Show and Tell April 30, 2007

No deep thoughts this morning. Just a picture I have been meaning to share with you for a while now. The story in a moment. First, here’s the picture:
This snapshot was actually taken last fall — and no – I did not crash a wedding. Actually, I hit into a wedding.

Sharon, my best friend Joe and myself were playing golf at the Westwood Country Club in West Mifflin. We were playing the 18th hole when we spotted a wedding party snapping photos off to the side. Matt and Lindsay Dudek ( above ) had just gotten married and they were having the reception at the clubhouse.

My shot didn’t hit them, but I did walk over their direction when Matt recognized me and asked if he could use my golf cart for some pictures with the wedding party. I agreed — and after those shots, Matt asked if I would pose with he and his new bride.

I don’t know how I finished up on that hole, but I know I had fun knowing that I will always be part of their wedding album — although I’m sure when Lindsay is showing those pictures to her children sometime in the future, they will be asking – what’s with the guy in the shorts?

Hey, I heard you on the radio! April 27, 2007

Who says TV is the glamorous life? I have discovered in this town you can do all the TV you want, but nothing seems to excite people when they hear you on the radio. In particular, WDVE.

The DVE Morning show, hosted by Jim Krenn and Randy Baumann is the most popular AM drive show in town — period. It draws the most coveted demographic with a mix of comedy, celebrity interviews and classic rock. Channel 4 has always had a good relationship with the show, with many of our on-air personalities making appearances or subbing as news and sports readers. Thursday morning, Jim and Randy, upon hearing that I flew with the Blue Angels pilot who was killed last weekend, decided to look at the video of my story on YouTube.com. What they found was a parody which cut between video of myself and another woman who went up separately – edited in a manner which made it seem like we were doing something other than flying ( I let you find the link on YouTube and see for yourself).

Anyway, they played the audio all morning long — and laughed and laughed. Well, I heard about it and called later in the morning. What followed was – from what I’m told – was a very funny interview. An interview that was so comical that Ben Roethlisberger later called the show and said it was the funniest bit he had ever heard.

Anyway, the rest of the day, people I knew or strangers on the street would stop me and say “Hey, I heard you on DVE!”. People told me they nearly drove off the road listening to the comedy bit – a bit I have still not heard but I will have to download the podcast and give it a listen. Here’s the link: www.dve.com/cc-common/podcast.html

The point here? There is something about radio in this town – always has been. Radio is a medium that touches people in a very personal way that television normally cannot – except perhaps during the morning news where we can be a little more light-hearted. Plus, those radio guys have groupies that follow them when they do remotes. TV folks don’t have any groupies, although we did have some sweet people come by and say “hi” to Kelly and myself at the wine fest Thursday night.

Hey everyone, thanks for the responses all week – and have a wonderful weekend. Yes, I will be golfing ( weather permitting ) but you never know what else the weekend will have in store.

"Did You Lose Weight?" April 26, 2007

How happy would you be to hear those words?

Even though we all think we look good, there is always this nagging feeling we share – men or women – that we could lose a few pounds and look a little bit better. That feeling grows as we get older and try to fight off both father time – and grandfather gravity.

I never thought of myself as a heavy person – until I started hearing getting the question in the above title. I have been to several events in the past month and have had men and women start by saying I look like I have lost weight. It’s flattering, but I never thought I had to lose weight. Most of my life, I have been an athlete and been in good shape. I guess I started getting heavier when I started working in sports. Things such as working late, drinking too much alcohol and eating at odd hours all contributed to an increase in weight — which reached 220 as late as last year.

I really never noticed until I started going to my closet and finding pants that were too small. It bothered me and made me commit to changing my lifestyle instead of taking the easy way out — which in my case meant going to the tailor.

Now, I weigh 205 and not only are my pants fitting — some are too big. So what have I done to lose those nagging few pounds and put some muscle on this 38-year-old body? I don’t know if this is the secret formula to weight loss — but here goes:

1. Start Running: 30 minutes on the treadmill at the gym is all I need.

2. Working mornings: Getting up at 2am is sure decrease your appetite for a big breakfast.

3. AM Power Bars: I eat energy bars filled with protein after the morning show

4. Why ride when you can walk: Up stairs or on the golf course, I walk as much as I can.

5. Going to bed early: When you hit the sack at 7pm, you don’t bother with a big dinner.

I’m no fitness freak, but I do want to look my best and be as healthy as possible as I close in on the big 4-0. Also, when you work in TV, a couple of extra pounds can really make you look bad. Heck, people always say to me I look thinner in person which makes me wonder – how heavy do I look on camera?

