The Daily Drive

Maybe Next Time...If There Is One

2012-02-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

I certainly missed in predicting the outcome of the Patriots chances in Super Bowl XLVI. As a Patriots fan I was anxious about the game, but fairly confident that they could pull out a victory over the New York Giants & history would not repeat itself. The inaccuracy of my prediction is the only thing that gives me hope that the Tom Brady led Patriots may still have a bit of life left in them for another run at the Lombardi Trophy because after that heart wrenching loss last night I really got the feeling that we had seen the last gasp of this proud franchise and their dominance of the AFC. I could write paragraph after paragraph full of reasons why I think they lost that game but the simple fact is they missed their chances to put the game away because they could not execute. Something the Giants were far better at doing. That kind of play by The Pats seems to have reared its head several times this season but Tom Brady & his offense were able to keep winning games despite the teams obvious weaknesses. This time though Brady & his team just weren’t sharp enough to compete at the level they needed to win. So perhaps the best days of the Brady/Belichick era are now behind them. If so, it was a great ride… but my record on predictions does give me a little hope for the future. Maybe, just maybe we can put it all together one more time. But I’m not predicting anything….or should I??!!

Until We Meet Again

2012-02-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

It's a grey, rainy morning here in Vermont.

Back in the summer of 2010 I used this blog to share some memories of my uncle Vince O’Brien shortly after his death in June at the age of 91. He was a professional actor of quite some note and I wrote about his colorful life & career, about large families & the joy of growing up in that kind of magical environment….and how hard it can be to say goodbye to special people in your life. Not long after I posted that blog I received a quick note from my cousin Patrick Halloran…whose mother, like mine, was a sister to my uncle Vince. Pat wrote: That’s as much as I could ever hope for someone to write about me when I pass. Thanks Ed. It's been a couple of weeks but this put it back in perspective.

No one knew that just six short months later we would be saying goodbye to Patrick himself as the result of an automobile accident not far from my home here in Vermont. So today on the one year anniversary of his death I am trying to put his life in perspective in a likely feeble attempt to make good on his wish.

Because we (The O’Briens) are such a large family, Pat & I didn’t know each other well when we were younger. Being separated by several hundred miles & more than 20 years of age will do that. He and his brothers & sisters would see my family occasionally through the years as we would get together with cousins, aunts & uncles for some kind of family function or another, but it was only within the last 10 years or so that Pat & I got to solidify a relationship that was far too long in coming. Pat was the founding member of Ceann, a great & quite successful party band that billed themselves as “Yankee-Irish Drinking Music” and just by that billing you can imagine that the band gave their audiences some pretty wild shows…..I was lucky enough to be in an audience or two once in awhile & can attest to the fun we had! That band is really what brought us together after so many years. Ceann would perform once or twice a year here at McGrath’s Pub at The Inn at Long Trail and I would never miss a show. I would always have Pat in the radio studio with me whenever he came to town & he would always have a song or two to sing……but always toned them down so as not to upset the FCC….or threaten my employment! It was at McGrath’s that Pat performed his final two shows on January 28^th & 29^th. It’s hard for me to believe as I sit here writing this that today marks the one year anniversary of his death. But it also marks the one year anniversary of remembering his life…..the life of a very gifted & talented young man who touched many, many lives of his own. A life that was cut far too short, but not before it left an indelible mark in the hearts of those that knew him best & loved him most. He was simply an amazingly wonderful & talented guy. We Irish find it hard to say goodbye on any occasion, for any reason…..let alone for someone taken so quickly and so young. Instead, we say “until we meet again”. And so Pat, until we meet again; I raise a “Parting Glass” & say:

Oh, all the comrades e'er I had,
They're sorry for my going away,
And all the sweethearts e'er I had,
They'd wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot,
That I should rise and you should not,
I gently rise and softly call,
Good night and joy be with you all.

……and until we meet again may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

A Blast From The Past

2011-12-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

That term started years ago on the radio to identify the great music from years gone by but was something I experienced firsthand last weekend in a different but certainly an equally enjoyable way.

Last Saturday night I attended my 40^th class reunion in Connecticut for the New Britain High School Class of 1971. Without a doubt it was a blast to see all those faces of the past.

Now; there are those who would say that they don’t remember their years in high school fondly & so wouldn’t be part of such an event. But for me….for the most part….high school was a time I remember with nothing but those fond memories. So the reunion gave me a chance to re-connect with some of the people (most of whom I hadn’t seen in more than 20 years) that helped make those memories happy ones. If nothing else, it gives you a chance to put life’s everyday worries aside for a few hours and remember how simple it once was.

I think that was the lure of it all for me. Seeing old friends & faces from a time when life was so much less complicated. When each day was more about who was dating whom or who would get caught smoking in the lavatory than it was about anything else. And everyone there had shared those same, and so many more experiences together. The amazing thing about those faces: although 40 years have gone by, there were very few of them that I didn’t recognize right away. Each of us wore a name tag with our graduation picture on it so anyone that wasn’t instantly recognizable to someone else didn’t have to wait very long for that “Oh My God!” reaction when the connection was made. It was a good feeling to see the faces of once close friends and knowing after all these years they were doing well and enjoying life. I had the extra good fortune of spending the evening with the lady that shared the title of “class couple” with me all those years ago…..but she was very easy to recognize. I have been married to her for almost as long as we’ve been out of high school!

John Lennon wrote: “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”….and that was certainly true for each of us in that room last Saturday night……but….for one evening of our lives we all stepped into the past for a handful of hours ….. and for just a little while we went back in time. We were all kids again. And that was a blast!

The Greatest Of Each Generation

2011-11-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

This Veteran’s Day morning seemed like a good time to share a few thoughts with you.

On the website of The Department Of Veterans Affairs it explains the beginning of Veterans Day in these words:

In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, D.C., became the focal point of reverence for America’s veterans.

On Memorial Day 1958, two more unidentified American war dead were brought from overseas and interred in the plaza beside the unknown soldier of World War I. One was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from the Vietnam War was placed alongside the others. The remains from Vietnam were exhumed May 14, 1998, identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, and removed for burial. To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.

If you have ever been present at The Tomb Of The Unknowns during the changing of that guard you probably have a greater understanding & deeper respect for those who have both given years of their lives to the service of this country & those that made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country free.

Tom Brokaw wrote of The Greatest Generation. I’m proud to say that my own father served this country as part of that generation as did many of my relatives. But each generation has had those who have shown their greatness in serving this country. From even before that first unknown soldier in 1921 to those serving today, both men & women, we owe a deep debt of gratitude. On this Veterans Day we should all put our petty political views….and that’s exactly what they are in comparison to what our men & women in uniform deal with every day on the front lines of some far off land that none of us would otherwise give a second thought to…..Today, put them aside.

