs popping constantly. News networks from across not only the U.S. but the world made the trek to track the Senator. Each step was satellite-beamed back to viewers and represented much more of a media circus than McCain's understated visit to Iraq this March.

Grant you, this is an extreme example. The Granite State isn't nearly as important to the current world climate as Baghdad. But it shows just how far down John McCain has slipped on the media radar.

And McCain and his staff have not been blind to this ongoing trend. A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor quoted a Rasmussen Report which showed that a near majority of likely voters perceive a "pro-Obama" bias within media coverage.

While McCain is the latest victim of the media's desire to chase the Obama campaign, this shouldn't be news to those tuned to politics. Senator Clinton made several similar complaints during her bitter battle for the Democratic nomination. When Hillary wasn't grabbing a mic to gripe about the "pro-Obama" media, her husband was more than willing to step in.

Clinton learned that blaming the media won't help your cause and McCain should mind that message. A candidate can only go after what they perceive (albeit the truth or not) as media bias through...the media. And the egos in the journalism world are large and vindictive.

The mentality is simple: "Call me biased and I'll show you just how biased I can be." This has never been more true than it is today due to the overwhelming popularity of commentary as opposed to reporting.

By utilizing this "Woe Are We" strategy, McCain's staff hopes to get a few helping hands via kinder columns or at least more exposure. But they got an even greater lift from CBS the night after he landed in New Hampshire.

During an interview with Katie Couric on CBS Evening News last Tuesday night, network editors mistakenly cut a potentially controversial answer by McCain, completely removing it from the aired footage. While that news only received major run on programs such as Countdown with Keith Olbermann, McCain's campaign continues to claim their candidate is a victim of media bias.

And, according to NBC's Brian Williams, the McCain campaign has good reason to raise their voice. In an article in last Friday's edition of the famous London broadsheet the Telegraph, reporter Lucy Cockcroft details an interview Williams did with a British TV reporter. In that interview, Williams said that Obama is receiving more airtime than McCain because of the "historical significance of his campaign." Cockcroft also mentions McCain's "Obama Love" movie about that bias claim, which admittedly is revealing and quite funny.

Williams goes on to call McCain's griping "sour grapes" and says Obama is "using the media better." And therein lies an important issue and perhaps the great secret behind the mass media.

The media can be used and abused...with ease.

Candidates do use the media. Just as much, if not more than, the media uses them. The use of the word 'use' is also important. Not 'utilize' or 'access,' but 'use.' The connotative meaning is evident and essential.

When you're seemingly an underdog like McCain is currently, you use the media as a platform for your complaints. When you're ahead of the game, you use the media by inviting them into every single aspect of your campaign. Before Obama even landed in Iraq, his staff had already coordinated 'exclusive' sit-down interviews with each of the major networks' evening news hosts.

As McCain complains his way through the end of July, the perceived underdog is merely six percentage points behind Obama in the latest general election poll. What's also intriguing is that while McCain "dropped" two points from last Thursday, the percentage of unsure voters continues to climb. McCain's strategy may in fact be bringing voters onto the fence, which could serve to help him in November. Or, it could destroy his chances.

Still, the quintessential question remains: "Are reporters and media networks favoring or following the Obama campaign?"

They certainly are following it. According to a report from The Project for Excellence in Journalism on July 20th, Obama has had a "significant presence" in 83% of the coverage during the general election campaign. McCain checked in at 52%. Obama's trip to Iraq represented nearly a quarter of all of the campaign coverage between July 14th and July 20th.

The Senator from Illinois has been dominating the news. But, wasn't it McCain who until recently was asking why Obama hadn't visited Iraq?

Be careful what you wish for.

As Christian Science Monitor reporter Linda Feldmann noted, that media spotlight burns brightest during both high and low points. If scandal arises in the Obama camp as it previously did after Reverend Wright's comments received significant airtime, he will see his image temporarily skewered. But, for the moment, Obama is king.

However, all of this increased media exposure does not lend to the fallacy that media members are favoring Obama. The commentators may disagree, but McCain will again take his turn in the spotlight, likely when he chooses a Vice Presidential running mate. His staff will attempt to time that decision to receive as much of the media hype as possible. It remains to be seen how well he will use that time, and how long he can hold the spotlight.

Perhaps Obama is riding the coattails of a long fight with Clinton, which led to a significant triumph and increased public interest. As Brian Williams said, Obama is "unique" while McCain has "run before."

Lest we forget, reporters are human. And these election campaigns are brutal. They wear on both the candidates and the media equally. And when a generally untested newcomer makes waves and takes center stage, curiosity and intrigue take over.

If you believe the media reflects public interest, then the latest election polls show that more citizens are interested in or favor Obama. Therefore, the media are shining their cameras towards the Democratic candidate.

If you believe the public interest reflects what media supply, then a clear bias is present.

In the election polls, McCain trails Obama by six points. But, when it comes to media coverage, McCain trails by 31 percent. But, is that disparity due to a significant and calculated liberal bias among the media? Or is it because Barack Obama has become a political force, much the way Bill Clinton was in 1992.

Common sense would say the latter. Obama has been able to garner nearly $300 million in campaign fundraising, while McCain checks in at $119 million. Obama's campaign needed those funds to hold off a much stronger opponent; but in this case those numbers don't lie. His personality and charisma have drawn more monetary and voter support than most critics would have imagined.

It's safe to say that Obama has galvanized many young voters and made a significant impact on the Democractic party. And because our nation's voting history tends to switch the favored political party every 4-8 years, Obama's rise merely follows a pattern.

It seems it is simply his turn. And his campaign staff has used the media extremely well.

Following? Absolutely.

Favoring? Not quite...

...yet.

Apologies for the Hiatus

2008-07-06T21:08:00.006-04:00

Dear Friends,

It's been quite an unexpectedly busy summer as my Public Speaking course winds down this week. After that it's traveling to see my 3rd nephew after he enters into our world sometime around the middle of the month. When that all winds down, I'll truly get back to active blogging! Promise.

The goal is for a weekly post rooted in the study/omniscient-overlook of the ongoings in the mass media realm. There's quite a bit to talk about. From major cuts across the country to several J-schools retooling their curriculum for the Not-So-New Media wave, we've got a bit to cover. And...on occasion, I'll throw in a sports-related post or two.

My hypocrisy knows no bounds. For now, enjoy these two pics of our kids enjoying the summer. Isabelle is over 2 years and 4 months old now...Kenny is 9 months old and is a beast. They are fun to keep up with.

-Jeff a.k.a. "The Professor"

A New Dynasty: Celtics Win Title #17

2008-06-23T23:15:00.025-04:00

For the past few years, I'd all but given up on actively watching the NBA. During the very early years of my youth my hometown team, the Celtics, were a dominant force. With the man Bostonians call Basketball Jesus a.k.a. Larry Bird guiding them, the green & white took three league titles and finished runner-up twice.

I was born into and bred on winning Celtics basketball. I was spoiled. It was the only way I appreciated pro basketball. And I wasn't unlike other Boston fans. We fully expected a winner.

Losers need not apply.

Then, that all came to a crashing halt. Len Bias' death sent the organization into a frightful stretch of mismanagement. That was followed a few short years later by the sudden death of Reggie Lewis. I remember watching Lewis through middle school and into high school. He went to my father's alma mater Northeastern University, so we loved him in our house.

He died of a heart defect during practice in Waltham, Massachusetts...the same town my grandparents lived in. Close to home. Reggie was the one thing the Celtics had going for them in the early '90s, then he was gone.

Following Reggie's passing, the Celtics tanked. And I mean tanked. They wouldn't make another legitimate run at the title until reaching the Eastern Conference Semifinals in '01-'02. And even that seemed to be an aberration. 'The Truth' Paul Pierce had a phenomenal year, willing Boston as he went. Antoine Walker played second fiddle and hated every second of it. I have no idea how that team made it through two rounds with that roster. As a fan, I can remember thinking, "This team can't get there...after all the greats we've seen, this team can't sustain championship-level success." And they didn't.

Around that time, my life was picking up. Off to graduate school and then the television business. While my days and years flew by, there were the Celtics. Perpetually underachieving losers. When they actually made national television appearances it was embarrassing to watch. And at no time was that more true than the 2006-2007 season. An 18-game losing streak and a total of 24 wins. The team was in the gutter. But attendance in Boston was still high. From the previous season, the number of tickets sold only dropped by 47 per game. Remarkable considering the team's utter destruction.

Fans wondered if it could get worse. No one wanted to see another version of the 15-win '96-'97 Celtics team. The thought was altogether frightening. It was time for the team's management to draw a line in the sand.

And they did.

On June 29th of '07, the Celtics traded for Ray Allen. And they traded a lot. Hoops fans in New England thought, "That will help Pierce, but it's not enough."

Then Kevin McHale handed Boston a ticket to the NBA Finals. The Big Ticket. Kevin Garnett, in the definition of a blockbuster deal, was headed East and out of Minnesota mediocrity. The moment he became a Celtic, all of the NBA shuddered.

The greatest franchise in the history of professional basketball was back.

Five months ago I declared that there was no reason for debate. Without a doubt, Boston would win it's 17th NBA title. At the time, I promised that stating the obvious would allow me to avoid further commentary on the matter. However, my ego wouldn't allow it to stay checked and I returned to the topic in early April. I implored Boston city officials to do advance work on the ticker tape parade...it was a lock. But somewhere along the line, the 'experts' in the pro hoops media circuit forgot what a winning team looked like.

Check out the Worldwide Leader's pre-Finals prediction board. 10 experts voted. 1 chose the Celtics over the Lakers. It's true that Boston hardly showed up versus Atlanta in the first round and barely ducked the Cleveland LeBrons in the second. However, the Cs truly owned Detroit in the Conference Semifinals and were running full steam into the championship series.

66 regular season wins.

Three Hall of Famers in the starting lineup.

The frenzied, raucous home crowd that saw the Celtics lose only ONE home playoff game.

How did anyone pick against them? And, worse of all (or perhaps best of all) the experts sided with the Los Angeles Kobes. A ragtag bunch who knocked off a game Jazz team in the second round before cruising past a dilapidating Spurs squad in the Western Semis. Lamar Odom was unproven; Pau Gasol needed to be buoyed by teammates just to be a factor. But there were the Lakers as clear-cut favorites everywhere.

Everywhere except for Celtics Nation.

Six memorable and truly amazing games later, Boston wins another world championship. And they did it on guts & heart, two things the Lakers could not measure and certainly did not have the fortitude to match. 'The Comeback Game' in LA said it all. Down 24 in Cali, Boston rallies to win Game 4. After that it was only a matter of time. And to make it all the sweeter, the Celtics finally won the trophy in front of their faithful.

It was truly perfect. The hated/loathed/despised/evil Lakers in the "New Garden" with a chance to seal a title. Really, it wasn't even fair. Celtics 131 - Lakers 92.

Watching Boston obliterate LA, tearing Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant asunder at will, was as magical as sports moments can be. The right team won. No 'me' guys on the floor for Boston; no Kobe-esque prima donnas that went to ESPN reporters publicly demanding a trade last year; just a bunch of guys that wanted to win above all else.

Good triumphing over evil.

Troops finding Saddam in an underground shack. The Berlin Wall coming down. The Rebel Alliance toppling The Empire. Frodo climbing Mount Doom. Neo besting The Matrix.

Celtics beating the Lakers.

Good guys are supposed to win. Aren't they? Maybe it doesn't happen as often as it should anymore. But that's all the more reason to celebrate when it does happen.

And it happened a week ago. Kevin Garnett, the over-the-top emotional driving force... Ray Allen, the calculating assassin who survived the worst slump of his career to save the season... And Pierce, the long-suffering Captain. Paul Pierce, who year-after-year tossed his frame recklessly across the court for a franchise seemingly unable and unwilling to help make him a winner.

Finally, they are all champions.

And we can all share in it.

This is the new Celtics dynasty. The second coming of the 'Big Three' has arrived. It's official. And they don't want to talk about their expectations being met. They are already talking 'repeat.' Watch here as Pierce and Garnett giddily call themselves "Champ."

This Celtics team has returned the NBA title to Boston. Now they want to return Beantown to both consistent glory and established dominance. They have the opportunity to once again make NBA basketball relevant for the millions of fans that want to watch hard-fought, team basketball.

They won it all their first year together. Next season holds even more promise.

Celtics Nation: Embrace newcomers. There's no reason to be selfish. The sport of basketball needs this team to be in the headlines.

Still want to join the bandwagon? Hop aboard.

But the Lakers faithful can stay right where they are. They're not invited.

Remember, losers need not apply.

Murrow. Cronkite. Stewart? Colbert?!?

2008-05-13T13:00:00.047-04:00

Comedy Central Continues to Replace Network Evening News

A recent content analysis by the Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) revisited a year-old study by The Pew Research Center (PRC). Each helps to uncover an amazing and troubling trend in the television news world.

It seems the American TV news audience sees 'The Daily Show's' Jon Stewart as an inspiring and trusted... JOURNALIST.

Looking at the PRC's study shows Stewart is either on par with or more trusted than Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Anderson Cooper, BOB WOODRUFF, Walter Cronkite, Diane Sawyer and Ted Koppel...among many others. It's absolutely necessary to note this very limited study featured interviews with a small sampling size of 104, but, the numbers don't lie.

More people are turning to satire for their news content. The fact that it isn't unbiased or factually accurate doesn't matter. The trend of 'infotainment' continues...most people would rather be entertained than traditionally informed.

We'll break this all down in three parts. I)A Peak At The Satire Shows, II)National Evening News Trends, III)Why Americans No Longer Care To Draw the Line.

I) 'AMERICA'S ANCHORS'... Why Comedy Central?

The fact these satirical shows are taking over the prime-time news planet isn't 'new' by any stretch of the imagination. Stewart and colleague Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's 'The Colbert Report' made the above cover of Rolling Stone in October of 2006 and discussed their impact. Maureen Dowd's six-webpage article/Q&A about 'America's Anchors' is a remarkable feature. Be warned, it is raucous and occasionally offensive. While you get to know both men through and through, they both ensure you get the point in the end. They are out to get laughs. One portion of the article particularly dealt with this very issue.
______________________

DOWD'S QUESTION/LEAD-IN: I don't understand why you always say, "I'm just a comedian," because from Shakespeare to Jonathan Swift, humor is the best way to get through to people.

COLBERT: Peter Cook was once asked if he thought that satire had a political effect. He said, "Absolutely. The greatest satire of the twentieth century was the Weimar cabaret, and they stopped Hitler in his tracks." It doesn't mean that what we do is worthless. It's hard to do, and people like it, and it's great. But it doesn't mean that it has an effect politically.

