They own the podium

As promised, I will now elaborate on my prediction of two days ago that the Canadian men's hockey team would win the gold medal in the just-concluded 2010 Winter Olympics in the world's most beautiful city, Vancouver, British Columbia...which they did.

First of all, for those curious as to why Vancouver is my favorite place in the world, that stems back to a trip I made there in 1985...I wanted to check out Canada, never having been there before, and since I was in the Seattle area at the time, it seemed as good a time as any to go up and look. When I got to Vancouver, I was struck by the stunning beauty of this huge metropoils seemingly surrounded by clean, blue water and mountains as far as one could see. The weather was wonderful and mild, and I STILL have never seen a cleaner place in my life. I immediately envisioned myself possibly settling down there someday, if circumstances would ever present themselves in such a way.

And now, a part of my heart resides very close by, underlining my attachment to this gloriously beautiful part of the earth.

Too, I've always loved ice hockey, and I naturally have become a BIG fan of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks...so my love for my favorite place intensifies during the winter months...and given that this year's Winter Games were being held there, you can imagine what I've been doing with the tiny window of spare time that I have.

OK, now back to the game. The above backdrop will possibly explain why today's gold medal battle was significant to me...beyond what a regular hockey game would be. I was looking forward to seeing my native country(the U.S.)against another country I feel warmth toward(Canada). Besides, the tournament showed that they, not Canada and Russia(as many experts claimed at the outset)were the class of the world field.

The Canadians had probably the best possible available lineup of the world's top players, with NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Jonathan Toews, Jarome Iginla, Duncan Keith, captain Scott Niedermayer, and great young defensive talent such as Shea Weber and Drew Doughty, not to mention two of the world's top goaltenders in Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo, not to mention Marc-Andre Fleury of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

The U.S. team was also stocked with solid NHL talent like Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Jamie Langenbrunner, Phil Kessel, Zach Parise, Jack Johnson, and Eric Johnson, plus goaltender Ryan Miller, quietly having a statistically excellent season for the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.

But honestly and objectively, if you put the Canadian and US lineups back-to-back and projected them to their best on the ice, I couldn't really see the U.S. beating the Canadians when it mattered most.

But the U.S. DID beat the Canadians when it din't matter much, in the preliminary seeding round...where the U.S. won despite being outshot nearly 2-to-1 and dominated on the ice by the more savvy Canadian team. The U.S. managed to win on the strength of extraordinary goaltending by Miller, and big plays at timely moments.

Unfortunately, the victory served mostly to wake up a Canadian team that was still a bit disorganized at that point in the tournament. It gave the team a focus and purpose that it may not have had previously, despite the immense pressure they were under in their own country to win a Gold Medal with all that superlative talent. Now they were driven not only by that pressure, but also by the desire to avenge their loss to the U.S. and win the Gold in the same game.

The U.S. continued to play excellently, seemingly improving with each game. The Canadians continued to roll on through the tougher bracket, focused on the Gold and playing their best.

It stood to reason then, that when it became apparent that the U.S. and Canada would indeed face off in a rematch for the Gold, that Canada would have the advantage in the matchup....for except for the Canadian game and a one-period, six-goal ouburst against the bronze medalist team Finland, the U.S. never did approach the dominating force on the ice the Canadians were, despite not having trailed in a game to that point in the tournament.

But in today's game, the U.S. team saved its' best for last...with the Canadians determined to win the game and the gold, and the U.S. determined to duplicate their gold medal hockey performance of 30 and 50 years ago, the result was one of the most intensely competitive hockey games the world has ever seen. The quality of play on both sides was nothing short of remarkable.

But the U.S. realized it wasn't playing Switzerland or Finland this time, and it was all they could do to stay with the determined Canadians on the ice...and the skill of the Canadians won out in the beginning, staking their team to a 2-0 lead by the 2nd period.

The U.S. would cut it to 2-1, and hang in there through much of the third period...but they could not sem to tie the score. Finally, with regulation time about to expire, the U.S. used an extra attacker to put a rebound past Luongo to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Overtime seemed appropriate for this game, since both teams played equally well and deserved to win on effort. But now it would come down to a sudden death overtime.

7 minutes in, Crosby took a pass from Iginla off a turnover and blasted the puck past the heroic-in-defeat Miller, and Canada was the deserving Gold Medal Olympic men's hockey champion.

If all the attention in goal were not squarely on Miller(which admittedly was understandable), perhaps observers might have paid more attention to the equally gifted Luongo, who as the Canucks' goalie had the majority of the fans on his side to go with his excellent career record in international competition and a similar 3-2 win over Miller in th builcing when the Canucks beat the Sabres there in late January.

