Mavs Game

Back in February there was a rare game that Dave didn't have to work, so the four of us got to go to the  game together!

We got to do the high five line as the players went out on the court to warm up

DIRK!

(Nate did not appreciate the paparazzi taking his picture)

I'm so bummed this picture didn't turned out. It's been impossible lately to get both the boys to look at the camera for pictures, and when I finally do the picture doesn't turn out. :(

Frankly, all the boys cared about was when they could get their ice cream.

Mavs at the White House

Dave has worked the prior 7 seasons with the Mavericks on their TV broadcast, but this season may end up being the most interesting. It began with a lockout, which meant there were no games to televise (which meant no work for Dave). We are very grateful for all the other work God provided during that time, but there was a lot of uncertainty as to what would happen as the months went on. Then once the lockout ended and they announced the season would start 6 weeks late, we were surprised when Dave was promoted to Producer. I think Dave and I were both in shock for a couple days because of all the options we discussed and considered to survive the lockout, this one was no where on our radar. I'm so darn proud of him, and I loved seeing all the guys he works with rally around him and support him in the promotion.

In addition to the personal/career excitement for Dave, the Mavs are coming off of winning the NBA championship last season so there has been a lot of celebrating for the team to do. Last month that included a trip to the White House so the team could meet President Obama. They had the opportunity to explore the White House for about an hour before the ceremony. Unfortunately, Dave's wife sent him there without a fully-charged camera battery, so it ran out before the ceremony, but you can see more about that by clicking *here*.

 

Dave and his director Clay

Coach Carlisle at the piano

Dave and his play-by-play announcer Mark Followill

Kidd and Dirk

Dave and Jason Terry

Getting read to enter the East Room

Mavs support staff

with "Mr. Obrien" in the Green Room

June

In June we...

Visited a local Super Hero Festival

Took a rare nap

Visited Nash Farms

Grew big and strong

Cheered the Mavs on to the NBA Championship

filming the Top 10 for Letterman show

Worked with a TCU Great

Visiting Daddy at work

This week we had the chance to visit Dave at the arena before a game.

Charlie fell asleep in the car, so it took him awhile to wake up.

The boys running the Duet.

Future producer?

Or future NBA stars?

Season's End

Well, for the second straight year the Mavericks were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. It's been a tough year for the team. It should be an interesting summer with a lot of new faces and a new coach. On the broadcast side, this was a long year but a hopeful summer is ahead of us with a complete redesign of our show. I am really excited about the role I will play in creating a new look that will entertain all of our viewers.

I am especially looking forward to getting lots of time off with Gretchen and Charlie. I love my job but it takes me away from my family a lot. I am thankful that I have a wife who is so patient and understanding of the crazy schedule I have during basketball season. The summer is what we look forward to every year and it's finally here!

Photos From the Road

The Mavs season is quickly approaching an end (it might be over sooner than expected if they don't get more motivated). I thought I would post a few photos from our last road trip to Los Angeles and Phoenix. I used my new iphone to take them. Not to worry, Gretchen will have her iphone within the next month or so. I hope to post more pics from future road trips.

Thursday night in Hollywood at Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles with Art Garcia, Jeff Caplan, Eric "Diz" Delley and Chuck Cooperstein. Chicken and waffles together might not sound appealing but it was actually fantastic! We definitely should have gone with the 1/4 chicken and waffles insted of the 1/2 chicken. I got back to the hotel and had to go to sleep I was so full.





Saturday, Mark Followill and I climbed up Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. It was pretty good hike, taking a little over 40 minutes to get up to the top. We could see all of Phoenix once we got there. It was a really good workout.





A night at the Phoenix Greyhound Park. I went with our broadcast producer and director, Tom and Clay, our color commentator, Brad, assistant GM, Keith and director of security, Jim. The doggies weren't too kind to us but we still had a good time.