WWI: 116,500 dead

WWII: 405,399 dead

Korea: 37,000 dead

Vietnam: 58,210 dead

Afghanistan: 10,000 dead

Iraq War: 31,965 dead

The Civil War: 625,000 dead

The American Revolutionary War: 25,000 dead

Put them aside; and for just a moment remember why this country, with all its faults, is still the greatest on the face of the earth.

Reflections

2011-09-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a few weeks since I posted any new reading on The Daily Drive. The summer has a way of changing daily habits & can keep you outdoors more than in front of a computer screen. Now though as I look back on the weeks since my last post so much has happened in my family & in my community that it is no surprise that I suddenly had more important things consuming my time than an occasional post on a blog. First; in the middle of July as my wife & I waited to begin our trip to see our daughter & her boyfriend in San Diego we got a call from her to tell us that Evan had been in a serious accident as he crossed a set of railroad tracks late at night in the dark. Suddenly our planned trip to California for a few days of sight seeing & just enjoying family became one of frantically making our way across the country to be with her as we waited for word as to whether or not doctors could save his leg. After several days & as many surgeries we received the good news that he would walk again. We returned home however not knowing how long he would be hospitalized or exactly what their idea of "walking" meant. Then, just weeks later, tropical storm Irene made her way through New England. Like you I was stunned at the devastation that she left in her wake. My family in Connecticut was safe, but out of power for several days. Here in Vermont & more specifically Rutland County it was much worse. I saw the devastation first hand as I traveled up & down route 4 just a day or two after Irene struck. Mile after mile I wondered how in God's name any of route 4 could be repaired before winter set in or how we would get to those who were cutoff from the rest of us before summer turned to winter and made it that much more difficult to help them.
However, even before I took that first trip (on the Tuesday after the storm) up route 4 toward Killington, local contractors were already on site repairing the damage. The Belden Company & Cassella Construction, both Rutland based businesses, took the lead on getting things done in record time. In less than 3 weeks, working non-stop around the clock, those businesses & others along with members of several branches of the National Guard completed a job that normally would've taken months to finish. There are still many at this writing whose lives are far from back to normal and there is still much work to be done, but as many others have said over the last several weeks it is a wonderful feeling to be part of a community like ours & like so many others all across this state that helps people they don't even know & makes Vermont a special place to live.

Today there is also much work to be done in getting Evan back to a full recovery but I am happy to write that he improves every day and although his physical therapy is difficult he faces it with an attitude found only in a special few. And because of that the days ahead look promising. Just as they do here.... in a special community we call Vermont.

One Special Moment

2011-06-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

A couple of Saturday's ago I was in Boston. This time it was for more than a game at Fenway Park or dinner and then a walk through the North End. Both of those are two of my favorite things to do. However, this time my visit to Boston filled me with much more pride than a Red Sox win ever could and much more satisfaction than a wonderful Italian dinner in the North End could ever bring. On May 21st my son Kevin received his Masters of Education from Suffolk University. Like most people, parent or otherwise, just the anticipation of sitting through what feels like hours of speeches to witness one special moment in your life can seem like that moment will never arrive, no matter how interesting those speakers might be. But an amazing thing happens to a parent when they realize they are witnessing a special moment in not only their own life but in the lives of every other person seated in that room student or spectator. You realize that you are part of a defining moment, a time when endless possibilities actually seem to be within reach of your child's hopes & dreams. But at the same time you swell with pride knowing that the moment didn't magically appear in one instant. The moment was slowly crafted by that child that you held in your arms so many years ago for the very first time. Then, as a young man hours of study became years of commitment, but somehow tucked in between a full time job and life itself that moment arrives. You are in the mist of that defining moment as you watch your child take the stage as his name is called to receive his so well deserved honor. And then your defining moment comes at that instant.....when you realize that as they honor him, he unknowingly honors you.

Next!!!!

2011-05-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

So the truth of the bin Laden death is that it will not end terrorism against this country. It will not end pat downs at the airport or delays as we travel. It doesn't make Al-Qaeda any less dangerous or end the war in Afghanistan. But what it has done is given still grieving 9/11 families at least some satisfaction in knowing that the madman that caused so much suffering in their lives a decade ago has now been brought to justice. And it has given the rest of us a much needed sense of pride in our country. I only wish in those final seconds before he was brought down by the best special forces in the world that he had suffered more. A quick death was too good for this mass murderer. But his time finally came & when it did the Navy Seals carried out their mission with precision. We all owe a debt of gratitude to each of them. Now who's next on the list?

Time To Roll The Dice?

2011-04-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

I wasn't too terribly worried with the Red Sox start away from Fenway this past week. It's true that no one wants their team to be 0-6 before they even play their first home game but when you've got "Friendly Fenway" to come home to it makes a start like that a bit more bearable. That is until you see that things may not be quite what Sox fans had hoped for at home before the season began, especially when it comes to pitching. Things do seem to be settling down a bit. Both Lester & Beckett looked much better their second time out.....but Dice-K, now that could be trouble. Here's what The Boston Herald wrote this morning:

When Matsuzaka walked the Green Mile to the dugout, he was literally booed off the field. It was worse than the booing rained upon visiting villain Johnny Damon, who in the first inning hit the first pitch he saw from Matsuzaka for a home run. In fact, it’s quite possible that no Red Sox player in recent memory was booed as badly as Matsuzaka was last night.

It takes a lot for Red Sox nation to collectively turn on a player, but when they do they rarely let them back in their good graces. But is it time to "Roll The Dice?" I'm all for giving a player a chance to adjust at the start of the season, but Matsuzaka's problems go back to last season and it doesn't look like things have improved very much for him. If anything, based on last night's outing it looks like Matsuzaka may actually be worse! John Lester takes the mound tonight, so we'll see if he can keep pitching the way everyone expects him to & help to make fans slowly forget about the dismal start to the season......but as for Matsuzaka, it may be time for the Sox to cut their losses......and cut their ties with The Dice.

When One Of "The Least" Becomes One Of "The Elite"

2011-03-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

When the men's NCAA pairings were set a couple of weeks ago most of the conversation (OK, it was mostly argument) surrounded the eleven teams being picked from the Big East. Almost immediately everyone was calling them "The Big Least" even before they started falling like so many bowling pins. Now on this Friday morning only one Big East team remains: The Huskies of UConn. The naysayers will claim that it proves those eleven teams didn't belong in the tournament to begin with and after the shellacking the conference has taken so far in the tournament that's a hard argument to oppose.....until you look at this mornings tournament standings and see Uconn sitting there waiting to play in the round of the Elite 8". Yes, UConn won the Big East Tournament like a steamroller but many saw Connecticut falling before Pitt, Syracuse and even Notre Dame, but The Huskies just kept on winning. Whether or not they have enough to get past Arizona this weekend remains to be seen. As tough a road as it's been for Jim Calhoun's team to get this far, they just might continue to surprise everyone. Although no one should be surprised any longer that this group of guys from a small state in New England have gone from being viewed as one of the "Big Least" to one of the elite teams in all of college basketball.