Luongo was also especially determined to win, for he was battling an undeserved "choker" image, and only was playing when Brodeur, the original Canadian starter, was pulled after the first U.S. loss. A Gold Medal would help Luongo change his public image among some hockey fans.

Bottom line, every player on both the Canadian and U.S. teams earned my unending respect and admiration for the way they played and conducted themselves...the game will do a lot for the sport of hockey by showing the world what a great game of skill hockey is.

Perhaps only in a city as beautiful as Vancouver could such a beautiful display of athletic skill take place. Then again, perhaps not.

But it was still a great game...in a great city.

A prediction…

I make no claims to be an "expert" in ANYTHING, still less one in predicting the outcome of sporting events.

But I'll stick my neck out here and make one prediction for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC(my favorite city in the entire world).

The Canadian men's hockey team will win the gold medal on Sunday, beating the United States team in the championship game.

I'll elaborate on this and explain my prediction in a subsequent posting.

I just wanted to get that prediction out there, on the record.

Tiger finally speaks…

...aren't we all relieved now?:-)

When professional golfer par excellence Tiger Woods finally emerged from almost three months of seclusion following the revelations of his marital infidelity and the accident involving his SUV, his wife, and a tree not far from one of his homes, the coverage of his statement announcing his feelings on the matter bordered on the importance given say, the President's State of the Union address.

I guess that's understandable when one considers the celebrity status of Woods exceeds that of most actors in the entertainment business, CERTAINLY most politicians, and even that of items concerning Ernie Haase and Signature Sound on gospel music websites(just kidding there).

Why is Woods so enormously popular? Because he's young, photogenic, EXTREMELY wealthy, and possibly the greatest golfer ever to play in the sport(after all the records are in the book, he probably will be)?

Well, yes, that's probably part of it...

But as is the case with many of our star athletes, we tend to put them on pedestals reserved for mankind's greatest heroes. We hope for them to be role models for us and our children to such a degree that we start to EXPECT such behavior from them, possibly forgetting that they're no different from the rest of us less-athletically skilled people. subject to the same conditions and real-life obstacles all of us human-types are.

So when a multi-millionaire, successful, college-educated athlete(yes, golfers are athletes)like Woods is found to have committed numerous acts of adultery against his equally celebrity-gifted wife, and gets into an auto accident upon the revelation of such activities, our moral indignation is thrust toward Woods as if he were a pope, a pastor, a head of state, or the CEO of a multinational corporation(not that the latter would ever be exempt from such scrutiny ordinarily).

Which is partly why Woods has maintained an extremely low public profile since the Novemeber incident...after all, Tiger Woods is more than a man, a golfer, or even a celebrity...he is a BRAND...and millions and millions of dollars are generated through his name alone.

So he, wishing to finally put aside some of the intense public attention all this has garnered, finally chose yesterday to make a public address(NOT, significantly, a news conference)on this subhect at last.

Did he address the issues satisfactorily, and responsibly, by so doing?

IMO, yes he did. He is not obliged(NOT the non-word "obligated" that is SO popular with SO many in this English-starved age)to do anything more for us, the general public.

For Woods correctly stated that these personal issues involving his wife are between the two of them, and are essentially none of our business. As much as we crave to know everyone's dirty laundry, he is absolutely correct...it isn't.

Why was this only a gathering of family and friends(and NOT, significantly, his wife, who was not there for some unknown reason)and NOT a press conference, where Woods would answer questions from reporters?

Well, it's none of their business, either. And anyone who follows the media in this day and age knows full well the lack of honor, taste, and scruples inherent in most press conference questions these days knows EXACTLY why Woods would not consent to such a circus. If this issue is to be finally put to bed(as it should be), such an event CANNOT be conducted before the vulture-like media at large these days.

Woods was right when he asserted yesterday that no matter how bad his behavior was, there is NO justification for the media and paparazzi to stalk and follow his FAMILY everywhere they go, and report their whereabouts and what they're doing? Why do we need to know all that?

We think we do...because we are part of an ever-sickening society that no longer values decency, privacy, dignity, or self-respect.

Like every one of us, Tiger Woods is a sinner in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. If we start treating him like Jesus would(instead of how a lot of us do), it's possible Woods may feel led to investigate his need for that kind of redemption, and maybe surrender to God's will at last, and subsequently become the kind of father and man he said he wanted to be yesterday.

