Before I blog about a cool way to spend your weekend, let me say this: Thank You! We just got the ratings for the month of November ( sweeps month ) and once again, our morning show won. We not only won the 5am and 6am hours, we had bigger audiences than we had a year ago. While the whole morning show crew is proud of its' efforts, we know it would be impossible with you tuning in every morning.

While we love our jobs and like being part of your mornings, we alos want to be number one. We love the competition and we want to be able to keep saying we are "Pittsburgh's #1 morning newscast". There is a little more animated celebration on Melanie Taylor's blog right now.

This probably is not cool given my employer but I am not a regular viewer of ABC's smash-hit "Dancing with the Stars." My reasons? Well, considering I get up at 2am, I'm not awake to see the show. Also, given my schedule, I never commit myself to watching a show week after week.

I was wrong.

It's a custom in the news biz to ask people what they are thankful for the day before Thanksgiving. For years, I have also compiled my list of things that I am thankful for - and with a few changes here and there - they have stayed pretty much the same.

I am thankful for family, friends and good health. I am grateful for employment and resources to enjoy my life. I am happy that - in some small way - my life allows me to give back to my community with both time and dollars.

However, there is something new that I am grateful for .. and a few years ago would never have considered a key part of my life .. and that is you. You - the people who both read my blog and send me responses. For years, I never knew what my audience was like and what they were thinking on any given day. Now I do.

Instantly, I can tell if you like something you see on Channel 4 and if something doesn't please you. I can get your feelings on the topics we cover as well as the ones we don't. Through my blog, I am able to share my life with you and you are able to share your adventures with me.

Most of all, I have gotten closer to the people who watch our station -- making it truly a two-way relationship. Some of those people I have actually come to know by name through their responses to my blog. I do not know their faces, but I feel as close to them as some people I see face-to-face on a daily basis.

While I do not want to slight anyone, I do want to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to those who respond to my blogs on a regular basis. Some of you make it part of your morning route before starting the work day while some of you read at home after getting the family out the door. To all of you, thank you for giving me another reason to give "Thanks" on this holiday.

Finally, thanks to the folks here at WTAE and thepittsburghchannel.com. From web editor Chris Twomey's invitation to start blogging to news director Bob Longo's on-going support of this venture, thanks for giving me another outlet to get to know our viewers.

And to all of you, have a "Happy Thanksgiving".

I have been pretty happy-go-lucky in my recent posts. I was about to do so again when my Mandy, my friend and blog reader, reminded me that sometimes my blog needs to be about more than baby names and birthday greetings. With that in mind, some stories that bear further comment:

Local Man Charged with Assaulting and Killing 10-month-old
If you are a regular viewer of Channel 4 Action News, then there is no need for me to go into the details of this heinous crime. Suffice it to say, when I received the initial news of this during a morning broadcast last week, it was unsettling to say the least. It was the worse nightmare for any adult - whether you have a child or not.

Let me say this. My job is not to sit as judge and jury, but if this man is guilty of this horrific crime, there is no punishment strong enough for him. This is a crime that goes beyond description and beyond reason. Why would one human being even consider doing that - especially to one so young and so innocent. This world - for the most part - is filled with good people but tales like this make you question just where humanity is headed.


Charlie Batch gets state grant to build on old Homestead Bakery Site
While we all celebrate the on-field exploits of the Steelers, there is one member of the black and gold who deserves much more adulation - for something he accomplished without taking the field. Since returning to Pittsburgh from his days in Detroit, Charlie Batch has been giving both his time and his dollars to revitalize his dying hometown - Homestead.
Now, the Steelers back-up quarterback is about to play a starting role in bringing new life to dormant community. Batch received $480K in state money to begin construction of a residential and commercial development inside the old Homestead Bakery. It will create jobs, housing and new life for an area which has been down for years. As for as I'm concerned, that effort should garner Batch the team MVP award.


"Why Give Thanks When You Can Shop?"
Those are not my words. That's from USA Today website. Their cover story is about how post-Thanksgiving day shopping is now taking place on Thanksgiving! Whether is stores with expanded hours or on-line, Americans are shopping even before they sit down to enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner.

Now I'm not one to bash someone looking to save money in these difficult economic times. Who isn't? But let's get a grip people. If I'm not mistaken, don't you actually save more money later in the holiday season because retailers are trying to reach sales goals and will do anything for a deal.