STEWART: Or that it has an agenda of social change. We are not warriors in anyone's army. And that is not trying to be self-deprecating. I'm proud of what we do. I really like these two shows. I like making 'em. I like watching them. I'm really proud of them. But I understand their place. I don't view us as people who lead social movements.

______________________

And that is the true beauty of these shows, which are frequently aired in the Halliday house. They are irreverent and crass. But, they attack relevant news items and figures in domestic and foreign politics. Stewart and his staff skewer governments across the globe, regardless of party affiliation. One moment they will insult President Bush's ability to relate/communicate, then briskly ask the question, "What the hell are the Democrats doing?" No one is outside of their rhetorical sphere. How could you call this show liberally biased when they openly call Republican presidential candidate John McCain a "friend of the show"? This is not to say the guests that frequent the show most often aren't of a more 'Democrat-esque' nature. They are. And the quips are clearly laced with a more liberal tone. But, when the Democrats make news (which isn't very often) they are sharp and quick to go after them.

While Stewart plays the coy pseudo-liberal with his hands always outstretched in disgust, dismay or confusion, Colbert and his staff are the other side of the coin. His character is that of the arrogant uber-conservative with his index finger wagging/pointing at the country's populace. When in doubt, blame the nation.

They are equally engaging and funny. Often times they spend significant portions of their programs dealing with media-related issues. Which, for anyone connected to that industry, is what drives the network's popularity to that very specific demographic. Professionals in the news business watch these shows. They love them. They love them because people in the media/news world have very, very thick skins. And who doesn't like a good laugh at their own expense every now and again? The problem is these pros return to work the next morning and go right back to their same 'dead horse-beating' style of news.

And, in the never-ending ratings war, Comedy Central is essentially defeating the 24-hour networks and other analysts/pundits the likes of Bill O'Reilly. A separate PRC study conducted last year had a unique news IQ quiz that showed the American public's continuing lack of awareness in regards to significant current affairs issues and notable figures. This was from a sample of over 1,500 adults and was done in comparison to a similar project from 1989. In that more recent PRC study, 16% of the respondents noted 'The Daily Show' or 'The Colbert Report' as their source for news; that compares quite well to the 17% that claimed 'The O'Reilly Factor' and the 14% that claimed 'The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.' It needs to be noted that 46% said they regularly viewed/watched/listened to network evening news. And, as detailed in Section II, that is clearly inaccurate.

While many would shake their heads at this study's discussion of the abundance of satire watchers, it was those Comedy Central-viewing respondents that scored among the highest on the IQ quiz. (Which is linked on the website for you to take...if you so dare.) But, identifying something or someone because you can recall a good joke doesn't mean you've been properly informed.

[*Writer's Note: This study is from April of 2007. The questions/answers are geared for that timeframe. This blog author took the quiz, and received a 69%. Better than the national average, but decidedly disappointing.]

No one at Comedy Central would confuse Stewart or Colbert as a journalist. They spew opinion and editorialize about pertinent issues without removing bias and physically doing the work. They mock and monitor the government and the media, but they don't actively cover the news themselves. So why are Americans seeking them out as a news source?

II) Evening News: A Sinking Ship

In the PRC's "Today's Journalists Less Prominent" Summary of Findings, they refer to the concept of journalists/journalism being diminished by the "increasingly fragmented media landscape." That about sums it up. The major networks have watched their evening news ratings plummet for years. Recently, Katie Couric's slide at CBS has received much of the focus and criticism, but numbers are down across the board. A look at national season-to-date TV ratings from last week shows only one news-related program, CBS' 60 minutes, even cracked the Top 20. It's share and rating were just over half of the #1-rated American Idol Tuesday night shows.

And that's the very best national TV news can expect to do. CBS' evening news program is garnering it's lowest audience in over twenty years.

Cleveland Plain Dealer TV critic Mark Dawidziak noted the 'newsdrop' last month in an article entitled, "CBS News ratings woes aren't all about Katie Couric." Dawidziak points out that since 1980, network evening news programs have lost nearly half of their total audience.

Those networks have failed to reinvent themselves. And the cable networks have eagerly jumped on these remote-clicking viewers. Foremost among them have been CNN and Comedy Central. The networks are floundering with no end in sight. But why don't the networks do more about their struggles to maintain ratings over the 'upstart' cable networks that are killing them in the books and on sets?

(Drumroll)

Because they OWN them.

Viacom owns both CBS and, since 2003, also has full ownership of the Comedy Central network.

Disney owns ABC and ESPN (THE major player in cable programming). Mickey & the Gang also have their hands on countless other cable networks such as Lifetime, E! Entertainment, A&E and The History Channel.

NewsCorp owns FOX as well as dozens of local small/medium/major market television stations. Then there is FOX Sports, FOX Business, etc.

General Electric owns NBC, CNBC, MSNBC and several other networks such as Sci-Fi, USA & Bravo.

While evening news is getting slaughtered up front, many of these same networks eat the cable profit in the back. Their only desire to bring these news programs up from the gutters would be solely based on a noble but necessary need to assist the public.

Good luck finding that sense of 'communal-chivalry' among the corporate media giants.

III) Networks Created Their Own Downfall

What the most recent content analysis by the PEJ brought to light was most interesting. They clearly broke down exactly what it is 'The Daily Show' discusses and how it reflects the national media.

According to the PEJ Study, as far as story topic, 'The Daily Show' runs roughly the same amount of US Foreign Affairs stories, but spends much more time on politics and elections and governmental issues than the national media/mainstream press. 'The Daily Show' replaces the mainstream media's time on crime and global/foreign news with stories about lifestyle and about the press.

So, in essence, 'The Daily Show' itself indirectly mirrors the news it is mocking. That's simply good satire. But, it's NOT journalism. It seems that people don't care about that anymore. That, polls and surveys show, falls on the media's shoulders.

And these satirical shows picked up on that.

An entire section of the PEJ study is focused on 'The Daily Show' and its love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with the media. When Stewart and the rest of 'The Daily Show' writers attack the press, it's generally dead-on and simply reiterates the feelings of a frustrated, over-stimulated news audience.

The brilliance of 'The Daily Show' and 'The Colbert Report' is they are simply poking a stick in the eye of the media...at every turn, every second. From their purposely overdone graphics and bumpers to their calculated vitriol. The writers and researchers sift through thousands of hours of television footage. But while the rest of us spent our TV news media time half in a state of vegetation, these poor souls have to log/transcribe/monitor every moment. No wonder they get so fed up with seeing the same junk on every channel. Who could honestly blame them?

The American TV viewing audience used to draw the line between their comedy programming and their news programming. Citizens took pride in being knowledgeable of global, national and local current affairs. But, that was a different time. A time when society (and its lack of personal luxury) weren't so focused on the individual. Because information is so abundant and readily available, people have the choice to entertain rather than educate themselves. It's easy to see why they choose the former over the latter. It may not be ethically right, but it's understandable.

This is not just a 'TV thing.' Young men and women aren't volunteering for military service; they aren't volunteering for community service programs, i.e. food pantries, Scouting, PTAs, etc. Go to a typical county government meeting and you can take attendance on one hand. Religious organization membership and participation is down across the board. It takes students more and more time to graduate with a college degree...4 years has become 5. Accountability, at the personal, communal and national level has suffered.

All of these organizations/corporations that are struggling from this uniform apathy have a choice to make. Aggressively attack their audience and properly reinvigorate social participation and debate or suffer the consequences.

For national network news, that consequence is the loss of viewers. The media are constantly shocked when they see a funny cable show with clever writers and great promoters demolish the work of dozens of reporters, editors, photographers and sales/managerial staff. They do studies on how the Jon Stewarts and Stephen Colberts of the world have passed them by.

It's because they are holding up the mirror for the networks and the reflected image is ugly.

The networks don't need more makeup or plastic surgery to fix the problem. They need a creative overhaul. Embrace the criticism and fix the process. Before you lose the viewers forever. That is, if you haven't already.

Jon Stewart is considered a trusted/inspiring 'journalist' because the American public no longer actively sees a working representation of that term on a nightly basis. The Jim Axelrods of the world lose their air time to the Geraldo Riveras. In a rush for ratings, networks have weeded out journalists and replaced them with faces.

This isn't just on the national level, but on the local market level as well.

KMOV in St. Louis just hired a former Colts cheerleader with less than two years of reporting experience to be a main anchor. She may have 'it' but the message this sends to true reporters is a difficult pill to swallow. And, if more experienced and credible reporters are being turned aside, a negative public response will follow. You give them no option.

But cable television gives them lots of options. There is no more three network domination of content.

Why should anyone trust network news? What has network news recently done to earn it?

Sometimes, at least according to the numbers, a good joke is better than a bad story.

The Perfect Father

2008-04-18T09:49:00.002-04:00

That's what I called my Dad back on May 10, 2003. I was elected to serve as the Graduate Student speaker for the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications' commencement ceremony at Syracuse University.

I knew right from the start what absolutely had to be said. I figured it might be my one chance to tell such a distinguished and large audience about my hero.

My father.

Next Tuesday, he'll turn 62 years old. His body is aging, but his soul and mind remain spry.

I easily recall that speech. I practiced it over and over. I wanted to get it right. I rambled for a while, telling 'Cuse-related jokes. I told the crowd the television world didn't need another overweight white guy. I was right.

After introducing my family and speaking about each one, I ended with my old man. Dad was sitting to my mother's left, their arms intertwined.

He gently smiled at me.

I told him that he was my Ted Williams, my Martin Luther King Junior and my J.F.K. all rolled into one. I told the masses at the Carrier Dome that not many people ever had the chance to meet their hero, let alone be related to them...but I did.

"Dad, you were never afraid to admit when you made a mistake. That you weren't a perfect man. But that's what makes you the perfect father. And I love you."

As I tried to gather myself at that podium, one which Bill Clinton would use the next day, my classmates laughed with innocent glee among a sea of robes, seated in lined rows far away to my right. They had all bet I would cry. I didn't. But I don't know how.

Anyone that has known me for anything more than a handshake and a hello knows just what my family, and most significantly my Dad, means to me. He's the person I've wanted to be my entire life. I always wanted to be by his side.

I remember living in Medford, Massachusetts as a boy. One day the snowflakes fell pretty hard. I must have been four or five-years old. We had breakfast together and Dad was running a bit late (which he never does) for work. He said goodbye, but I begged him to stay. He kissed my forehead and gently smiled. I watched him walk down our wooden porch steps and head for his car. I watched as he waved, then drove slowly down the road. I prayed to God that Dad would come right back.

Ten minutes later, Dad pulled back into the driveway. The snow had made the roads too perilous. Dad came home. And honestly, as odd as it may sound, my firm belief in God probably began with a moment as simple as that. I prayed, God answered. My Dad's presence was all that I wanted. As he walked through the door, he saw me standing by the window, looking both shocked and elated.

He gently smiled.

Growing up, Dad was always a tangible but incredibly awesome figure. At six-feet tall, he has a barrel chest and big muscular arms. He walks with his own gait and grin. He's been called a 'Holy Hell's Angel.'

You know what you are getting with Ken Halliday. Over his life, he first peered through thick frames, then bifocals, now trifocals. But his muttonchops and thick red suspenders were ever-present throughout. As was his laugh, his wit and his generosity.

When we were out camping my fellow Scouts called him "OI," an homage to the way he got your attention when it was necessary. I still remember him in the woods, helping us build fires. We would work in teams of six or more to move these monstrous logs; then Dad would stride over and effortlessly lift them with one hand, or snap them with one stomp. No one messed with OI. He was a real live Paul Bunyan.

Ever since I can remember, I've had perfect strangers accost me after hearing my last name. They've grabbed my hand and said, "You're Ken's son! It's nice to finally meet you. Your Dad is a great man, and he talks about you and your sister all the time."

"What a guy your Dad. Hell of a guy."

"We sure love your Dad."

"There aren't a lot of guys like your Dad left anymore."

And from some of my fellow Scouts and friends, words that have always stuck with me. "I wish my Dad was more like yours."

He is an important figure in so many people's lives, and I got to eat dinner with him every night. And watch Steelers, Penguins, Bruins, Red Sox, Pirates and Celtics games with him. And go to Scout meetings and camping trips. And talk. Just talk. I learned so much from him...but he learned from me as well. He always let his kids know how important they were...he listened.

He always told us he loved us. All the time. Constantly. No amount of false machismo was going to hold him back from hugging his son or daughter. His willingness to display his love made him a real man.

Dad was a four-sport athlete in high school, and he was a near-perfect student. He played football and baseball at Northeastern University before signing up to fight in Vietnam. No one was going to draft my Dad; he made the rules.

He was awarded four Purple Hearts. He's a legitimate war hero. He saved lives when he wasn't protecting his own. But all war veterans are heroes. My Dad knows that. He's never attempted to meaninglessly glorify his time in the Army because he respects his fellow veterans. Dad knows his tale is no different from theirs; so he takes no satisfaction from telling his stories. And he's hardly shared them, good or bad, with his children. As a kid, I desperately wanted to inwardly build my father's legend by asking him about his time as a soldier. As I grew older, I learned the lesson he was trying to teach. A man is judged by his daily actions. War stories were fine, but his constant effort to better himself was more important.

We moved from Medford to Pittsburgh when I was six. Dad actually moved to Pennsylvania six months ahead of us to make sure the job was worth it. Those six months were hard on us all, especially my Mom. Two kids under the age of six, all alone in our big house on Touro Avenue near the Mystic River. A dilapidating neighborhood at the time. We were all happy to be reunited when we moved west, even if it meant leaving our beloved and extended family in Massachusetts.

The original goal was to live in Pittsburgh for about six months or so. Dad bought a house so that we'd feel at home. It's the same one my parents live in today, 24 years later. I'm glad we didn't leave, if simply for the reason that Dad was able to help so many people there.

Just before I finished Cub Scouts, Dad took over as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 198 in Moon Township. From the day he turned 18 in 1964, he has been an active Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster on the troop level. He stayed on at Troop 198 until last year; that's 43 straight years of voluntary service to the Boy Scouting program. He still works for the council as Camping Committee Chairman.

On the 5th of this month, our new troop leadership honored my Dad's service with a surprise party. During his time at 198, he oversaw 37 young men earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Since roughly 1 out of every 100 scouts earn that rank, that's a significant number. Eighteen of those young men were on hand to personally thank him just two Saturdays ago. I knew so many of them as boys, now men. All of them carry a piece of my Dad with them...and they came back to show their gratitude.