( Photo courtesy: Life Dynamix )

Working Day and Night April 25, 2007

If you are one of those earlier risers who leaves the house at 6am and come back at 5pm, you might have done a double take – if you watched WTAE Tuesday. Yes, it was me co-anchoring the 5am and 5pm broadcasts.

Due to some people being sick and others being away “on assignment” ( as they say in the TV business ), I was left to co-anchor the morning and the evening broadcasts. Sounds like a long day — and it was. Just not in the way you might think.

Channel 4 Action News at 5am and 5pm are two completely different shows – and not just because of the person sitting in the chair next to me. Yes, Wendy and Kelly have different styles but they are both fun to hang out with and each makes me feel comfortable – in their own ways.

The 5am broadcast is a lot like your morning cup of coffee. Gently waking you up and not rushing you along. It’s comfortable – like your favorite pair of slippers. Also, there’s routine that viewers become accustomed to in the mornings. Traffic, weather and business all hit at a certain time every morning – thus people can set their routine by what’s on the morning broadcast. Plus, we get to chat with Robin Roberts about all sorts of stuff.
If the 5am is like a leisurely cup of coffee, the 5pm is like a can of Mountain Dew. It’s a real jolt and full of adrenaline because the program is much faster-paced. Wendy and I have a lot to get to in just the one hour versus two hours of morning TV.

While the shows are different – the co-anchors are very much the same. Both are kind and gracious. Both are professionals, too. The only bad thing for me is that I have switch seats – which stinks. I’m used to being on the left with Kelly and it was a little weird being on the right with Wendy.

BTW, you are probably wondering how long I worked. Here’s the good news: I left after 9am and returned at 4pm to do the evening broadcast. So did I get some sleep? Of course not. With the sun out and temps in the 60’s, I got in 9 holes of golf.

And yes, I did switch ties between the morning and evening shows

Remembering 32 April 24, 2007

Last night, Blacksburg came to Pittsburgh. Students and community members came together on the Pitt campus in Oakland for a candlelight vigil to honor and remember those who lost their lives at Virginia Tech. The vigil was dignified, solemn and very moving. 32 students came with a candle and lit a candle for each of the fallen. Hundreds stood by on the lawn between Heinz Chapel and the Cathedral of Learning. They held candles and held back tears.

It was moving and – for the first time – I was truly moved because I was a part of the ceremony. Rarely are members of the news media involved in such events but I was invited by the university’s student government to welcome everyone. It was a honor and I guess I was selected because of my often-times campus involvement when it comes to Pitt pep rallies and speaking on campus. Thanks to student Lauren Cavallaro for the invite.

For this evening, I chose to hide the fact I worked at WTAE. I only said my name and then went on with my prepared three-minutes of remarks. I spoke of community and support for the people at Virginia Tech. I challenged the audience live their lives for those 32 who were gunned down in an act of senseless violence.

But this was a night to observe – first-hand – the grieving and the pain of the tragedy. I stood beside a Virginia Tech grad from Clairion along with a former Tech quarterback now in Steelers camp. Both spoke of how close the Blacksburg community was and how the bond was even greater now. Listen to the names of the 32 – as a candle was lit for each – it was hard to hold back the tears.
But the part about the vigil that will always stick with me — will be how close our community has become. Pittsburgh has always had the incredible ability to support itself through the difficult times – be it losing a mayor or a championship football game – and last night, that ability was on hand. This is not Blacksburg but if tragedy ( heaven forbid) ever strikes here, we are strong enough and our arms are wide to hold each other through the storm.

Farewell to an Angel April 23, 2007

Here I am. All set to tell you about my incredible weekend. The great weather, the event I got to host featuring the Indigo Girls, the fundraiser for Greensburg Central Catholic as well as 18 holes of golf at the Uniontown Country Club. I was all set to blog about my big weekend — when tragedy took over.

Above is a picture of Lt Commander Kevin Davis. The Blue Angels pilot killed this weekend when his plane crashed during an air show in South Carolina. No doubt you heard about the tragic crash because it became national news. Rarely does a Blue Angel – one of the best of the best – crash. The reason this story hits home – is because I flew with Kevin last summer.