Let's allow Thanksgiving to be a day to give thanks .. and not a day to shop for bargains. I really think this holiday shopping thing has gotten out of hand. Are we really that determined to be generous and save money at the same time - or are we just conditioned to spend this time of year because we are supposed to.


There. Just had to get a few things off my chest. Thanks for reading.

Two of my dearest friends, Mike and Kerri Evans, are having a baby. It will be their first and they could not be happier. I had a chance to talk to them about their first offspring while sitting around with them - and Mike's mom - Saturday as Ohio State slammed Michigan.

While we were watching and talking - the subject turned from having the baby to naming the baby. As I quickly discovered, that may prove more difficult and trying than the actual delivery. Mike and Kerri say they have received suggestions from friends, close family and perfect strangers - and everyone has an opinion.

There are those who want to name the child ( for which Mike and Kerri do not want to know the gender of ) after a family member like an aunt or uncle. Others want to name the kid something trendy ( anybody remember the Seinfield episode where George Constanza wanted to name his friends' kid "Seven" and then "Soda" ). Still others wanted something a bit more modern like "Olivia" or "Tyler".

After about 20 minutes of hearing all the suggestions and the resulting controversy, I might just pass on the whole kid thing and stick with a dog. At least no family members were offended when we settled on "Boobaloo". Now, I'm just kidding but it really seems like naming your child is the biggest decision you are likely to make next to who you want to marry and where you buy your first home.

After giving this some thought, I think I have a few guidelines for naming your baby:

1. Please avoid the "hot"name this year. Remember some of the names of kids in the 1970's? Enough said.

2. Remember the child has to live with whatever name you give him/her. So please take the time to envision what it will be like when that child is called upon in fifth-grade Algebra in the year 2019 - and if you aren't laughing, then go with the name.

3. Don't try to be hip. "Suri" may be great right now for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, but when "Suri" confronts this pair when she becomes a college senior and asks "What were you thinking?" it's not going to pretty.

4. Finally, Mike and Kerri, I have been told that "Andrew" is a great name for a boy. Timeless.

Friday night - and once again, I'm trying to get through the final few hours of my work day. It's always hard on a day like this because I worked late last night and I'm plodding away on about four hours sleep. The good news? When this day is done, I can head home for a quick nap and Friday night fun.

Along with some great compliments and positive e-mails, I do get my share on dumb replies from people. The latest came from a gentlemen from Pittsburgh named John. Here's the printable part of what he had to say to me:

"You been chickified bro. Go back to sports. You did a great job there and acquire some guts."

Normally, I would just read and ignore it, but believe it or not, Mr. Bednar brings up an interesting point. The gist of his e-mail is basically saying that somehow being open and honest about your feelings and emotions is a "chick" thing and makes you less of a man. That somehow by moving to news and covering stories that aren't about on-field conquests by athletes has taken away my "guts".

I think you can guess what my response to this premise is.

Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, be able to express your feelings makes you more of a man than hiding them. For years, men were always taught never to cry and never to show that you do have emotions. I subscribed to that for years and during my high school years, believe it or not, I was a bully. I used to beat up kids if I thought they looked at me the wrong way. I would never cry if someone said something to upset me. Instead, I would answer with my fists.

But that all changed when I got to be a senior in high school .. and wouldn't you know it was a woman who got me to change my evil ways. My first real high school girlfriend caused to begin to look at myself very differently. We broke up before my senior prom, but the lessons I learned from her stay with me.

Today, I'm very proud that personality covers a range of emotions -- from being a tough guy to being a more sensitive person. If anything, I think that is what being a man is all about. Knowing that if the moment calls for it I could drop the gloves and fight or, if the situation dictates, being a caring and concerned person.

John, I would ask you to acquire "some guts" and open yourself up to a world where you don't have to hide who you are. Hey bro, you can be a man without having to be "macho". I managed to do it in sports for years .. and now, I'm doing it in news.

You probably know by now that I'm really just a overgrown kid, passionate about PlayStation, playing golf and doing things most mature 30-somethings have grown out of. I guess it's because I really don't feel the 39 years I have been around. I don't feel like a grown-up. I feel like a kid in many ways and that goes for my career as well.

I guess that's because I grew up wanting to do so many things. As a child, I wanted to a fireman .. and then President. By middle school, my goal was to get paid to be a cartoonist. As I got ready to graduate from college, my focus was on a career in business and marketing. After school, I still wanted to work on Wall Street. Even when I became a local TV sports anchor, I had dreams of becoming a network TV sports broadcaster.



