Well, here we are for the 23rd time at Wells Fargo Arena getting ready to cover the boys state basketball tournament. Of course, the first 17 or so were across the street at Vets and while a little of the mystique has left after the move it remains one of the great events of the year.
 
This year is different.
 
The Iowa High School Athletic Association has seen fit to select me to receive one of their News Media Awards for 2011. This is the "Hall of Fame" for the media in the state of Iowa. Radio, newspaper and television writers and broadcasters have been honored by the IHSAA for many years, and now I feel very humbled to be selected to walk among them. Many greats of the state of Iowa are included in this prestigous group, including my two mentors growing up in Eastern Iowa, Bob Brooks and Ron Gonder. They set the blueprint for me and others that I still try to follow today. Other names include: Jeff Dahn, Bob Denney as well as John Campbell and Scott Saville. 
 

There are way too many people to try and thank...but I will attempt to name a few. I already named the first two gentlemen: Bob Brooks and Ron Gonder. They were the people I looked up to and wanted to be like. I have "borrowed" a few of their mannerisms that I use today and will continue to use throughout my career. Also thanks to the people that took me on at KCRG back in the early '90s, Bob Allen and above all Wally Nelson, who we just lost last Friday to a sudden illness. I will always be indebted to them. Thanks also goes out to Pinky Primrose who first told me about an opening at KCRG for a sports guy as they were going to get back into High School and area athletics for the first time since the days of Bob Brooks. 
 

In recent years a big thanks goes out to my "new" bosses at KGYM, Rob Norton, Julie Hein and of course the late, great Eliot Keller. They had the vision to buy the station, keep it under local ownership and make it flourish under their great care and leadership. 
 

I couldn't have done this without all the people I have worked with at games as well. The list is long and elite. Such names as Pinky Primrose, John Lowry, Fred Haggin,Paul Burmeister, Al Lorenzen and my partners right now: John Hegarty, Phil Dunne, Denny Goettel and Kevin Korsmo. You guys are the best.
 
And above all the most thanks goes out to my wife and family. Kristi, Ryan and Aaron have been through many nights sitting at home without their husband and Dad. I have tried to balance things out between my home and professional life and am very proud of how that has come off for these last 10 years.
 
I will have all of these people in my thoughts, as well as others that I have not mentioned, as I walk across the floor to receive this great honor this Friday night.
 
Not bad for a guy who was told by his first general manager in Independence that he wouldn't go very far in this field!