Stepping Up To Shovel Out

This is Lloyd Street, in Point Breeze. Sunday. My friend, Susan Hillman, lives on this street, and this morning–Tuesday, she tells me it looks the same. Complaints from friends from Mt Washington to Greenfield have poured in. But you have to feel for the Public Works crews, the paramedics, the hospital staff who have toiled tirelessly during this disaster. Who know where the blame lies?  Or if the blame can only be laid at the door of a bad run of weather (unless you are a skier!).

The beauty of it is breathtaking, and photographers are going nuts. This is my favorite so far. But shouldn’t this guy have migrated somewhere warm? Can’t remember the migratory patterns of cardinals. It was taken by my Antarctic traveling buddy, Jaqi Conomikes.

But with the beauty has come hardship, injury, and even death. Our reports about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning have been helpful, and cautionary. I never thought of not starting my car with the exhaust pipe covered with snow. That came from Shannon Perrine this week-end. I have been lucky to have had power, but talking to people in Wilkinsburg recently, frustrated, angry, horribly cold, you understand why they want it fixed–YESTERDAY!

What has been heartening are the stories of neighbors helping neighbors.This is my next door neighbor, who helped me shovel my walk (which I shouldn’t be doing because I have heart disease. But I have a great mask, with a carbon filter, that warms the air going into my lungs—great for asthma patients, also.).

Yup that is me. Anyway, Noris, one of my dogs, thought the shovel was a toy, because it is the same consistency as a Kong. A little levity never hurts.

I also heard stories from another friend in Greenfield, about how the entire neighborhood turned out and shoveled their street when the city plows couldn’t get there. Amazing!And amazing is how I would describe people like Mike. He has a snow plowing company, and told me he worked over 60 hours with only 4 hours sleep. I assumed he was making a bundle, but he said, actually no. The snow is so heavy, and so abundant, that it has beaten up his truck horribly, and it will cost a lot to fix it. And it takes so long to clear just a little amount. Often, he charges only a little, just to be a nice guy. So in the midst of all the negatives in this catastrophe, I am thankful I live in a place like Western Pa, where it is just part of living to reach out and help out.

My Friend, Yvonne

I remember the first time I saw her in our newsroom. 1984. 20 years later, she was still as beautiful in this photo from our trip to visit Liz Miles and her husband, David, at their home in Scottsdale, Arizona.

I remember watching her walk through the Pittsburgh airport, dragging her Brighton carry-on, of which she was so proud, because she had bought it with Apple dollars earned from her columns at the Post-Gazette. I was admiring of the suitcase, yes, but also, of the fact that she was now more than a “TV reporter.” She was in print — in a daily newspaper. It so impressed me.

Out there, in Arizona, the three of us remembered our days together at WTAE-TV.Where broadcasting had taken us, and where it had not.We vowed to do a vacation together again, but when we tried, one of us was always too busy—until Yvonne was too sick. But when Liz walked into her bedroom Monday night, when her friends all gathered to celebrate this remarkable woman, Yvonne said “picture,” and I ran into the downstairs den to grab the framed photo of our memories.

When you got to know Yvonne, what struck you most was her light — a pure light, yet so very human. Yvonne was wonderfully complex, whose stunning looks distracted many from what was a steel-trap mind. And when you combined that brain with an unrelenting work ethic, you had a formidable journalist. Somehow, just calling Yvonne a reporter isn’t enough. And she truly was an advocate for the people. An award-winning advocate,  whose stories were infused with her own special humanity–the quality that made her so beloved by devoted viewers and her many friends.

And one of the things those friends loved about her was her infectious sense of humor–light-hearted, sometimes edgy, and often raucous. Yvonne was both fun, and  funny.

And humble. Her humility extended not just to her broadcast accomplishments, but her celebrated looks. The night of her death, as her family and friends toasted her life, and her brave battle against a horribly aggressive cancer, her husband, Jim (shown here in a Christmas photo several years ago)

allowed that she never really got that people found her so gorgeous. That people found her so talented and intelligent. But if you asked Yvonne what defined her most, she would say her fierce love of her family.