I was one of the lucky local members of the media to fly with Kevin who served as the narrator of the Blue Angels #7 plane ( the only one with a seat for a passenger ). Last July, I went out to Moon Township to fly with the Angels and that’s where I met Kevin. I was nervous and scared and he immediately calmed my fears. He had a soothing voice and a style that while it made every trip special, it also made this most amazing of flights routine.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Click here to watch the video of Andrew Stockey’s flight with the Blue Angels.)

He showed me western Pennsylvania from a unique perspective: 10,000 feet above. While I marveled at the view, I learned some things about this man who has a job like no other. His code name is “Kojak”, though he wouldn’t tell my why, and he loves the Boston Red Sox. While we were not in the skies for longer than a half-hour, Lt. Commander Davis showed me a side of the world I will likely never see again — and I will never forget.

I learned this morning that he may have also been a hero before crashing. He never ejected from his cockpit seat, perhaps guiding the ill-fated flight away from a more heavily populated. His heroic efforts were successful – no one on the ground was hurt.

You are probably wondering if I lucky in some respect. Lucky that his plane did not go down the day we went up. I’m not. I never felt – for a moment – we would not land safely. That’s the kind of confidence I had in Lt. Commander Davis and that’s the kind of confidence he had in himself. I salute Kevin Davis – a man who died way too soon – but before his death, he briefly gave me a glimpse of life in a much different light.

Escaping from Reality April 20, 2007

Whew! We made it! We all survived a trying past two weeks. Two weeks which tested our mettle, our tolerance and our resolve. I’m tired of seeing the tragedy and the controversy.I’m tired to talking about it, reading about it and blogging about it. It’s time to escape.

How do you get away when reality becomes a bit too real?

Here’s what I do. I like movies and not just any movies. I’m going to make a confession. I like movies that are short on plot and long on sappiness. I love watching Lifetime Movie Network. I know that admission kind of blows any image of me being the tough man’s man sportscaster I had been for 15 years — but I can’t help it. I love watching Lifetime dramas and have spent many a Saturday afternoon with a bag of potato chips, a glass of zinfandel and a spot on the sofa watching those Lifetime movies.

I also have a few DVD’s at home I turn to when I want to escape. Again, I’m going to get a ribbing from the guys in the golf league but here goes:

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT: The unrealistic possibility of a widowed President dating and falling in love becomes believable with Michael Douglas and Annette Benning in the lead roles. My only question? Could they pull this off with a Republican president.

SIDEWAYS: It may have been marketed as a “chick flick”, but it’s truly one of the best buddy films I have ever seen. I never drank wine until I watched this movie.

MAD ABOUT YOU: Tell me why, I love this sow like I do … Actually , I have the “Best of” DVD and seasons 1-3. Another admission here: I had a mad crush on Helen Hunt.
One last note: I’m getting e-mails and calls from some viewers who are shocked that I admitted Friday morning on the air that I am no fan of shrimp and grits. Kelly and Erin Keinzle are giving me grief about it. Look folks, shrimp isn’t cheap and the last thing I want to do a succulent piece of shrimp is blend it with grits. Also, like the first President Bush with broccoli, I do not like grits – and my dad tried to get me to eat them as a kid every Sunday.

IMHO, some things don’t go together – like shrimp and grits. Then again, if someone is serving I might give it a try.

Evil: Up Close and Personal April 19, 2007

A rare glimpse into the mind of evil.

Cho Seung-Hui’s “multimedia manifesto” was filled with hate and rage. It was horrifying to watch this killer “reach out from the grave” and hurt even more innocent people. He clearly was not playing with a full deck, but at the same time he knew who his targets were and the damage he wanted to inflict. The pictures give us more than a glimpse into what those terrifying final moments must have been for those 32 victims.

You will no doubt hear the blame game played in the days and weeks to come. Various voices will look to this tape and begin to pin the massacre and the killer’s rage on everything from the school’s failure to recognize the warning signs, lax gun control laws in the state — and perhaps, even global warming ( doesn’t it seem global warming gets the blame for everything these days? ). But let us put the blame where it squarely belongs — on the gunman himself.

Yes, he was “mentally ill” but he was well enough to carefully plan and execute the worst killing spree in American history — and in between, still have time to go to the post office to mail his media confession to NBC. I don’t care about how he slipped through the cracks of the system. That issue is for bigger minds than mine to figure out. I just know now — after seeing this tape — that he is evil, pure and simple. I can only hope and pray there is a special place in the netherworld for this individual.