We did not broadcast the Suns game since it was exclusive to ABC and got to sit in the stands. Every once in while this will happen and the Suns' arena is one of the best to watch NBA, especially where they put us - front and center. Not a bad seat, huh?

I forgot about another "first" last week

Charlie's first trip to the American Airlines Center. We didn't stay for the game, but Daddy got to introduce Charlie to his coworkers, and he even has a literal run-in with Dirk. It will probably be a season or two before we take Charlie to a game. Can you say: "Overstimulation?"

Season's End

Well, it's a little after midnight on the west coast and my basketball season is officially over. What had been an unbelievable ride with one of the greatest regular season teams in the history of the NBA was quickly derailed by a team that barely had a .500 record. All told I ended up working over 80 games with the Mavericks and another 15 with ESPN college basketball. I'm glad that it's over but it's just so abrupt. The season is like a marathon and this year it felt like the Mavs led the pack by a couple of miles and then pulled a hamstring with a 1/4 mile to go. It's kind of sad. I guess there's always next year, right?
For the last 6+ months I've been used to a game every other day and now I don't have to worry about when my next flight is and what city I'm in today. I know when my next flight is (tomorrow at 8:30 am) and I know what city I'll be in for the majority of the next 4 months (home sweet home). I get to reintegrate myself into everyday life, getting to do the things I love to do. I'm glad things worked out the way they did with the baby due in a couple of months. Gretchen and I have more time to get everything ready and the months after the arrival will be huge. Granted by the time September and October come along, I'm
sure I will be dying to get back on the road! HA!
I'm also excited about this offseason where we will be working once again on TCU football and also planning for the next Mavs season. New ideas are already popping up on the radar and I know that we are going to have a fun summer brainstorming for 2007-2008.

Thoughts from the road

I am currently on an 11 day road trip with the Mavericks. We have already been to Detroit, New York and Cleveland. Tonight we are in Boston and tomorrow after the game we will travel to Atlanta. It's the longest trip of the season and the most consecutive road games (6) not interupted by an All-Star Break for the Mavs since 2000. It's been a pretty special season with the team having the most successful year in team history and one of the unbelieveable runs of any professional sports team (after losing their first four games they've won 56 of the last 63).
We have a good group that we travel with. The total number on the team charter is around 40 with players, coaches, support staff and broadcasters. As usual it's a pretty long season with an 82-game schedule (70 which we will broadcast). Combined with playoffs and ESPN college basketball, I will end up working over 90 basketball games since late October. I can't wait for May when I get to reacquaint myself with my wife.
Summers are pretty nice especially this one with a baby on the way. Everyday brings more and more excitement. Gretchen is really starting to show and is absolutely beautiful. I'm glad that she hasn't had any problems other than a couple days of discomfort. We're starting to prepare the house for the baby, painting rooms and moving our office. Late June/early July will be here before we know it. I can't wait!

A week in the life of Dave

So many of you have heard me mention how busy Dave is this time of year, so I thought I'd share his schedule for this next week as a case in point. Tomorrow he leaves for Philadelphia with the Mavs, works the game there Sunday night, flies with the team to Milwaukee immediately following Sunday night's game, is in Milwaukee until the game Tuesday night, then flies with the team to Houston that night only to fly back to Dallas on Wednesday morning since there is not a local broadcast of the Houston game. So then Wednesday afternoon he flies to Denver where on Thursday he works not one, but TWO college basketball games for ESPN. Friday he flies from Denver to Dallas to Virginia where he works another college basketball game on Saturday. He finally returns home for a couple days on Sunday morning and he says he even plans to meet me at our Sunday School class at 11:15 a.m.

Confused? Now you see why sometimes when you ask me where he is, I have to pause and think and sometimes even say, "I don't remember." :)

So since he'll be gone all week, I'm going up to visit Susan and the kids in KC for a few days next week. Doug's out of town then, too, so we'll be keeping each other company. And the dogs get their favorite dog-sitter Emily for a few days, so everybody's happy.