Oh, man...

How awesome is this? This week keeps getting better!

Andrew (fellow WTVM'er) was supposed to go to the Bama/Gators game with me. He's already got a full work load this weekend, so he can't make it. I asked La'Qunta, one of our fine producers, because she wanted to go earlier in the week. She's now made plans, so it looks like I'll be making the trip alone. This is not the "getting better" part...

...This is! After hamming it up with the SportsDirector tonight, I told him I knew of someone over in T-Town that might be able to help. I received an e-mail from Clayton, my old cohort at WVUA, saying he'd love to see the game inside the stadium. He even asked if there were extra credentials. Well, after everything else fell through, I called him tonight.

Clayton is a heck of a camera guy. He and I were a team for quite some time, and I love his style. He told me tonight it's a go! He's going to help me Saturday! SportsDirector told me he trusted my judgment, so have fun!

C-Note and B. Rock back together for one day only! Get your tickets now! :-) I'm more pumped than you can imagine right now! I get to see Bama, Clayton, Justin and who knows who else.

Roll Tide!

Mama, I'm coming home

Sweet Home Tuscaloosa!

My sports director is the best! He asked me today if I had plans for Saturday. I finally have a weekend where I won't be going anywhere, so I told him I was free. He said he wanted to ask me first if I wanted to work. I got curious, then he told me he had credentials for the Bama/Florida game!

My response? "I'm going home!"

I'm getting to see my beloved Crimson Tide take on the Gators in person! Two unbeaten SEC teams at Bryant-Denny! I'm so happy about this trip.

Yeah, I've got to work it. So what. I'm going back to my heartland.

Reflections of Katrina: 9/9/05

Finally! Part 2!

Ashley and I woke up Friday morning around 7:30. She had to call into a radio station for an interview, and I got a shower and dressed. All the other guys also got up, and we all left the house around 9:00.

We filled up in Mobile, grabbed some breakfast and headed back to Biloxi. The Columbus guys went back to Georgia, which means a quicker trip back to Mississippi. We didn't have to follow trucks and trailers, so we made decent time getting back.

We first went to Highway 90 on the eastern side of Biloxi. We shot some more footage where a bunch of houses used to be. There were stairs in several places that should've gone up to front doors. They instead went nowhere. We'd stand on the top and look out over just piles of rubble.

We did some of our on-camera stuff, and went inside one of the houses. As we were coming out, the owner drove up. He told us while the downstairs area was trashed, the upstairs looked untouched. Not even a picture out of place.

We then shot some more in the surrounding neighborhoods, and then peeked over the wall at Keesler AFB. I barely recognized my old stomping ground. New construction was mixed in with total destruction.

The neighborhoods surrounding the base gave a better picture of the damage. We saw signs that read "You loot, we shoot." We also saw a refrigerator covered in rope that ready "Do not open. You will regret it." Red and black X's marked the houses with dead or injured people inside.

We made our way out of Biloxi and into Ocean Springs. Jimmy, one of my best friends since before high school, is with the National Guard unit out of Tallassee, AL. He was deployed down there, so we decided to do some stories.

We drove up to the municipal airport where the NG was set up. Jimmy was working in Vancleave, about 45 minutes northeast of there. We met several soldiers from our viewing area, and then headed to Jimbo's hideout.

We stopped at the Ocean Springs mall where the Phenix City unit was handing out water and ice to a long line of cars. Ashley did a story there, and then we went to Vancleave. It was longer than 45 minutes, I think. :-)

We drive up to the high school, and there's Jimmy guarding the gate. Never in my life did I think our jobs would bring us to the same location in another state. It was awesome to see him and his unit loading food, water and ice. Those people were very grateful, and they even helped the Guardsmen by loading cars and giving them food.

We wrapped up our final story there. We left around 5:00 that afternoon, and headed back to Opelika. We stopped by my house, and Ash went on to Columbus. I got home around 10:00 that night, and that wraps up my Katrina memories.

I described the destruction better in the previous post. It's late, and I don't feel like getting into more detail. Thanks for reading it, though. Once again, here's a link to some pictures from the trip.

Follow me

I received a great e-mail today! Lee is a guy I graduated high school with. I lost track of him after graduation, but I ran into him one day while we were at Bama. He was working in Finacial Aid, but I never got to hang out with him.

I always made it a point to stop in and see him, but then we left. I e-mailed him a couple of times when we moved here, but they bounced back. After 16 months, he e-mailed me today.

He saw me on the news yesterday, and it turns out he's now living in Auburn. He's a speech teacher at the local community college. It's great we live in the same place again.