Isn't us leaving him alone, praying for him, and not being so demanding to follow a moral standard that none of the rest of us even expect of ourselves worth a try?

I think so. And I'll be praying for Tiger Woods, too...care to join me?

It’s official…I’m old…

While at work yesterday, on President's Day, a bunch of us at the radio station were discussing a potential talk show topic, namely, who was the greatest U.S. President of the past 30 years.

Now if we go back 30 years, that takes us to 1980, back to when Jimmy Carter was wrapping up his one and only term as President.

Jimmy Carter?? That's only five Presidents ago...so it shouldn't seem to be 30 YEARS ago, but it is.

I think I'll fetch my walker now, go out, and get my prescription drugs, so I can enjoy these golden years in peace and good health.

Preview of coming attractions

The next entry I'll be posting here will be either Friday night or Saturday morning...the Liberty Quartet(one of my favorite bunch of singers and people)will be singing in Fresno at Northwest Church, and I will be there to see them(in spite of rain, sleet, hail, or gloom of night)....I'll share my observations of that special evening right here.

Also, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound will appear in Fresno next Thursday night at the Cornerstone Church, and I plan to zip over there right after work that evening to take that in, too...and if you'd like, you can read about that as well right here.

I may post at various times in between and around as well, just to be different. Catch you all then!:-)

Alive, well, and still here

Believe it or not, I actually DO plan to post often here in 2010!

I realize that that notion may be a bit hard to swallow, inasmuch as it's the 15th of January, and this is my initial post here for 2010.

To clear up any misunderstandings due to my inactivity, note:

I am NOT still caught up in the euphoria of my unequivocally successful Christmas morning radio show(the last thing I posted about last year), although I'm still enormously grateful for how God used that three-hour window on Christmas Day, and even this week, I'm still getting positive feedback from listeners. It's been done, and it's time to move on...there's much more to do.

I have NOT run out of things to talk about. Though there is a dearth of southern gospel-related topics that capture my interest at the moment, there are certain developments I'd like to address here...and in the coming days, I will. You'll all recall that I've stated repeatedly that I don't intend to use this space to express myself unless I feel I have something to contribute that you all might care about, and I never intended to use this blog to post for posting's sake. Let others post daily if they feel led to do so...I'll make sure I have something to say before I say anything. This is not to cast any aspersions on those who DO feel led to do so on their blogs...every blogger has the right to express him/herself in any way they wish, for after all, it is THEIR blog. I'm just a lonely voice in my little corner of the web, here to speak when I feel it's important enough for me to do so.

In the past when I've had long "vacations" between posts, it's generally been due to life events occupying so much of my time that I frankly have neither the time nor energy to express any thoughts(for I'm thinking ALL the time)...I need to deal with real life! Such has been the case in the first two weeks of this year...life has been BUSY with this personal obligation or that....and the hits just keep on comin'!

In particular, this past week has been one of the most difficult and troubling of my life of late. But there have been numerous blessings and positive developments as well. And no, I won't bore you all with the minutiae of all that...if it's important enough to share here, rest assured I most certainly will! But for the most part, life has been very good...no, make that GREAT!

There's a good concert in Fresno in the next week that I intend to talk about(Liberty Quartet on the 22nd), another new website from Daniel Mount I intend to brag about, and all sorts of miscellaneous thoughts running through my overactive brain I will be sharing as I have in the past(among which is why radio is no longer the love of my life), and I'll be opining on those things and others in the days ahead.

And BTW, Happy New Year(a bit belated, but assuredly as heartfelt as if I'd been more punctual)! Good to talk to you again, and as our(California's)not-so-beloved-anymore Governator is famous for saying...."I'll be back!"

My Christmas task…how it went….

I now finally have a moment to stop and reflect on how my Christmas radio assignment came out.

In a word, it was wonderful.

Sure, I had done the very same show exactly a year ago...but for some reason, this particular year, it was much more meaningful for me to do.

Like many of you, it has been a year of challenges for me. And I'm still in the midst of a number of them....but I was determined that I would cast all of that aside, and concentrate on presenting three hours of well-crafted and inspiring music to be a Christmas companion for any and all who wanted to celebrate the day for what it is...a celebration of the arrival of the Saviour of the world into that very world...to show us the way of true hope and to achieve a relationship with the true and living God of the universe, which would enable us to fulfill our destinies as beings made by Him in His image.

Christmas can be a very lonely time of year if you're alone. I wanted to use music to be that companion to anyone who wanted or needed one during this Christmas season...if one had nothing else, one could have the Christmas spirit and a friend in their home by way of a song. Very often, a song can go where nothing else can go, and soothe the spirit of someone in need. My earnest prayer was for the songs I chose to reach the hearts and souls of whoever chose to tune in, for whatever reason.