So what about now? What do I want to do when I grow up? Truthfully, I do not know. The job I have now is perhaps the most fun I have ever had while pulling a paycheck - and while I hope I will be able to do this for the next 25 years, I know this won't last forever. But my dreams don't involve a new career but rather adding experiences and learning new things so that I can become well rounded as a reporter - and as a person.

In the next few years, I would like to get my MBA. I was accepted to the University of Illinois MBA program in 1990, but chose not to go because I wasn't ready for grad school. My schedule now allows me to take part time classes .. and I may do that. I would also like to learn a foreign language -- other than Spanish which I took in high school.

I also want improve my computer skills. While I'm pretty technically savvy, I could use a little more education. Also, I would like to write a book. Not the great American novel, mind you, but something of consequence. I'm not sure what I would write about but after blogging for so long I think I could write something that would have legs .. and last.

Finally, I want to do something that leaves a mark on the world. I think we all begin to think about our legacies in mid-life. I doubt I will ever do anything that will cause someone to actually cast a statue in my image but I want to leave some sign that I walked the Earth and left the world just a little bit better off than when I arrived.

This is what I want to do when I grow up ... if I ever do grow up. I'm getting PlayStation 3 this Christmas so the maturation process might be on hold this winter.

While I snapped all sorts of photos at Jen Miele's Steeler party, I forget to post this photo of the cutest couple in the room ( at least the cutest couple I could get sitting together at the party ). That's Melanie Taylor and her hubby, Jason.

Let me give Jason props for wearing the same jersey the entire game. His tradition is wearing different jerseys over the course of the afternoon -- going from Steelers to Mets to whatever. He decided to stick with the home team this time around.

One of the perks of working mornings as opposed to my days as a sportscaster is that I get the chance to actually live the life of a Steeler fan .. and that means going to Steeler parties. I attended my first on Sunday, courtesy of Jen Miele and her husband, Jason.


That's Jen and her dad along with her intern, Laura Gerhart. Jen is all about family, friends and neighbors and her Sunday Steeler bash was a perfect example. Jen cooked plenty of food -as well as provided some of our favorite beverages - as we watched the Steelers battle the Browns in the latest installment of the turnpike rivalry.


Recognize the ladies on the right? That's Janelle Hall and Marcie Cipriani. And those guys on the left? They are the husbands. Casey is on the far left, and that is Janelle's guy. Second from the left is Chris - and that's Marcie's soulmate ... or so I am told.


There's Jason on the left, Jen's hubby, and some of their friends. There had to be about 30 or more people gathered around watching the closing minutes of a thrilling contest - Steelers won by three as Cleveland missed a game-tying field goal at the end.

So where was I during this madness? Actually, I left late third quarter and headed down to Heinz Field where some of my friends were watching the closing minutes at McFadden's. That was two parties in one day for me. I can get used to this, although if I eat one more thing I think I'm going to explode.

Sorry I was off the last couple of days. Blog break .. but I'm back.

You know, when I write my daily entry, I know I'm not the only person who does it but I wonder what kind of people blog and why do they do it. Thursday night, I walked into a world of people just like me. People who blog.

Pittsburgh Bloggers is a local group which has made an effort to bring people like us - bloggers - together. Last night, they held their bi-monthly blogfest at Finnegan's Wake on the North Shore. I thought not only would it be a chance to get to know those who have turned this medium into an art form, but it would make a great story, too.

When you walk in, it seems more like a get together of recent college grads than a bloggers convention. Most of the bloggers are young and there is no outward signs indicating that they speak to the public through the power of the Internet. In fact, most of the people I spoke with say they know their fellow bloggers by their blog address more so than their real name. Then, there are others who purposely hide their identity.

So why do these folks do it? Why do they blog - for no money mind you - daily? Some want to share their political thoughts and leanings, others want to share their lives and their experiences and then there are some who find it as an outlet for their creative juices. What I learned in the hour I spent with these 20-30 folks is that blogging is an inexact science - but one that is growing in popularity and influence. I also learned that there are no rules for blogging, no
safeguards and no secrets for success.

Finally, I was motivated to continue blogging. Thanks to your responses and as well as hearing their stories, I feel a responsibility to keep sharing my thoughts and ideas. Sometimes what you have to say isn't always interesting or relevant, but if your words get even one person to think differently then you have blogged successfully.