How many dressing room talks did she and I have about her daughthers, Adona and Nikki, and then her first grandchild, Adona’s daughter, Lindsey. She was so proud of  her daughters and of that beautiful baby girl, who first made her a grandmother.  Now there are five!  And as she talked about her impending death, she was comforted, somewhat, by the fact that her children and

grandchildren were happy,  settled, and surrounding her as she fought to survive, and maintain a sense of what was normal.

I spent Thankgiving night at her home, with all of them, and we danced to the theme songs from television shows of the 80’s. Her dogs, Pumpkin and Hope underfoot, and one of her four cats appearing now and then.  She smiled and laughed, but there was a quiet, almost imperceptible resignation about her. If you hadn’t  known her, you would never  have noticed .

It was true of her last days on television.  It is why, I suppose, that so many people expressed surprise that she had died. “I just saw her on TV and she looked fine,” they would say. One friend, DVE’s Jim Krenn,  commented that her beauty was so enduring,  not even the ravages of cancer could diminish it.

Why did she work until the end? Not because she needed to be on TV. What she needed was to make lives better. It is why one of her final contributions was to mount an amazing charitible drive, one last time, for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

And her lasting contribution to her friends is to have taught us both how to live, and how to die. If we can not incorporate some of her penchant for looking for the best in everyone, and maintaining grace and humor when most would have withered, then what’s the point?

Thank  you Yvonne, for your lessons, and your life.

(a note–the last two photos were sent to me by a friend of Yvonne’s. I regret that they could not be enlarged, because of the size sent.  I wanted to post this as soon as possible, and I am trying to get a larger format with which to replace them)

Crowe-ing About Pittsburgh

When you work in broadcast journalism, be it local or network, you get to interview some fascinating people.  You even get to interview some famous people. And, sometimes, you get to interview famous people who are fascinating. Russell Crowe is one of those. Dynamic, brilliant, gifted, versatile, observant, funny, and so devoted to his family. Am I gushing? You bet. He has always been my favorite actor, along with Viggo Mortensen of LOTR fame. According to bios about Mr. Crowe, he was offered the part of Aragorn, but had to turn it down because of “A Beautiful Mind,” for which he received an Oscar nomination.  Coincidentally, Mr. Mortensen was here a little less than two years ago, making “The Road,” which is in theatres now.

The local stations didn’t get to interview Mr. Mortensen, which is often the case when big films and big stars are in the area. Frankly, it’s understandable. The actors and directors are working killer hours, so who has time for a flurry of distractions?

That’s why I was so surprised that Lionsgate, the production company for “The Next Three Days,” got in touch with a couple of us who had requested an interview with Mr. Crowe. Blown away is a better description. When you spend decades in this business,  you interview a lot of celebrities–in sports, politics and entertainment.  This was the only time I can remember freaking out when I learned that a request had been granted. A huge “thank you” to publicist, Emma Cooper, who was just wonderful in setting this all up, and to  Jessica Connor , from the Pittsburgh Film Office, for helping to facilitate it .

What made it even better was this guy, Lenni Todd, one of our veteran photojournalists.  Mr. Crowe recognized Lenni, when he saw him  on the Sharpsburg set Thursday. Lenni had met Mr. Crowe during the G20 Summit. Lenni and a BBC photographer had gone to one of  Lenni’s favorite  taverns in Lawrenceville. (Lenni says it is a bar, but I liked the sound of tavern better). Who should walk in, but Russell Crowe. Lenni talked to him for some time, and told us all what a great guy he was.

Mr. Crowe started popping up everywhere in Pittsburgh. Penguins games, Steelers games, local restaurants. He told us he had  biked over 500 miles all around the area. I even had the chance to meet him in Regent Square. They had been filming at a house across the street from friends of mine, Dr. Geoff Kurland and his wife, Kristen, a CMU professor. Kristen had met some of the crew members,

because of a family connection (Kristen is on the right, Skip is the crew member, and her sister Sueanne, next to me, is the “family connection”). So one night, Kristen invited me over, and Mr. Crowe was talking to all the neighbors watching the production. Someone brought him toward us, and Kristen was introduced to him. But she forgot to introduce her husband and me! We teased her that we were standing right in front of THE Russell Crowe, and never met him. Well, that changed!