Making The Most Of It

2011-02-24T07:31:00.000-08:00

I took the title of this entry from something my daughter posted on her Facebook page earlier this week. Along with that title she posted several pictures from the memorial for my cousin Patrick who I wrote about here in my previous post. And make the most of it we did. By my estimate more than 300 family & friends joined in on a wonderful goodbye to a wonderful & talented young man. Though somber at times, the gathering was full of fond memories, laughter & music....and most importantly was a chance to revisit with members of my family that I haven't seen in far too long. It was at times a tough day........but mostly it was one of those days that you hold in your heart & never forget. A day to reconnect with family, share memories and take what started as a sad goodbye....fill it with the closeness of family &......make the most of it.

The Hand of A Friend

2011-02-08T12:11:00.000-08:00

I read somewhere long ago that you can count your true friends on the fingers of just one hand. That when you need them the most they are the ones that are there for you no matter what the circumstances. Well I guess I've lived long enough to exceed those expectations but can't really tell you why I've been blessed enough to reach that point. Nonetheless, the truth is that those close friends have been there for both me & my wife this past week during a very difficult time.

On Tuesday February 1st I lost my cousin Patrick Halloran in that terrible crash on route 4 in Mendon. Pat's mom & mine were sisters & though he was 20 years my junior we always had a great time together when he came to visit and play at McGrath's Irish Pub at the Inn At Longtrail. Pat was heading down the mountain from the inn where he had played the Friday & Saturday night before to spend a couple of days at my place before heading back to Pennsylvania to watch the Super Bowl with family & friends there. The bad weather & fate that afternoon would never allow that to happen. From almost the moment that word got out about Patrick's accident those friends were there with the support that was so badly needed. There's no need to publicly acknowledge them here because whether it was at the hospital that afternoon; my home later in the day or just a phone call or email, those friends know who they are. They certainly filled more than just the fingers of one hand and I am truly grateful to them all.

Patrick Halloran was a unique talent that will be missed not only by the family that loved him....but by those who knew him through his music. Irreverent.....off color......corny; his music was all of that.....but it was also well written & most of all fun! And for that too I will always be grateful.

Until we meet again Pat.....Slainte!

It's A Wonderful Gift Of Life

2010-12-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

In the classic Christmas film from Frank Capra, "It's A Wonderful Life" Clarence the angel tells George Bailey: "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" Well, on December 21st at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland almost 1,400 were around to touch the lives of people they will never know. Blood donors waited in some cases for hours to give "The Gift of Life" so there would be no "hole" in the area blood supply. And when the more than 12 hour marathon was over the event filled that hole with 1,393 pints of blood eclipsing the amount collected in Boston at Fenway Park by 226 pints. The organizers of the event, CVPS, WJJR radio & The Red Cross must be congratulated for all their hard work & long hours but they would all tell you that the outcome of the event wouldn't be possible if not for the people of Rutland & the surrounding communities who touched so many other lives by being part of "The Gift Of Life Marathon". Frank Capra's film was based on a story titled "The Greatest Gift"...perfect! There's no greater gift one can give. Bedford Falls & its giving community may only be a place you find in the movies, but for one special day it was found in a special part of New England called Rutland, Vermont.

Ladies' Night!

2010-12-20T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it was actually the ladies' afternoon, but I'm sure that Sunday night was one full of celebration for the women of UConn basketball. The Associated Press wrote: Already with no equal in women's hoops, UConn won its 88th straight game Sunday to tie the mark set by coach John Wooden and his UCLA men's teams from 1971-74. UConn already owned the longest winning streak in NCAA women's basketball history (70 games). Next up, the Huskies (10-0) can surpass the UCLA men Tuesday night at home against No. 15 Florida State.

Here's to the women Huskies for an incredible streak....and on Tuesday here's hoping that you stand alone as the most winning team in college basketball history!

One Monday Night In December

2010-12-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

December 8th, 1980: For me it is one of those dates frozen in time. When I can remember just where I was when I heard the news. There was JFK & RFK, The Beatles on Ed Sullivan......and... December 8th, 1980. I was watching the Monday Night Football game between the Dolphins & Patriots. There were only seconds left in that game as I recall. Place kicker John Smith was just running out onto the field to kick what would be a losing effort at a field goal. But as much of a Patriots fan as I was even back then I only remember those events because of the announcement that came next and the three words uttered by MNF broadcaster Howard Cosell after he told his audience that John Lennon had been shot: "dead on arrival". That's when that piece of time froze for me; and 30 years later I remember it like it was only yesterday. It's only those things that mean a lot to you personally that can have that effect. The image of my mother sitting on the floor as I came home from school after she slid out of her chair in shock about JFK; The image of RFK's own son hearing about his father on television while he sat alone; and three words that took just a bit of my happy youth from me one Monday night in December.

Out Of His League

2010-11-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

I admit right here before this sentence ends that I was not a Sarah Palin fan from the moment that she stepped into the national spotlight. But now she's really done it!! On the anniversary of JFK's assassination while doing some research I came across an excerpt from Palin's book that accuses Kennedy of quote: "running away from his faith" during his address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in September of 1960. Are you kidding me??!! Palin attacking the oratory of JFK is laughable!! Even historian Ted Widmer, who included that very same JFK speech in a Library of America anthology of this country's oratory, was surprised by Palin's comments saying: "It's putting a negative spin on what was interpreted at the time as a sensible and uplifting message. JFK was trying to protect his own right to be a Catholic and to run for president." Of course taking things out of context & using them for her own political agenda is what she does best. Just a word of advice to Ms. Palin; JFK was out of your league a half century ago & 50 years hasn't changed that.

You can hear Kennedy's speech here for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDP4qrA8hvg&feature=related

Veteran's Day 2010

2010-11-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't want today to pass without a word of thanks to all the Veterans of this country. From those as close as Veterans in my own family to those I will never know, a note of thanks must go out to them all. Each day that goes by is another day made possible by the sacrifices of each of our men & women in uniform. So on this Veteran's Day I hope anyone reading this post will take just a moment to think about the servicemen & women who have kept us a free nation since its birth... and those who continue that honorable task today.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

2010-11-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

The 51st Rutland Halloween Parade is now history! Rutland's offering is one of the longest running--if not the longest-- Halloween parades in the U.S. It always seems like such an effort to put everything together & get it all set for the big night. It takes an awful lot of work to get things done by the night of the parade, but their always seems to be just enough coordination & willingness to make it happen by all parties concerned that the outcome is always terrific. This year was no exception. Catamount Radio, the parent company of The Drive came in as runner up in the "best float" competition. All 5 of Catamount's radio stations were involved in putting the float together and it certainly paid off. Everyone involved should be proud of the work they did. For those watching the parade last Saturday night, even if it was for just a brief moment or two, we had a chance to take them "Over The Rainbow" to visit the land of Oz & all its characters one more time!