Thanks to Cythia Closkey who invited us into Blogfest .. and thanks to all those bloggers who were so friendly and cordial. While I had never met these folks, I felt like I had an instant connection .. and I'm looking forward to going back to a meeting and actually enjoying a beer.

Look for my story on the faces behind the blogosphere on Channel 4 Action News starting at 5 .. and later on our website, thepittsburghchannel.com

Tonight, the Steelers pay tribute to the greatest players of the last 75 years before they battle the Baltimore Ravens. It's sure to be an eye-opening experience for those who think Steelers football began in the 1970's. However, the team has a long, rich history and one man has witnessed it all first hand ... and has written a book about it.

Dan Rooney is the chairman of the team, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and part of what is widely considered one of Pittsburgh's premier families. I have gotten to know him over the years while covering both news and sports and what has always struck me is how normal and unassuming this man is despite the fact he is the patriarch of arguably the most successful franchise is the NFL.

I spent some time talking with Mr Rooney and his wife about his new book - which he wrote over the course of two years. He would come home after work and write out his thoughts on a yellow legal pad His wife Pat, a former teacher, would review his writings. He chose to write a book that was not a "tell-all" but a "tell all" about the history of the NFL and the Steelers place in that history. His publishers asked for juicy details, but Rooney instead to tell a historical tale - minus the embellishment - and by sticking to the facts, his booking is more compelling and enlightening.

While I have not always agreed with the Steelers stance on many off-the field issues ( i.e. casino traffic and the construction of Heinz Field ), I do admire this man and how he has maintained and grown his father's franchise into the signature symbol for the city and this region. Most of all, I think he has done it with a style and grace we normally don't see in team owners.

Here's the perfect example: During Super Bowl XXX in Phoenix, Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones was anything but subtle. He had his team stay in the finest hotel in Arizona and Jones, himself, held daily press conferences. Rooney? I remember seeing him walking around the team lobby in a modest hotel in Scottsdale and taking time to say "hi" to fans wearing a Steelers jacket and never drawing attention to himself.

Maybe a better example is the day I had to stop down at the Steeler offices to pick up a media guide back in 1998. Sharon and I were dating at the time and I asked her to sit in the lobby while I went to the executive offices. When I came back, she told me about a older gentleman who came out to the lobby to say "hi" and ask her if she needed a cup of coffee or a water. Who was this kind and attentive gentleman? She looked over her shoulder and pointed him out as he walked back into his office. It was Dan Rooney.

This 75th celebration is the brainchild of Mr. Rooney and whether or not you follow pro football in Pittsburgh, you have to admire how he has taken what is really just a football team and made part of the fabric of Pittsburgh. By the way, Rooney's book is not a bad read.

Just wanted to take a few moments before the weekend arrives to welcome Traffic Watch 4's Melanie Taylor to the world of blogging. She's joining WTAE's blogging team which includes myself, Michelle Wright, Sally Wiggin, Ashley DiParlo .. as well as the Action Sports Team.

Marriage is as much as partnership as a relationship. As those of you who are married know, while you do many things together, sometimes you have to split up duties to get things done.

For instance, Sharon handles much of the cooking in our household because I cannot cook and I fear that if I do anything more than boil water for pasta, I'm going to seriously injure myself.
She also picks up the dry cleaning, takes care of Boobaloo's food in the morning and plans all our travel out town.

So what do I do? Well, being the big TV star in the family doesn't keep me off the "honey do" list. For me, it's all about mowing the lawn, taking out the garbage ... and other forms of heavy lifting.

But I have also learned to do some domestic chores for the first time in my life. I will admit that before getting married, I was not much for laundry. I would take everything as a bachelor - throw it in a bag - and send it to the cleaners. I didn't even own a washing machine and, as far as I was concerned, "Tide" was a reference to the football team at the University of Alabama.

Now, I have become the laundry guy in my house ... although it took some trial and error before I became adept at washing and drying. First rule I learned? Don't even try to wash her delicates with my heavy stuff. That's the easiest way to take a Victoria's Secret piece and rip it to shreds. I also learned bleach does not work for colors .. and colors run.

Along with the lessons learned, I think I learned a little bit about myself. As a kid, holding a woman's undergarment in your hand might have been a huge deal and even a moment that would send hormones racing. Now, separating bras and panties from the rest of the wash is a common occurrence.

I actually like doing some housework, although I will admit we hired a woman to clean our house every couple of weeks. Believe me, given our schedules, it's money well spent and I can't imagine coming home from covering a story to have to scrub the toilets.