Both director, Paul Haggis and Russell Crowe seem to have a genuine fondness for this region. Haggis, an Oscar winner for “Crash” and “Million Dollar Baby,” specifically chose Pittsburgh as the setting for this thriller about a man–a teacher– whose wife (played by Elizabeth Banks) is convicted of murder. The man resolves to break her out of prison, with the advice of an expert, played by Liam Neeson. Mr. Haggis says one of the reasons he placed the story here was the unique character of the neighborhoods.

Add to that, Mr. Crowe’s description of  Pittsburgh as one of the friendliest cities he had visited in America. And he was spot on when he extolled the beauty of the region’s architecture. It is so true, but we locals often forget to point it out. He even orchestrated where we did the interview so two stunning church towers were behind him–and he joked about how he was arranging the interview.

And, yes, Pittsburgh, he loves sports. He was generous in his praise of the owners and managers of the Pens and Steelers (he says he didn’t get to visit the Pirates), and the education he had gotten here about their organizations. He is so enthusiastic about the rugby team he owns in Australia–The South Sidney Rabbitohs–102 years old, who last one a championship when he was 7. He added,”When I was 7, I believed anything was possible, and it gave me confidence.” He added that owning the team was more about the community service to the people of the district than winning football games. I highly recommend viewing his message to the members of the club-full of Burgh stuff. This week-end(12/4-12/5), you can see it in Hot Topics on the Home Page of thepittsburghchannel.com . After that, here’s the link:http://play.viostream.com/?play=57475375-3c07-4850-84f9-0d7b53c7f446.

And last, but not least, what was most touching was his expression of  how deeply he misses his wife and two young boys. His oldest son turns 6 on December 21st, and Mr. Crowe was counting the days until he can go home to them in Australia. I know some people may point to his reputation in the media. But he has been a great and appreciative friend to Pittsburgh, and Lenni and I found him to be a stand-up guy, who could not have been more gracious.

Going Back to Denver

What is it about Pittsburgh Sports, and the allure of Championships? My last blog entry was after the Stanley Cup victory, over 5 months ago! So, I thought a good time to resume blogging would be the site at which I first began. The Mile-High City. We all were encouraged to give it a go during the AFC Championships in 2006, but time seemed less pressing at that time, compared to this most recent trip for Monday Night Football.

Therefore, I am finally getting around to it now– but, technological idiot that I am, I erased all my photos for the last month as I was transferring them from the camera. Sometimes, an obsession to straighten up can be absolute digital devastation. But thanks to John Meyer I have this shot of  Guy Junker, John Meyer, and me, sitting in our director’s chairs, talking Steeler football for an hour and a half in our Black and Gold Primetime Special. The three-person format was fabulous, and working with the two men was a joy! However, we were shivering here, in the rapidly dropping temperatures of the Denver night.

And walking around a Steelers game at Invesco Field is like…well, like walking around almost any stadium in the U.S.,where the Steelers are playing.  Steeler Nation in abundance. In Denver, many of the folks were former Burghers who had left during the downturn of the 1980’s. But a large contingent had never been there. They became fans during those great years in the 70’s.

Now, these people I know. Well, it least the man on the left.  His name is Ric Ettinger, who had been one of our directors way back when I first came to WTAE in 1980. Those are his children, Daniel and Amy . They all live in Denver now, but are rabid Steeler fans. They were in good company. Daniel estimated, after walking the entire way around the stadium, there were at least 20 thousand jersey-wearing, towel-waving Black and Gold Faithful.

And what a game! Denver’s highly ranked ground game proved no match for the Steelers defense– Number 1 against the run  in the league. And three interceptions–all from the safeties. Two for the stellar back-up Ty Carter, and one for Troy.