Ob La Di, Ob La Da

2010-10-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've checked in here on The Daily Drive. After my last post (Remembering The Light) I just wanted to take some time off from my writing. I spent most of that time just observing the important things & putting them in perspective. Over the course of the summer my daughter left the east coast for California & most recently my son became a homeowner in Boston. Just those two events alone helped to remind me that no matter what happens life continues to go on. If you spend too much time immersed in one thing, you're sure to miss the impact of another. So I'm glad my kids are experiencing life on their own terms & living it to the fullest. I'm happy that friends......true friends..... are there with a hand, a shoulder and, most importantly to me, a laugh when it's needed most. Having the knowledge that family & friends are always there no matter what is going on in their own lives makes you realize that the most important things in life are the people both here & gone that have made your own life special indeed.

Remembering The Light

2010-07-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

As many of us have been reminded far too many times, it is never easy to say good-bye to loved ones. My family was painfully reminded again of just how difficult that is as we said good-bye to my Uncle Vince last month. When you come from a family as large as mine with 8 or 10 uncles & aunts on each side of the family your youth is rich with happy times; but it also means that as the years pass there will be far too many good-byes to come. I wanted to tell you a little about my Uncle Vince because for me growing up with a "famous" uncle was quite special and as an adult never lost its luster for me. Vince O'Brien lived a full life. He died at the age of 91, on June 19, peacefully at home with his wife, my Aunt Kate, by his side. But this blog is about his life. A life that as I mentioned was a full one. Vince O'Brien may not be a name that you recognize but my bet is that at least some of you have seen his face more than once in your life. He was my mother’s brother and a professional actor. His career spanned 60 years of stage, screen and television. He studied drama and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1949. He performed his first professional stage roles at the Canton Show Shop in Canton, CT during the late 1940's. He was on Broadway in hits such as the original Promises, Promises, Leave it to Jane, Advise & Consent, and Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? My uncle worked in summer stock and in regional theatre too, including the Playhouse on the Mall in Paramus NJ where he worked with Robert Ludlum. He was also noted for his one man show "Clarence Darrow". His television career began right around the time that I was born in the early 1950's as part of the cast of a very popular show at the time called Studio One and received equal billing with Walter Matthau on one show. He played more than 300 roles on television over the next 50 years. He was the original Shell Answer Man when those commercials first hit television. A job that he said was like hitting the lottery. I remember him doing a TV commercial for Life Savers too, where he played a candy store owner telling a little boy “that’s my favorite!” when the little guy finally picks out a certain flavor. We used to joke with him about an Elmer’s Glue commercial that he once did where he builds a dog house for the family pet inside the house and then finds that it’s too big to get outside & can’t pull it apart because the glue is too strong! As kids we always thought that was pretty funny. He acted in Soap Operas for many years too playing roles in Ryan's Hope, The Edge of Night, Guiding Light and in the 60s he was a sheriff in the cult soap opera Dark Shadows. His most recent television role was playing Judge Franks on Law & Order. I remember being surprised when he showed up in that role because I was watching that episode of the show not knowing that he had been cast as the judge. He did a few films too. The first one I ever saw him in was a movie called "The Hoodlum Priest" in the early 1960’s. More recently I’d bet a lot of you have seen him in the films "Annie Hall", “Six Degrees of Separation” and "Quiz Show". My uncle’s very last performance was at the Ivoryton Playhouse in CT, where he reprised the role of "the old actor" in his favorite musical "The Fantastic's", a show that was actually directed at Ivoryton by my sister Julia. Julie directing Uncle Vince….how about that! His final line from that magical performance provides a fitting epitaph to his long career….and a great life.... as he asks the audience, "Please, remember me in light." That, I will always do…. & for me that light will always shine bright.

A Cause to Re-Connect

2010-06-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

This past Friday afternoon I joined about 150 family members & friends at Tunxis Plantation Golf Course in Connecticut for the 21st annual Chris Kelly Open. The yearly golf tournament is in memory of my cousin Chris who we lost to a rare form of cancer when he was just 28. Over the years it has always been a real "family" tournament with no major sponsors; just caring members of a circle of friends & family that has been part of this tournament since its inception. Through their generosity well over $125,000 has been donated in the memory of Chris and his mother, my late, lovely aunt Lorraine to the UCONN Medical Center in Farmington, Ct and the George Bray Cancer Center at the Hospital of Central Ct. in my home town of New Britain. However, that's only part of what this tournament has become over the last 21 years. As valuable a resource as it has been for those two wonderful research centers, the tournament is also a valuable resource of another kind. It gives all of us who participate each year a chance to re-connect with each other. Cousins, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters & friends who don't see one another nearly enough as the years pass by and we live our lives. But for that day, and in some cases even just for a few moments, we remember those days gone by when we all were much younger & we lived, played, laughed....and sometimes even cried together. The fight against cancer is one of the noblest of fights...and when you can fight that fight in the atmosphere of The Chris Kelly Open each year.....cancer patients are never forgotten.....and with a smile, you realize neither are those faces that have been part of that fight for more than 20 years.

All Things Must Pass

2010-03-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Rich and I were the kind of friends that you become as you grow older & your lives take you in different directions. The kind of friends that knew the other was there doing what he does to make a living. For Rich it meant being a national voice talent....and a very good one at that. I remember when he left Connecticut (where we worked together) to study to become a voice over talent. He wasn't sure how it would work out at the time, but as it turns out it worked well for him. Rich spent 10 years in Atlanta as the off camera voice of the Weather Channel & HGTV and did countless ads for products as varied as Chrysler and Carnival Cruise lines. He ended up with a home studio on Pawley's Island South Carolina and enjoyed being close to the beach. It had been over a year since I talked with him last & so went to his website this morning to drop him a quick "hello" by email. We'd always follow that up with a phone call....but that wouldn't happen this time. On his website this was all I found:

About Rich Bartholomew:

Rich was trained as a voice talent in New York, spent ten years in Atlanta, and maintained an in-office studio close to the beaches of South Carolina. Well respected in the industry and working with clients throughout the U.S., Rich received a heavy repeat business for his voice talent.

Rich passed away in December 2009. This site is retained as a memorial to his work.

My heart nearly stopped as I read those words. I had no idea that Rich was gone. None of you knew Rich, but my guess is you all have someone that you really care about that you only see or hear from once or twice a year. Do yourself a favor and make that connection more frequently because you may be reminded like I was that one day you may not have the chance.

