Arkansas Bound

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve accepted an offer to join the NBC & FOX-TV affiliates in Fayetteville, AR as their new Sports Reporter/Anchor/Multi-Media Journalist!  It’s a privilege to be a part of the “Razorbacks Nation” team at KNWA/KFTA/KARK and their award-winning coverage of collegiate athletics in the SEC as well as regional sports.

However, it’s bittersweet leaving my family at KMID/KPEJ. I learned so much from these professionals over the past two years, and will cherish the relationships and lifelong friendships established along the way.

They took a chance on a young girl fresh out of college . . . and I will be forever grateful to them.

I’ll see you soon, Arkansas….and Woo Pig Sooie!

Under the Friday Night Lights

In Texas, football is king. It’s something we’ve all heard and know to be true. High school football is a huge part of the culture in Texas, and each game is an event.  But moving to Midland, TX has made me realize that it’s more than just a game to folks in West Texas… it’s a way of life.

From the smallest towns that can barely field squads in six-man football to the largest Class 5A schools, life revolves around football out here. During the season, towns virtually shut down every Friday night. Whether the team is good or bad, stadiums are always at or near capacity.

Pro and College games are indeed spectacles, but high school football is about family and community for these fans. Everyone watches the boys grow up, and they take pride in each young man’s performance. It’s more personal than any nationally televised game; these are their boys representing their town.

The America presented out here is one of football, Oil and God. And those who play it, coach it and watch it have a hard time explaining to people on the outside why it matters so much. To put it simply though, high school football in-and-around the Permian Basin is just… different. The stadiums are bigger, the crowds are louder and the love for the game runs deeper.

These Texans are united by a passion for high school football that never ceases to amaze me. It’s what makes football here unique and incomparable.  And while teams may face harsh criticism at times, the overall support from the community is unwavering.

In West Texas, everyone comes together under the Friday night lights.

Hard Times & Hard Knocks

It’s baaack! Training camps for America’s favorite sport have convened across the country. Hard times and hard knocks will soon befall each team. But if you’re the Houston Texans, it’s already happened.

HBO’s Hard Knocks returns August 11 with the first of its five-episode run featuring the Texans. Houston may not have been the popular choice, but the team has a number of intriguing story lines to keep viewers tuned-in.

Two-time Defensive Player of the Year and overall showman, JJ Watt, will obviously be a focal point of the series. An All-American on and off the field, his epic off-season activities with Jennifer Aniston, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Zac Brown Band (to name but a few), could fill an entire show alone. In fact, many Houstonians felt the Rockets should have brought him on board for their playoff run due to his incredible “shot-blocking” abilities. He will indeed be fun to watch.

But the most compelling storyline has to be the competition for quarterback, even more vital now with the loss of All-Pro running back, Arian Foster. For a team with a history of hard times, this loss seems unusually cruel. All eyes will be on Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett as they battle for the starting role. Fans and media have serious doubts about the Hoyer-Mallett tandem being a quality one, which will make their rivalry all the more interesting.

And for you Patriots fans that are tired of hearing about the PSI in footballs and what’s on Tom Brady’s cell phone, you’re in luck! Several former Pats are on the Texans roster. Both Mallett and Hoyer duked it out to be Brady’s backup just a few years ago. And new defensive tackle, Vince Wilfork, will also likely be featured on Hard Knocks as he transitions from Foxboro to Texas.

The show will also give viewers a better feel for the Texans second year Head Coach, Bill O’Brien. Coming from the Belichick tree, O’Brien has a dry sense of humor and a no-nonsense approach. And it’s no secret that he can yell with the best of ‘em. Profane or not, watching him will be entertaining.

There are a number of other players and story lines I could cover, but I’ll leave those to HBO.

Free Brady

Tom Brady’s appeal is underway, and opinions are flying, so I decided to join the fray. However, the only opinion that matters is Roger Goodell’s.

Deflate Gate has been completely overblown, so it’s “more likely than not” that Goodell will reduce Brady’s punishment. In fact, he could even do away with the 4-game suspension entirely. But what Goodell is most concerned about right now, is making it out of this with his reputation intact.

