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I've
Been Paroled Effective on Friday, July 1st....I will have served my six-month non-compete sentence, compliments of CBS Radio/Charlotte. I have been slammed with emails the last couple of weeks about my next radio gig, and I appreciate all the interest in my career path. However, you need to understand that I have been serving what I believe is an unconstitutional 6-month non-compete radio ban in the Charlotte market. There are plenty of people that switch jobs from one station (radio or tv) to another without having to be held in silence, but evidently when you are "on-air talent", the rules must be different. I really don't get it.....but, I digress. Effective on Friday, I can do as I damn well please.....and there's nobody that can stop me. I can finally negotiate and carry on like any other American in the work-force. Where I'll end up is anybody's guess, but I do have some ideas....and I will pass them along to you via the website/blog and twitter account when the deals are finalized. From what I've been told, there seem to be some major changes coming to the marketplace, so I'll just have to be patient and see what happens next. I have been approached by a couple of suitors in and outside of Charlotte, and one is very intriguing. But given the clause, I could not negotiate or proceed like a normal American worker. All I can tell you is that I'm going to have some great stories to tell you when I get back on the air....a couple that you won't believe. One, in fact, that I found to be hilarious and incredibly ironic. I have tried to keep a very low profile during the whole mess, and I'm sure you can understand why.....but beginning in July, there are no more restrictions. Thanks again to everyone that has expressed their interest in my next move.....and I can certainly understand your frustration over the current situation that exists in the Charlotte market. The last 6 months have not been easy on me or my family, especially since we're building a new house, living in an apartment, and have our entire existence upside-down....but in the end, it will be terrific. Thanks again, for your patience and understanding. The NBA Draft provided some good fodder for the locals. The Bobcats were active, and that's a good thing.....they needed to be aggressive, as they try to find the right formula and combination of players to jump-start the franchise and the city. I liked the trade of Stephen Jackson....and I thought getting both the 7th and 9th picks in the Draft was a smart move. I'm not sure I follow along with the picks of Bismack Biyombo of Congo and Kemba Walker of UConn. We've all seen Walker play....and the last time we witnessed his skills during March Madness, he looked like a miniature version of Danny Manning. Kemba took the Huskies on his shoulders thru an amazing Big East Tourney championship and a national title as well. He was terrific....and hopefully his skill set will transition into the NBA game. However, the Bobcats now have small bookend PGs in Walker and fellow first-rounder DJ Augustin. I thought the club could use a big 2-guard that could score and make outside shots....there were a number of guys available. But we'll see how it plays out.....we can all agree that Kemba Walker should make this club better. As for Bismack Biyombo......I've never heard of him....I've never seen him play.....and I don't care how many languages he can speak. I hope he is an ass-kicker on the glass, but I have no idea if he can play or not. I'm just assuming that the Bobcats' GMs know what they are doing in this case. When you trade your leading scorer, you better find immediate ways to put the ball in the basket....and from what I can tell, Biyombo isn't going to be much of an offensive weapon. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that the team had dubbed their first round duo "Thunder & Lightning". Come on, guys....can we win something, first? If you want to sell tickets.....then win. It's always the best promotion. But even if the team took a step in the wrong direction with this Draft.....I applaud them for trying to get better by being aggressive. It was apparent that status quo wasn't going to get it done. Now, let's hope we have a NBA season for 2011-12.....the ball is in your court, Commissioner Stern. The Gamecocks are back in the College World Series championship series....and this time, they take on fellow SEC East rival, the Florida Gators. Ray Tanner has done an incredible job....I've mentioned that a few times before, but he deserves all the credit that comes his way. He has built a great baseball program at USC, and he's done it the right way. While the SEC rivals battle it out in Omaha and guarantee the league its third consecutive national championship....there is a flip-side to the story. This one involves the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC, despite teams seeded #1 and #3 in Omaha, somehow found another way to continue the streak of futility in Nebraska. Wake Forest in 1955 is the last ACC team to win the national title.....I don't care what anybody says, I think that is the most amazing NCAA streak going today. That one blows me away much more than Clemson's 0-for-hardwood mark in Chapel Hill. ACC baseball has produced more big-time teams than Clemson has produced big-time hoop squads.....but somehow, the league finds ways to let it slip away in Omaha. One of these days, they'll figure it out.....but in the meantime, USC is trying to figure out a way to go back-to-back. That would be quite an accomplishment.....for anybody. I'm in the process of reading the ESPN book, "Those Guys Have All The Fun" by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales. The book is 745 pages, and I've just read the first couple hundred pages, but it is outstanding. I was worried that it was going to be one of these "disgruntled employee tell-all" garbage publications, but that's not the case at all. The first 200 pages have been loaded with great details and stories about how the Worldwide Leader got off the ground and survived. Apparently, network suits were sound asleep behind their desks in the late 70's and 80's just like they are today. It has been a great read, so far....and I highly suggest that you get your hands on the book. Especially if you enjoy great business stories and the brilliant minds that lead big-time companies. During this 6-month hiatus in which I have been involved in the construction business, hosted some shows on Sirius/XM and knocked out some daily TV commentaries....I have been taking fly-fishing lessons. I'm not a fisherman....in fact, I hate the taste of fish......but when my family vacationed in Jackson Hole a few years ago, I saw some guys fly-fishing and it looked incredibly fun and relaxing. I need a hobby in the worst way....and in some respects, the 6-month non-compete has been a God-send because I've been able to stay on top of the home construction, read great books, and started dabbling in the art of fly-fishing. I couldn't tie a fly if my life depended on it....but I got the chance to go catch some fish the other day for the first time and it was a blast. I can't wait to get up into a mountain stream and disappear from the real world......you might not see me again. Of course, if I do make it to the NC mountains or out West, I plan on bringing some great steaks for the grill. In case you were wondering, I took the free lessons at Orvis, and the folks were first class and great to work with......I just thought I'd pass it on to you. |
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