And because my natural desire is to do the very best job I can at any task I'm entrusted with, I admit I was a bit nervous at the outset. In 25+ years of radio, I have seldom been nervous about being on the air, but my desire to get everything perfect(the way I figure God likes it)caused me to be a bit self-conscious at the outset.

But as the morning went on, a lot of the skills I'd developed over the years that had become a little rusty due to lack of use over the past seven years gradually started to come back, and as I relaxed, it became easier to do what I'd prayed God would allow me to do.

And from my standpoint, it came off pretty well.. All the formatic elements of my presentation were executed as planned, and with few exceptions, I was able to get the songs I wanted to play on.

But as is always the case with a radio show, it was the audience that would ultimately determine whether my goals were reached, and my prayers were positively answered. But have any of you ever had that feeling of satisfaction after doing something you thought was important, that feeling of feeling good because you know you'd done the best you could, and there was nothing more you could do? I had that feeling once the show was over, and it felt good.

It really didn't take long to find out how the audience felt. During the show, I counted 22 calls from appreciative listeners who wanted to express everything from gratitude for the songs to requests of their own, some of which I even fulfilled. It is nice to know that people were up, present. listening, and appreciative.

After the show, my program director phoned me to tell me he'd already received five complimentary e-mails about the show, and wanted to forward them to me so I could see what they had to say. When I saw them, I was moved to a point of simultaneous humility, satisfaction, and gratitude. I now knew how a lot of my favorite singers feel when they get a brace of responses like that from their appreciative fans(like me).

I heard from the former longtime Fresno State golf coach, whom I'd known in years gone by but never imagined he'd be tuning in, much less express such warm thanks for a simple program of music. The topper of all those letters, though, was one that expressed thanks that "...the birth of Jesus Christ was so boldly proclaimed on a secular radio station..." and that I "...had an outstanding selection(and variety)of songs...". That was the whole point...to turn the focus of Christmas back on the one the day is named for, and established to honor. And to make each listener's Christmas just that much more meaningful.

Was it me? No, not really...not at all. But I was honored to be chosen as the one to execute God's desire for the KMJ radio audience on Christmas morning, 2009. It was part of the reason I felt led to be on the radio many years ago. After four days, I'm still thanking God for allowing me to use my gifts for doing radio in such a way.

I know I'll be coming down soon...but it sure feels nice up here in the clouds!

My Christmas task

...is pretty much the same as it was last year.

Some of you may recall that last year, I was given the task of hosting a three-hour program of Christmas music on Christmas morning on my longtime radio station, KMJ-AM in Fresno. I selected the songs myself, and did so with the idea that they would communicate a true Christmas message to our many listeners, and in so doing offer inspiration and Christmas cheer to those seeking or in need of receiving it who might not be able to obtain it elsewhere. Very few things can communicate such thoughts the way music can.

For me personally, it is a great opportunity. Since my stroke seven and a half years ago, I get very few opportunities to present live programming to our large Central California audience outside of our Sunday morning gospel music show, and I always look forward to the chance to reconnect with people I've come to know and enjoy via the special calling I feel God gave me many years ago.

But I assure you all that I don't look upon this assignment as a "gig" or any kind of career-building assignment. At this point in my life, I doubt if such an isolated assignment would lead to any kind of job or career enhancement of any sort. No, such a notion is the furthest thing from my mind when I do this sort of thing.

What this assigment DOES give me the opportunity to do is to share a small bit of myself with our audience. For the whole meaning of Christmas to me is absolutely intertwined with the thing that means the most to me in the world, namely, Jesus Christ, and His story. And it's not often I get the chance to communicate that story to a large audience on a large secular radio station, as mine is.

Yet I am proud to be chosen to communicate that story through songs written to celebrate His birth, despite objections that may be raised in this day and age that doing such a thing might be construed as forcing a particular set of values down the ears of our listeners. Well, Christmas has traditionally been about telling that story, not merely to sell toys or cars or other trinkets.

And my sole aim on the radio this Christmas morning will be to present the best songs in the world about the best message in the world, to all who choose to drop in and listen to what we're doing. I would love to make someone or many blessed and happy to celebrate Christmas Day with us at KMJ.

To that end, if you'd like to hear accomplished and uplifting music to celebrate you Christmas with, you're invited to join me Christmas morning on KMJ-AM(580 on the AM dial if you're within listening range)or online at kmjnow.com if you'd like to listen to our streaming online this Christmas day morning from 6-9A Pacific Time. I welcome all of you, and want you to know that you always have a place at my radio Christmas gathering.