Regardless, the outcome of this appeal isn’t going to change anyone’s mind about Brady or the Patriots involvement. The damage is already done. But it will affect the way many people feel about Goodell. He’s looked weak and out of touch in the past. This is an opportunity for him to alter those perceptions and at least try to look like he’s in charge of the NFL.

Then again, I suppose it really doesn’t matter what Goodell does. It’s going to be a joke. He’ll announce his ruling, prop his feet up on a desk and feel like ‘The Boss’ once again, while the rest of us shake our heads at the sham, and shame, of it all.

BIG NEWS!

BIG NEWS!! I’ve accepted an opportunity to put my college degree to the test and pursue my dreams. By the end of May, I’ll be in west Texas as the new Web Producer & Reporter for KMID-TV, the ABC affiliate in Midland/Odessa.

To say this industry is hard to break in to is an under-statement, but my hard work has finally paid off. I’m blessed… and super excited to invite you along for the ride.

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self discipline, and effort.” – Jesse Owens, American track and field athlete and four-time gold medalist.

The Real MVP

Over the course of this NBA season, a few players have stood out in the race for MVP. As the playoffs near, though, two have separated themselves from the pack. All-Stars Stephen Curry (Warriors) and James Harden (Rockets) have both made strong cases for why they deserve the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. But when it comes down to it, there’s really only one choice: James Harden is the MVP.

Yes, Curry is deserving of MVP, leading the Warriors to the best record in the NBA. Ever since the ball went up in October, he has been making a case for MVP. Curry has had a remarkable season with a remarkable team.

However, no player has done more with less than Harden. He has kept the Rockets afloat without the benefit of All-Star Dwight Howard who was out due to injury for most of the regular season. Not to mention that Houston lost two of its top four scorers over the offseason in Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons.

Harden has remained a constant on the Rockets team. He continues to dominate on a nightly basis, and it’s because of that the Rockets remain in the championship discussion. However, many believe the true test of Harden’s MVP status will be in the playoffs. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to watch The Beard “stir up” this postseason.

Who do you think this years NBA MVP is?

I Was There!

Have you been to a Super Bowl? Me neither… until last weekend. I was there, and I will forever get to brag about witnessing one of the greatest SB games ever! In 49 years, only a couple of games have ever gone back-n-forth right up to the last seconds like this one. And did I mention that I didn’t spend a dime?

I enjoyed the game plus 4 days & 3 nights in Phoenix for free thanks to Anheuser-Busch (A-B).

This once-in-a-lifetime experience started with an innocuous visit to a local bar with my BFF a few weeks ago, where we signed-up for A-B’s “Perfect Beer for Whatever Happens” contest on a whim. Have you ever won a national contest? Me neither… until that night.

Actually, my BFF was selected. I was her “plus one” on the trip. So, in essence, I won… but now I owe her one. A BIG one.

But I digress.

We were flown to Vegas on Friday where we joined other winners on a VIP charter flight into the Valley of the Sun. The Bud Light crew met and graciously escorted us to our VIP accommodations (only minutes from the stadium). We threw our bags into our luxury room and quickly reconvened with fellow winners in the House Of Whatever’s’ massive courtyard which featured games, salons, a photo booth modeled after the Bud Light “Mayor’s Office,” food trucks and innumerable Bud Light Bars. All free!

And just when we thought things couldn’t get any better, look who showed up . . . Nicki Minaj, Shaq, Nelly, Diplo, Steve Aoki and Brett Eldredge.

Then we blinked, and it was game day.

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My BFF and I proudly wore our Pats gear to the game and endured innumerable insults from the overwhelmingly partisan Seahawks contingent in the stadium. Yet, he who laughs last, laughs best… and the Hawks last play was truly laughable!

Again, I digress.

“Thanks” to Bud Light (and my BFF) for this incomparable experience. And to you, the reader… may you always be “Up For Whatever.”

Super Bowl Snack

T-minus 5 days and counting! Whether you’re hosting a Super Bowl party or attending one, food is always paramount.