Yes, Rich Bartholomew was a great talent.....but to me he was also a guy who just liked to laugh about our early days in radio & the characters that we had met during that time....and The Beatles. Only Rich seemed to be as big a fan of them as I am.......and George Harrison was his favorite. And so in memory of Rich Bartholomew I close this post with a few lines from his favorite Beatle:

All things must pass
None of life's strings can last
So, I must be on my way
And face another day

Now the darkness only stays the night-time
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
It's not always going to be this grey

All things must pass
All things must pass away

.....Now go make your phone call

A Cheer For The Cheerleaders!

2010-03-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

I don't seem to get the chance to post a message here very often lately & I'm angry at myself for not acknowledging before today the State Championship won by the Rutland High Cheerleaders . On February 20th the squad traveled to Vergennes High School to compete in this years state championship. Rutland was nearly perfect in winning for the fourth time in five years. The Raiders received a score of 198 out of a possible 220 points from the panel of judges. As the dad of a former Rutland High cheerleader myself I know the level of commitment that these kids put into their practices & routines on a daily basis. It rivals the practice schedules of every sport at Rutland High.
Cara Austin was the cheerleading coach for Rutland on February 20th, and she was the coach seven years ago when my daughter Taryn was on her squad. I recall how hard those girls (and guys) worked that year to put themselves in the position to go up against Essex with a very good chance of winning it all....and that they did. It was an exciting night for Rutland because unlike recent history, that year was the first time in several that Rutland won the state championship. I haven't followed the cheerleading...or any other sport at Rutland as closely as the days that my kids were students there, but I still feel a sense of pride when the Red Raiders come out winners. I hope the team savors the victory.......they'll be amazed on how quickly it becomes just a memory.....but one that will always deserve a cheer for the 2010 Cheerleaders of Rutland High.

Who Dat? Now We All Know!

2010-02-09T07:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their Superbowl XLIV victory. One of the best Superbowls I've seen since The Patriots' back to back wins in Superbowls XXXVIII & XXXIX. Yes, Superbowl XLII was a great one too, but too heartbreaking to remember for a Pats fan! Everyone's talking about the great commercials too, but that I didn't get out of the night. There were a couple of clever ones (Like Punxatawny Polamalu) but none that really floored me. The only thing that I really laughed out load at was the CBS promo for Late Night With David Letterman.....now THAT was funny!

Purifying Haiti's Water Supply

2010-01-20T07:46:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I posted a new message but now I feel it's important to remind you of, or introduce you to, Pure Water For The World. The purpose of this organization is to provide clean water to the poorest areas of the world where none can be found. One of the places that they have been most active is in Haiti providing purified water to thousands of school children & their families. They do this through expensive filtration systems connected to area schools. As you can imagine their network of purifying the Haitian water supply was severely crippled when the earthquake hit destroying most of the 750 or so schools that they provide to. Like most of you, I felt the need to do something to help. I was surprised to learn that with all the wonderful work that PWFTW does in this world they are headquartered right here in Rutland. It just reminds you again of what a small community like ours is capable of. Their commitment to the areas they are helping is long term. As badly needed as the provisions are today to end what seems to be an insurmountable task in Haiti, Water For The World will be there when everyone else has gone. That's why I am asking you to make a donation to this very important part of Haiti's long term health & survival. Thankfully the job of supplying immediate need to the people of Haiti is getting done. But that is just the beginning.....without a supply of drinkable, clean water for the long term the burden of this unimaginable increase in Haiti's suffering will not end. Click the Pure Water For The World logo like the one above on the main page of our website. Read about PWFTW....and then PLEASE make a donation....The survival of an entire country may depend on it.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T06:24:00.000-08:00

Well, for most of us this morning means back to business as usual as we begin 2010. Just a quick note to say that I hope everyone enjoyed a great New Year's Eve & a relaxing New Year's Day. I certainly did! Here's a wish for a spectacular 2010 for you all.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Season vs. Christmas Reason

2009-12-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

In these final couple of days before Christmas it struck me how far from the reason for this holiday we have come. Remember when the magic of Christmas included midnight mass & the singing of Silent Night & Adeste Fideles? In years past going to church on Christmas eve or Christmas morning was as important as opening gifts. Today that seems to be further down the Christmas day "to do list" than it has ever been. It's sad how Christmas has become more associated with department store sales & endless TV specials than anything closely resembling the Prince of Peace. I hope as you & I go through this Christmas season and enjoy wonderful times with family & friends that we take a moment to remember why Christmas is the special day it is. Santa, trees & presents are all wonderful parts of the season....so enjoy that...for it is truly magical, but also remember why we began celebrating this special time of year to begin with. The world would be far better off celebrating the reason for Christmas...instead of just the season of Christmas. And so in the spirit of the season....and remembering the reason....Merry Christmas!

Big Ski...Big Life

2009-11-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

I said goodbye to a good friend on Monday. We lost one of Rutland's special residents last week when Bob Liscinsky passed away. He was known to all of his friends (& there were many) as "Big Ski". Though most knew Bob from his days as the owner of the Carriage Room, I always felt a bit luckier in a way because although the Carriage Room had been closed for a few years by the time I arrived in Rutland, I got to know Ski as a neighbor living just a house away for more than a dozen years. And as anyone who knew Bob can tell you, because of his gift of storytelling I was quickly brought up to speed on the Carriage Room and what it meant to be around that crowd over the years. I'm sorry in a way that I missed those days but had I not, I would've never gotten to hear those stories in the way only Big Ski could tell them.....and that was special to me. A couple of years ago he called me on the phone & asked me to drop by because he had something for me. He knew that I had a pub style room in my house and he brought me into his garage to uncover the mirrors that graced the walls behind the Carriage Room bar for so many years. Today they proudly hang in my home as a reminder of a man who led a rich & colorful life. At his funeral it was said that Big Ski left this world a better place than when he came into it. That, I have no doubt, is true. Mine was made better by knowing him. Big Ski led a Big Life. I will miss one....and thank him forever for a tiny piece of the other.

Veteran's Day 2009

2009-11-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write a quick post to honor our men & women in the armed services on this Veteran's Day. To acknowledge all who are serving today everywhere overseas & those who served in years gone by. My grandfather would often talk about his brother Martin who lost his life in WWI while my dad at 92 still talks very little about his experiences in the second world war. I have cousins & friends who served in Vietnam all who thankfully came home safely; and know the families of some who didn't make it home from Iraq. Today take just a moment to think in the very real terms of the sacrifice made by all of those men & women who have served & are serving our country today.

