A lot happening lately, so I thought I'd update all of you following me at this moment:
- SoCal Sports Weekly is a weekly radio show that is all about sports played in southern California on all levels. We started in July and produced six episodes over the previous two months. We were very proud to have accomplished so much in so little time. However, our broadcast partners at No Antenna Needed Radio have closed their doors due to some internal issues. We are very sorry that they are no longer able to operate at this time, as we saw much growth potential for both our show on their network, and their network in general. Tim and Cassie are great people and tried their best to facilitate an organization that would allow shows like mine to have a place to grow. I wish them well in the future. Meantime, we are in discussions with several hosting entities to bring the show back in a couple of weeks. Unlike the demise of my Sports Journey shows last year, both Charles Smith (who is my broadcasting partner) and I are commited to seeing the show return and continue to serve the need of the fans in this area that we were already connecting with.
- Charles and I are now partners in the website "Inside Sports" which you can find by clicking this link. We are in the process of relaunching the site with fresh written, video, and audio content. We'll be uploading the previously produced episodes of SoCal Sports Weekly this weekend and posting them on the Inside Sports website. In the next few days, we hope to have several major announcements about new programming that we will be co-hosting on various internet locations. We've been working tirelessly on these projects and know that our audience will find them to be every bit as entertaining and informational as you would expect from us. This will not only include the return of SoCal Sports Weekly, but the beginning of two web-TV projects that we're excited about bringing to you on a weekly basis. So be sure to visit the Inside Sports website every day.
- After posting preview pieces for all 11 major conferences and the three independent teams playing in the top division of NCAA football, now my role with Bowl Gamer is going to involve writing commentary and feature pieces for the website on a wide variety of college football topics. Today I've posted my thoughts on last night's season-opening action, which include Utah's overtime upset of Pittsburgh and Middle Tennessee's near upset of Minnesota. Click here to read it and I encourage you to make Bowl Gamer a destination throughout the college football season. I'll not just be writing about the important stories happening in college football, but also on the stories that you should be reading about across the entire landscape of college football. We hope to growing our staff of writers in the months to come as well.
- On the LA Kings front, I'm excited that the start of training camp is right around the corner. Hockey Fest takes place next Saturday, September 11th, at the Kings practice facility in El Segundo. This year is just a day-long event, but should be just as fun and filled with great stories as last year's inaugural event was. I'll be there covering the event, and the start of the rookie training camp that day as well, for Examiner as I begin my third season covering the club for Examiner. By the way, there is still tickets available for Hockey Fest, which is limiting the number of people that can attend this year - click here for more information on Hockey Fest '10. And if you want the run down for what is going next Saturday at the event, read my story on Examiner by clicking here.
- I'm disappointed that the Dodgers weren't able to stay in the pennant race longer this summer, but it was a thrill to get to cover the team in a limited role for Examiner this summer. The Dodgers themselves were very accomodating, especially their PR department which rivals that of the Kings as the best I've ever dealt with in more than 10 years writing about sports on-line and in print. As for the drama in the courtroom, here's hoping that ends swiftly and without appeal, though I'm sure this is only the beginning of the story and not the end of it. Dodger fans deserve better than this.
- If you have been following my tweets and facebook postings over the past week, then you know the little free time I've had not chasing after our projects has been spent drafting various fantasy football teams. I was all set to take part live in the league that I have served as commissioner of since the beginning in 2007 known as the Kokua Football League. But one of those important meetings that Charles and I needed to take was at the same time last night, so I had to count on my pre-ranked lists to help my team in that league. I did all right, in large part because of a pre-draft trade I made with another owner where I acquired an additional first round draft choice as part of a package which saw me sacrifice my 2nd and 3rd round picks. So while others had three players after three rounds I only had two, but they were two of the top ten overall in Michael Turner and Frank Gore. I'm in the process of trying to make some manuvers over this weekend to have the team more accurately reflect my vision. One more draft coming on Monday, part of a league I've been a part of more than half my life. Next week I'll reveal all of the teams.
- Also coming next week on the Inside Sports site will be my annual predictions for the coming NFL season. If you have ever heard of the 'million dollar fumble' then you will know the identity of the two cities that I project will place teams into the Super Bowl this coming February in Dallas. Football is back, and hockey is soon behind it. So very happy about both being back in play.
- Finally, I wish to extend three very special birthday wishes to three very special people in my life: one of them is my best friend Patrick, who I've been friends with now for 34 years. He doesn't hit the big 4-0 until next September, so he'll just have to content with one more year in his thirties. Some of the best moments of my life were spent with him, and I cherish that friendship. A second special birthday wish is for my niece Isabella. I don't get to see her as much as I'd like to, and that's mostly my fault for not being a better brother to her father and a better brother-in-law to her mother - I hope to rectify that in the very near future. But she and her younger sister Genevive are awesome, and I am very pleased to know that they are a family that has fun and loves each other as much as possible.
- Lastly, my father hit 65 on Wednesday. He spent most of it at the airport in Dallas with my wonderful step-mom Peggy, waiting to connect to California for a visit. The connecting flight was scheduled for Burbank but was cancelled, and they wound up having to go into LAX much later than anyone wanted. Still, considering that three months ago there was a chance (although I was assured it was slight) he might not be around at all, I'm sure he was happy to be able to be anywhere, and I was glad to have the chance to talk to him for a few minutes to tell him just that. It's good knowing that he is still around and I'm hoping to have a chance to see him while he's here. I know most of you that know me also know him from our Montvale/PHHS/New Milford days, and I know you all wish the best for him too, which always makes me pause to realize how cool that is.
Hope everyone enjoys the last weekend of summer - football is back!
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