And amongst the deleted photos–my shots of  Mike and Mike from Friday morning, when they were broadcasting their morning show at Bettis’ Grille. But suffice it to say, the Monday Night Football performance convinced Golic that the Steelers were the best team in the NFL right now. The guys had done their mid-season awards the day before , and Golic had picked Drew Brees as the Offensive MVP. Greenie had picked Brett Favre. So, naturally I asked where Ben was in this conversation, since he has a league-leading 70 percent completion percentage (I think it is still atop the league). They both agreed that the lingering perception of the Steelers as a defensive-oriented, run-dominated team, skews how he is considered in the conversation of greats. But they tagged him as unquestionably “elite.”

(sorry, this is the only photo I have of Ben–playing softball at Hines’ charity game for the Fallen Police officers last June) . I interviewed Ben several days before the MNF game, and you should see him light up when he talks about the no-huddle offense. What he likes is the ability to make decisions, and welcomes the responsibility. As he says, “It is 100 percent me.” In his 6th year, with two Super Bowls, he certainly deserves that responsibility.

And Ben will be one of the many Steelers at the “In The Pocket” event at J. Verno Studios on the Southside, Monday night. It is the third year for Charlie Batch’s fundraiser for his Best of the Batch Foundation. Charlie  is extraordinary in his philanthropy, and has given back so much to the kids of  this region. The focus this year is literacy, and there will be a genuine Dr. Seuss costume on hand, along with the official referees, Jim and Randy of the DVE Morning Show. I will also be there, “trying” to play ping pong, I think. Been woefully bad the past two years.

For more information go to this link: http://batchfoundation.org/inthepocket/index.shtml.

What’s In A Number

Not a great photo, but it is with my IPhone (forgot my camera), and I had to at least capture the “Fleury” (is that lame!) of excitement as the Penguins would not be denied in the final minute of Game 6 at Mellon Arena. Thanks to Rob Scuderi, literally laying himself on the line, or crease, to be exact. And the “role” players. Everyone has been talking about how “deep” the Red Wings are.  As the  Pens go into Game 7, I think you can say they  have found their own depth. (I know, the photo is of Crosby and Fleury, I didn’t get Staal) That third line, with Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy, stepped up, and opened the door to a fitting end of an epic series.  I hesitated to call Game 6 “epic.” But several of the sports writers and radio hosts I respect had already labeled it as such. Both these teams deserve a Game 7 and you have to believe it is an indication of how evenly matched they are. This is only the 15th time a Stanley Cup Final has gone to a Game 7.

Unfortunately, some of the other stats surrounding the number 7 don’t favor the Pens. Each of the last six Game 7’s in a Cup final have been won by the home team. And the record for the entire 14 is 12-2. But a number I like. In all of American pro sports, the last team to win a Game 7 away from home was——The Pirates! Baltimore, 1979. 30 years ago. If you are superstitious— and Bryan Trottier, a winner of 7 Stanley Cups (one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche) told me  that hockey players are the most superstitious of pro athletes–you have to regard the Pittsburgh connection as a good omen. 

Of course, the home team has advantages, as former Penguin and FSN analyst, Jay Caufield reminded me.  On both line changes and face-offs. But he also says a Game 7 will, ultimately come down to the goalies. And I am putting my money on Marc-Andre Fleury. This handsome young man is a radio broadcaster from Fleury’s hometown near Montreal. His seat was next to mine in the press box for all of the home games. The day before Game 6, Renaud Barriere interviewed Fleury in Fleury’s home for almost an hour. Renaud told me before the game, that the drubbing he took in Game 5 would have no effect on him. That he has an ability to move ahead and forget about a bitter defeat, or a “soft” goal. Some analysts speculated after Game 5, that the shutout and the bouncing boards of Joe Louis Arena, would get in Fleury’s head. Renaud doesn’t think so. Not that I am prejudiced, but I really believe Pittsburgh will change the trend. If each of the last SIX series that had a 7th game was won by the home team–then , in this, the 7th in that string of Game 7’s, will be won by the away team.  Don’t you just love sports stats!