MSJ's Real Tradition

2009-11-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Now that the Halloween parade is over & Thanksgiving is moving up fast, I started thinking about the Rutland-MSJ game and the tradition that could've seen its final match-up on the final day of October. With MSJ moving down to D-III next season the possibility of a Rutland-MSJ game next year is pretty slim. That's sad news when you look at the storied history that this one football match-up has brought to Rutland over more than 75 years. It got me thinking about the once huge football rivalry in my hometown in CT. Every Thanksgiving Day for years New Britain High School would play crosstown rival Pulaski High in the annual game. Like Rutland, New Britain was always the bigger school & favored (most years) to win the annual city classic. But that didn't always happen. Like MSJ there were always those years that Pulaski would give NBHS all they could handle and though unlike MSJ, Pulaski would tie but never win the Thanksgiving game, that would all change during my senior year. The year I started high school in 1969 our team would finish with a record of 7-3-0. They went 8-2-0 my junior year, but the year I graduated in 1971 the Golden Hurricane's record was a lowly 2-7-1 and was the first and (I think) only time we would lose to Pulaski. If I remember right it was a last second field goal that beat us by one point. That annual Connecticut match-up didn't have the long history of a Rutland & MSJ but there were strong similarities between both. I remember my first Rutland-MSJ game in the early 90's thinking about how much it reminded me of those New Britain-Pulaski games of the early 70's. The excitement level at St Peter's Field that day brought back an awful lot of hometown football memories for me. Because of declining enrollment through the 70's Pulaski sadly ended its roll as a high school in 1982 and is now a middle school. Today MSJ is suffering a similar drop in enrollment. Here's hoping that dropping down to Division III will begin attracting more students to play as a member of an historic football program, but more importantly in my view to be part of the real tradition at MSJ; being a student of the school itself.

Wind By The Bagful

2009-11-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

Al Frankin called him a Big Fat Idiot....Idiot he is certainly not. Dangerous maybe, but no idiot. To me it's more a dose of wind by the big fat bagful every day!! I like Maureen Dowd. I read her column whenever I can. I don't always agree with what she says, but she's always entertaining. Today however she hit the nail as square on the head as one possibly can. And gave us a bit of insight into the self proclaimed "king of all media".

Here's her column from this morning:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/opinion/04dowd.html?_r=1

Dark & Stormy Night

2009-11-03T14:41:00.001-08:00

"It was a dark & stormy night" ......that's how Charles Shultz always had Snoopy starting his stories. It certainly seems a fit way to start a quick review of the 50th anniversary of the Rutland Halloween Parade! By the time the parade started the weather actually improved a little bit, but let me tell you just how bad the weather was for that hour or so that we stood around waiting for the parade to begin. Two halloween parades in Rutland stand out for me more than the others. My first in 1993.....that was the year I came to Rutland...IT SNOWED FOR GOD's SAKE!! And this year's parade .....not just because of the awful rain & wind, but because it was pretty special being part of the parade on its 50th birthday....dark & stormy night or not.

Oh, & the picture is of me, Uncle Dave & Charlie Murphy stuck in the 60's before the start of the parade on Saturday.

Hand Me Down World

2009-10-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid a morning like this with the fairly widespread frost that I saw just about everywhere on my drive in this morning would have our school teachers talking about squirrels scurrying around gathering twigs & leaves to line those huge nests high in the trees for warmth & looking for enough food to get them through the harshest part of the winter. I remember thinking that with my nine brothers & sisters it wasn't so much different than what my mom did to get all of us ready to face the winter ahead. The heavy winter clothes would come out in droves and the "hand me down" wars would begin! I never seemed to get exactly the coat or hat that I had my eyes on for a winter or two before. And I always ended up with the MITTENS!! The gloves were what I wanted....they looked so much better than those mittens! You could tell "guy gloves" but there was no such thing as "guy mittens". They could be hand me downs from one of my sisters for all anyone knew!! And the kids at school would remind you of that OFTEN! That must be why the 60's group The Guess Who sang "don't give me no hand me down world".... But not one of the 10 of us ever went to school cold...So the squirrels would get ready to keep warm for winter just like we did. A few things you don't think about as a kid though is how your mom & dad made sure the house was warm when you got home. In those days as the squirrels were scraping up everything they could find to keep warm, parents were scraping up every dime they could find to keep the house warm; we just either never knew it or never thought about it. Today though I think about it a lot. With the cost of heating oil & other fuels, keeping the home warm today may be even more difficult than during the days of my family "hand me down wars". Here's hoping that while the squirrels are rustling through leaves getting things ready to help them stay warm this winter all of us can rustle up ways to keep our homes warm too.

Give Peace A Chance

2009-10-09T07:56:00.001-07:00

It really pisses me off...oh wait...I should try being more civil. It really angers me to hear the reaction of some this morning to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama. It's really laughable to hear the reasoning of some people as to why it was not deserved. Well thought out reasoning like "what a joke" or "he's an idiot", "the guys a moron" or "I'm no fan of Obama". Well, fan or not, as Americans we should all be proud of the fact that our president is viewed by the rest of the civilized world as someone who is deserving of the award. It's sad to think that we will hear more anti Obama sentiment over the Nobel prize here than anywhere else in the world. With all of the problems we have here at home & the questionable commitments we've made to other countries we should all take a moment to put aside "the reasoning" of some & think clearly about how important it is to have the world find our leader worthy of such an honor. In today's dangerous world the U.S. should never take its eye off the ball. But for those who want it...... maybe it's finally time to "Give Peace A Chance".

Where's My Trophy?

2009-09-30T06:12:00.000-07:00

Well I'm just about dried out & warmed up this morning after yesterday's GT Outdoor Power Equipment Invitational to benefit the Christmas Fund. The golf tournament took place at Green Mountain National at Killington and I do have to say this: Even with the rain coming down & the wind whipping up as the temperature struggled to hold onto 50 degrees Green Mountain has got to be one of the most beautiful courses in the east. Even through the nasty weather the views really were incredible. It would've been so much better if the weather had cooperated, but with the Christmas Fund as the beneficiary it was all for a very worthy cause. Thanks to Cassella Waste Management & LaValley's Building Supply the entire $80 fee to play in the tournament went directly to the fund. The group I played in included Bruce Milo of Rutland's Vermont Home Theatre & Drive listener Janet Cole. All I can tell you is that the weather got the best of all of us. By the time we had hit the eleventh hole all of us were ready to throw in the towel (which, by the way, was soaking wet from constantly wiping off the seat of the golf cart). With the "best ball" format we started out the day hoping for at least a somewhat respectable showing, but with the rain & wind continually getting the best of us we gradually went from who was going to play the best to who was going to SUCK the most! By hole 9 or 10 all three of us had our run at that dubious distinction but when we finally got to the refuge of the club house I had only one question...where's my trophy?

Radio Forever! Except In The Fall.