After the awards were handed out, Dad said thanks and spoke of my mother's influence. A true man recognizing the sacrifice of a wonderful woman. He spoke eloquently without pause, but the emotion was in his eyes.

I stood to thank the crowd. Despite all of the professional training and experience I've gathered, I couldn't get through two sentences. Seeing my Dad look back at his only son was too much. I quickly sat down and stared at the floor, trying to keep my tearful joy inside.

All the while, Dad gently smiled at me.

Last October, our son was born with cancer. Huge tumor. Life-threatening. Mom and Dad dropped everything to be with us in Farmville. The boy was born, and it became a waiting game. We had to sit and wait six days before his surgery. No one spent more time with my son than my father, not even me. Only two were allowed to stay with him in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at any time, so Dad would enter with me. Then I would leave and Dad would stay with my wife...he wanted to help us.

He sat in the rocking chair, gently smiling and kissing his grandson.

Those days were not easy for any of us. Dad prayed with me. He put his hands on my shoulders as I stood over my son's crib, looking at the tubes and needles criss-crossing my boy's face, arms and legs. I needed my Dad to stand with me...and whenever I've needed him, he's been there. We took a lot of pictures that week. I wondered how many more opportunities we would have with my son, so I took some more. Hour after hour holding him, reading to him...hoping for good news.

And we got it. Our son survived the surgery and the cancer has not returned to date. But the boy is without a right kidney. He spent the first month of life staring at blinking lights, stuffed with breathing tubes and circled by kind, but strange faces. You would think that sort of experience would traumatize an infant. However, my son spends his days in joy.

Gently smiling at those who meet his beautiful, blue-eyed gaze.

He looks like his Grandad.

For nearly 30 years, I've been guided through life by such amazing and powerful people. My mother is truly fantastic, a strong and independent woman who continues to impress me. My sister and now her husband, along with their soon-to-be three sons, have always made me think fondly of family. And my friends. People that have seen me through rough patches and brilliant moments. And now my super wife Susan and our own little family...daughter and son in tow. My perfect circle.

And Dad has always been there, leading us all.

He once told me I had the gift of being able to surround myself with good people, no matter the circumstances. But that gift comes from those who provided me with a place to grow and develop.

For a boy, the first place to look in times of trouble or concern is in his father's eyes. Fathers represent strength and values. Fathers represent honor and work ethic. Fathers represent love.

I am still a boy looking to my father. I'll always be. Just as my son will hopefully always look to me.

Our son, Kenneth Edward Halliday IV. Named for the greatest man I have ever known. The greatest man I will ever know.

And these simple words are for him.

I love my hero, my friend, my father.

Happy Birthday Dad. May God continue to bless your presence in, and influence on, the lives of those around you. You will forever be appreciated. And may those who read this never underestimate the importance of fatherhood.

My father and daughter, gently smiling...

Return of the Blog... Part Two: Finally Forgiven -Buckner Returns

2008-04-09T09:36:00.039-04:00

Imagine having to face a contingent, nay a hovering swarm, of people you inwardly and completely despised.

This is not an individual hatred of one person but rather a piercing vitriol for a collective mass. A group of ever-changing, ever-criticizing, ever-present people. A faceless bunch that has collectively dragged your name in the mud for 22 years.

And now suddenly, they wish to embrace you. To pardon you of a punishment you did not earn. A simple mistake that, while important, was not deserving of such treatment.

That's what Bill Buckner faced last night at Fenway Park.

After infamously playing the role of scapegoat for the national media since the Red Sox's crushing loss to the Mets in the 1986 World Series, he sat in front of a cadre of microphones and reporters and struggled to maintain his emotions.

Bill Buckner was back in Boston.

For the younger generations of baseball fans across the United States and the world, this moment meant relatively nothing. But for anyone remotely associated with Red Sox Nation, or avid fans of that era, yesterday's ceremony honoring Buckner was long, long overdue.

When Buckner emerged from the Green Monster and slowly strode to the mound, all of Boston quivered. As did those living vicariously around the globe. You have to know the background of the story to understand the significance of this moment. You have to go back to October of '86.

The Boston Red Sox, led by young righty Roger Clemens and an incredible lineup featuring Wade Boggs, Jim Rice, Don Baylor, Dwight Evans, and Buckner, were 95-game winners and took the American League Pennant. Buckner was second on the team in runs batted in (RBI) and fourth in hits. He was one of the guys that "got them there." And 'there' was the World Series against the other baseball team from New York.

After taking games one and two, the Sox seemed poised to roll to a title. But they dropped games three and four in Boston. However, game five went to Beantown and the Red Sox were on the verge of their first World Series championship since 1918. All they had to do was win one of two at Shea Stadium and 68 years of waiting would be over. But in game six, Buckner's life changed forever.

Up 3-2 in the 8th inning, Mets catcher Gary Carter hit a sacrifice fly to tie it up and eventually send the game into extra innings. Boston scored two in the top of the 10th to go up 5-3 and, after getting two straight outs to start the bottom half of the inning, Mets fans began filing out. It should have been over.

But Sox reliever Calvin Schiraldi imploded. Three straight singles made it 5-4. Schiraldi's day was done, relieved by Bob Stanley. On his seventh toss to the plate, a wild pitch brought the tying run home. And three pitches later, Mookie Wilson hit a dribbler to first base.

Buckner was there, as always. He was an incredible fielder. Despite injuries to both of his knees, Buckner played 1,191.7 innings over the course of 138 games at first base that season and fielded a total of 1,067 plays. Out of those, he had made just 14 errors. A fielding percentage of .989. He simply didn't make that many mistakes. He was solid. If you were going to pick one guy to field that ball, Bill Buckner was the guy.

Then it happened. It got past him. Mets win 6-5 in 10 innings.

Two days later, New York won game seven and the World Series. The Sox faithful were crushed. The 'Curse' continued. And every time Boston's unique propensity for coming up short was brought up at dinner tables across the country, one man was to blame. Bill Buckner. His name was usually followed by expletives. Or laughs.

It was easy to blame him...especially for the national media. You could sum up all of Boston's woes in one twenty-two second video/audio clip. His name became recognizable with error, with the loss of hope, with failure.

After the following season, the Red Sox released Buckner. The stigma attached to that one play was enough to dump him a full year after the fact. He spent a season each with the Angels and Royals before coming back to Boston in 1990.

You read that right, he came back. He wanted to retire in a Boston uniform despite his longer MLB tenures with both the Dodgers and Cubs. It was because the Red Sox fans never blamed him. They never stopped appreciating all that he had done over his career.

He was the misunderstood friend at a party that everyone else in attendance was ignoring. But you went up and greeted that friend because you knew everyone else's perception of him was wrong. He was an alright guy. Right place, wrong time.

Yet for over two decades Buckner's name remained the golden standard for futility. But, when Boston finally won the World Series in 2004 and then again in 2007, the need to blame anyone for previous 'sin' became unnecessary. Bill Buckner was washed clean of his wrongdoing. Acquitted by his fickle judges from afar. He had served his sentence. It was time to be released back into the good graces of baseball fans.

But Bill Buckner was rightfully too proud to come running into their hypocritical open arms. Two years ago, the Red Sox held a reunion for the 1986 team to celebrate their accomplishments. It was saying, "See, we won one now. It's okay! You can come back; we won't hurt you anymore!" to all of those men. But Bill Buckner wouldn't come back. He sat far, far away, bitterly watching his old teammates return to glory. He was in real estate in Boise, Idaho. Far away from prying eyes and stabbing memories. An All-Star, a borderline Hall-Of-Famer hiding in obscurity. Not hiding from any one person...not a coward. Just a tired man looking for catharsis.

But he knew he had to come back to get that. To add closure. And he finally did yesterday on a beautiful Boston afternoon.

After watching Buckner walk to the pitcher's mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, the man that now plays the very same position reflected on the moment for ESPN. "I've probably never almost been in tears for somebody else on a baseball field," said Kevin Youkilis. "I wanted to shake his hand because that's a true man."

A true man faces both his friends and his foes the same way. Head on. It probably helped that his daughter Christen, ironically now a television reporter in Boise, was on hand covering the press conference. Buckner, dignified yet very human, fought through tears in admitting that he had to "forgive the media" in order to finally receive the credit he was due. A stark moment that hopefully causes today's 'shock them all' media to pause and consider the effects of their accusations and opinions.

As Buckner walked to the mound at Fenway, fans showered him with praise. Some of them were probably sending him death threats just a few years ago. But for many, he was a hero they were so often told they could not embrace. Now he was opening his arms to them.

Buckner rose above all of our human flaws and our collective inability to forgive him. Our fickle and meaningless errors. By doing so, he finally allowed us to bury his.

Bill Buckner is no longer 'E3.'

He's forever #6.

Return of The Blog... Part One: The 'I Told You So'

2008-04-08T14:12:00.036-04:00

It's not often that I'm right. Just ask my wife.

That's why this moment, as ridiculously predictable and random that it is, will not go unnoticed. You may recall a previous "State of the Celtics Address" posted nearly three months ago. In it, I guaranteed the Celtics would reach the 61-win plateau and set a new NBA record for best single season team record turnaround.

I predicted they would do so before their April 9th rematch with the Washington Wizards. I predicted they would come absolutely nowhere near the incredible 72-10 season of the '95-'96 Bulls. I predicted they would rally through injury and occasional poor performance to continue their torrid level of domination. And, in order...they did, they didn't and they did.

I told you so.

This past Saturday's de-clawing/neutering of the abysmal Charlotte Bobcats earned Beantown a 61-15 overall record and a remarkable 37-game improvement from last season's win total. Here's what I had to say about the single season wins turnaround on January 15th...

"If Boston wins 61 games this season, they will break that record. They are on pace to do so. Hear me now and believe me later, that record will be theirs by the time they next face the Wizards in Game 78 on April 9th."

The Celtics cut it close, but they proved me right. They did it with a game to spare as they prepare to matchup with Milwaukee and gun for win #62 tonight. And they beat the Bobcats on Saturday without a single member of the Big Three. Paul Pierce missed the game to be with his family (his daughter was born just less than 24 hours earlier) and Doc Rivers chose to sit Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to give them a breather. And they won by 23 points.

Most of the media looked at the achievement of this turnaround record as a positive milestone for the Celtics. While that approach is certainly understandable, the non-Boston media missed out on the larger point. They were able to set that record, not just because this year's team is so good, but mainly because last year's team was so bad.

The fact that the Celtics front office let it get that bad should not go unnoticed. And it was bad. Though they did make the playoffs for four straight years from 2002-2005, they slipped into the postseason mainly due to a weakened Eastern Conference in at least two of those seasons. No losing team should be allowed to play in the postseason...out of principle. Why should any fan have to pay to watch a losing team in a playoff tournament?

Meanwhile, Doc Rivers continues to get a good amount of credit for the turnaround while the players outperform their peers. I can not recall a single game this season in which I felt, for more than one possession at a time, that Doc Rivers outperformed one of his coaching peers. However, his players take care of that by simply raising their own level of performance...and winning.

But I will say this for Rivers, he's gotten this team to buy-in. Defensively and offensively, it's an all-out effort to win when it matters. That is very refreshing to see in today's haphazard NBA. Watching teams like the Suns, Warriors and Nuggets is irritating to me. They treat possessions like inconveniences. They are more fast-paced than McDonald's at quitting time...but even less effective. Shot quality isn't valued, it's about taking more shots than the other team. If you take more, you generally make more. Run the floor, sub in and out when you get tired, and pray the other team isn't better that given day. It's enough to make me almost want to watch golf. Almost.

But the Celtics haven't wavered from their desire to win games on defense. They remain first in the entire league in opponents' points allowed, first in average scoring margin, and first in opponents' field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. They also hit the glass, ranking third in the league in both defensive rebounds allowed and rebounding margin. They want to win. Watching them hustle when they're up double digits in a relatively meaningless game should make all hoops fans giddy. Especially Celtics faithful who suffered through the Antoine Walker show in recent years. Walker wouldn't sprint down the floor to play defense unless someone was dragging a deep-fried Twinkie across the court.

Some may argue this dedication to team basketball and downright toughness stems more from their two main offseason player acquisitions than it does from Rivers. That may be true, but Doc deserves some credit. They've worked day-in day-out for 76 games and it's paid off. They are on top of the East and clinched the conference title. Simply incredible.

And while I was right in most respects back in January, I was wrong in others. I discussed the team's player quality in three tiers back on 1/15/08:

"The second coming of the Big 3 in KG, Pierce and Allen...the 'I hope they positively contribute' group of Rondo, Perkins, Davis, House and Posey...and the 'If these guys are out there, I'm biting my nails and cursing under my breath' group of Tony Allen, Pollard, Scalabrine, Powe and Pruitt."

Here's where I made my major errors. Rondo has become one of the rising stars in the NBA. Unselfish, tough and hard-nosed, he scraps for rebounds and has become absolutely reliable. He's a stud but it took the Big Three to get his game on track. While Perkins has become more consistent, his 6'10'' frame still only brings down six boards a game. That needs work. While Rondo and Perkins have indeed raised their levels of play, two of the team's younger faces have had surprisingly strong seasons.

Glen 'Big Baby' Davis and Leon Powe, when called upon, have been impressive. Davis, the rookie out of LSU, established a fan following with a 20-point performance against hated Detroit ten days before my last Celtics-related post. Ever since, he's been a strong post presence in limited minutes. He spells a few breaths for the right guys and doesn't make as many critical rookie positioning/technique errors as he did near the start of the season.

As for Powe, whenever KG hasn't been in the lineup or wasn't quite playing up to 'Big Ticket' status, Powe has stepped up. He's led the team in rebounds in eight games this season and has twice gone over the 20-point plateau. He single-handedly decimated Charlotte on Saturday. When Garnett is out, Powe's game sends a message: "I may not be Kevin Garnett, but you will remember every possession that I defend you." He's making it personal.

Tony Allen, James Posey and Eddie House have been serviceable. They've done their jobs. All three are pitching in as each is scoring over six points per game. The addition of Sam Cassell has also been good. Maybe this pickup wasn't totally necessary because of Rondo's emergence, but it seems to have paid off. He lights a fire under Garnett...and if KG ever asks the front office for anything over the next two to three seasons, he should get it.

Six games. That's all that's left in the regular season. Then we find out what this team is really made of. It will be fun to watch. And since I'm doing so well with predictions...

Barring severe injury to two members of the Big Three, total team implosion or natural disaster, the Celtics will win the NBA Championship. I said the same in January.

No team can beat this group in a seven-game series. None. Not Orlando. Not Cleveland. And certainly none of the run-and-gun teams in the West. Detroit, New Orleans, San Antonio and Houston have a chance in hell.