Best Of Three

 

I 

It has been four months since my last post. The Super Bowl. I could say that trips, sweeps, sick dogs, family and friends, and charities have all conspired to keep me from blogging—but my lingering aversion to the technology is probably a more likely  deterrent. 

But what better time to jump back in ,then two games away from The Stanley Cup?  Lombardi to Stanley. I have been at both home games, and I continue to marvel at this team, Mario Lemieux’s devotion to this town, and this coach, who is self-effacing, confident, and a superb teacher. Last night, at the podium he admitted to us reporters that when Detroit scored just seconds into the 2nd period,  he looked up and thought,”Oh goodness.” Dan Bylsma said he wondered, for a moment, if the Pens were headed for a replay of their poor play in the 2nd period Tuesday night. “Oh Goodness”?!  Who says that in our increasingly less-than-civil society?  It was refreshing, and I am sure, made some of us feel a little sheepish. 

But the momentary worry was unwarranted.  Jordan Staal’s short-handed goal set off a flurry (or should I say Fleury?) of scoring that changed the game, and perhaps the series.  

Detroit coach Mike Babcock said later, at the podium, ” I didn’t think we were very composed.” Ya think? He admitted that the Penguins had more energy, and the Staal goal was huge. The Pens went on to score two more goals–making it three in just over 5 minutes . And Mellon Arena was shaking, the fans were so loud. Loudest I have ever heard them. Sidney finally got his goal in this series, although Bylsma pointed out that he had been playing well all along. Someone asked Sidney if he sensed Henrik Zetterberg, who has been hanging all over him since Saturday, was getting tired. In characteristic understatement, Sidney replied, “It didn’t feel like that.” He is a sterling representative of his sport. And Marc- Andre Fleury.  He sooooo deserved being the first star in the game. 18 saves in the first period. Both nights, I was sitting next to a young radio journalist from Fleury’s hometown, and he talked to me about the beginning of Fleury’s career, how young he is, and the maturation process of a goalie. In one breakaway, I watched how he moves his feet in the crease, and I tried to imagine what it must be like to see someone moving like lightning, down the ice, ready to fire away at you. It is kinda masochistic to want to be a goalie, from my limited perspective. But admirable. I wonder if being a goalie has a lot of the elelments of just living life. You stand there, and keep taking shots. You let some in, but you get back up , shake them off, and try again. 

I think I heard Babcock say, after the first game, that goalie was the most important position on the ice. When you watch Saturday night, imagine yourself in Fleury’s postion for a moment. I don’t know if I have the courage to do even that. 

And before I close, Evgeni Malkin. I saw his parents and friends being surrounded by people in between periods. They were being swamped for photos and autographs. And has he been stellar in the playoffs, or what ? FSN’s Paul Alexander told me (I think I am remembering this correctly) that Malkin has had 12 multi-point games in these playoffs, and no one has done that since Mario, in the 1992 series that lead to Pittsburgh’s last Stanley Cup.  Here’s hoping Pittsburgh brings it back on home ice, Tuesday night. Guy Junker reminded me that a championship title has not been won IN the city, since the Pirates beat the Yankees in 1960.

Super Bowl Eve

Voted Coach of the Year, by the fans, online. Today, Mike Tomlin invited the families of the players to watch the final walk-through. Impressive move. Right now, I am watching Merril Hoge, who has been our analyst for our Super Bowl specials, and he and Trent Dilfer are making what would be their motivational speeches the night before the game. I am so happy for Merril–he has a much larger role on ESPN now, and deserves it.

Our crew is beat, but pleased that things have been clicking for all of us on the WTAE team . It’s been rainy, and cold (of course nothing like it has been in Pittsburgh. Winter seems positively relentless).