BTW, tragedies such as this bring out several voices with several theories about what happened. However, the comments of a couple of commentators made me ill. National talk show host Neil Boortz and National Review writer John Derbyshire both questioned the courage of the students who were killed. They asked why the students didn’t rush the gunman rather than “let” themselves be shot. I would call these two commentators and their analysis stupid — but that would be an insult to stupid people. It amazes me that Don Imus gets fired for his comments, but these two idiots are still employed after words that, to many, were even more hateful and hurtful.

Can We Ever Be Truly Safe? April 17, 2007

Unthinkable. Unimaginable. Unfathomable.

All words that can barely begin to describe what happened in Blacksburg, Virginia Monday morning on the campus of Virginia Tech. A lone gunman chose to kill 32 of his classmates as part of a rampage to answer for the problems in his life. A life that is not extinguished along with 32 others.

As I watched the cable news commentators try to seek simple explanations to this complicated event, they spoke with analysts, psychologists, profilers and political candidates. They asked why and how this could have happened and how it could have been avoided ( metal detectors, closing down the campus, calling for stricter gun control laws).

While the media and the masses will spend days trying to answer questions and come up with solutions ( at least until the next “major” story steals our attention ), this tragedy speaks to the heart of the great paradox of our country. While we enjoy great freedoms, they come at a price. The price being we are all at risk at all times to this sort of violence. It’s the contradiction that makes American so amazing and so dangerous at the same time. We want to experience a world without boundaries, but then we are surprised when someone stretches those boundaries to the point of committing unspeakable horror against his fellow citizens.

While we mourn those who were killed, we are all victims. Perhaps not by death, but we suffered a loss of innocence and a loss of trust in our fellow man. So now, we wait to see how we will react. Will we institute a form of marshal law that makes us all suspects or will we continue to live our lives with courage and refuse to live in fear of a danger we cannot know or see coming?

Let us take our cues from the students who survived Monday’s massacre at Blacksburg – students who demonstrated the kind of calm in the face of calamity few of us could possibly imagine. While I’m sure every parent would want to rush down to campus, caress their child and take them home to safety, I spoke with one Virginia Tech student who calls Mount Pleasant home. He told me to pass on his parents, friends and family that he was OK and not to worry. He says he plans to go back to class and continue to enjoy the freedom of getting an education.

One final note. I was listening to ESPN radio on the way in this morning and during thier top of the hour update, they reported on the campus shooting. The quote? “All the members of the mens basketball and football teams are accounted for”. Am I the only one struck by the insensitivity of this? Are they any more important than any other student-athletes, male of female? Just a thought.

( photo courtesy: AP Photo )

Enough Already! April 16, 2007

I hate to complain – especially since I have always tried to base my blog on positive things – but I have to vent. I am so sick of this weather. I thought this was April, but all we have seen is weather more akin to December. To be honest, it was warmer on December 16th than it is on this April 16th. I feel bad venting, but I can’t take this anymore. My golf clubs are sitting in the basement gathering dust. The deck furniture I put out two weeks is being blown all over the place. When I got up this morning, the trash cans I had put out last night even had their tops blown off – never to be seen again.

Whether it’s global warming – or just one of those strange springs – it has done nothing but put me in the dumps. I think everyone in our newsroom has that cold weather funk and it’s affecting their moods. Not to say that everyone is in a bad mood, but you can tell everyone is near their breaking point when it comes this cold weather – and now we have to contend with snow.

Even worse, I have already put my winter clothes away and restocked my closet with my spring wardrobe. Maybe I should have waited, but our web reporter Ashley DiParlo told me the other day she wants to do the same thing and it’s killing her she has to wait for the weather to improve.

OK, I’m done venting but on a positive note, word from the Weather Watch 4 center is that we have a warm-up on the way this weekend. It’s about time. I’m bringing out the sun early below. Hope it gets you through what hopefully will be the final days of winter weather.
BTW: I wanted to do this for awhile. I want to thank Jim Shireman and his site http://www.sportsocracy.org for allowing me to take part in their on-line NCAA tournament. I didn’t win, but I actually fared better than I did in any other tournament pool I took part in. It was also nice having some of the participants talk smack .. they could be rough, but I know it was all done in jest. Jim, thanks again and please have me back next year.

"Schoolhouse" Still Rocks April 13, 2007

After a week of heated and tense national discussion about race what you can and cannot say free speech, I was reminded about a time when life was simpler and it was clear what was right and what was wrong in life. A reminder that came through the magic of the Saturday morning cartoons of my youth.