That's it...a CHANCE in hell.

Last month, my cousin Seth and I sat in a Irish pub in Manhattan and watched as Boston came from 22 down to beat San Antonio in Texas. It was a watershed moment. They weren't at their best, yet they won. They could have quit, yet they didn't. The Spurs looked as if they were going to uphold recent Western Conference dominance, but the Celtics rallied and triumphed.

The rest of the NBA got the picture. No one is getting in this team's way. It's just not happening this season. No team can match their hustle or skill. If only the NBA season and it's mind-boggling playoff structure (seven-game series...every round...really?!?) wasn't so frustratingly long... Otherwise, Beantown could begin the parade preparations.

You know what? Why wait? All of you get a hold of Mayor Menino and tell him to publicly begin the celebration. There's no reason to put it off any longer.

Boston will again be a 'City of Champions' with the Celtics and Red Sox both on top of the sports world. If not for the single-most incredible catch in NFL history combined with Randy Moss lolly-gagging on the Patriots' last drive, it would be a three-sport title town.

But enough is enough, this is about the Celtics. The result has been predetermined. 2008 NBA Champions.

And on that note, cue the music.

Back In The Saddle Again

2008-04-08T14:09:00.003-04:00

A quick post simply to stand as an apology to those who occasionally stumble into one of my blog posts. The semester has heated up, as well as a myriad of responsibilities to our campus media outlets. There have been precious few opportunities to enjoyably waste any time. I appreciate your patience.

Thanks to those that do partake in these written musings. I thoroughly enjoy your feedback and consideration.

Buyer Beware: ESPN's Hiring Bobby Knight a Poor Decision

2008-03-14T10:37:00.069-04:00

ESPN isn't called the 'Worldwide Leader' for nothing. They remain the definitive place to turn for any and all sports news. That's mainly because they have created an incredibly diverse and marketable product and have worked equally as hard to protect their brand.

They dominate sports broadcasting...no one even comes close. Which makes their recent move to hire the infamous Bobby Knight as a college basketball analyst that much more bizarre. Knight, the former media-bashing grizzled old coach, is suddenly the network's new poster boy for NCAA coverage. But why?

This is not to say that Knight can't pull it off. He can. Knight gets it. He knows exactly what the network is looking for and delivers good information. Albeit in his own slumped over, "I could care less" style. He's been interviewed more than any other coach imaginable. George Bush hasn't seen as many microphones and recorders as Knight has. And 'The General' knows the ins and outs of the television game. In his debut, he began well. It's about the soundbyte...making sharp witticisms quickly and succinctly. In all honesty, Knight (minus his vampire-like demeanor and elementary school gym coach attire) will be one of the network's better hoops analysts over the next few weeks.

But questions remain...why Bobby Knight? Why did ESPN feel they had to go and chase down 'The General' himself for this role? Their hoops analyst staff is already bloated...their contributing staff immense. Bilas, Forde, Katz, Brown, Vitale, Fraschilla, Phelps, Gottlieb, Glockner, Lunardi, Davis...the list goes on and on. What does Knight do that these people can't?

That answer is simple. He is such a polarizing personality that people, Knight-lovers or Knight-haters, will watch. As if ESPN needed to boost their already gargantuan ratings. But, how does ESPN use his expertise? They set him up in 'fluff' pseudo-analysis scenarios like Knight's Insights. A chance for fans to ask him questions about random basketball-related stories from working with the media, to career-reflection, etc. It's clear that ESPN isn't interested in bringing Knight to the network to address any real issues. They don't want the ugly side of the good General throwing chairs or choking players, they want the marketable side of Knight.

ESPN is giving Knight the broadcasting equivalent of an open-lane layup every time he goes on-air. No probing questions about his abrupt departure from Texas Tech and the fact that he all but forced that administration to retain his own son as new head coach. None of that. It's all fluff for Bobby Knight.

Case in point, last night Davis and Phelps dished out a nice PR-stunt assist. Knight was set-up for a two-minute discussion about his wife Karen's basketball I.Q. and her positive affect on his life. Now that is riveting analysis of the conference tournaments! Come on already! Also, as Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post noted, Knight has also refused to address any potentially negative news regarding his old coaching buddies. Ask about Kelvin Sampson's exploits...his son's struggles at TT...recruiting violations at Harvard...Knight won't answer. So why hire him?

ESPN's coverage of Knight's retirement was fair, as it should have been. But while some of the network's analysts chose to suck-up to Knight, others took a more harsh stance. In Pat Forde's article, he lays it out on the line. Knight quit on his team. Plain and simple. A team that was 12-8 and 3-3 in the Big 12 conference...very much in the hunt. They finished 16-15 and 7-9 and had their bells rung by Texas A&M and Kansas. When he stepped down, Knight claimed he was tired and that he couldn't do it anymore. But just three weeks later Knight was back at work?!? Some vacation. This has truly become a theater of the absurd.

Besides his most egregious offenses, Knight has a history with ESPN. A history of attempting to embarrass and discredit reporters. Reporters like Jeremy Schaap. When Knight mocked Schaap on national television, Jeremy's father Dick (a broadcasting icon) appeared on Sports Reporters a few days later and derided 'The General' for attacking his family. It was a bold move and journalists everywhere applauded. Finally someone stood up to Knight. The schoolyard bully of coaches when it comes to media interaction.

If you think this is making a mountain out of a mole-hill, watch this. From cursing on-air, to cursing in front of a family-filled crowd, to insulting reporters, to verbally berating Indiana University officials, to cursing at an NCAA press official charged with trying to 'work' with Knight. Class act all the way.

And through it all, ESPN has been there to document it. To let us fans at home know just what Bobby Knight thinks of the media...thinks of us. In 1979, he assaulted a police officer in Puerto Rico. In 2000, a freshman at IU alleged that Knight attacked him because he didn't call him 'Coach.' Aren't coaches supposed to be teachers? What would have happened had an IU professor/staff member done the same? They would have been fired. And Knight promptly was.

Ever since then, some people have seen fit to coddle him for one reason or another. Texas Tech gave him a chance. They wanted to liven things up and awaken a dead program. While with the Red Raiders, Knight got his 800th and 900th wins on the way to becoming the winningest coach in NCAA D-1 men's hoops history. But how did he truly regard their program? By cutting out five months after signing a contract extension that would have kept him in Lubbock until 2012. He was supposed to be committed to his assistants, players, recruits and their parents. But he's not a 'committer,' he's become a quitter.

Knight has stated that being employed as a member of the media was "one or two steps above prostitution." He also once said of journalists, "All of us learn to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things." This coming from a coach. Not a scientist, governor or doctor, but a BASKETBALL COACH.

When Knight was hired, ESPN's Executive Vice President for Production said Knight brought "sophistication" to the table. Really? And with that, 'The General' joined 'The Dark Side.' He's one of "them."

A step above prostitution? Not for ESPN...they are official broadcast hustlers. They are the pimps pushing Knight out onto the street corners of college basketball's landscape. He's turning tricks for them, grabbing cash and smiling on-screen. But Knight will ultimately have the last laugh. He'll do the song and dance until the 'Big Dance' is over. Then he'll go back to hunting and fishing.

You see, he's into killing. Just watch Texas Tech over the next few years. He just effectively killed that program. Now he's about to bag the credibility of the 'Worldwide Leader' for giving him a platform. Knight is working from the inside-out, just like a good hoops coach would. He's suckered ESPN, the same network that he's insulted and cursed for decades.

Congrats to ESPN for hiring the man who has spat in their collective face time and time again. All for a meaningless ratings boost.

And congrats to Robert Montgomery Knight. The ultimate hustler.

Damn he's good.

A Community Mourns: Todd Miller's Death Inspires Thousands

2008-03-10T12:37:00.008-04:00

Over the past few days, the small campus community here in Farmville has been turned upside down. And it ended this past weekend with a respected and loved student-athlete leaving this mortal Earth.

Todd Miller, a senior rugby player, passed away yesterday morning after spending the past seven days in a coma. Miller was injured in a match against VMI on Sunday, March 2nd. Having already scored three tries and adding five conversion kicks that day, Miller's squad was dominating...the game winding down. However, this towering young man wasn't the sort to shy away from contact. He wanted to play on for his team. But late in the match, Miller went for a tackle. After a significant collision, Miller exited the playing field and, to the shock of teammates and spectators, collapsed on the sidelines. He was eventually taken by MedEvac to MCV Hospital in Richmond but seized on the way, severely complicating his situation and chance for survival. Miller was then kept alive in the hopes that reducing swelling to his brain would allow for a miraculous recovery. But that was not to be.

Todd died at 10:20am Sunday, on a morning when people all over the world lifted their voices in prayer for him. His soul was guided to the afterlife by those who cared for him. A fitting tribute to an incredibly strong young man. A young man that has affected the lives and thoughts of thousands. Most of whom never met him...but never had to.

Last Tuesday night inside Longwood University's Willett Hall gymnasium, over a thousand people gathered in a vigil to pray for Miller's recovery. Among them were 'ruggers' from all across the state, players and coaches that had come to fear and respect this man's ability and leadership skill. Standing 6'3" and weighing just over 200 pounds, Miller was the quintessential rugby man...one that combined God-given size and speed with a tenacious desire to win. Miller had long served as a leader for the club team and was Vice President his junior year. That night in the LU gym, coaches, teammates and friends spoke in turn about Todd's positive affects on their lives. They all wanted Todd and his family to know exactly how they felt...how they loved. Todd's mother Ellie was able to watch the entire vigil via simulcast...from Farmville to the MCV intensive care unit. A wonderful way for the university to bring the campus into his family's life at a very hard time.

Five days later, Todd died. But his friends and those who wished to have known him still talk to him. Not only through prayer, but through the one great global communications device...the Internet. The night Todd was injured Chris Foster, a teammate, created a group called "Pray for TODD MILLER" on the social networking phenomenon Facebook. That group now has over 2,300 members...people that constantly visited the site to see the latest news on their friend. Last night at 4:51, Todd's mother posted the information that so many had feared to read. Ever since, dozens of people have left their own personal goodbyes to Todd.

And many of those people are so-called 'perfect strangers.' People that never met Todd Miller but were so touched by his story that they prayed and hoped as if they were family. And through those unselfish actions they became family, at least temporarily. And in acknowledging and embracing that love for her son, Ellie Miller has taught us all a great deal.

In the 'Recent News' column of the group page, Ellie's post has been updated several times. But the orginal words are intact:

"TO ALL THOSE PRAYING FOR TODD
Todd passed away this morning at 10:20 am. Thank you all so very much for your prayers, loving thoughts, shared memories and pictures.....they have helped me so much...you have no idea. I have felt your love surrounding me during this horrific week. I know Todd will live on in our hearts and memories forever.....and through the miracle of organ donations Todd may save the lives of as many as 7 people over the next 48 hours and impact the health of countless other people..Think of the miracle of that....his legacy and "his life" will live on."

What a wonderful woman Ellie must be. She was more than ready and willing to share her son's final moments with his friends and all concerned. A hard thing to do for certain. Something that only a person with superior inner strength and wisdom could handle. This amazing woman answered phone call after phone call and acquiesced to every information request his teammates and friends made. In doing so, Ellie's grace allowed for so many to intimately share in her relationship with her son. The young man's Facebook profile, Mrs. Miller's own profile, and the group page dedicated to him, are all adorned with pictures of Ellie and Todd together. It's clear their love truly defined that which only a mother and son could share.

Todd's final act of unselfishness is truly inspiring. It is reminiscent of the story of former UNC mascot, Jason Ray, a young man who was killed in a hit-and-run but whose organs saved or vastly improved the lives of several others. Ray's story was made famous with extended coverage on ESPN. Each story is equally impressive...both horrifically tragic but simultaneously uplifting.

Todd donated his very body to strangers in hopes of improving or saving their lives. A mortal way of being immortal. A 'Christ-like' gift one can only give in death.

Let us all learn valuable lessons from Todd's passing.

Love all of those around you, everyone you come in contact with. Todd clearly did, the love returned was intense and passionate.

Live your life to the fullest. Absorb it all. Every moment is one fewer God intended you to have. Todd literally attacked life. We should all be so bold.

When we face the bleakest times in our lives, turn to those that love you and that love will lift you to a higher place. While nothing will replace her son, Ellie Miller has already displayed ultimate courage. Those who have publicly voiced their love and appreciation for Todd have shown her so much. Ellie raised a wonderful man. Todd's legacy is so immense, it can't be measured.

Every day, take a moment...just a moment...to express your love to those who matter to you most. Never go to bed mad. Never leave something unsaid.

Love as God has commanded us.

Live as God has demanded us.

Todd & Ellie deserve our collective thanks. God bless them both. May we all be better people as a result of having heard their story. May we all love, and be loved, as much as they.

Our First Child: Isabelle Marie

2008-03-04T13:20:00.039-05:00

As the spring semester has cranked up over the past few weeks, I've found it more and more difficult to enjoyably waste my own time, let alone yours, with a blog post. But I return this week to celebrate the upcoming birthday of our daughter. Isabelle Marie Halliday turns two-years old this Sunday, March 9th.

She is pictured above in the fall of 2006, right around 5-6 months old. She's mid-meal with a smile that seems to be permanently affixed to her face.

Here she is with Grandad Halliday on a surprise visit. This pic was taken shortly after she attempted to remove his corneas with his pocket pens.

And here is Ms. Isabelle once again just before Christmas 2007, talking to me as I snap a quick shot.

I'd like to tell you her story.

Ever since I was young, I've always wanted a family. I never really knew/expected that it would happen. But I wanted to be a Dad. I wanted that responsibility and accountability. Being a parent provides both the ultimate challenge and the ultimate reward.

When Susan and I were married in 2004 (click this to read our sappy story), we talked a lot about kids...but it was always "down the line." That is until the following year when we started asking each other, "What do you think?" I wanted to start ASAP. Men always do. After all, it's not on us to physically/emotionally/spiritually carry the actual burden. We have our own issues with pregnancy, but we're not toting around a living being. Susan didn't need convincing, but there were financial concerns. In the end, we went by the age-old mantra that you can never actually afford children...but that's not why you have them.

Within ten days of deciding we would "actively try," Susan was pregnant. The pregnancy was tough on her. Standing less than five feet tall and weighing under 90 pounds, her frame wasn't built for childbearing. She had to gain weight in order to avoid any complications and that was difficult for my wife. All the while, Susan worked full-time to support us. She eventually went part-time and worked right up until the week before Isabelle was born. There's no way I could have done that. But she did.