It's been a great day!

Phantom of the Football

Amy's birthday is Tuesday, so I took her up to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta Saturday. We went to see "The Phantom Of The Opera." We had both seen it growing up, but we needed a refresher. That's part of my present to her. Good time, AWESOME performance!

I had a good football weekend, too. Alabama got its biggest win under Shula, a road trip to South Carolina. Steve Spurrier, one of my "Hated 3" of college coaches, was thouroughly whipped by my beloved Tide 37-14. It's still not his signature win, but things appear to be on the right track finally.

As fas as the other two in that trio, Dennis Franchione won big. I was sorry to see that happen, but... the Godfather of the "Hated 3" went down! Phillip "Great Pumpkin" Fulmer lost to Florida in a very good game! I've normally despised Florida because of the Spurrier aftertaste, but I really like Urban Myer now. I was impressed watching him at Utah last year, but now even if he beats us in Tuscaloosa this year, I like him. He took down Fatty Fulmer. Anyone that does that is A-Ok in my book.

If you care, I'm still getting up the patience to write about day #2 of our Biloxi trip. I just don't feel like sitting here that long again and writing.

With that said, it's off to play some World Series of Poker.

Crossing the divide

I was checking out some blogs tonight linked over at SouthTVNews, and I stumbled upon Chris Davis. He's a meterologist up at Fox 6 in Birmingham.

He used to work at WHNT, and he was searching for some stuff when he happened across this little blog o' mine. He's reprinted my rant on Kevin Osgood (found here) over on his site. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one K.O. has "K.O.'d." He's at a good station now, though.

Thanks for the mention, Chris. I hope all is well in "The Ham." :-)

The growth continues

We heard our baby's heartbeat for the second time today! It's very strong, and the doc is happy with the progress. Amy is starting to show a little, and she's at 15 and a half weeks. We find out four weeks from today what we're having!

As far as the concluding Katrina Biloxi update, you'll have to wait one more day. I'm way too tired, and I just want to watch the World Series of Poker. :-)

Good night!

Reflections of Katrina: 9/8/05

Sept. 8, 2005: Ashley and I went to Biloxi with the guys from Knology Cable and St. Peter United Methodist Church from Columbus. The mission: Drop off supplies, cook food and take a family home.

I met Ash around 4:00 a.m. Thursday at the Spectrum on Hwy. 280 in Opelika. We hopped in the "9-Mobile" and trucked on down the highway. I was very surprised that after just three and a half hours of sleep I was coherent. Thankfully, she was awake, too.

The group gathered two 30-foot trucks worth of supplies, and they had a trailer with a huge grill and an ice cream cart from Bruster's. We caught up with them just before dawn south of Montgomery. That's when I got to meet everybody for the first time. Hey, it's lonely in East Alabama.

Fast forward to 10:30 a.m. We're on I-10 near Pascagoula, MS. Traffic is at a stand still because the bridge leading to Moss Point is a two-way mess. Katrina messed up half the bridge, so everyone was merging. By this point, we'd topped off the gas tank at least three times. You would think gas would be more expensive down there, but gas in Opelika that day was $2.89 per gallon. It was only $2.54 along the coast.

We arrived in Gulfport to drop a family off. They were staying at The Ralston in Columbus, and we thought we were reuniting them with their brother. However, they were going home.

Their complex had limbs everywhere. Inside, a table was set up at the back of the lobby where people were getting bathroom items and so forth. They took two grocery carts of their belongings up to the third floor.

When they opened their door, a horrible odor crept out into the hallway. Their apartment was a mess. Food was everywhere, and the gentleman quickly disappeared around the corner. He quickly returned spraying an air freshener while we interviewed him. It had to be old food, mold and mildew.

We left the complex, and headed to a Red Cross staff shelter. We drove down Hwy. 49 through Gulfport, and it was a complete mess. Power lines were down, traffic lights were either out or missing and USAF Security Police and National Guardsmen were directing traffic. Some restaurants were running limited hours, but most were closed. Buildings were either boarded up, damaged, or just complete rubble.

Probably the most haunting images were a bank and post office. We saw about 50 people standing outside a bank waiting to get their money. At the post office, a sign said there was no regular mail, but they had a big basket out front where you could drop things to send off.

We arrived at the Red Cross shelter where the Columbus group quickly set up a tent and grill. Red Cross volunteers quickly came outside, and the first thing they noticed was the Bruster's Ice Cream cart. They couldn't beg for cones quickly enough. Many workers told us they hadn't had any dairy products in a week and a half. Vanilla ice cream suddenly became worth more than gold.