The standard chips & dip won’t fly for the big game. And a 7-Layer dip is so last year. So this year, BRING IT . . . with my mouth-watering, easy-to-make Apple Salsa with Cinnamon Chips. A proven crowd pleaser, this combo is also perfect for those souls trying to keep their “New Year, New Me” resolution.

So whether you’re rooting for the Pats (like me), or just waiting to ogle Katy Perry at halftime, you’ll score major points with my recipe. However, don’t forget to keep some “penalty flags” handy because there will likely be some piling on!

plate

Ingredients:

4 medium Apples, diced

1 cup Strawberries, diced

2 Kiwi, diced

1 small Orange – grate 1 ½ t. of zest; squeeze juice into small bowl

2 Tblsp. Brown Sugar

2 Tblsp. Apple Jelly, melted not boiled

8 Tortillas

1 Tblsp. Water

¼ cup Sugar

2 Tblsp. Cinnamon

Directions:

Chop all fruit but the Orange into a bowl; set aside. In a small pot, melt the Apple Jelly, add the Orange zest, Orange juice and Brown Sugar. Pour over fruit and let marinate in refrigerator.

Spread out the 8 tortillas. Mix sugar and cinnamon together; with a pastry brush or spoon; spread each tortilla with water and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Repeat on the back and cut each tortilla into 1/8 slices. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.

You can also use cinnamon graham crackers in place of the chips if you so desire.

Take A Knee, Coach.

As we all know, Ohio State won the national championship against Oregon on Monday night, while simultaneously making a case for Urban Meyer as the best coach in the country. However, Meyer’s ruthless and relentless philosophy led to a decision that rubbed many viewers the wrong way.

The Buckeyes were leading 35-20, with less than two minutes left in the game when they got a first down at the Ducks 2-yard line. Meyer could have easily ordered his quarterback, Cardale Jones, to take a knee and let the clock run out. But there it was, a mere three feet in front of him, and Meyer simply could not resist. The Buckeyes eschewed taking a knee with the game in hand, and sent the “monster” Ezekiel Elliot straight into the end zone.

Of course, if Oregon didn’t want them to score, all they had to do was stop them, right? But if the proverbial shoe was on the other foot, you’d have a hard time convincing anyone that Helfrich wouldn’t have taken a knee.

That final touchdown had little to do with the game, doing nothing more than providing us insight into Urban’s way of thinking. They thought they were bigger, stronger, and they wanted to make a point. Meyer and his team wanted to stick it to everyone who objected to Ohio State’s very inclusion in the playoffs.

What do you think? Should Meyer have taken a knee and let the clock run out? Or was that final touchdown needed to prove their point? Ironically, it was Urban who fell to one knee (in joy) after the final touchdown.

The Hall Pass

Hall of Fame day is always one of the most talked about days in baseball, and this years class included Craig Biggio, John Smoltz, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

On his third try, former Houston Astro, Craig Biggio, got his Hall pass into Cooperstown after finishing a mere two votes shy last year. Biggio transformed himself from an All-Star catcher into a Gold Glove-winning second baseman; then, with the help of former teammate, Jeff Bagwell, helped usher in the most successful era in Astros history.

Sadly, B-G-O’s teammate of 15 years was once again denied. This was Bagwell’s fifth bid. After receiving 54.3 percent of the vote last year, he only got a mere 1.4 percent more this year. If this is any indication of what’s to come, then it seems unlikely that “Bags” will reach the required 75 percent in his remaining 5 years of eligibility.

So why isn’t Bagwell in the Hall of Fame? His stats are certainly worthy. Is it personal? Are some voters jealous of his attractive ex-wife, his big muscles, or his manicured goatee? Or are many grouping him with “The Abusers” . . . steroid users prevalent during his time in the league. That easily explains why his former teammate and pitching great, Roger Clemens, and home run king, Barry Bonds, only received 37.5 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively.

Hopefully, those “No” voters will soon realize the error of their ways, so that a year from now I’ll be congratulating another Houston Astro on his well-deserved Hall pass.

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