Susan wanted to know "what we were having." I remember finding out it was a girl. Susan thought I would be disappointed. All women say that..."Guys want to have sons." Maybe so, but having a sister myself, I wanted a healthy child. Period.

And we got one. But not without trouble.

In November of 2005, while nearly five months pregnant, Susan was involved in a single-car wreck on the way home from work. Her tire blew out. She lost control, went off-road and rammed into a barbed wire fence. Her car was totaled. Mostly cosmetic damage, but there was enough of it. Susan stepped out of the car and walked away from the scene. Not a scratch.

The weekend before, I was supposed to get her tires changed. I didn't. I forgot. The tire blew because it's tread was bare. She was lucky to be alive and still with child. I nearly cost them their lives. Simple decisions have such grand impact.

Though she was shaken, Susan was undaunted and went right back to work. Within a few days, we bought a new car. We bought a Toyota Matrix because it's frame had a higher safety rating than the Pontiac Vibe. That was a good decision.

Two days later, Susan wrecked again. On her way home from work, in the dark of the night on Route 33 between Elkins and Buckhannon, West Virginia, Susan crested a hill and was face-to-face with a large black plastic garbage bag in her lane. We later discovered it was over-stuffed with cement mix, rocks and spare lumber. Susan watched that bag get obliterated by a semi as she feared for her daughter's life, waiting in a ditch.

Afraid of the impact at 70 miles per hour, Susan whipped the wheel to the right when she saw the bag. The Matrix lost its traction, skidded onto its side and spun like a top before promptly hitting a wall of granite just off of the right side of the road. Hitting the four-story cliff-side caused the car to somehow pop up onto its wheels. Once again, Susan got up out of the car and walked away. Without a scratch.

God is good.

But the car was not. Completely totaled. Susan hunted through the broken glass to find her cell phone and called me. I rushed to the hospital. She had been in great spirits with the nurses and doctors on call, masking her anxiety. She was bruised and sore, but able to walk with some help. But what about our baby?

The moment she saw me waiting by her hospital bed, Susan finally showed her emotion. All I could do was hold her and wonder. Surely, we would not lose this baby. We didn't want to talk about our worst fear. We needed an ultrasound. I prayed silently, so as not to disturb my bride. She prayed silently, so as not to disturb her husband.

We had already decided on our little girl's name. She may not have been out in the world, but she was ours. Kicking when I spoke to her late at night or early in the morning. The warmth of my hand would draw her across the womb. She would punch and shove while Susan ate. She was our baby. We couldn't wait to meet her.

Isabelle Marie Halliday.

Somehow, despite Susan being flipped like a flapjack, Isabelle was fine. No harm done. Two car wrecks in the course of a week and she was no worse for wear.

God is good.

Isabelle finally entered our lives in person on March 9th, 2006 in Elkins at the Davis Memorial Hospital. She was late to the party, but has since mastered the art of a grand entrance.

Isabelle was born with coal black eyes and hair. Everyone said she looked like me. She looks nothing like that now and hopefully for her sake it stays that way. She was alert from the start. She hated her first bath...she still doesn't care for them on occasion. But she was wonderful. Our doctor visited the next morning and commented about how alert and attentive she was. He said, "I believe she is very smart." Of course she is. She got that from her mother.

The name is an homage to family. Isabelle is my mother-in-law's middle name, Marie is my mother's. Our little girl represents all of these ladies. She carries their best qualities.

My daughter is gorgeous. Her smile cracks the most hardened soul. Her laugh is contagious; it dances across the room and brings joy to your heart. She is exceptionally petite, but she runs the show. She is the most engaging two-year old I've ever seen. She loves people, and people love her. She'll speak in toddler-gibberish to strangers for ten minutes, telling them about her day, then cordially bid adieu. At times, she'll blow them a kiss.

When I come home from work, she runs to the door and eagerly waits for me to bend down and hold her tight.

When I'm in the room with her, I want to kiss her all the time. She often gets mad at me when I do. She's very independent and when I interrupt her for the tenth kiss in the last five minutes, she gets annoyed. But she always returns the kiss and laughs.

She giggles, looks me in the eye and says, "Love you Daddy."

Isabelle is a dedicated big sister. She takes it very seriously. She searches the house for her brother's pacifier and always hugs him to start and end the day. She asks to hold him, caresses his head and kisses him gently. She talks to him. He always listens. He can't wait for the moments when she talks. He loves her voice.

She waltzes into the room and says, "Hi guys!" She directs us at the dinner table. We sing, dance and play games as we eat. She's the life of the party...when she wants to be.

I have been blessed with a lot of wonderful things in my life. My wife, my family, my friends, my work. But the love I hold for my children knows no bounds. I can't express it. I physically beam when we are together as a family. When she smiles, I want to cry. I am that overjoyed to witness her happiness and to know that I'm a small part of it.

In our house, we call her 'Goofball' for all of her little idiosyncrasies. She's a riot. But she's ours. I know one day she'll make me very proud. My little girl.

She may not always be a daddy's girl, but I'm forever a 'daughter daddy.' I've found that you care for your children on many different levels. But this little lady is something special; she transcends any earthly knowledge of love.

She's our first child, and we are lucky to spend our days and nights near her.

Happy Birthday Isabelle Marie.

To Susan

2008-02-14T09:55:00.003-05:00

This post is to my valentine. Not just on this day, but on every day. To the one person whose company I've chosen for the rest of my life and afterlife. My wife.

September 7, 2001 was like any other Friday for me at the time. I went to work interning at the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, PA. Drudgery to be certain. The best part of working at BVPS was the people, most notably my father. Being on 'his turf' and being able to slip away for lunch at Josephine's across the bridge in Midland. A quick fish sandwich and back to work. But we always put shop talk aside to enjoy each other's company.

But on September 7, I had somewhere to go that night. PNC Park in its inaugural season...one of the most beautiful ballfields in the country. The Pirates were hosting the Reds under the lights. And my friend Bill Brenneisen, then employed at Pitt, had tickets to a UPMC luxury box. Bill and I had been friends since I was a kid. I met him through Boy Scouts, and Bill was one of the older guys that I looked up to. Literally. He asked me to join him at the game and of course I went. Those tickets changed my life.

We got to the game very early. After all, luxury boxes are stuffed with free food and free beer. We were the first ones to arrive and promptly began to partake. When the first pitch was thrown at 7:05, we were already enjoying the night.

I sat there at one of the small round tables drinking with Bill, laughing and glancing at the game every once in a while. Somewhere around the second inning, one of Bill's coworkers entered the box. Chris Yoest, known to friends as 'Yogi.' Yogi didn't want to go to the game that much; but he figured that it was free, and could be fun. So he dragged his roommate with him. Her name was Susan.

Bill introduced me to Susan and Yogi and we politely exchanged greetings. Sitting at the small table together, Chris and Bill discussed work, leaving Susan and I to ourselves. We engaged in chit-chat. Nothing spectacular. I'd love to tell you we discussed politics, poetry and the great mysteries of life. But we talked about funny lines in the movie 'Office Space' for the most part. I asked her what her favorite movie was. She said, "Shawshank Redemption.'" "Funny, that's my favorite movie," I replied.

We continued to talk and drink. She was fun. This small and skinny little gal. Just under five feet tall, she had this effervescent personality. And a killer laugh. We hung out most of the night, just chatting. We stepped out onto the box's balcony seating to watch the game. The Bucs scored two in the sixth to take the lead. The promotions gang responded by firing t-shirts into the crowd. One of them arched towards our box, and Susan promptly stood up and caught it. That caught my eye.

The Buccos won 3-1. Here's the proof.

As the game wound down, Sue and Yogi decided to split. We said goodbye and that was that. She went one way, I went another.

What, you were expecting some sort of magical interlude? Didn't happen. I'd spent that entire summer trying to reenter the dating scene after living in China for several months. I wasn't successful. In fact, it was a legitimate disaster. I figured a lady wasn't in the cards for a while. I was out to relax with friends and enjoy life.

But as Susan and Yogi left the park, her mind was on our talks. And, as she walked across the Roberto Clemente Bridge back into downtown, Susan says to this day that she heard a voice. A voice that clearly told her, "Don't let him go." She asked Yogi to intervene and get my contact information from Bill the next week. Maybe you are starting to see the kind of woman I married.

Let's shorten the story a bit for your collective benefit. We started dating a few weeks later. During this first few months, I knew that she was extraordinary. I told her I loved her before we even hit our two-month anniversary. She said the same. I wrote her two poems...the only two I've ever written for her by the way. She framed one of them, it sits by our bed today.

During that winter Susan asked me if I was happy with where I was headed in life. I told her I wasn't. I didn't like the work at BVPS but it paid well. Maybe I could parlay the internship into a well-paying job. She asked me if I would really like that job, and I knew that I wouldn't. Susan asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told her I always thought about doing sports broadcasting. She told me to try it out by going to grad school.

I did. I did because she made me recognize my own dreams. Just before I graduated with a Masters degree from Syracuse University in 2003, I proposed to her in an airport terminal in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was flying there to see her parents. I stayed up all night, flew out ahead of her to get their approval, then asked her as she stepped out of the gate.

We got married in June of 2004. She left a good job in Pittsburgh to follow me to Buckhannon, West Virginia. She drove 50 miles round trip to work every day. Susan sacrificed her life to share it with me.

And I wasn't there to share it. I was working 80-hour weeks. We ate Christmas dinners at Chinese buffet restaurants. We couldn't afford a house. It wasn't always fun. But she remained my biggest fan, and I hers.

Our daughter Isabelle was born March 9th, 2006 at the hospital Susan worked at in Elkins, West Virginia. Seeing her hold our first child for the first time...amazing. And when I went back to work three days later, and worked thirteen straight days during one of our many busy seasons, she never complained. At least not much.

Nearly a year later, she called my cell phone while I was at a basketball game to tell me she was pregnant again. A month later, we were told our baby might have Down Syndrome. Susan was a rock. Unwavering, undeterred. Prepared for whatever we would face. I was a mess.

Soon afterwards we found out that our boy (she wanted to know) was in fact just fine. By then, we were preparing for a new life in Farmville, Virginia. Once again Susan was willing to go wherever I chose. This new life meant more time for us. She and the children deserved that. And I needed it too. I needed her.

In late September last year, around the six-year anniversary of our first date, we discovered our son was carrying a massive tumor. Kenneth Edward would be born with cancer. No one would tell us the exact prognosis, whether he would make it or not. No one seemed to know. On October 3, he was born. Doctors told us that his ability to survive the surgery would depend on his will to live. Would he battle? Doctors told us the moment a child is born is crucial. Crying = desire to survive. Silence = ...news we didn't want to hear.

When Kenny entered this world, there was no sound at first. Until my wife said loud and clear for all to hear. "Kenny, you fight. You fight it. Start fighting right now."

Right then, he started to cry.

Maybe now, you see the kind of woman I married.

Six days later, the tumor came out. Kenny came home with us nearly three agonizing weeks later on November 1st. All the while, Susan spent time with Isabelle and longed to be with her son. Now we are all together. And I am living the life I always wished I could have.

I live that life because of my wife. Susan is the person who convinced me to go to Syracuse University for grad school. She is the one who accepted a marriage proposal from a guy in debt, with no certain future. A guy who was returning home to live with his parents.

Susan is the one who followed me across the country when the proper opportunities arose. She took a chance on me. She deals with me when no one else on this planet would wish to. She puts up with my flaws. She cheers my accomplishments. She is my anchor.

I write about her today because I want her to know how much I think of her. How much I respect her. How much I cherish her. I want those reading to understand why my family means so much. I want Susan to be certain of the role she plays in my life.

Susan. You are my best friend. You are the love my soul desired for so long. You are the reason I rush home from work. You are the wonderful mother to our children, and the epicenter of my universe.

I love you.

A Dying Breed: Boy Scouts Need Your Help

2008-01-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

My father was quick to remind me earlier this week that today marks the 98th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America program. The Scouting program itself began with Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1907 when 'LBP' opened a camp for boys on Brownsea Island. The following year, Baden-Powell created The Boy Scout Association. Then, in 1909 a scouting legend...'the scout in the fog' helped inspire W.D. Boyce to bring the principles of the scouting program back home to the United States.

A native of a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, W.D. Boyce jump-started the program on this side of the pond by establishing the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. Now nearly a century later, nearly three million young men participate in the program nationwide. But a quick check of the BSA's statistical breakdown shows a rising (or falling) problem. They are losing members. The numbers are down in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and in Venture Scouting. However, there is an increase in the amount of high school students participating which shows that older boys are valuing the program. However, there are less people to lead them because there is also a noticeable drop (1.4%) in total Scout leaders.

It's not a new trend. Here's the youth Scout totals over the last four years that the BSA has publicly reported to date:

2003: 3,200,218
2004: 3,145,331
2005: 2,938,698
2006: 2,868,963

Slight, but noticeable drops with each passing year. While the BSA has known about this issue for years, the country has yet to rally around their cause. It's because the government and our civic leaders are afraid to publicly support the program.

All of the negative press the Scouts have received, from membership controversies to an over-exaggerated history of sexual molestation cases, the Scouting program has been pounded with verbal salvos from the media and misinformed parents and/or community leaders. The message of the program has been lost.

College fraternities and 'old-boy' social groups like the Masons claim to value strong principles and to improve the lives of their members. But only the Boy Scouts consistently meet the challenge.

By simply reading the Scout Oath and the Scout Law one can see all of the qualities we would want our own sons to cherish. The qualities and principles that many of us adults forget to honor.

The Oath:
"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law. To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

When was the last time you met those criteria everyday.

The Law:
"A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent."

Twelve points to live by that are seared into the memory of Scouts and Scouters across the world.

Scouts are taught to truly operate throughout their daily lives while applying the Law and Oath to every person, situation and obstacle they encounter. And it works.

I was born into a 'Scout family.' My father served as a Scoutmaster from the time he was 18 until last year. From 1964-2007. Think about that. And from 1984 until this very moment, he's watched me grow from Tiger Cub to father of two.

I know my father reads these blog entries. He's probably the only one. But here's something he may not now. When I was hovering between the ages of 11-13, I wanted to quit the Scouts.

I wanted to quit the program because I was tired of working on something non-school related. I went to my Mom about it. She told me to have an honest discussion with my Dad. I remember telling him once or twice that I needed to 'take a week off' from our meetings. I don't recall ever telling him what I really wanted to do.

But you know what...I'm sure he knew exactly what I really wanted. But he never relented. And he never took a week off.

Ever.

And that taught me what I needed to know about the BSA and life in general. Life doesn't take a week off. And neither do the people who need you.

The Boy Scouting program needed my father. And he answered the bell every time.