They had enough hamburgers and hot dogs to feed about 1,000 people. They needed them, too. Not only did volunteers come out to eat, but a low income neighborhood next to the shelter got the word. Parents and kids came out to eat, and they were certainly not turned away. There was a big pile of debris between the shelter and homes, but that didn't stop anyone. It was an incredible sight.

We finished up our part at the Red Cross and headed to a the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd near Keesler AFB in Biloxi. I was stationed at Keesler back in 1994-1995, so I knew the area pretty well. I wasn't prepared to see everything I knew in complete shambles.

At the church, we shot another story and then helped clean out the first truck. As we were taking stuff into the shelter, a number of people came in and brought it right back out. They were families who lost everything. During our breaks, we'd talk to them a bit. I've never heard face-to-face stories of how people survive without anything. They were so grateful to the group for bringing all the items. Baby items, clothes, toys, food, water, toiletries... Everything under the sun was in that truck.

A group of guys from Virginia Tech showed up at the last minute and helped unload probably over 50 cases of water. My back was killing me, but just thinking of those in need made the pain go away. Ash was completely tired, as was everyone. Most of the people helping at the church were from San Diego, Oregon and other places.

The second truck showed up not long after we finished the first one. Ashley began going through the phone book trying to find a hotel for us. She was told, "Try Houston or Arkansas." We should've known better. :-) As she worked the phone, I jumped in line to help the VT guys unload the next truck.

When all that was finished, the Columbus guys went back to the Red Cross shelter while Ash and I drove down to the Gulf Coast. That's when I almost lost it.

We pulled up to Hwy. 90, directly across from the Treasure Bay casino. Granted, unless you were familiar with the area, you had no idea what the place was. It was a big boat-shaped casino, and it was a beautiful sight when it was upright. The bottom was torn out of it, and I was surprised to see it was still floating.

Across from Treasure Bay stood a hotel where Dad, Mary and I stayed on their first trip to Keesler to see me. The front was gone. Next to us was a Waffle House, but only a few steel beams remained. Ash and I did our on-camera bits, and she spoke with some Alabama Marine Police officers at the intersection. They cleared us to drive down Hwy. 90 and told us the looters were really bad the night before. They also said bodies were still washing up on shore earlier in the day.

We drove down 90 for a bit. The road itself was dangerous because most of it was just missing. We then happened upon a casino on the wrong side of the road. Mississippi law says casinos must be on water. This thing, barges and all, was on another hotel across the road.

I used to know every inch of this area. I couldn't recognize a third of it. I was fighting back tears seeing what, if any, was left of the stores and places I used to visit. A city where I spent one fourth of my Air Force career is in utter shambles.

We finally got in contact with the group, and we decided to meet them at Bay Vista Baptist Church near the base. We were hungry, but the one place that was open at 7:30 at night was blocked off. After taking in more of the scenery, we made it to the church and waited.

A very foul stench was in the air. There was an apartment complex right behind the church. We were told the smell was that of decomposing bodies they hadn't retrieved yet. That is an odor we'll never forget.

After chatting with members of the Pennsylvania/New Jersey Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Team, our guys finally showed up. They unloaded Buck Ice, and we said good night to Biloxi. Well, almost. As we were headed back to I-10, we were stopped by Biloxi police officers with semi-automatic weapons drawn. A curfew went into effect at 8:00, and our group was told to disappear for the night.

We made the drive to a group member's house in Orange Beach, Alabama. Around midnight, a hot meal was waiting on us. We ate, got showers and fell asleep for the night.

Part Two of the trip is coming up possibly Tuesday night. Pictures can be found here. I'm sleepy. :-)

Safe and Sound

Ashley and I made it back into town tonight. I have a lot to say about our two-day trip to Biloxi/Gulfport. Expect a detailed report maybe Sunday night. I'm going to bed, and we're going back south for Mom's birthday in the morning.

I'll also provide you with pictures from the trip, and we'll be presenting our stories on-air soon. I'll give you two different perspectives about this area. I was stationed at Keesler AFB 10 years ago, and this was the first time I've been back.

Let me say this much... You can see all the images of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath you want. See it in person, and your perception of life will drastically change.

Here we go!

Ashley Nix and I are heading to Biloxi in five short hours. I just got home from work, so I'll get about three and a half hours of sleep. Gotta love working night side sometimes.