Hope to catch you there.

Wha-a-a?

For thoae of you who may have missed me during the past week, I hope you don't mind that the first thing I feel led to post about in that time is a college football matter.

But why, oh why, after posting 12-0 records respectively OUTSIDE Bowl Championship Series(BCS)conferences in hopes of playing one of the "anointed" conferences to prove their worth(and maybe get some champiohship consideration themselves), did the BCS powers that be make one of the most cowardly bowl pairings they could have made...unbeatens Boise State and TCU(both with perfect seasons)in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe?

Simple...they don't want to face the prospect of either the Broncos or the Horned Frogs knocking off one of the schools they consistently shove in our faces(Florida, Ohio State, Alabama, or Oregon)as being the "elite" programs in the country, thus tightening their grip on all the INSANE amounts of money and prestige that's out there these days.

Wait a minute...didn't Boise State BEAT Oregon in both schools' season opener? I know, shut up, John! You know how to upset that applecart, don't you?

I'm more convinced than ever that the BCS system doesn't want a true champion, because it just might be one of those "non-glamour" schools that aren't part of the BCS "club".

So let's just have the two best "BCS busters" battle it out(as they did just last year)...that way our Floridas and Alabamas and Texases can be spared the threat of embarrassment.

But Florida 's not out of the woods just yet...they're slated to face a very tough(and hungry)University of Cincinnati team, itself unbeaten and although they ARE in a BCS conference(the Big East), they've been "under the radar" all year.

Now there's an OUTSIDE chance that the Boise-TCU winner could have a shot at the national title...but by matching Alabama against Texas(who looked VERY beatable against Nebraska), another pair of hand-picked unbeatens, the BCS powers that be are clearly implying that the winner of the latter game should be called the "best team in the nation"....effectively keeping it "in the family".

And my friends wonder why my enthusiasm for college football(formerly one of my favorite sports)has waned so noticeably.

It's not about colleges playing football anymore...it's about glorified NFL farm teams playing for a pot of gold created artificially by some very greedy people.

As much as I've enjoyed ESPN in its' 30 years of existence, they are SQUARELY to blame for the demise of true college sports in the United States. Without them, there IS no BCS.

Oh, for the days of just 10 bowl games again, instead of half of Division 1-A being invited to postseason competition.

My favorite time of year

Even more than Christmas, Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. I really like the concept of setting aside an entire day simply to express thankfulness for the blessings we have in our lives.

And we ALL have things to be thankful for...I know of no one who simply lacks any kind of blessing.

For openers, if you're reading this, you're alive...and you ought to be thankful for THAT, if nothing else. C'mon, if everything else in your life is THAT depressing, would you REALLY prefer the alternative to THAT blessing? I don't think so...

And most of you who are alive and reading this have a roof over your head to protect you from the elements...and certainly. having a sheltered place to live and repose is a blessing! I know there are some who don't, but if you do, be thankful for that very important blessing.

And most of you have outlets to express yourself and provide for your welfare...again, I know some of you are facing challenges in that respect in this day and age, or you may not like the particular job you have, but if you have one, you are very blessed....be thankful.

And finally, most of you have at least one or a few people who truly love and care for you....and be thankful that those people exist in your life.

As for me, it's true that I'm facing severe financial challenges right now...but I have what I need as I type. And I've been so challenged in the past as well...but each time I have, God(as He always has and always will)has met my needs each time. I'm most thankful for that...and e're will be!

In fact, I know that the God I speak of loves all of you as well, and will meet all your needs as well, if you only notice.

And in spite of the temporary setbacks that come my way(and no doubt yours, too), He has blessed me with the best friends a human being could possibly have, a job that has been the fulfillment of my childhood dreams, outlets like these to express myself to people I care about, and in this particular year, God has finally granted me a partner that is a heaven-sent match for my life, and is as Godly a woman that I could ever imagine.

In light of all that, what's a little health challenge once in a while, or a few dollars here or there? And I have an abundance of music at my disposal to also express my feelings and satisfy my senses.

And I know that most of you are described in the above paragraph, and for all of you, I am most thankful.

So see, I'm a very blessed man...and deeply thankful for it all.

And I have an ENTIRE DAY set up to merely express my thanks for the blessing of what is my life...and most of you should be able to say the very same thing.

I hope you can understand now why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday...it is the most basic and profound expression of what human life is truly all about.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

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