I got the Eagle Scout award at the age of 16. My Dad (a lifetime Life Scout who uses the fact he never achieved Eagle as a way of inspiring his scouts) stood in the back of the room and wore one the biggest smiles I've ever seen.

Years later, I still remember that smile. I remember the joy of that accomplishment.

I remember making my father proud. I lived my whole life for moments like that.

Today I wear an Eagle Scout pin on my tie in celebration of the program that made me the man I am today. Along with the influence of friends and family, the Boy Scouts shaped my soul.

I owe the program for that. I owe my son the same opportunity my Dad gave me.

And you owe it to the men in your life.

The Boy Scouts may be one of the only programs left in our country that can truly help build the foundation for boys to become good men.

Do your part to keep it alive.

I will.

Scout's honor.

Walking a Fine Line: Pujols Ban on St. Louis TV Station Sets Dangerous Precedent

2008-01-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

This past Monday, on a day our nation paused to remember a man who preached acceptance and forgiveness, the St. Louis Cardinals completed their winter warmups with a news conference. But before the first question was lobbed, Cards first baseman Albert Pujols went after the media.

The monstrous slugger asked the team's media relations director to ban one television station from covering his question-answer session. The reporter and videographer from KTVI in St. Louis then sheepishly stood in the corner of the room, camera off and tails firmly between their legs. Call it a visit to the 'media dunce corner.'

Pujols had his reasons. Just before the massive and sport-changing Mitchell Report was released on the afternoon of December 13th, there were rumors cooking on MLB 'Hot Stove' websites and message boards all over the country. And one of those items caught fire...an online report that claimed one of the soon-to-be-outed steroids users was the Cardinals Dominican superstar. The temptation to run the story was simply too much for KTVI. Their sports department and station management aired the story that morning. All of St. Louis was reeling over the idea that their hero was a cheater.

But, according to what we think we know from the Mitchell Report, he didn't. That is the definition of a media flub, and unintentional bad press for Pujols. That night, KTVI ran an extended live report and refuted the early morning mistake. But Pujols, who is essentially a walking deity in St. Louis for all of the charity work he has done for the Gateway city, was livid. He immediately released a statement through his foundation, calling the report 'reckless.' Pujols added, "I have never had a problem with the media when they do their job correctly, whether it is positive or negative - just as long as they report truthfully."

It's important to note that Pujols, for all we know, is one of the good guys. Though he comes across as harsh depending on his 'media mood,' he has done wonders for Down Syndrome research in Missouri. His daughter Isabella has the genetic disorder and his family's work (and their Christian message) is quite inspiring. Pujols has used his fame and fortune for unselfish means and should be commended for that.

But he doesn't understand media. For as much as he's dealt with reporters, he's not familiar with the competitive and cut-throat nature of broadcasting. That report ran for a reason, because KTVI was trying to do their job. They took a chance, which happens often in today's 'saw it here first' media world, and they flat out blew it.

This is not to say that KTVI acted appropriately. They did not. They got the story from WNBC in New York City. The false report included several 'bombshell' names that weren't in the Mitchell Report. Pujols, Damon, Garciaparra, Pudge Rodriguez, Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior among others. The problem? None of them were listed in the Mitchell Report released just hours later.

Running the mysterious online report, complete with anonymous sources, was a risk NOT worth taking. What's worse is that though they retracted their report, KTVI station management did not properly apologize for their mistake. In fact, they were arrogant in defending themselves. Then news director Kingsley Smith violated any sense of journalism ethics by airing the story, then used his affiliated network status to protect his decision.

Smith said being a FOX affiliate "allows us a little more latitude" to essentially air rumors. Smith said doing so provides a "certain sense of edginess and aggressiveness." Who says? Does FOX condone this sort of reporting? Doubt it. Yes Fox is 'edgy'...that's been their M.O. since the days 'Married With Children' first hit the air. But that doesn't mean you run rumors as truth in special news coverage.

Here's the kicker, Smith actually got a better job out of this. From media market #21 in St. Louis, to #4 in Philadelphia. Another FOX affiliate...so maybe Smith was right. That is a scary thought.

Here's Smith's rise to becoming the news director in Philly:
1. Work hard, for years at stations all across the country. (Click for a linkedin resume)
2. Land a top-notch job at a great market.
3. Approve of airing a weak and bogus report with no substantial sources. (Don't bother fact-checking...we're in a hurry!)
4. Dedicate as much air time to this report as possible.
5. When you discover the report is completely false and potentially damaging, refuse to properly apologize.
6. Defend your actions by saying your station's network affiliation allows you to bend/break/bust any ethical standards.
7. Parlay it into a much better job.
8. Laugh on the way to the bank, while also praying the Philly media doesn't pay too much attention.

Journalists and media professors across the country should be outraged by this. But there hasn't been much backlash.

KTVI (and Kingsley Smith) deserve to share the blame with WNBC for going with this report. The responsible media organizations should roll some heads.

But Pujols' latest move is also wrong.

Athletes should not have the ability to limit a specific media outlet's access. If he's limited to one, he should be limited to all. The KTVI sports staff can not be expected to compete with others in the market if they can't interview the team's superstar. Cardinals media relation director Brian Bartow needs to grow a backbone and work this out immediately; and not just for KTVI's sake or for positive public relations for the club. Athletes and coaches do this sort of thing constantly...denying one reporter or another depending on an 'unfair' article or for writing anything negative.

We need to look at the big picture here. The sports media is there to serve the public...to allow fans to be informed and entertained with the latest news and info regarding their favorite teams and players. By banning KTVI from his news conferences, Pujols is denying their viewers that opportunity. That carries with it some troubling consequences for KTVI.

Pujols believes he was damaged by the report...that he will somehow be linked to steroids. The only way that will happen is if he continues to act as a whining child.

Pujols publicly insists God is first and foremost in his life. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Pujols needs to practice what he preaches. Forgive and forget. The rest of us will do the same.

Break Up the 'Jockocracy': Steroids Investigation Should Cause Media to Pause

2008-01-17T08:27:00.000-05:00

As our elected officials in the U.S. Congress spent precious time interrogating Major League Baseball administrators and union representatives earlier this week, most fans probably did exactly what I did....tune out as much of it as possible. Frankly, I'm tired.

By now, for me anyways, it hurts. From players either ridiculously defending themselves (see Roger Clemens or David Justice) or admitting a limited wrongdoing (see Fernando Vina/Andy Pettite), it is too much to bear. And though it won't go away, I wish that it would.

However, as all of this unfolded over the past month I started to think about how several of the accused steroid users, in the Mitchell Report and beyond, currently held prominent jobs in media. Three decades ago, Howard Cosell warned the future journalists of the world about a 'jockocracy' occurring in sports broadcasting. Retired (washed-up?) athletes using their fame and knowledge, in that order, to gain entry into high-level analysis and commentary jobs across the radio and television mediums. Former stars on the field seeking easy money in the booth.

Cosell was right, and now we're seeing how dangerous putting ex-athletes into the broadcast field can really be. Why do I think this trend has become dangerous? Because first and foremost, they are supposed to be objective observers providing thought-provoking insight. But they have too much to lose now...and these accused cheaters have a platform to defend themselves which they don't deserve.

Looking over those listed in the Mitchell Report, there are four former players that currently hold positions in the media. (Though many players accused of doping in the report are or were active contributors on a local market setting.)

*Lenny Dykstra, the former tobacco-spitting superstar of Mets and Phillies fame, runs a business news website revolving around trends and info on the stock market. Dykstra is also an occasional contributor to Fox News' program, 'The Cost of Freedom.' But Dykstra's connection with steroids has been in the public eye for quite some time. And while he is indeed a sought-out media figure, he generally isn't discussing the game of baseball. But certainly, his fame from the game has led directly to his business success.

*Matt Williams, the gregarious third baseman who made his name during his time with the Giants and Diamondbacks, admitted to taking human growth hormones (HGH) while rehabbing in 2002. However, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Williams also purchased several steroids in May of that year. Williams is now an ownership partner with the D-backs and part of the squad's broadcast team, serving as a color analyst. He is a 'face' for Diamondbacks baseball at every level...they even named a baseball field after him in Show Low, AZ.

*David Justice, who may be more popular for his marriages to Halle Berry and Rebecca Villalobos, has been all over the media world since retiring in 2002. Justice has worked for ESPN and the Yankees YES Network, where he was serving as a game and studio analyst. After the Mitchell Report went public, Justice was quick to go public and vehemently denied ever taking HGH as a Yankee. He was linked in the report to Brian McNamee, Clemens' trainer and confidant, and former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. Justice has since claimed that he never used the HGH McNamee provided him and that he never dealt with Radomski. This morning, the NY Times reported that Justice lost his studio gig with YES, but will be retained as a columnist. However, both the network and Justice say this demotion (and that's what it is) had nothing to do with the Mitchell Report. Instead it was so that Justice could assist his wife in rebuilding their home which was lost in the San Diego wildfires. Nice story. I'm not buying it.

*Perhaps the most significant player/media member listed is current ESPN analyst Fernando Vina. Vina is significant, not because of his average major league career, but because of his current role as a contributor on the world's leading sports network. When the Mitchell Report came out on December 13th, Vina was mysteriously absent from his network's wall-to-wall coverage of the investigation. Four days later, he resurfaced and admitted using HGH...but not steroids. Vina admitted to being 'embarrassed' and denounced using HGH saying, "it didn't help either." Are we supposed to give him the benefit of the doubt or sympathize with his cause? Unlikely. ESPN gave him a break by not putting him on the 'frontlines' the day the report was released. Vina is paid to cover the hard stories, not hide from them.

But Vina isn't the only ESPN personality linked to steroid use. Mike Golic, the current co-star of ESPN's hottest radio show "Mike and Mike in the Morning," recently admitted using steroids during his days in the NFL. And he did so in passing on their program; here's an unofficial link to the show's transcript. To his credit, Golic discussed the reasoning and stupidity behind his decision at length on-air over the following week. But his admission was brushed over initially and was almost cynical in nature. While he noted that it was wrong and dumb, he did so with a defensive air. Like he was saying, 'Big deal...it's over now. Lots of guys did it...' Golic was never reprimanded by the network and the programs went on as scheduled. And, perhaps because he's former NFL not MLB, Golic's steroid admission barely made a blip on the national media's radar.

Some of you may be reading this and saying, "So what?" But, as members of the media, these former players should be held to the same standards that journalists would have to face. These accusations/admissions show that these men cheated during their playing days. Isn't that akin to a writer plagiarizing? Both are forms of cheating designed to make performing easier...to give one person an unfair advantage over another. If a journalist 'cheated' to do their job, wouldn't the penalty be swift? Why aren't these ex-athletes being held accountable as well?

Marion Jones is going to jail for six months, partly for lying to federal investigators about her use of performance-enhancing drugs. All of these men should have to face the same questions...and if they lie, the same consequences.

The major sports media companies should take notice. Be wary of hiring ex-jocks to give your product an easy boost. Yes, these former athletes and coaches may provide intriguing commentary. Analysts like Tom Jackson, Carolyn Peck, Charles Barkley (the ultimate love/hate ex-jock), Howie Long, Mark May, Ron Jaworski, Steve Young, Marcellus Wiley and Greg Anthony have proven that.

But on the other hand, several members of the 'jockocracy' give broadcasting a bad name...Emmitt Smith, Vina, Keyshawn Johnson, Bill Walton (sorry Bill), John Barry, Dee Brown, Michael Irvin, Swin Cash, Mike Ditka (yes Ditka), Jalen Rose, Paul Silas, and Mark Malone just to name a 'few' of the undistinguished we've seen analyzing sports on TV or on radio. What are they adding to the broadcast? What does Emmitt say that a trained reporter couldn't say better? Want an example?

The ESPNs, Fox/NBC/CBS Sports groups of the world should recognize that placing former athletes on-air does in fact bring a heightened amount of recognition to viewers but is it worth the financial risk? Training these ex-jocks to smile for the cameras and spit out carbon-copy analysis...only to have them potentially be exposed as cheaters down the line.

Hold these former steroid abusers accountable, just as you would a journalist who cheated at their craft. Make them answer for their mistakes in the public forum which you have provided for them. Otherwise, what example are you setting?

Do the right thing. And do it now.

Remain on the Bandwagon: A "State of the Celtics" Address

2008-01-15T13:25:00.000-05:00

Professor Jeff Halliday has called a 'Special Session' meeting of all hoops fans (especially those in Celtic Nation) to address the Boston Celtics and their recent on-court struggles. Wearing a green suit, with a white dress shirt and shamrock-adorned tie including a number '5' tie-pin, Halliday spoke fervently to the attending delegates.

The following is a transcript of his remarks:

"Thanks to one and all for meeting on such short notice. We are here to discuss the Celtics' recent 'losing streak' and the subsequent fallout across the league and media circles. The back-to-back losses to the Wizards this past weekend has caused many NBA experts, fans and concerned citizens to quickly and violently leap off of the proverbial Celtic bandwagon that began with the signing of Kevin Garnett on July 31st, 2007. I am here today to quell this uprising and assuage the fears of fans and pundits alike.

While it's true that Boston has lost three of its last four games, there is no need for panic! Two losses to a quality Wizards team, currently 20-16 and in second place in the East's Southeast Division, are not cause for concern. Last week's loss to the lowly Bobcats stung at first, but it's clear that a young Charlotte squad has played very well of late.

At 30-6 on the season, it is now virtually impossible for the Celtics to top or match the incredible 72-10 run of the 1995-1996 Bulls. But who cares? How can anyone construe 30-6 as struggling? Take a look at those six losses. To the Magic on November 18th by two, the Cavs by five in OT nine days later, the Pistons ten games later by a basket, Charlotte by a dozen on the ninth of this month and the back-to-back losses to the Wiz by a combined 12 points. Add it all up...6 losses by a combined 33 points. That's an average of just 5.5 points difference per loss. We're talking about a two-basket differential...nothing.

I would like my esteemed colleagues across the nation to recall this team's accomplishments, or total lack thereof, only a season ago. The Celtics finished dead last in the Atlantic Division at 24-58, winning just 12 of their 41 home games. As of this moment, this Celtics team is 16-3 at TD Banknorth Garden and has won 83% of their games. An incredible achievement...yet suddenly after dropping two straight games, the pro hoops world is asking, "What's wrong?" NOTHING IS WRONG. Last year the C's lost consecutive games ten different times including streaks of six, eighteen (Yikes!) and eight in a row. This season could go down as the greatest single-season turnaround in NBA history. From 24 wins to potentially 60 plus...unheard of in Beantown since 1979 when rookie Larry Bird led the Celtics to 61 wins a season after the franchise recorded only 29 victories in '78. The NBA 'turnaround' record is 36 games by the Spurs in 1997-1998. If Boston wins 61 games this season, they will break that record. They are on pace to do so. Hear me now and believe me later, that record will be theirs by the time they next face the Wizards in Game 78 on April 9th.