We'll share our stories on the air when we get back. We've got some good stuff lined up already. I'm excited about the trip! We should only be gone a couple of days.

Pray for safety and the people we'll be seeing! G'night!

Conspiracy Theories

We had a great trip to South Carolina over the holiday. Got to see our new nephew! He's very handsome!

I was listening to the guys on from WANI 1400 this morning, Ben Taylor and Andy Burcham. Andy is the station manager, and Ben handles news and sports. They're also both part of the Auburn Network.

On a side note, Ben likes to use my stories from my station's web site. Usually, if I write it, he's reading it almost verbatim the next morning. Do I ever get credit? No. That may be an issue at a later date. After all, it is my work he's stealing.

Anyhow, Ben cheerfully pipes up this morning that ESPN is completely against Auburn's football team. How? Their set during the game is decked out in black and gold. The announcers are wearing gold ties. He says it's pretty obvious they're pulling for Georgia Tech.

Well, let's see... the new graphics for ESPN College Gameday are predominantly gold and black. Over the last couple of years, they were orange and blue. Maybe they were just ready for a change...?

Andy agrees with Ben.

I don't want to even remotely know which part of left field this theory came from.

Death comes three times...

I've always heard famous people die three's. Aside from the two mentioned below, Bob Denver also passed away Friday. He was "Gilligan."

Sad weekend

Ok, one more thing before I go to bed. I just saw these couple of articles. Sad weekend to end an already heartbreaking week:

From Friday: Former ESPN reporter Adrian Karsten found dead

From Saturday: Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies of Cancer

I bumped into Adrian Karsten at a Bama game a couple of years ago. He was a really nice guy.

Sad week for millions of people...

Sorry, guys...

I had to switch comments over to "Registerd Users Only." On that last post tonight, I got eight anonymous spams. If the spam continues, you'll have to go through word verification to yell back at me.

Off to bed, then South Carolina! Here's hoping we find gas on the way home!

Saturday Night Fever

Thank goodness it's football season! This weekend began with a lot of fun. My thanks to The SportsLady and The SportsDirector for letting me participate in Sports Overtime. I shot video for the Opelika and Lee-Scott Academy games, and I did live highlights for them. It was my first time doing sports on the tube, and I really enjoyed it.

I used to broadcast with a minor league hockey team in Texas on the radio. I miss doing sports, so it was certainly a treat for me last night. Dave called me after the show and was very positive about the highlights. Thanks, guys.

Amy and I took a break from college football this afternoon to watch The Transporter 2. It wasn't as good as the first one to me, but enjoyable. The biggest thing wrong with the movie is the blonde girl. If you see the previews or the movie, you'll understand what I mean. She's way too freakish-looking for me. But on the upside, I'm starting to really like Jason Statham as an actor.

As far as college ball, #7 Oklahoma lost 17-10 to TCU. OU is one of my favorite teams because of Bob Stoops and tradition, but it looks like they're picking up where they left off last year. Georgia dominated Boise State, Alabama is currently leading Middle Tennessee State 23-7 and Auburn is losing to Georgia Tech 10-0. I'll update those last two scores when their games end.

And where would I be without talking about Tennessee: They barely beat UAB 17-10. Andrew, a new reporter at our station, is a UT grad. I'll say it here as I told him: I'm not anti-Tennessee, but I'm anti-Fulmer. Some of his "secret confessions" helped get my Crimson Tide on probation. They weren't the only reason, but they didn't help. Now he seems to be more hated than Auburn by the Tide faithful.

As a Labor Day surprise, my bosses gave me Monday off. My sister-in-law just had her baby Friday, so we're heading to South Carolina for the day tomorrow. We'll be back Monday afternoon. Just six more months, and little Lucas will have a cousin with our precious bundle making his/her debut. Now that will make me excited! :-) By the way, Amy and Baby are doing well!

Well, I'll update the Bama and Auburn scores later, but I'm calling it a night. May your weekend be blessed!

Score update:

• Bama over MTSU, 26-7! Roll Tide!
• Bonus! Dennis "Franchi-Phoney" and Texas A&M lose to Clemson 25-24!
• Georgia Tech wrecks Auburn's win streak, 23-14.
  

"Sole" Patrol

Ever had "foot-in-mouth disease"? Courtesy of NewsBlues, blowhard Chris Matthews has:

"In a live interview, MSNBC's Chris Matthews asked Texas Governor Rick Perry how he "got the Astros out of the Astrodome" to make way for storm refugees.

The Astros left the Astrodome in 1999."

Now get that shoe out 'cho mouth!