We had to write and edit for two days in the bowels of the hotel where the Steelers were staying.   As is custom with the night’s before a Super Bowl game, they go to an undisclosed location. We have also moved our show, to outside Raymond James Stadium, and will be there from 7am Sunday, until one am on Monday. That is me on the left, with the hood (just trying mightily to keep warm), writing my last piece for the 11 pm news on Saturday night. Photojournalist ,Dan Pratt is on one side of me, and Cary Toaso on the other. Marci Cipirani is in the right-hand corner. We are in the domestic Satellite compound, and it is where we will be all day before the Game.And this is what that Game is all about. Well, a symbol of it. I took this right before Tomlin’s last news conference prior to the Super Bowl. Media members were all scambling to get a photo with the trophy. There is one of both Andrew and me, but Andrew is blocking the prize. And the next picture I will post before tomorrow, is for good luck. I posted a blog the day of the AFC Championship, with photos from Antarctica, especially one with a Terrible Towel being held aloft on the White Continent. Well,  my friend, Elise Larsen, the Oceanites researcher, is back there, on the Lindblad ship, The National Geographic Explorer. She was at the AFC Championship game, had a great time, and took her towel with her on this trip to the bottom of the planet. I asked her to send me a new photo of her with the Towel, so I could keep the routine going. I just got it–so here’s hoping the Towel, being transported to the ends of the earth, will weave it’s magic.Myron  would be so tickled by all of this, and touched by the wonderful tribute poem his dear partner, Billy Hillgrove, read on the air in our last special Saturday night. We love and miss  you, Myron Cope. 

 

Can you see all the penguins in the background!!!!!???????

Media Day Madness At The Super Bowl

Media Day. If I use the word “circus” one more time to describe this cattle call, I will slap myself. It really isn’t as bad as we in the business like to paint it. And it is fascinating to see how many of us interview each other. ( I think I just blogged about that two days ago?) This is Chris Berman, the veteran ESPN anchor, a graduate of Brown University (Ivy League) whom we watched interview former Steeler, now Cardinal, Sean Morey, also a Brown alum. I didn’t get to use our interview with Sean, but he is going to the Pro Bowl for special teams and I  asked him if he had any idea his career would last this long. He said, frankly, no. He is such a great guy, and people in Pittsburgh loved his heart–you have to be happy for him even if you’re pulling for the Steelers. 

And this is another guy whom Pittsburghers will wish well, while rooting against his team-Steve Breaston. The injury to Anquan Boldin this season, gave this Woodland Hills graduate his chance to step up, and he did. Another connection of Steve’s is to LaMarr Woodley, who was (and still is) his best friend at University of Michigan. Go Wolverines (I am an alum, and a bit obnoxious about it, I admit)! Both guys were generously cooperative about my interview regarding their friendship, and how hard-hitting it may become on Game Day. Steve said he expected LaMarr would be chasing him around. It is the positive aspect of competition–go at it with all you have got, and shake hands afterwards. I could do that in golf, but I am not sure I would be so forgiving if someone slams me to the ground. Another well-known Western Pennsylvanian who will be dividing some loyalties. Coach Russ Grimm is the best, a frequent visitor to our Winterfest at Seven Springs. I talked to him about what makes our region so rich in football tradition, and it is unquestionably its solid work ethic. As everyone knows, Russ was one of the candidates for the Steelers head job when Coach Cowher retired. Both he and  Tomlin are great coaches, but the Rooney’s choice of Tomlin has turned out to be  brilliant, and seems to be the right fit for the Steelers. As has this choice. Ben Roethlisberger. I was talking to The Professor–ESPN’s John Clayton –yesterday, and he was rattling off the amazing stats that Ben has amassed in just five years in the league. “Rarified” atmosphere, I believe John called the position in which Ben finds himself. He has been handling the media with poise and maturity, and we saw him and Hines Monday afternoon, as we set up for our special at the Steelers hotel. He didn’t have to acknowledge us (for fear we might come over and bug him) , but he called out hello to me, which was nice. I said hi, and then started to walk by, and Hines called me over. I was so nervous about talking to them outside a “media availability,” and Hines asked me when I had arrived. I said,” Am I supposed to talk to you? I am media?”. He  laughed and looked at me as if I were crazy. I know it this all sounds silly, but these guys get attacked if they stick their head out the door, and their accessibility is very tightly regulated. That is why Media Day is such a frenzy. Oh, one last thing. I was soaking wet, because I soooo stupidly wore my backpack. But it served as a great battering ram getting through the  throng.