For those of you interested in history, this is the greatest Celtics team of the past two decades. Garnett is averaging 23 points/game, Paul Pierce is at 18/game and Ray Allen is at 16/contest. The Celtics lead the league in opponents points allowed, surrendering only 87 a game whilst scoring 98! Garnett is arguably the best team leader in basketball. Both Allen and Pierce share his desire for glory. This is a team without peers.

Yes, they will lose games. They could even lose twenty plus games (God forbid) if injuries and poor performances pop up from time to time. But to deny their dominance or seek to steal legitimacy from their legacy is just plain insane. This is a Celtics team with three superstars and a modest supporting cast. It's difficult to compare them to a deep team like the '95-'96 Bulls. That season Chicago had the greatest player of all-time in Jordan (averaging 30.4 pts/game), the best sidekick of his era in Scottie Pippen, a 51% 3-point shooter in Steve Kerr, the league's leading offensive rebounder in Rodman and a solid role player in Toni Kukoc. They were also coached by the second greatest (no one tops Red) in-game/mind-melding coach in NBA history in Phil Jackson.

The '07-'08 Celtics have three differing levels of talent. The second coming of the Big 3 in KG, Pierce and Allen...the "I hope they positively contribute" group of Rondo, Perkins, Davis, House and Posey...and the "If these guys are out there, I'm biting my nails and cursing under my breath" group of Tony Allen, Pollard, Scalabrine, Powe and Pruitt. This Boston team is coached by Doc Rivers whom, despite this 30-6 start, has a career coaching record of 303-318 and was 57-107 in his last two seasons in Boston. Though he is a great locker room guy and a source of motivation, this team isn't winning because of Rivers' skill or knowledge. They are winning on guts and talent alone. Phil Jackson he is not. Everyday Rivers should kiss the shoe-tops of Allen and Garnett...without them he would have coached himself out of a job by now.

In closing friends, let us all relax. This Celtics team, barring injury or tragedy, will win the 2008 NBA Championship. It's already decided. Can any team beat them in a seven-game series? The answer is no.

And just so you're aware, this team will be challenging the record books for a while if history tells us anything. After the Bulls' infamous 1995-1996 run, they proceeded to go 69-13 the following year and 62-20 in 1997-1998. An awesome stretch of three straight NBA titles.

By the way, Garnett is signed until 2012, Allen through 2009-2010 and Pierce until the summer of 2011. Get used to it.

Thank you for your time today. I will no longer comment on this issue until after I have purchased my Celtics '2008 NBA Champions' hat sometime in June. Thank you...and God Bless the United States of America."

Post Address Notes:
Halliday left the podium to mostly cheers and some jeers (mostly from bewildered Knicks fans who thought Isiah Thomas was being fired; and from jealous Lakers fans screaming for a 'KG for Kobe' trade). Others in the audience began to sing...

'Because I love that dirty water
Oh, oh, Boston, you're my home'

Rocket Now a Dud: Clemens In His Darkest Hour

2008-01-08T09:34:00.000-05:00

Growing up a son of two ardent Bostonians, my childhood was filled with heroic figures. Fortunately for me, the greatest of all of my role models lived under the same roof. My Dad. Unfortunately at times, I also clung to sports figures for inspiration and foremost among them was then Red Sox fireballer Roger Clemens.

When our family moved from Boston to Pittsburgh in 1984, Clemens was an up and coming rookie in the Sox system. We all knew about his days with the Texas Longhorns. He was going to be 'it' for Beantown.

Our love of sports was borderline fanatical. My Dad would attack the morning papers to see how his hometown teams fared. Whenever Dad traveled to Boston for work or family, articles from the Boston Globe and Herald would arrive in the mail addressed to me. Dad would tell me about his favorite players of yesteryear. Orr. Williams. Russell. Cousy. And I grew up watching Boston's greats of the era, Clemens, Boggs, Greenwell, Bird, Parish, McHale, Neely, Bourque and Moog.

But as a kid, I loved baseball. I was too short and skinny to play football that well; I couldn't skate to save my life. And while I enjoyed basketball, the diamond was my favorite place to be. And on the mound, I wanted to be Roger Clemens.

When I threw in the backyard and on the field, I patterned his slow delivery, the way he used his entire body to throw. His shoe-top glance as he powered his motion to the plate. The way he exhaled between pitches at the mound, standing straight on to the batter's box, flicking his glove up to catch the return throw. And his intense glare.

He was like some mythical figure. This straight-shooting, cocky kid from Texas with wild hair and a controlled craziness. He was a 'throwback' player that my Dad appreciated, which made me love him even more. 'Rocket' threw high and tight. 'Rocket' wouldn't bat an eye when he brushed you back. And then he would close with the split-finger. And when that pitch was working, he was lights out. He was a sure-fire Hall of Famer by the end of the 1990 season when he went 21-6 with 1.93 ERA.

But he threw so damn hard that eventually it had to fade didn't it? Surely God only made one Nolan Ryan. How could a man throw that hard that long before destroying his arm? There were signs he was slowing down...his waist and his numbers ballooned. In '93, Clemens went 11-14 and his ERA jumped a full two runs from the previous year. He bounced back to have a solid 1994 before the strike shut things down, and was good once again in 1995. But by my senior year of high school in 1996, Clemens was a shadow of his former self. Though he struck out 257 batters in 242.2 innings, his record was 10-13, his ERA 3.63 and his interest/intensity level appeared way down.

And then, the Sox management made a league-altering mistake. Dan Duquette essentially let the Rocket take off...they wouldn't re-sign this faltering hurler. But that release did not come without one final infamous dig on Boston's on/off again hero. Duquette claimed that Clemens was in "the twilight of his career." And though the Red Sox wanted to keep Roger, it was clear they thought he was sliding into retirement.

A bitter, irritated and insulted Clemens retorted by signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. Suddenly, both his spirit and his dominance were reincarnated overnight. He won back-to-back Cy Young Awards and was an astonishing 41-13 in his two years with the Jays. In 1997, he started the season 11-0, struck out 297 batters and carried a 2.05 ERA. All of those are still team records, and the 2.05 ERA was his lowest total since his incredible run in 1990. On the surface, the story was easy to write. An embattled soul rises above his human limits to greater heights we never thought possible. The 'Rocket' was back. His ERA the following year, an equally impressive 2.65. Another Cy Young...Clemens was inspiring a nation of little-leaguers and baseball enthusiasts. 21 was my favorite number...still is.

But that is the season in question. According to the Mitchell Report, (pages 169-170) it is the year that Clemens decided that working out and working hard wasn't enough.

In '98, steroids poster boy Jose Canseco joined Clemens on the Toronto roster. That same year, Brian McNamee was hired as a strength and conditioning coach. According to his testimony to Senator Mitchell and his gang, McNamee engaged in conversation with Clemens about the ins and outs of steroid use. Clemens even physically presented steroids (Anadrol 50, the baddest, most potent of 'em all) to McNamee, which the 'trainer' actually refused to inject. But he did shoot the Rocket up with Winstrol that year. To see the results, just check out box scores. In his second start of the season on April 7th, Clemens walked two and gave up two runs without recording an out. He was hurt...and what helps an athlete heal quicker and stronger? He returned ten days later, went six and two/thirds innings and won the game with 7 strikeouts. By May 7th, he was cruising and his record was up to 4-3...he finished the season 20 and 6. After starting out 2-2, Clemens won 18 of his next 22 decisions, including 15 straight! Something kick-started that run. Clemens was always a streaky pitcher, but this seemed out of place. Regardless, the Rocket became the hottest pitching commodity in baseball. And he went to the highest bidder, the Yankees.

And according to the Mitchell Report, Clemens wanted his former trainer with him ASAP. He got his wish. McNamee joined the Pinstripes in 2000. McNamee reportedly injected the Rocket with steroids four to six times that season. After going 14-10 with an ERA of 4.60 in NYC in 1999 (without McNamee), Clemens went 13-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 2000. A marked improvement.

With McNamee no longer a Yankee after the 2000 season, Clemens kept this 'assistant' on his personal payroll and continued to receive injections throughout the 2001 season. A miraculous year in which he became the first and only pitcher in MLB history to start a season 20-1. McNamee recently told Sports Illustrated that Clemens mostly took steroid cycles during the offseason, meaning a hot start would be expected. But 20 and 1? Clemens finished the season 20-3 with an ERA of 3.51. His 213 strikeout total that season eclipsed those of his last two years with New York, and he won his sixth Cy Young Award. He was 39 years old...and getting better.

According to the Mitchell Report, McNamee never injected Clemens after the 2001 season. In '02, Clemens' numbers dropped dramatically. 13-6, 4.35 ERA. After going 17-9 with a 3.91 ERA in 2003, Clemens retired. He was the King of Baseball. Ovations wherever he went...including Fenway Park. Even Boston wanted to love this man...this Yankee.

A year later, Clemens began a long journey of destroying his legacy by putting franchises and fans through a tortuous game. He would return to the majors at a hefty and team salary-killing price. 'Unretiring', Clemens was back in the bigs with Houston. He went 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA, his best earned run average since his last year in Toronto. He won his 7th and final Cy Young Award. The Rocket pitched essentially half-seasons with Houston for the following two years, dancing a retirement hokey-pokey during each offseason. And last year, Clemens made a not-so triumphant return to New York. Announcing his 'comeback' from George Steinbrenner's luxury box in the MIDDLE OF A GAME no less. But even his stage savvy couldn't bring his game back to form. Last season he was 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA and an unRocket-like 68 strikeouts in 99 innings. He was done. Maybe...finally...he heard the applause and saw the curtain call.

But all good things must come to an end. And this end is so disappointing and comically tragic, I struggle to put it into words. Clemens' brash approach to baseball, life and the media has been well documented...including racially-laced diatribe and laughable contract stipulations. But, arguably worse than all of those misgivings has been the way Clemens has attempted to defend himself to these most recent steroid allegations.

When the Mitchell Report was released on December 13th, the Rocket was the biggest and brightest name on the list. A lock-down Hall of Famer who flat-out owned the mound during the ever-changing primes of his career. But now the seasons of 1998-2001, at the very least, were under intense scrutiny. Who was this McNamee and did 'the Roger Clemens' really cheat?

Friends, let's not avoid this crucial point. Altering your ability/skill level illegally or without forthright honest admission is cheating. Period.

When the report came out, Clemens waited to make a public statement. He then released a well-thought out and clearly controlled and scripted response through his own website. He would not face reporters/detractors face-to-face. This past weekend, Clemens then appeared on '60 Minutes' in an interview with CBS' Mike Wallace. Why, nearly a month after the Mitchell Report was released, would Clemens wait to grant Wallace an exclusive? Because they were buddies from Rocket's time in the Big Apple. And Roger knew that while Wallace would bear down with a tough question or two, he would not be berated or interrogated by an 89-year old friend.

That brings us to yesterday's 'press conference.' Clemens shocked the media by playing an extensive, 17-minute recording of a 1/4/2008 phone conversation with McNamee himself. A bizarre and unique defensive ploy. In the twisting and frustratingly vague recording, Clemens wants McNamee to help him. McNamee begs and pleads for guidance. But Clemens never tells his friend what he really wants...to be exonerated. Clemens never says what his fans and the public really want to hear.

We, no... I, wanted to hear, "I'm innocent. You know I never took steroids. Why did you lie?" Clemens tries to bait McNamee in a call which, by the way, Roger never tells his 'friend' is actually being recorded. All the while during the pseudo-interview, Clemens is constantly receiving instruction and guidance from his attorneys. A sad state of affairs. We hear a pathetic McNamee cry out for help, lamenting the injury of his young son. We hear Clemens adamantly stick to his talking points..."I just want the truth." McNamee says, "I'll go to jail for you." Clemens doesn't respond. We are left to wonder why McNamee would say such a thing...to recant his accusations, or to deny further testimony and do for Clemens what Greg Anderson has done time and again for Barry Bonds. Take the rap.

After playing the call, Clemens spat vitriol to the reporters on hand. Pausing between the expected barrage of questions, he bellowed and taunted the press. "Can I drink water? Is that good or bad? Can I drink water? .... And I can swallow, thank you." As if answering these questions required some sort of Herculean effort or that he was doing us a favor.

Clemens claimed that his whole career had been tainted, all his hard work thrown aside over a false accusation. Judging by that comment, one would assume that the evaluation of his body of work mattered to him. Then a reporter asked if indeed his career, and his shot at the Baseball Hall of Fame was important to him. Clemens replied, "You think I played my career for the damn Hall of Fame? I could give a rat's ass about that also."

This, despite everything I had already known about his exploits, was the moment I lost my faith and concern for Roger Clemens. If he didn't care about the Hall, why did he come back time after time? If baseball history wasn't important to him, why did he speak so eloquently about the pride of being a New York Yankee? Why, before every start at Yankee Stadium, did he see fit to kiss and caress the bronzed image of Babe Ruth in Monument Park? History and tradition have been important to Clemens since he came up with the Sox. After being denied a championship, he embodied that sense of history as a Yankee when he finally won a World Series title.

As a Bostonian-at-heart in so many ways, I had to watch Clemens win the Series with the Yanks and Bourque win a Cup with the Avalanche. And in both of those moments, I shed tears for these men. Despite their willingness to leave my beloved franchises, they won the ultimate prize.

But, for Clemens, at what cost? His floundering defense and volatile reaction to questioning is evident that this is a man who wishes to control and dominate all aspects of his life. And baseball is his life. He even named his children with baseball in mind as all of their names begin with the letter K...the box score representation for a strikeout.

Clemens gloated in his success and now he is seething in his demise. He got what he wanted...a ring and a legacy as a larger-than-life living legend. And now it seems tainted. However, the Rocket points the finger of blame at someone else.

So now, it should be the fan's turn. Now I deserve to get what I want.

I bought your T-shirts, read every box score, spiritually sank at every missed opportunity and wept/celebrated with your victories. I cared enough to emulate you. I cared enough to bring you into my life every single day.

What do I want? The real and ultimate truth. So let's ask him...

Roger, are you still the superhero I thought you were? Are these really lies? Or are you another washed-up athlete who chose to cheat rather than to see his pristine image tarnished? Are you the latest 'star' to bean the game of baseball?

Answer me and make me hope again.

Or don't answer me...and then help me put some more dirt on baseball's grave.

