So whatta think?  Is Arizona ready for Super Bowl 42 and the FBR Open?  I’m still not sure.  

Day One:

I went out to the FBR Open to check out the course and see how the Expo tent was shaping up (actually I really just needed to get my credential!).  Boy, the course looked great (however, very wet from all the rain) and the Expo Tent was wider and longer!  There seemed like soooo much more room!  I am so bummed we are not broadcasting from there this year!  We have had so much fun in the past.  Moreover, we are set for 2009!

BTW, you need to stop by our friends at Corleones Killer Cheesesteaks in the Frys Food Area tent.  It’s their inaugural year as being a vender!  Philly Cheesesteaks baby!!! I ran into the owners Joe and Giovanni, who were busy getting ready for an incredible week.  I can’t imagine anything better than cold beer, hot chicks, PGA golf and a Corleones steak!

After spending a couple hours at the Open, I headed to the Media Center at the Phoenix Convention Center.  Of course, traffic sucked and I had to pay $10 to park.  There was a ton of fanfare and the downtown city buildings have done a great job bannering up their places.  

The renovated Convention Center is nice!  I picked up my gameweek credential and the normal swag - a Super Bowl 42 pad and pen and then headed to Radio Row.  I was surprised to see so many stations already up and going.  There were a ton of radio stations throughout the country broadcasting live or taping.  The WFAN in NY booth was huge and totally trumped their competitor in Boston WEEI.  WEEI had about 10 guys around two tables.  It was weak!  Especially after seeing what WFAN did.  I will take pictures Wednesday and post them for you all.  Sirus was solid too.  Sporting News was kickass as well!  SNR is actually videotaping all the shows!  Check them out at sportingnews.com. 

BTW -Manuch and I are filling in for Tim Brando on Wednesday 11am-2pm MST.

It was cool seeing all of the celebrities pimping their books, dvds, parties, etc..  I saw Eric Dickerson, Marcus Allen, Roy Green, Jerry Kramer, Michael Irvin, Larry Fitzgerald, Adrain Peterson, Rodney Peete, Rich Eison, Mark Clayton, and a ton of other on-air sports types.  I am just so glad I don’t get caught up into that stuff.  It’s so funny to see some of the young people in the business all over them.  It’s so funny!

I hope Manuch puts up a blog.  He was running around working TV for Channel 12.  He got Tim Brando, Fitz and Fred Smerless.  He was the boy!

So Day 1 is in the books for me!  The media day circus is tomorrow.  I will blog afterwards!

written by Roc