2009-09-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

Even radio guys look forward to the fall TV season. Last spring we were left with cliff hangers on Criminal Minds & Fringe (two of my TV favorites). Fringe kicked off its new season this week & so far it seems to be worth the wait. I hope the new season of Criminal Minds starts out with a good show as well. We'll see. Then there's those comedy shows I look forward to seeing; Big Bang Theory, Two & A Half Men & The Office still crack me up. And just where would we be without the baseball playoffs & the start of football season? Oh yeah, those we can listen to on the radio! So listen to a good ball game on the radio. In a lot of ways they're better that way, but take the time to check out one or two of my favorite TV shows....or just watch your own favorites....The new season is finally here.

It Was A Great Time To be A Kid

2009-09-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

I was talking to one of our Drive listeners the other day who also happens to be a friend. Mike Kelly (no relation...and I think he's thankful!!). He mentioned that he had heard me say something on the air last week about the music I was playing that really hit home for him. It was a Stones song from the mid 60's I think and I mentioned, especially from a musical standpoint, what a great time to be alive that decade was. He heard me say that you were hearing all of this great music for the very first time. One after another; one from the Stones, then one from The Beatles & that would be followed by something from another great artist. As great as it is to be playing some of that music today on The Drive, being one of the lucky ones to be hearing that stuff for the very first time as a kid was a very special thing. Mike felt the same way. That got me to thinking about what kind of effect my favorite 60's group The Beatles had on not only my generation, but on a whole new generation 40 some odd years later. And though it really only scratches the surface of why that music is so strongly entrenched in our lifestyles even today, I took a look at some of the statistics concerning The Beatles music that has yet to be duplicated. Take for instance the fact that in the first week of April 1964, The Beatles held twelve positions on the record singles chart, including the top five positions. Neither feat has been matched by any other artist to date. Unless you include the first time their music was released on CD back in 1987. They held the top 5 chart positions again, but this time on the album charts. And now with the release of The Beatles Rock Band & the newly remastered Beatles catalog they are dominating the charts again for a third time. Four of those remastered albums made the top ten, with seven more in the top 40. They had 16 titles in the top 60, breaking a record set by Elvis Presley in 1977. As I mentioned earlier, all these numbers just scratch the surface. It's the reason for all those numbers that is the real story. And for that reason you just have to go back to the time I was a kid....that reason is quite simple: the music.

Division III Team, Division I Host

2009-09-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

Although it's been 5 years since my son Kevin graduated from Castleton State, I was part of the crowd at the historic first football game at the college this past weekend. The weather was beautiful, the playing field looked great, & the football team looked pretty impressive with a 42-28 victory over Anna Maria College. Granted, Castleton's first game was against another team with a start up program: The AMCATS of Anna Maria College play their very first home game this Saturday in Paxton, Massachusetts. The Spartan's real first test will come this weekend when they travel to Utica to take on Utica College. I do have to tell you though that even though The Spartans are a D-III football team, the whole day felt like a page out of Division I. There was a group of about 20 of us who started our day together tailgating with the other hundreds of fans at about 9:30 Saturday morning. I heard someone say at one point that College President David Wolk wanted everything to feel like a Division I experience & if that's true, without a doubt, he succeeded. It was a day I was happy to be part of and if you missed the chance to experience a day of football at Castleton plan on doing that during their next home game on September 26 when they host Gallaudet. Do that & you'll get a taste of Division I football courtesy of a Division III team.

A Thousand Words

2009-09-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today's post is one I wish I wasn't writing. Although I don't know them well, I met Martin & Betsy Fortin a few years ago when both of our daughters were attending college together. The one thing I can tell you about them is that they are two of the finest people I have ever met. I recall on "parents weekends" hoping to see them on campus so that we might be able to spend a little time together during a hectic couple of days. The day before our daughters graduated Martin & I spent a few minutes talking about what our daughters would be doing after graduation and I remember him also talking proudly about his son Joe and his plan to join the service. Then, the other day I read about the death in Iraq of 2nd Lt. Joseph Fortin of St. Johnsbury. As a parent, how do you put into words how you feel about the loss of a child whether it is your own or someone else's? Your heart aches. Then you see a photo like the one above & you realize that words aren't necessary. This picture truly speaks a thousand words.

A Brew To Bruschi

2009-08-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

I heard earlier that Tedy Bruschi retired from football today. Being a Patriots fan it was disappointing news to say the least. I've been a fan since the days of the Boston Patriots and remember when New England picked him. This season most analysts pick The Patriots as the team to beat in the AFC. I hope they're right. They certainly are loaded with talent again this year. But I was just getting used to the idea of the Pats without Mike Vrabel. That was bad enough, but a Pats team without Bruschi will seem very odd indeed. So Patriots fans....wherever you'll be watching on opening day September 14th when The Patriots host the Bills let's toast one of the best & classiest "former" members of the team. A Brew to Bruschi.

Camelot No More

2009-08-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

When I read of Ted Kennedy's death the other day I couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. Not just on a personal level, but for the entire country. I suppose some of that still stems from my youth & the hope many of us felt during the "Camelot Years" of the 60's. That hope faded tragically before the decade was over with the assassinations of his brothers, but Ted Kennedy even despite his own personal demons gradually brought that sense of hope back to millions of Americans through his work in the senate. Say what you will about his liberalism but Senator Kennedy fought for what he believed in every day that he was on the senate floor. His legacy includes having major roles in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, The Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993 & Meals On Wheels. That's only five examples of the hundreds of pieces of legislation that he has sponsored over the years, and so for me that sense of loss comes down to substance. Unlike Jack & Bobby before him who made us feel like there was nothing we couldn't accomplish if we were commited to it (and I still believe they could have led us there had they been given the chance)... Ted Kennedy had that chance....and he served us all well.

Penny Wise

2009-08-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does the idea of hiring consultants at hundreds of thousands of dollars seem like a waste of money to you too? Does it bother you that CVPS may be hiring a consultant to decide if they are too big? Figuring out whether or not you might be able to save some money for the consumer by downsizing is one thing, but doing it to the tune of what could approach one million dollars just seems so out of whack to me. Leave it to state government. It wasn't CVPS who suggested spending that kind of money. The Vermont Public Service Board ordered the utility to hire an outside consultant to gauge whether the Rutland-based utility has too many employees. Spend a million dollars to see if you need to lay people off. Brilliant! Downtown Rutland hired a consultant from down south to tell them what they need to do to improve the downtown. Another brilliant move. I wonder what that one's costing taxpayers!

When the Rain Comes..