Thanks for Reminding Us:WVU's Fiesta Bowl Shocker Truly Inspiring

2008-01-03T10:28:00.001-05:00

For the majority of sports fans flipping through the channels this morning, the ticker score of Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: WVU 48 Oklahoma 28 likely merely elicited a 'huh' or a head shake. But West Virginia's stunning throttling of the Sooners represents much more than just the latest college football upset to blindside fans and experts alike. The Mountaineers' win over the traditional powerhouse from Norman symbolizes all that is right in sports.

This game reminds us why we cheer. We cheer for the underdog to do the unlikely. We cheer for the 'good guys' who finally get their due. We cheer for the men and women we strive to emulate. We cheer for the triumph of human spirit.

Consider all the West Virginia football team had been through over the past several weeks. With a trip to the national championship on the line, WVU choked at home to super-rival Pitt in the Backyard Brawl. They were out-coached by a floundering staff and out-played by a team with only pride to play for. No win (not even this Fiesta Bowl victory) will permanently erase the bitter taste of that loss for those loyal to the Mountain State. But that wasn't the most bitter pill the Mountaineers and their faithful had to swallow.

Soon afterwards, WVU's poster boy suddenly darted out of town. Head coach Rich Rodriguez, a state native and one of the most embraced coaches in the country, parted ways with West Virginia for greener (the color of money) pastures in Ann Arbor. He felt it would be easier, and more personally satisfying, to win there. He said goodbye at a very brief team meeting which some players stormed out of, curse words flying. Rodriguez left for Michigan that very night while students and fans followed his car to the local airport and verbally assaulted him, two members of his staff and their wives as they boarded the plane. Signs in Grant Town (Rod's hometown) promoting their pride of his accomplishments were removed for fear of vandalism and theft. Boosters threatened to withdraw millions in donations. Players and fans watched Rodriguez shuffle through his introduction as Michigan's new coach, and later grimaced as Rich strutted the sidelines during the Wolverine's excellent Capitol One Bowl victory over Florida. Rodriguez even agreed to an 'in-the-booth' interview during Lloyd Carr's final game. The Mountain State literally seethed. Mixed feelings of bewilderment, rage, anxiety and despair. But Rod, the ultimate upstager, was upstaged.

Back in Morgantown, the team was undaunted. Team. Is there a better word? Can any other word summon such strong emotion and comradery? While fans pulsed with anger, these young men remained focused on a singular objective. Performing superbly in their final game. They were led by Bill Stewart. WVU's 'aw-shucks' good guy assistant coach. The last man many thought could lead them to victory.

Always the bridesmaid, only once the bride. Stewart's only head coaching stint came over a decade ago at VMI were he went an underwhelming 8-25. Stewart had since traversed the entire football world, returning to his home state to play a small role as an assistant coach. He became as associate head coach but was then relegated to coaching the tight ends this past season. Coaching tight ends at WVU is like coaching fullbacks at Hawaii or Texas Tech..."stay on the other end of the practice field and we'll call for you when we're finished." All the while, Stewart remained the grounded, humble and sincere man he has always been. 'Stew' hands out hugs as if he expects he'll never see you again. That's his approach...love life and those in it. He gives direction to his players, following it up with 'Cub and Boy Scouts Honor.' He is the assistant coach that every player adores but never makes the paper. Until now.

Last night, WVU went up against a team that many experts felt was among the top 3 in the country. Oklahoma, along with Georgia and USC, was supposed to be playing their best football of the season. While WVU was supposed to quietly lick their wounds and exit stage left. Someone forgot to tell them. The Mountaineers played with a consistent passion that had not been seen on their sidelines in quite some time. Gone was the timid team we saw against Pittsburgh. This was a team playing with purpose and with energy, something Rodriguez struggled to bring out of them when it mattered most. But Bill Stewart found a way. Like a modern day Lou Holtz, Stewart rallied his team by talking, smiling and genuinely enjoying his players. He told them to play with heart and to play for each other. Damn (or, if you're Stewart...Darn) the odds. Beat OU and prove once again that WVU is home to an elite football program.

48-28. The Sooners never matched WVU's strength, commitment, determination and grit. They were out-hustled, out-coached and out-hearted by a team that wasn't supposed to even show up. Oklahoma was embarrassed by a team that desperately wanted to win. As time ticked down, players drowned Stewart in Gatorade and each took time to hug their man. After the game Stewart acknowledged it was his first 'Gatorade bath' and said it was for all of the assistant coaches out there. He called the moment, 'special.' As fans cheered in the stands at Arizona, hulking fullback and comic book-esque hero Owen Schmitt apologized to a reporter for nearly weeping during an interview. A super-jock with a mohawk brought to very rawest of emotional highs.

Right this moment in Arizona, WVU has hired their new head coach. After chasing down highly-touted assistants and 'big name' candidates all across the college football world, the university is about to hire a man they didn't formally interview until after he hoisted the Fiesta Bowl trophy. Bill Stewart. The New Martinsville, WV man who apologized for stealing turnips and throwing snowballs at train cars as a child during a pre-bowl press conference. Stewart is to college football what 'Ralphie' and The Christmas Story are to our holiday memories. He is all that is good in human nature. He isn't perfect but, like Goldilocks' porridge, he's just right.

On FOX's stage after the game, WVU's legendary junior quarterback and leader Pat White (the games deserved Offensive MVP) told the crowd and a national TV audience that Stewart was the team's choice to be the next head coach. He reiterated that in a press conference minutes later. White may have been the most influential source in the entire coaching search. WVU administrators immediately made up their mind. Bill Stewart is their man. He is a Mountain State man. He IS the Mountain State. Hard-working, humble, sincere and kind.

He inspired his team. His team inspired all of us.

I, for one, am grateful.

Anchors Away: TV Personalities Are Losing Their Grips on Reality

2007-12-27T14:22:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the good people at TVSpy (see link to right) I keep a steady watch over the happenings in my former business...television broadcasting. And quite frankly, I'm seriously concerned. It seems that every week there is another TV anchor/reporter embroiled in controversy. Whether it is a DUI arrest, a forged report or a scandalous relationship with a source, it seems that today's TV journalists are sliding out of control. This stems from the celebrity they receive. You see, TV anchors/reporters are just simple folks. But they are on television...people recognize them and that sort of ego-push drives those that lack a sense of humility into a place of entitlement. Suddenly it seems people in the business are losing their grips on reality at an alarming rate.

Want proof? You need look no further than the ridiculous and tragic case of Alycia Lane, the troubled anchor at Channel 3 in Philly. After reportedly insulting then assaulting an undercover officer during a visit to New York City, Lane called PA Governor Ed Rendell to profess her innocence. Talk about a clear abuse of perceived power with a source! This is just the latest expose regarding Ms. Lane. This past May, she allegedly emailed pictures of her in a bikini to NFL Network host (of ESPN fame) Rich Eisen, which Mrs. Eisen discovered and was...displeased. Lane said the two were 'platonic friends' and that the pics were harmless. Harmless or not, there is a clear pattern here. Lane is unstable. But she's a looker with a bright smile and a shining 'on-air' persona. Lane is currently on a 'planned vacation' from Channel 3.

But Lane is not alone.

This past July, Amy Jacobson, a reporter for WMAQ in Chicago was caught on tape (by a rival TV station no less) at the residence of one Craig Stebic. Stebic's wife Lisa went missing in April and Mr. Stebic is 'person of interest' in the investigation. Jacobson is seen in the video wearing a bikini and claims she was invited by Mr. Stebic to bring her kids swimming. Jacobson also claims she was there for professional reasons, developing a potential story source. This may be the most egregious of any offense I've seen. Mrs. Jacobson endangered her own children...for a story? I doubt it. One could assume she was developing a personal relationship. The ultimate conflict of interest for any reporter. Neighbors have been on record saying that Jacobson was often at the residence after Stebic's wife went missing. Obviously, Jacobson's credibility was destroyed and she was rightfully dismissed from WMAQ. But what does this say about TV personalities? (By the way, she's trying to go into the 'acting' occupation...who knew?)

Last month, a week before his retirement from WFLA-8 in Tampa, Bob Hite (legendary anchor in the region) was charged with a DUI. Hite's case is noteworthy because apologized on-air the next day. His crime could have cost someone their life. As it did in Tolly Carr's case.

Carr was an up-and-coming morning anchor at WXII in Winston-Salem, NC. His demeanor, looks and personality were evident and his talent unlimited. Until this past March 11th, when Carr and a few friends went out on the town. After a night of drinking Carr went to drive home. He was intoxicated. He lost control of his vehicle. 26-year old Casey Bokhoven happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Casey died. A devastated Carr reached out to the Bokhoven family, admitting his shame and his guilt. Carr spoke eloquently in court, choking back his emotions and his despair. He was sincere and now he is serving time.

There are countless cases like these. DUIs, conflicts of interest, inappropriate source relationships, etc. It's frightening. It's evident that in some cases, pseudo-celebrities (Lane and Jacobson especially) feel they are above the law. I feel this sets a dangerous example for our future journalists at schools across the country.

I understand that TV reporters/anchors are just normal people and that normal people make mistakes. But it is a very small and select profession. The number of major market anchors/reporters that have recently found themselves on the wrong side of the law is disturbing. The fact that some of these cases are occurring at major market TV stations should not go unnoticed. To me it makes a clear point. The news directors and management at these stations are actively hiring personas and looks over skills and talent. The hard-driving investigative reporters are being relegated to 'back of the newsroom' jobs while the good-looking have become the face of television news.

A message to all current and future TV reporters: You are a journalist first and foremost. You serve the public. And while that may bring a level of recognition and fame, it does not place you on a societal pedestal. You owe your jobs to the people watching at home. Remember that. No audience, no paycheck. Be sure to act professionally at all times. You represent more than just yourselves; you represent your colleagues, station and most important a proud occupation.

A messages to viewers: You hold the key. React in the public forum to make your voice heard. Don't stand for sub-par reporting or journalism. And rail against station managers who allow looks to replace writing ability and hard work.

There is a reason why print reporters despise their counterparts in television. It is because the majority of TV on-air reporters are coming to believe they are primarily personalities, not journalists. A smile may get you air-time but your ability to get a great story ethically and with skill keeps you employed. And beyond that, it keeps the profession reputable.

Rod Settles @ UM

2007-12-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

Since everyone else has weighed in on Rich Rodriguez's departure from WVU, I'll drop my two cents into the cup.

Whether Mountaineer fans want to believe it or not, Rod brought the program into the national spotlight but that doesn't mean it will stay there. It is NOT one of the premier programs in D-1 college football...period. Could it be? Yep. But it's not right now. That sort of recognition is built over decades of greatness. Decades...not three/four years.

Rod knows that but the fans refuse to admit it. When WVU lost their season-closer to Pitt (one of Rod's absolute worst coaching performances in the past 3 seasons) the 'Eers lost recruits (Saddler to Pitt). For what? They choked in ONE game but they featured an incredible offense and a top ten team. But WVU does not have the name recognition. Rod discovered that if his teams at WVU didn't win when they should, he simply would not get the guarantees from recruits. That was a crushing blow to his ego and a wake-up call. I can imagine him saying, "I work too damn hard to have kids jumping ship because I lost one game. I'm going somewhere where that won't happen..."

That won't happen at Michigan. Kids in the Midwest grow up looking at those helmets everyday. The passion that WVU fans show for their team is incredible, but that is not enough. It only applies to state natives and diehards. You are unfortunately few and far between. There is more interest and more money at Michigan. Just like there was at Alabama...and we all know now that Rod was packing for Tuscaloosa before a last minute change of heart. I wonder if UM AD Bill Martin ever called down to the Tide to ask their opinion of Rod? I would have.

WVU fans need to relax. It's over. Your native son is gone. Deal. There will be another coach...and probably soon. Pat White is staying. Steve Slaton may not(he's got a family you know). Noel Devine is staying. But if Devine thinks he can flourish in a 'non-spread' offense, he is mistaken. He is not Willie Parker, he's Garrett Wolfe. Remember him? Thought so.

Additionally, as of this morning Rod has fired the entire UM coaching staff one-by-one. At a school so obsessed with tradition, was that the right call? Dropping Ron English as Defensive Coordinator without what appears to be a legitimate interview process? Does that mean former D-coordinator Jeff Casteel follows Rich to Ann Arbor? Don't know about that one. I will describe the 3-3-5 defense in one word: C-U-T-E. Not a Big Ten defense...sorry. Get the best athletes available and run a 4-3/3-4 for God's sake! Get serious! How many NFL-caliber players has the 3-3-5 produced at WVU in the last few years? It's time to reevaluate your approach b/c the BEST defensive prospects in high school want to play for a college defense that will display their pro-level skill. Wake up Rod. Tell Casteel to drop the stack D or get a new coordinator.

I used to cover this team as a TV reporter/anchor. I've watched them countless times and interviewed the 'guys' hundreds of times. I'll end by saying this. I don't blame Rod for leaving. That's not our business. But his timing was poor and his job choice perhaps even poorer. WVU will be a better team next season than UM. Period. No Henney, no Hart, no Long in Ann Arbor while White, Slaton (maybe), Devine and the entire O-line returns in Morgantown. Bad call.

To Rich: Rod, I like you but you jobbed these kids. You know it. That's why your team meeting was short. You couldn't look them in the eye. I wonder what that felt like. I wouldn't know because I don't betray people I love in a time of crisis. The state won't welcome you back...not unless you win the National Championship and instantly rip off the block 'M' and weep at the 50-yard line. I can see the camera shot now..."Oh God, it doesn't feel as good as I hoped...West Virginia, what have I done? What...have....I....done?"

But WVU fans, chill. You've got an 8-11 win team next season regardless of head coach. But UM fans should be concerned. In four years, Rod will look to the SEC or to the NFL. That's a fact. He left his hometown for greener pastures after presenting himself as 'college football Jesus' in the Mountain State. As the Boy Scouts say: Be prepared.

You can be sure that Jim Tressel, Kirk Ferentz, Bret Bielema and Joe Paterno will be.

P.S.- (Oh yeah Rod...) On October 18th you're going to be at Happy Valley staring across the way at Joe Pa. At that point of the season you'll probably be 3-3, 4-2, or 2-4. And, you WILL lose to the winningest coach in college football history.

Paterno never left his team. Ever. How do you want to be remembered?

Greetings from VA...

2007-12-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

Friends, welcome to my latest foray into the 'new media' world. I'll be posting thoughts, comments, questions, contusions and abrasions on this site. My views of what surrounds us/me. From discussions of broadcasting to the land of Longwood University, I promise it will be unique.