Demetrius, Melanie and myself were having a conversation yesterday about the favorite cartoons of our youth. One of us brought up the old “Schoolhouse Rock” – a series of vignettes which aired on ABC from the mid-70’s to the mid-80’s. They combined educational themes with cute cartoons and catchy song tunes.

These short cartoons taught us about such subjects as the American Revolution, immigration and well as the central nervous system and multiplication tables. They did it with a soft sell and songs that have stayed with is for years. 20 years after watching them for the first time, the tunes stay stuck in my head. I can still recite the lyrics to the songs “Conjunction Junction”. “I”m Just a Bill” and “Lucky Number Nine”.

They were not only educational, but also creative and – to this day – I still use them when trying to recall the order of certain historical events. If you want to see them for the first time, or just journey back to your youth, the following Schoolhouse Rock videos can be found on YouTube:

“I’m Just a bill” http://youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

“Shot Heard ’round the World”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=VV0b4bqnjfo

“Conjunction Junction”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dQxUbJOwRDA

Have a great weekend everybody!

An Unexpected Education April 12, 2007

The Duke rape case and the Don Imus case.

The most compelling stories in the country this week have something in common – besides race.
Both involve the next generation of leaders of our country forced to grow up way too soon. At the heart of both controversies are college students – twenty-somethings who are facing adult situations long before graduation. In both cases, neither group of students asked to be placed in this light – and the outcome for both was vindication although each will feel the pain of their position for years to come.

In the case of the women of Rutgers, they did not bring this controversy on themselves and they way they handled the controversy spoke volumes about their maturity at such a young age. At the end of their press conference, you could not help but have a new-found for these female student-athletes.

Unlike the Rutgers women, the male Duke lacrosse players were judged guilty – in the court of public opinion. Charged with sexual assault, these three became the unwilling faces of class and privilege gone out of control. But a year later, the woman doing the accusing was deemed unreliable and the D.A. was found to be overzealous to the point of hiding evidence from the defense team. The case collapsed and the three kids – after what they describe as a “year of living in hell” – were vindicated.

What did we learn about these two sets of young people? That when placed in adult situations, these kids can step up to the plate and show a sense of maturity well beyond their years. I guess we often point out what’s wrong with “kids today”, but both these groups of young people showed us what is right and what young people can do in the face of adult controversy. I can only hope the men and women in the middle of these controversies learn from their parts in these experiences – and use the lessons learned as they mature in adult leaders in our society.

The only sad note here: While this episode and their reaction to it may have opened new doors of opportunity to the women of Rutgers, the men from Duke will likely be stained for life –forever stuck with the stigma of being sexual predators though they were legally cleared. As one of the Duke trio asked, how do you go about getting your reputation back.

( Photograph: Courtesy Associated Press )

An Experience Like No Other April 11, 2007

With apologies to the folks at Oakmont, I spent my Sunday at perhaps the most beautiful course in the country and maybe even the world – Augusta National. Thanks to some good fortune, and the brother of by best friend Joe ( seen below ), I was able to enjoy the final round of the Masters.

A month in the planning, I arrived in the small town of Augusta, Georgia on Saturday and the following morning, we went to the nearby Azalea club for breakfast before walking the 200 yards to the main patron gate.

Augusta National is one of the country’s most exclusive clubs, except when they open their doors for the Masters. Once inside, it’s almost like being transported to a different world. A world of pristine fairways, perfectly-manicured greens and sand traps that seemed untouched. We immediately went to the famed group of holes known as Amen corner. For you golfers out there, as beautiful as Amen corner looks on TV, it’s even better in person. As I walk, I can almost hear that trademark music that CBS plays during it’s Masters broadcast. All the while, I’m sitting there kicking myself and saying to myself “can you believe I’m at the Masters?”.

We spent the day following different players. I was within inches of Tiger Woods and nearly got hit by Stuart Appleby’s tee shot on number one. I saw Vijay Singh tee off on 15 and caught eventual winner Zach Johnson playing Amen corner. I would love to show you pictures, but neither cameras nor cell phones are allowed on the course. Still, the images of the day have been burned in my brains — and will be there forever.

I know it’s just a golf course and just a tournament to many of you. But imagine standing over the Grand Canyon, shuffling through Stonehenge or walking atop the Great Wall. If you can envision these wonders of the world, then you understand why Augusta was so special for me – and for those of my friends who couldn’t go but wish they had. I think my wife Sharon summed it up best when she said “I’m jealous! By the way, can you pick up something for me?”.