And talk about a throng. The biggest Steeler star, other than Ben, is Troy. I admit, it is such a kick, when Dan Pratt, my photographer, and I walked over to his booth, he gave us a little wave before I asked a question. One idiot reporter kept hounding him about his hair, and I wanted to take our mike pole and whack the guy. 

And these familiar faces were part of that throng. DVE’s Jim and Randy. Randy interviewed me with an iPhone.  Never seen that before (although I know have one, and I am obsessed with it. They are broadcasting from here on Radio Row, and ESPN 1250’s and WTAE’s Guy Junker did a great piece on them.

 

Media Dominates The Super Bowl

It is stating the obvious–and when don’t most of us do that- to say the Super Bowl is a football game. But another cliche is that it is a spectacle. And who makes it so? The media, of course. So much so, that if you are not interviewing players, you are interviewing other members of the media. It’s incestuous. Another cliche!  But I love interviewing some of these guys of whom I am, admittedly, a fan. These two men are on the top of the list. It is probably my fourth interview with Mike and Mike (Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic), the morning duo for ESPN, including the Super Bowl in Detroit. They have also done remotes from Pittsburgh on a number of occasions–Steeler Monday Nights and the U.S. Open, for example. They have been together for 10 years, but I met Mike Golic when his first morning partner was Tony Bruno. Tony is an old friend, who actually discovered me when I was first starting out, when he heard my voice in a small town radio report. Because of that, I got my first job as a radio reporter. So, when Tony and Mike came to Pittsburgh for a remote, Tony actually put me on the air. 

How things change. Tony left ESPN, moved on to Fox Sports Radio, then Sporting News Radio ( I think he is now with an L.A. radio station),  and Mike and Mike have become wildly popular , not just on radio, but simulcasting on ESPN2.  They come off like an old married couple, arguing, poking fun at each other…But their real gift is putting sports in a cultural context–always reminding us the role it plays, or should play, in American life. And this week, it’s place is fascinating, overblown, ridiculous, and touching. That is why we in the media love it.  I am running one day behind, so I will post all the photos from media day either tonight, or tomorrow morning.

Tampa Team Soaking Up The Bowl

Arriving in Tampa. Beautiful airport, beautiful weather–a welcome sight after a week of anticipation. We have a great crew, some of whom drove ther 13 hours down here, bringing our equipment and vehicles.   Dan Henninger, a veteran of one Super Bowl, and all of our Black and Gold Primetimes for the last 12 years is our fearless leader.

Andrew Stockey was had only been with WTAE for a year or so when he was with me in Phoenix for Super Bowl XXX. And this trip, we also have Guy Junker, doing double duty for us and ESPN Radio 1250, Marci Cipriani (who used to work here ). Our intrepid photographers include Dan Pratt. T.J. Haut, Andy Cunningham, Cary Toaso, and our engineer, Greg Kornides. Pratt, Henninger, Stockey, and Kornides were all in Detroit, and the memories of that frigid, gridlocked city are not pleasant—although, the end certainly was. We are all very lucky to be here, but it is hard long work, and sleep is something you do when you get home. Just love this photo. a GREAT BIG BEN and a little Andrew. Just kidding. After we got our luggage, and rental cars, Andrew and I drove to the Tampa Convention Center, which is NFL Media Center, to get our credentials. This massive poster is in what they call radio row. It had a great coffee shop, a Madden game center –I took some photos of Andrew playing someone for a few minutes–check out Andrew’s blog to see them (he is so much more diligent than I am in posting-haha), and then we actually played pool as we waited for the rest of the bunch.

About the only play we will be doing for the next nine days. More tonight, on chatting with Mike and Mike Monday morning, and hanging at the Steeler’s hotel.