2009-08-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

So begins The Beatles song Rain. It goes on to say: "they run & hide their heads". I entered the Drive studio & sat at the microphone just as the storm was beginning here this afternoon and on a whim popped Rain onto the air while saying something cleverly humorous along the lines of "if you want to know what it's like outside this afternoon, just listen to The Beatles & you'll know". I had no idea of the problems to come for Rutland City until later in the afternoon when the station began getting requests from the Rutland City police to announce that people should stay away from downtown. The Bloomer building closed once again, the transit center flooded, Friday Night Live was cancelled and the streets were a mess everywhere. Just take a look at the photo to get an idea of how bad things were for awhile. My thanks to Roxane Shappy for the great camera work! All afternoon I tried to stay up to date on the rain and in turn keep you up to date with timely information but even The Drive was a victim of the storm as we struggled to stay on the air. We had a couple of setbacks on that front, but things seem ok right now. It looks like we will be dealing with more thunderstorms right through the weekend. Hopefully they won't be as bad as the ones that came through earlier today when people had to run and hide their heads. Hopefully by Monday morning we will all be able to quote a different Beatles song.....Good Day Sunshine.

60 Seconds on 60 Minutes

2009-08-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

I read this afternoon that the creator of the TV show "60 Minutes" has died. His name is Don Hewitt & he not only created the news magazine but produced it for 36 years. He also put the debate between Nixon & JFK on the air in 1960. That was the very first televised presidential debate. But he really made his mark in 1968 when he created "60 Minutes". Hewitt was born in New York City in 1922, and grew up in New Rochelle. He dropped out of New York University to become a copy boy at New York's Herald Tribune. He joined the Merchant Marines during World War II and worked as a correspondent during the war. He joined CBS News in 1948 at the very beginning of the television era. I got to thinking about Hewitt's impressive career at the same network that gave us Edward R. Murrow & Walter Cronkite. There's been some fine newsmen on other networks since the advent of television but Murrow & Cronkite; and Don Hewitt to boot? Come on. Hewitt died of pancreatic cancer at home. He was 86. "60 Minutes".....I still watch that show almost every Sunday. This Sunday watching it will feel a little bit different.

Woodstock: The Anti-Drug

2009-08-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Everybody's been talking...so it seems...about the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Dateline even did an hour special on it a week or so ago. That show wasn't bad, interviewing many who were actually part of the event in 1969. The closest I came to being there were the stories I got from my brother Matt who (it seems to me) went without permission from either of our parents. I was 16 at the time & he wouldn't be 18 for another month & a half but he had a friend of a friend who was going kind of thing that he took advantage of and so became part of an historical event by hitching a ride with someone he knew only vaguely. The funny thing is neither of us realized any historical significance at the time. He talked about the music of course, but also about the drugs, the mud & my favorite story of the good looking naked "woman" with the long blonde hair he & his stoned friends saw from the back who, when "she" turned around, was a naked guy!! That story still makes me chuckle but it just may be the story that kept me away from anything more potent than....well let's just say........that high I have NEVER been!! Thanks Matt.

You may have to copy & paste but here's a look at Hendrix doing Purple Haze at Woodstock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvs4j4IniA

On Michael Vick & Tom Brady

2009-08-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

08/14/09

So I have to admit that I am not quite sure how I feel about Michael Vick becoming a member of the Philidelphia Eagles yesterday. From a pure football "play to win" standpoint I guess it's a great move for Philly. Think about the formations they could create with both McNabb & Vick on the field at the same time. There's not a team in the NFL that would guess correctly what the offense will do 100% of the time. Remember the fits Miami gave opposing teams last season when they ran their wildcat offense? The Patriots sure remember. I'll bet you could notch that up quite a bit with McNabb & Vick both on the field at the same time. Glad that New England doesn't have to worry about that during the regular season. They squeezed out a 27-25 pre-season win last night against the Eagles. In his first game action since Week 1 of last season, Tom Brady started and played nearly all of the first half in Thursday's preseason opener. Tom threw for two touchdowns in the Patriots win....Oh, and no Michael Vick for the Patriots defense to worry about.

Vick was tried, sentenced & served all of his time. He also met with the NFL Commissioner and then had a couple of personal meetings with Eagles coach Andy Reid. I like Reid. He seems like a pretty decent guy who can in a way relate to Vick's situation. Reid said that Vick understands what he needs to do moving forward and he's willing to except Vick at his word. I hope he's right. What Vick did was pretty sick when you think about it. If he's truly sorry for what he did and is a far better person today because of it, he could be making a lot of opposing teams & their fans pretty sick later on this season.

My Kids, McCartney, & A Little Magic

2009-08-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

8/11/09

I guess this is the perfect subject to kick off the blog I’ve been planning to start almost since The Drive went on the air in February of 2008.

Whether you were ever a fan of The Beatles, Paul McCartney or any of the other Fab Four….or your taste is more in line with some of the other great artists you can hear on The Drive like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Skynyrd or The Stones, seeing your favorite artist perform a flawless concert full of great music that brings back wonderful memories is something we all should enjoy at least once. For me, that flawless concert came this past week at Fenway Park in Boston. At just a few minutes before 8pm on August 6th on what was as close to a perfect summer evening as we’ve had this year the rumble of nearly 40,000 fans discussing the night ahead turned into a roar as Paul McCartney casually walked onto the stage unannounced (but then again, why would you need to?).

The night of magic had begun.

Like many of you I imagine, I wasn’t even a teenager when The Beatles first appeared on American television. But from that moment; on a winter night in 1964 I was totally hooked on the music that would be with me from that day in February to this day 45 years later. And because of that the music that I fell in love with has been a part of my life & a part of my family life for all that time. I started dating my wife Fran during the Summer of Love in 1967 and although she was a rabid Monkees fan at the time, a couple of songs from Sgt. Pepper changed all that for her. When we were married seven years later, all of the songs played at our wedding ceremony were ones written by Lennon & McCartney. When we started a family, our kids knew the words to Beatles songs almost as quickly as they learned “Old MacDonald” or “This Old Man”. And so…..
back to the night of magic.

I never had a chance to see The Beatles as a group but saw McCartney for the first time during the “Wings Over America” tour in 1976. Fran & I drove from Connecticut to the old Boston Garden to see that show. I remember it as being just incredible. But looking back it seems that Paul has improved with age. I remember seeing him again in Worcester, then Foxboro, then again at the “new” Boston Garden just four years ago. But none of those shows, as slick & professional as they were, held the magic of a night in August in 2009… because on that night not only was McCartney, at 67, perhaps the best he’s ever been but for the first time I was watching this amazing writer & performer with both of my kids by my side. I can’t explain to you the feeling that I had when, with arms around each others shoulders, we sang along to “Hey Jude” “Let It Be” & (during a tribute to John Lennon) “Give Peace A Chance”……and though they are both in their 20’s now….just like when they were little, they knew every word. Still holding on to both of my kids & singing along to the music I leaned forward just a bit to look past my daughter so I could catch Fran’s eyes & we both smiled. No words. She knew it was a night of magic too.