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Before I finish, a quick follow-up to my comments concerning the Imus controversy. Thanks to everyone for your responses. Some agreed with me and others – like my wife – completed disagreed. No matter on which side of the fence you fall, one thing that indisputable in all this. The women of Rutgers University have presented themselves as able, accomplished players and students and have represented not only womens college basketball well, but young women nationwide.

The way they conducted themselves at the press conference showed a maturity not seen in many professional athletes. I can only hope that once this is all over, we look at these young women and their sport in a very different light. One in which we will will find not only great athletic talent, but also great role models.

What the Imus Mess Says About Us April 10, 2007

I was set to blog about my trip to golf’s holy ground, Augusta National for the final round of the greatest golf tournament in sports. But then, Don Imus opened his mouth and started a stream of controversy and craziness that says a lot about how we view racism – and ourselves.

For those of you who have not heard yet, Imus is a popular radio talk show host in the northeastern whose show is now carried by MSNBC. He is known for making shocking remarks on air as well as landing interviews with big name politicians. Following Rutgers loss in the NCAA Womens basketball tournament, he called the team a bunch of mean-spirited things that I won’t repeat. They were, at best, insensitive and, at worst, racist.

Then, the real firestorm began. Two days after Imus’ comments, the mainstream media got a hold of the story and made it front-page news. Soon, Reverend Jesse Jackson was leading protests and Al Sharpton grilled Imus on his talk show. Imus apologized – twice – and the latest is that he will be suspended for two weeks by CBS Radio ( which syndicates his show ).

So was Imus’ comments racist? Yes, and I won’t repeat them because I find them so heinous. Was his apology good enough? No. But he needs to apologize to the people he offended – the Rutgers womens basketball team which he has still not done. He does not need to apologize to Al Sharpton or Jessee Jackson because neither man is the moral compass for African-Americans and both have enough skeletons in their closet.

That leads to the final question – and Sharpton’s request: Should Imus be fired? I say no. While what he did was reprehensible, it should not be the choice of a bunch of radicals to decide for us what is racist and what is not. Let the market decide. Let us as listeners decide Imus’ fate. If we boycott the sponsors or turn off the program entirely, changes will be made. I don’t expect either CBS or MSNBC to fire Imus now for one simple reason: It’s a bad business decision to can a man that make millions for your company because of a controversy that may blow over.

Imus was wrong and I hope he pays the price but let me – Joe Citizen – make that decision and not a bunch of people who think they speak for me but have no idea who I am or what I think. That being said, I listened to Imus while I lived in the northeast but I won’t be listening anymore – or at least until he apologizes to the one group that deserves an apology: Coach Vivian Stringer and the Rutgers womens basketball team.

I’ll be back to talking golf tomorrow.

(Photo Courtesy: WFAN )

The Morning Crew Does Breakfast April 5, 2007

Although the morning show crew wakes up before dawn, we never actually have a formal breakfast. I usually grab some orange juice and I’m sure each one of us eats something in the car or out the door on the way to work. However, a suggestion by Demetrius Ivory one morning led to the inaugural “Channel 4 Action News This Morning” breakfast buffet.

Everybody contributed something. From producer Nick Matoney’s doughnuts, to Melanie Taylor’s early morning run to McDonald’s to photographer Franklin Duck’s bacon binge to Kelly Frey’s homemade muffins and – of course — reporter Marcie Cipriani making sure we had plates and utensils. But MVP honors go to photographer Ralph Bell and his homemade hash brown and egg casserole.

It was great to see everyone pitching in and that’s what makes our crew so special. I wanted to make a major contribution and contribute a quiche, but I was so sick on Wednesday ( if you could not tell watching the news that morning ) that I layed in bed and did nothing. My only contribution? Orange juice and glasses.

Still, it’s fun when we can get together and do something as simple as breakfast together. I’ve been a lone wolf most of my life, so it’s cool to be part of a team that can share moments like this off the air. Plus, nothing brings people closer together than filling your face with food at 4:30 in the morning.

By the way, Kelly – as you can see – is kind of shy at 4:30am. The only bummer at this team breakfast is that nobody brought pancakes. I love pancakes. Then again, where am I going to find room to enjoy pancakes in between reading copy. I just wish all of you could join us for the breakfast buffet.