Another Talent Taken Too Soon June 29, 2009

This is getting really scary.
I’m not one to follow the celebrity culture and I have no fascination with celebrity deaths. That being said, I cannot turn away from all these famous people passing before their time.
Farrah Fawcett, while was battling cancer, still died well before her time. You know all about Michael Jackson. Now, another [...]

Shocked By the News June 26, 2009

“He’s dead”.
Those are the words that came into my ear around 5:44pm Thursday as our 5pm producer, Thomas West, told me that Michael Jackson had died. We had been following the news for almost a half hour and I had no BlackBerry, laptop or computer on the desk with me. Wendy Bell and I were depending on the word from [...]

An Introduction to Pittsburgh …. Thanks to You! June 25, 2009

Boy, when I ask for help, you blog readers really come through. I have gotten more than a few suggestions for ways I should show Pittsburgh to a newcomer. They came from this blog and also from my Facebook page and they came in mass.

Showing someone their new home in one afternoon? Thanks to your [...]

Residents of Pittsburgh: Help Me Out! June 24, 2009

I’m putting out an ABP. I need your help long-time residents of Pittsburgh as well as those who have called this place home for only a short time.
I know I have been here 15 years so I should have a handle on the town I call home, but I have been given an enormous responsibility. [...]

Jon … Minus Kate & the 8 June 23, 2009

I have never heard of Jon & Kate until last week. Had no idea what the show was all about and didn’t even know what network carried the program. Apparently, I was in the minority.
“Jon & Kate Plus 8″ has become a cable television hit. The program has been on for a few years and [...]

Its Truly A Small World After All June 20, 2009

When I was first getting into broadcasting I had that desire – like every person who has ever worked in this business – to work in my hometown. For me, its where I grew up: Hartford, Connecticut. That dream came true in January 1991, thanks to a woman who saw things in me I never [...]

The Fly and the Flooding June 19, 2009

Let me get the frivolous, silly stuff out of the way first.
Apparently, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has expanded their base. It’s not longer just our furry friends, but also those barely large enough to make a blip on the radar.
In a recent interview, President Barack Obama swatted a fly, killing it. [...]

The City’s Newest Champion June 16, 2009

Can you believe the last few days?
Pittsburgh is now home to two champions – with the latest title coming from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The franchise which faced bankruptcy and nearly left town for the riches of a new arena in Kansas City, is now on top of the hockey world … and our city.
I had [...]

Facing Your Own Game 7 June 12, 2009

Editor’s note: Andrew will be blogging from Detroit before and after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Look for updates here.
We’re on late tonight because of the NAB finals this Thursday night, so I will have to hurry home and pack my bags. In the morning, it’s off to Motown for game 7 of [...]

Ho Hum …. Another Honor for Pittsburgh June 11, 2009

If you know anything about Pittsburgh’s recent sports history, you know the one thing fans in this town do not suffer from is arrogance. While we really feel that we have the best football team in the world ( and the Super Bowl bore that out ), any fan will tell you there was more [...]

” … and a Big Ring!” June 10, 2009

The above is the final four words in a pre-game speech given by then Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann. Trying to inspire his troops before they took the field for Super Bowl XVII, he laid out the stakes in as simple terms as possible.
“This game is worth $70,000 and a big ring!”.
That is what the [...]

A Life Well Lived June 9, 2009

While I had attended many funerals, I have never been to a small memorial service until this Saturday. Little did I realize such a service without the deceased would be so powerful and moving.
The deceased in question was a woman named Becky Duke. I had worked with her and her husband on Hot Pink Pittsburgh, [...]

Declaring His Independence June 5, 2009

There seem to be absolutes when it comes to Pittsburgh and the region. The sun rises in the East. The Pirates will finish with a losing record. Baseball season ends around here when training camp begins. Somebody, at some point in the day, will invariably stop before the tunnels to hear the ending of their [...]

The Stanley Cup Playoffs Syndrome June 3, 2009

As I write this entry, I am watching the final minutes of game three tick away. During the game , I have been in conversation with people in the newsroom and friends of mine watching the game at home.
I’m not sure what’s with my female friends, but for some reason they are big-time Penguin fans [...]