So long…for now

As I started to put the pieces of the puzzle together work mode completely took over, but now that the Hammerheads are no longer a franchise it’s starting to hit me.

THE HAMMERHEADS ARE NO LONGER A FRANCHISE.

And while those words have different meaning for different people for me, a significant piece of what made my family my family is now gone.

You see, the Hammerheads are the reason that I found Kelli. 

I opted to work one Saturday, which at the time was normal for me because, well, I didn’t have much of a life.  So instead of taking the day off I decided to put a wireless microphone on David Irving who’s known to let the expletives fly. 

He didn’t disappoint that night.

But that story was not THE story that night.  The story ended up being about a guy and a girl who stood on the field in a downpour and talked, oblivious to what was happening around.

That was the first night of the rest of my life.

That night led to us dating which led to Kelli not moving to Atlanta which led to us getting married which led to Madison and Kaitlyn.  That night led to us purchasing our first home, and so on and so on.  If you want to keep playing the six degrees of the Wilmington Hammerheads I guess you can include the team is also the reason Kelli’s grandmother and parents now live here.

I haven’t even included how Bill Rudisill acted like a second father to Kelli while she was attending UNCW.

Now all that we’re left with are the memories and friendships.  Perhaps I’ve crossed a journalistic line, but I’m proud to say David Irving and his wife Pam are friends.  They’re the kind of friends who were at the hospital waiting on me when Kelli was in a car accident.  They were holding our children after they were born and they cooked us dinner when we arrived home from the hospital.  Their friendship goes beyond a working one.

Sadly we don’t get the chance at creating new memories.  We won’t be able to take our children to the games and tell them how mommy and daddy met.  We won’t be able to watch them stand on the field to get an autograph, or to look in amazement at Sledge. 

Or will we.

There’s a chance a team could resurface in Wilmington.  There’s even a chance it could be the same team, ownership and all.  Either way I’m hopeful the name remains the same.  The Hammerheads mean different things for different people, and for me it means family.

I’m back…

Wow, it’s been a while hasn’t it.  Somehow I’m sure you were able to sleep at night despite no new posts from yours truly.

What’s happened in the month or so since my last post?  Well apparently Jon and Kate plus eight have split up.  Maybe you haven’t heard.  If not I’ll lend you the dozen or so magazines in my house with one or the other on the cover. 

Kelli loves that garbage.

But who am I to judge.  I’m the one who actually told her of their impending doom BEFORE the news spread like hand and mouth disease (that’s a family joke).

The Kate part of the equation isn’t the only one making news for our family.  Our good friends Kate and Roger are going to be parents for the first time.  Just yesterday they found out they’re going to have a son.

Kate and Roger are two of the most decent, loving individuals that you could ever meet.  They’re one of those couples that just go together.  They fit.

Now they’ll make room for another, and to that I say congrats!

a little help…

A local seventh-grader needs help from the Couch Potatoes.

Bailey Williams entered a contest sponsored by Kelloggs which will award 30 schools a makeover to their athletic facilities.  Myrtle Grove Middle School is in the semi-final round, but it needs your help to become one of the 30 winners.

You can vote for Bailey’s school by clicking on this link.  You can vote once a day until the end of the contest.

Thanks for the help.

c’mon man…

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

Brett Favre is thinking about coming out of retirement.

The fact that I just typed that sentence is enough to make me roll my eyes in embarrassment.

For Favre.

This isn’t to say that he’s still not able to play at a high level, he is.  Hell, he could probably be the starter for a handful of teams in the NFL.  But make up your mind dude, you’re tarnishing the memories of a Hall of Fame career.

I have so much respect for an athlete who can walk away from his/her sport and move on.  Annika Sorenstam did it, and she was still kicking tail on the golf course.  Pete Sampras left tennis behind.  Sure he plays in an event here and there, but it’s that ‘legends of tennis’ stuff, he’s not showing up at Wimbledon.  Barry Sanders??? Hello.

I’m sure when it’s all said and done, and at this rate who knows when that will be, I’ll remember Favre as the quarterback for the Packers.  And that’s how it should be.  But in the mean time I’d rather see him in those “Wrangler” commercials than retiring and un-retiring as often as I change my socks.

You get the point.

it’s got to be the shoes…

I’m always amazed at the number of guys who wear golf shoes to a golf tournament.  I just don’t get it.

I’ve taken a ball glove to a baseball game in the past.  When I was like 11.  I don’t wear a helmet to a football game, or flame retardant suit to a NASCAR event.  Why the shoes?  It’s not like they’re going to be asked to fill in for one of the pros and even the caddies opt for tennis shoes.

