Do this and win every time, guaranteed

I've got a secret. 

Keep this just between us, but uh, I know the secret to the perfect political strategy. 

It works every time, and it's remarkably simple.

Ready? Here it is:

The day I made Tommy Lasorda laugh

I became a Los Angeles Dodgers fan fairly late in life. In fact, you could probably accuse me of being a bandwagon jumper (I’m wincing just a little as I type the words). 

When the Kirk Gibson hit his famous home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Oakland A's in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, it was easily one of the craziest things I'd ever seen in sports. I was already a serious baseball fan, but Gibson’s homer was just so astonishing — so exhilarating — I fell in love with Kirk, the Dodgers and famous manager Tommy Lasorda right then and there.

I’ve never looked back.

Intruding on a special moment: Let this image inspire you to be kinder today

What makes a powerful image? It has to convey something that touches the soul and elicits a strong, sometimes raw emotion. It is almost always candid and often simple.

This one is worth a thousand words ... and more.

Adding my tribute: What Kobe did for me

Kobe Bryant treated me with class, respect and professionalism.  

I want to add this rather small experience to the many tributes to Kobe Bryant. 

As many know, I spent several years working as a sportswriter, and during that time I spent a decade covering the Utah Jazz and the NBA. As part of my job, I had occasion to interview a number of athletes, including Kobe. 

How social media makes for lazy journalism

A few weeks back I was texting back and forth with my oldest son, Grant, who’s a grown man with a family of his own.  He’s also a diehard baseball fan, just like his old man. 

During a National League playoff game we were watching together, several hundred miles apart, we began sending text messages to each other. 

The Chicago Cubs were playing the Washington Nationals, as I recall.

In one text I sent I said “I don’t like (Cubs manager) Joe Maddon.” 

Grant asked why.

Real journalism: Still on life support

Editor's note: The following is a Facebook post I wrote in November of 2015, after seeing then-University of Missouri Communications Dept. assistant professor Melissa Click take part in threatening a student journalist attempting to cover a campus protest. 
My sentiments haven't changed a bit, so I definitely feel like it's worth re-posting on this blog. 


I won't say journalism is dead, but in many ways the journalism I fell in love with as a kid is all but gone. Those who cared to notice saw the signs of decay worsen over the past few years, but the sickening video of a journalist attempting to cover University of Missouri protests earlier this week encapsulates exactly what's wrong. 

Unless your action matches your words, this is what hypocrisy looks like

My concern is that these comments will get twisted, because on a few of my recent social media posts, my friends appear to have allowed their reactions to get ahead of their brains. So, please, open your eyes and your minds and try to contain whatever hair-trigger overreactions you might be dealing with at this time.

I am in no way a "Trump guy." I don't like him and I think he's potentially very, very dangerous. On the other hand, I'd much prefer that he succeed as President rather than fail.

Hopefully you're still reading and not overreacting, because here comes the voice of reason regarding Hollywood, protests and politics: