August, 2007

Two days to go. Two coaches speak. After a series of live shots from the top of KRON-TV today, we bolted back across the Bay Bridge for Berkeley. I met with Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford after the Golden Bears' practice. We talked about a number of issues, including competing in a conference (PAC 10) that has a 900 pound gorilla living down in Los Angeles. The entire interview will air on our Pregame show Saturday night at 7. Done with Tedford, we fired-up the 6 Sports rental car and snaked our way through the streets of Berkeley to the Vols team hotel. NICE PLACE!

We will be watching closely how Pinkygate resolves itself this week. After three days of downplaying the injury to starting quarterback Erik Ainge's small finger on his throwing hand, the Vols have finally admitted, it's broken.

For a few weeks now, I've been joking about the possibility of earthquakes in California. It keeps my colleagues, who've never been here, on edge. Five minutes after picking-up our rental car, and driving north from SFO on the 101 freeway, the radio reported a 3.0 quake in Berkeley! The ground is starting to shake, for real!

Outside of some minor seismic activity, all appears normal out here. After arrival, we shot material for two stories which will air later this week. The Vols don't arrive until late Thursday.

All my bags are packed, and I'm ready to go-- John Denver (1967)

No, wait! I'm not even close to having my bags packed! I'm having serious personal time-management issues. The Vols depart for Berkeley, California on Thursday. I leave tomorrow (Tuesday) with an ambitious coverage schedule stuffed somewhere in the bottom of my briefcase. After seven-straight days of work, and three-weeks of preparation-- I have been left with a mere 24 hours to attend to my own issues. Now, where is that razor?

It's over. Barry's chase of baseball's most talked about record ended Tuesday night in San Francisco when he drilled a Mike Bacsik pitch over the right-centerfield wall at AT&T Park. Home run #756. Now can we all return to normal activities?

Watching as the ball sailed into history, I wished it had meant more. I wished I could have celebrated a glowing moment in the history of a sport I cherish more than any other. I nearly did, when Henry Aaron appeared on the giant video screen-- a classic and classy acknowledgement of Bond's feat. But hardly an endorsement.