The only thing I had with me today that is part of my golf routine is sunscreen, and I plan to keep it that way.

quail hollow, hello…

A long first day at the Quail Hollow Championship is just about over for me.  As my daughter Madison would say, it’s almost “nite nite” time.

And a nice rest will be welcome because, well let’s just say today didn’t go as I thought it would.

After more than three hours of driving and perfect timing to get to number one in time for Curt Sanders to be announced, my camera wasn’t recording audio.  %^$&!

But, first things first.  Before I even tried to get Sanders on one, I decided to shoot my standup.  You know, that piece of video that really doesn’t add much to a story but to show a person is actually where they say they are.  I wanted to get it out of the way early because it was a bit sticky in Charlotte today and I’m a sweater.  Figured lets get it out of the way while I’m dry and presentable.

I plug my mic in, see the levels bouncing on the audio meter.  One take.  Done.

Or so I thought.

When I played it back to check it like a good photographer, there was no sound.  There was also no natural sound (the sound that comes off of the microphone that is attached to the front of the camera).  This isn’t good.

After three calls that went unanswered to the station I finally got through to my news director who passed me off to our Chief photographer Ryan.  He was just as clueless as I was, but he was able to give me an 800 number for Panasonic. 

This is where I meet Wayne, or at least the voice of Wayne.  Sadly, Wayne didn’t have much to offer.  After trying everything, including a re-boot (which will mean there’s more work when I get back to Wilmington) still no sound.  At this point my day was pretty much a wash.  I decided we are a ‘visual’ medium, so I can at least shoot video for Kevin, which I did.

After several holes I edited my video, sent it to Kevin via the magic of the web, then went back to work on the audio problem.  After a couple of setting changes to the internal menu I stumbled on the right thing.  If you watched tonight’s 10 and 11 pm newscasts you saw the result.  Curt Sanders and I, audio included.

Not the day I had hoped for, but in the end I felt a bit of resolve.

Hopefully day two will go better.  Stay tuned.

Carolina fans…

Tuesday night I made the trip to Chapel Hill for UNCW’s baseball game.  I’ve heard so much about the new stadium that it was a trip I was really looking forward to.

The stadium held up.  Really nice park, I’d say good enough for a minor league team.  It really reminded me of the stadium the Augusta GreenJackets play in (team I covered before coming to Wilmington).  Brick facades, nice views from everywhere, big scoreboard, and best of all easy to get in and out of.

What disappointed me was the lack of butts in the seats.

The Heels were ranked number one in one poll and third in the coaches poll.  You’d have no idea based on the number of empty seats.  You’d think this was a last place team.

If my memory is right the announced crowd was 1,098.  There’s no way.  I’m giving them 500 at best.  My camera was positioned right behind home plate and the number of empty seats clearly outnumbered the occupied ones.  Maybe it’s because the Seahawks (non-conference) were in town.  Maybe it’s different when another ACC team comes in.

You get one chance to make a first impression, and mine is this.  I’ve heard it said before that UNC fans are the ‘wine and cheese’ crowd.  One thing is for certain, they’re not a baseball crowd.

girl car??

When did the Land/Range Rover become a girl car?

I’ve noticed more and more while driving around town that without fail a woman is behind the wheel.  I’ve noticed it so much that whenever I see one I mentally ask myself “girl or guy” before pulling up along side. 

If you’re driving one and happen to notice me checking you out, consider this an apology.  I’m not trying to be creepy.

Bob

Le George…

The family headed to Panera Bread (get the Turkey Sausage souffle) this morning for breakfast and when we left I saw something that cracked me up.

I’m guessing it was an early 1990’s model Chrysler LeBaron, top down, WITH A CLUB ACROSS THE STEERING WHEEL.

For those of you who don’t know what a club is, it’s an anti-theft device that’s probably as old as the car is.  It had me thinking, someone is really using a club?  Then I caught myself and thought, he’s protecting a LeBaron?    Not sure which is worse.

Seinfeld fans get the heading, others won’t which is a shame.

He’s a hockey player…

Canes just tied it up 2-2.

Obviously I’m watching the game from home.  I don’t pay much attention to hockey during the regular season (outside of showing Carolina highlights) and I just realized that Brendan Shanahan is playing for New Jersey.

How old is this guy?

I was working in Toledo in 1996 when he was playing for the Red Wings and I didn’t really think of him as young then.  THAT WAS 13 YEARS AGO.

Thanks to google I now feel OLD.  Shanahan is 39.  I’m 40 and sitting in a La-z-boy eating pizza and watching hockey.

HE”S PLAYING IN THE FREAKING GAME.

My pizza is good though.