Ishmael: Ehhhh, you can't fool us; it's the easiest thing in the world for a man to look as if he's got a great secret in him.
Elijah: I have, lad, I have. At sea one day, you'll smell land where there'll be no land, and on that day Ahab will go to his grave, but he'll rise again within the hour. He will rise and beckon. Then all - all save one shall follow.
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville.
We might have known that as he became more obscure and irrelevant; George Steinbrenner, would somehow manage on the day of the All Star game to play his final 'look at me' card, and would cast his voluminous shadow on a game and a team that he has more or less transcended. I actually started to write about the All Star Game, but George somehow managed to stand in my way, something that he'd perfected as owner of the New York Yankees.
I don't have much to say about his passing, other than with all due respect to the deceased, Charley Finley was George Steinbrenner before George Steinbrenner. Charley, however, owned the K. C. Athletics and later the Oakland Athletics, not the New York Athletics. George Steinbrenner was iconic as an owner of a professional team, but he owes his brush with fame more to the city where his team performed than anything of his own doing. I'll do my best to give him the respect he deserves by saying, when we think of being in the right place at the right time, he created the time, but the place created him.
7/13/10
6/22/10
Our Nose Knows Our Past Better Than Our Brains
Yesterday marked the first day of summer; it kind of snuck up on me, but considering the humidity and temperature the last couple of weeks, I'm not sure how it crept from spring to summer so secretly. Throw in a conversation with my brother Bill early this morning and it became a nostalgic fade to days gone by.
Bill started the conversation by telling me he had been up to Centralia, Kansas, my home town last week(where I come from you always go "up" when you head north, and "down" when you head south. Hence, up to C-Town down to Topeka) and from the looks of things the farmers would be harvesting wheat within a week or so.
It was almost as though he had opened the gate to the loading shoot and the steers bolted for the truck that was waiting for them to step aboard. Except instead of steers, it was the memories of growing up in a bucolic land that bolted straight at me.
The interesting part is, when he mentioned the wheat harvest, my first reaction was to think of the smell of a wheat field freshly cut by the combines. You can only know that smell, when it's been a part of your informative years. From there, I imagined the clean and unspoiled smell of an alfalfa field, waiting for someone to load the small bales onto a wagon or truck and head them for the barn.
Then there's the power of a freshly plowed field, it seems to me soil has the odor of both life and death. You can smell the decay and at the same time there's an unmistakable fecundity that passes through the nostrils. Maybe I'm beginning to understand the vintner, when he says" this Bordeaux has an earthy nose."
Being around a maturing cornfield after a rain is another smell that's imprinted in my brain, the pollen that become the kernels seems to effervesce after a shower. Ah, the good old days.
It's not all corn bread and chicken type good smells on the farm. But you've got to kind of take the good with the bad. I don't think I'll be forgetting the acrid odor of chickens, the sinus clearing vapor of the hog farm, and the phases of fetidness of a rotting carcass.
I don't need a plane to go home, I think I can take a stroll down memory lane with a chemistry set. What do you think?
Bill started the conversation by telling me he had been up to Centralia, Kansas, my home town last week(where I come from you always go "up" when you head north, and "down" when you head south. Hence, up to C-Town down to Topeka) and from the looks of things the farmers would be harvesting wheat within a week or so.
It was almost as though he had opened the gate to the loading shoot and the steers bolted for the truck that was waiting for them to step aboard. Except instead of steers, it was the memories of growing up in a bucolic land that bolted straight at me.
The interesting part is, when he mentioned the wheat harvest, my first reaction was to think of the smell of a wheat field freshly cut by the combines. You can only know that smell, when it's been a part of your informative years. From there, I imagined the clean and unspoiled smell of an alfalfa field, waiting for someone to load the small bales onto a wagon or truck and head them for the barn.
Then there's the power of a freshly plowed field, it seems to me soil has the odor of both life and death. You can smell the decay and at the same time there's an unmistakable fecundity that passes through the nostrils. Maybe I'm beginning to understand the vintner, when he says" this Bordeaux has an earthy nose."
Being around a maturing cornfield after a rain is another smell that's imprinted in my brain, the pollen that become the kernels seems to effervesce after a shower. Ah, the good old days.
It's not all corn bread and chicken type good smells on the farm. But you've got to kind of take the good with the bad. I don't think I'll be forgetting the acrid odor of chickens, the sinus clearing vapor of the hog farm, and the phases of fetidness of a rotting carcass.
I don't need a plane to go home, I think I can take a stroll down memory lane with a chemistry set. What do you think?
3/23/10
The Diesel's crew grows by two......
