5 AUG 08: THAT'S RIGHT, SKIP

The respectful thing would be to simply offer sympathies to Atlanta's baseball team, as well as the friends and family. But really now -- do you think that's how Skip Caray would want his fans to handle his death? There's part of me which thinks he would be a bit playful about it. Caray might say: "He's going - and he is gone!"

When I heard about baseball broadcaster Skip Caray's death Sunday night, several of his best one-liners came to mind first. The most fitting one was one he told on WTBS during a losing summer, when somehow classical music came up. "Beethoven spent all his life composing," Caray deadpanned. "And now he spends all his days decomposing."

Atlanta baseball was so bad for so long that Skip Caray was needed behind the microphone, to keep things entertaining for the fans. Take the rain-delayed late-night game in Philadelphia, when Phillies second baseman Tommy Herr fouled a ball off his foot. Caray noted: "That hurt Herr, but he'll be all right."

Skip Caray did more than broadcast baseball and basketball games. When I moved to Georgia in 1984, he was the morning sports anchor on WSB-AM's Russ Spooner Show. Every Friday during college football season, Caray would become "The Swami" and predict winners. That was an era when playing a swami was as far as "fantasy football" went.

It was Skip Caray who gave us pro basketball's "cocktail hour," when he called Atlanta Hawks games. Somehow, other sportscasters have turned it into "garbage time" - but looking back, maybe Caray was paying a secret tribute to his father.

And it was Skip Caray who could spot the silliness in almost anything. Late in radio broadcasts, he would promote the Post-Game Report - and point out clearly, "....which follows the game. Hence the name, Post-Game Report."

I was reminded by reading comments on a message board Monday that Skip Caray was NOT everybody's cup of tea. But that's OK - his family is better known for cups of beer....

One comment called Skip Caray a "homer" by supporting Atlanta during games. Maybe so - but he was far more popular than "Homer" the mascot.

During a special radio pre-game show Monday night, son Chip Caray summarized the biggest lesson he learned from father Skip: "Don't be afraid to tell the truth." Skip Caray did that often with the familiar words, "Honesty compels you to report...." I'll follow his example and say - shame on WRCG, for interrupting the interview with Don Sutton for commercials. Turn off your computer once in a while, will you?

Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman remembered Skip Caray for having a "tremendous sense of humor." So we're deferring to "Skippy" today, and repeating some of the jokes his audience has posted at a message board:

+ TBS was broadcasting minor league games during a baseball strike, with Caray stuck doing a game in Toledo. The line was dripping with sarcasm.... "The bases are full of Mud Hens."

+ When there was talk of putting a team in Mexico he said: "Is the phone company down there called Taco Bell?"

+ During one 15-3 blowout, Skip was advising fans not to lose hope around the sixth inning or so: "Hey, a single here, then a double, a home run, then a couple of walks, a couple of singles, another home run, a few more hits, another home run.... and we're right back in this thing."

+ One night the Braves went way deep into extra innings in some meaningless game. When they came back from break, the first shot was of a guy with a full beard in the crowd. Skip said, "This guy was clean shaven when we started this epic."

+ Once the Hawks were down by 20-something late in the third quarter, Skip would break out the local TV listings and inform the audience about what their options were on other stations at that hour.

+ In the 1980s, the San Diego Chicken was up in the booth with Skip and the guys. And Skip turns to the mascot and says, "So Chicken, why DID you cross the road?"

E-MAIL UPDATE: Speaking of radio, the mention of "Talkline" in Monday's entry and our current Big Blog Question has some people, well, talking....

Mr. Richard,



Goodmorning my Brother. "WOW" what a better time than now to bring talkline back. Let me see where do we start first? O.K. maybe here. This is an election year. Nationally, and locally. Just think of all the usefull information Talkline could bring to the listening audience, Is Ralph Johnson looking over his shoulder?, Has there been a Nathan Suber sighting recently?, If so is POP'S on borrowed time.

Oh and of course there are the Vote For Burt Signs, I'm sure Skip is having sleepless nights over that. Either Bill Madison has a bad case of Laryngitis ( sore throat) or I have been to busy, where's Bill? Did they have a recount?.

Needless to say I think there will be a lot of watercooler talk over the next several months. By the way Richard, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Dr.Maya Angelou back in June at our National PTA Convention In San Diego in which she was one of our Speakers on Saturday Morning, She is quite the Lady. I had the opportinity to Speak Sunday Morning. SO, let's get strapped in and see what happens over the next few months. Just remember whatever happens, GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL. GOD BLESS.

--

Charles Lawhon

Dad's Initiative Chair

Georgia PTA

I don't know if the Muscogee County Sheriff is "looking over his shoulder." But after all the corrective e-mails from Mark LaJoye, I'm starting to do it....

I haven't heard anything lately about former Columbus Councilor Nathan Suber. Jerry "Pops" Barnes isn't up for re-election until 2010 - and Suber had better be careful, because Barnes is armed with all those needles for diabetes testing.

But is Councilor Skip Henderson really losing sleep, over the Bert Coker campaign signs? I heard from one skeptic the other day, who declared Coker "doesn't have a chance" - and went on to claim Coker has a lengthy record of traffic tickets. Really?! Then you'd think Coker would have supported that sales tax question for safer streets.

Since I don't claim to know much about the NAACP President's health or Maya Angelou's poetry, let's move on to our next e-mail. It comes from the former Talkline host we mentioned here Monday:

Richard,

You were asking about whether I had been contacted by the new management team at WRCG? The answer is not at this time. Since the new owners took over the stations on Friday, it is probably way to early to determine what direction some of the stations will go. While I am really busy with my current business, I would always listen to a role I could play in putting WRCG back on the map.

Thanks for the interest!

Doug

Thank you, Doug Kellett - whose current business is filling in as a talk show host at radio stations around the country. But the tone of this message makes me wonder if he's trying out to be John McCain's White House Press Secretary.

Let's move from radio to television, as we review other items from Monday:

+ The media divorce of WLTZ and the Ledger-Enquirer became final, after nine months. The newspaper's name no longer appeared during newscasts. And the WLTZ microphone boxes seemed to have the Ledger-Enquirer scraped away - as if NBC-38 doesn't have any stick-on peacocks.

(WLTZ once billed itself as "the most powerful news source in the Chattahoochee Valley." At least due to HDTV newscasts, it's still the widest.)

+ The Alabama Department of Education reported several area high schools fell short of "average yearly progress." The list includes Beauregard, Lafayette, Opelika, Phenix City Central, Russell County, Smiths Station - why, it's enough to make some parents move their teenagers children to Auburn four years early.

+ WLTZ reported St. Francis Hospital celebrated the accreditation of its Chest Pain Center. But some patients may have been disappointed, because striptease dancer Chesty Love was NOT brought in to perform.

+ Instant Message to Jet Blue: Aw, c'mon - seven dollars for a pillow?!?! Is this still going to be a typical airline pillow - the one a Christian comic once said could double as Chiclet gum?

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