As Jack Nicholson said in the movie "Batman", while playing the role of the Joker, "Wait 'til they get a load of me". Actually, for our purpose it's get a load of us, because we feel we have chosen wisely in determining, who the rest of the cast is going to be. So, let's get to who's who.
My cohost has been a fixture in the Washington D.C. sports scene for the last decade. We found during the auditions; Lou Holder is man of depth and passion, and also, he has a genuine sense of humor. We are pleased and honored to announce his participation.
Our producer and torpedo op. will be Kevin Stanfield, another local broadcast veteran. Kevin has worked for XM radio in various roles and, of course most of you will recognize the name from his contributions to the Tony Kornheiser Show.
I'm confident I speak for all of us, when I say, we couldn't be more excited for this launch in the next couple of weeks, if we were working at Cape Canaveral. To a man, and this includes Tod Castleberry my co-creator and former Program Director of WTEM & Red Zebra, our goal is to entertain and inform. We're working on a "multi-media experience" not just a radio show, and the center of our solar system will be the internet. We are constructing a kaleidoscope of entertainment options that will always be there when you need and want them.
3/8/10
All Aboard!
As most of you are aware our new show is in the process of coming to life in a month or less. We have been auditioning talent and I can say, if we had to go on the air tomorrow you, would not be disappointed. Of all the people we've had sit in for the auditions, everyone has added something.
I don't know if any of you remember that old motor oil commercial about pay me now or pay me later. But, that's a pretty good way to look at our new medium, HD Radio. It's coming and you can get on board now and spend the $50 or $60* to get your HD radio or, of course, you can wait. Even without an HD radio there will be plenty of options to hear our show, which include live streaming, podcasts, smart phone apps., and so on. The point is don't let anybody con you, if you want to hear our show, you will be able to hear our show.
So, there is indeed a train a coming, it's me, the Diesel. We will post the track, time and date, when it's a go. Reserve a seat now.
*It's a one time equipment upgrade, and then sit back and let Il Riggo roll!
2/4/10
The John Riggins Show Returns in Afternoon Drive!
WTOP Expands Partnership with Riggins
Deal Includes Return of “John Riggins Show” on HD
Washington, DC February 4, 2010
WTOP Radio 103.5 FM today announced a new multi-year broadcasting partnership with NFL Hall of Famer John Riggins. “Riggo” just completed his first year of providing expert analysis and commentary for WTOP during the Redskins’ season and will continue in that role during the 2010 NFL season.
Riggins will also host one-hour “Ask Riggo” specials throughout the year, giving listeners and fans the chance to interact and discuss the team. In addition The John Riggins Show will return to the air in afternoon drive via WTOP’s HD-3 Channel. The John Riggins Show will air Monday through Friday from 4 – 7 p.m. Riggins will also host a pre-game and post-game show during the NFL season.
Riggins says, “Spot duty was never meant for me. I’m an every down broadcaster. Thanks to the Goliath of D.C. Radio, WTOP HD-3 will soon offer Diesel Fuel Monday through Friday; pumps will be open 4-7 p.m. I know I’ve got one more great run left in the tank - how can I not with WTOP in front of me. It’s going to be just like old times.”
The broker of the deal, WTOP Sales Manager Ralph Renzi says, “We are thrilled to have Riggo join WTOP 103.5 FM and to bring his talk show to WTOP HD-3. His expertise and candor are always a must-listen. This is an innovative move that showcases radio’s many distribution channels.”
WTOP VP of Programming Jim Farley says, "He's not just the most popular Redskin of all times, he's also the most articulate. He is fearless in calling it like it is. Now he's blazing a path in carving out the new free over-the-air channels created by cutting-edge HD Radio technology."
All John Riggins programming is managed and executive produced by sports programming veteran Tod Castleberry who formerly programmed WTEM and ESPN 980/Redskins Radio Network. Says Castleberry, “Riggo is a compelling, entertaining personality who always tells it like he sees it. He has a lot to say and we’re going to have fun interacting with the fans. This is an exciting partnership with Washington’s most listened to radio station, WTOP.”
The John Riggins Show will launch on WTOP HD-3 in March. Commentary on WTOP will begin again in the fall.
WTOP Radio has served the Washington region since 1926 and has been Washington’s all-news radio station since 1969. WTOP is the most widely listened to radio station in the Nation’s Capital. WTOP can be heard on 103.5 FM in the metro, 103.9 FM in Frederick, 107.7 FM in Stafford, and worldwide at wtop.com.
WTOP Radio is one of two stations in DC owned by Bonneville International Corporation. Its sister station is Federal News Radio, heard on 1500 AM and 820 AM in Frederick. Bonneville International (www.bonneville.com) is an award-winning, dynamic media company with radio, television, online, satellite, and advertising properties in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Phoenix, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake City.
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