Happy Anniversary Ken and Peg

I would like to send out a Happy Anniversary to Ken and Peg Collins. They are my aunt and uncle in Colorado. Today is their anniversary. I hope that you have a wonderful day and wish you many more years together as husband and wife. You are very special and we all love you very much. Have a great day.

Greetings from Lake of the Ozarks

Kristi and I are at Lake of the Ozarks. We are staying at the condo for a couple of days. We went out on the boat Friday night for a couple of hours. I was able to snap this shot of the sunset, It was beautiful. We have enjoyed our weekend and visiting aunt Kay and uncle Ron. It's bee nice.

Cubs do it again!

Trailing by three entering the eighth, the Cubs stormed back with five runs, highlighted by Aramis Ramirez's clutch go-ahead grand slam. Mike Fontenot also went deep in the eighth as the Cubs notched their sixth straight victory.

The Cubs are now 84-50. They have the best record in baseball and have been playing the best baseball I have ever seen them play, and they have been my favorite team since 1984.

19 Weeks!!!

Saturday will be 19 weeks since I have had a soda or diet soda. It's been very interesting and difficult at times, but I have been able to do it. I will keep you updated!

Former Raider great, NFLPA head Gene Upshaw dies

Gene Upshaw, a towering lineman on the football field who went on to win untold millions of dollars for NFL players as their union leader, has died at age 63.

Upshaw had a Hall of Fame career as a guard for the Oakland Raiders — a team that won two of the three Super Bowls it reached during his 15 years in a black and silver jersey. But his work as executive director of the NFL Players Association over a quarter-century was even more important. It changed the business side of the league.

Upshaw died Wednesday night at his home near California's Lake Tahoe, of pancreatic cancer, the NFL Players Association said Thursday. His wife Terri and sons Eugene Jr., Justin and Daniel were by his side. NFLPA president and Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae said Upshaw only learned Sunday that he had the disease, after he fell ill and his wife took him to the hospital.

Gene was a great player. He was an All-Pro. He was a Hall of Famer. If you look at the history of the NFL you're going to find out that he was one of the most influential people that the league has known. He did so much, not only for the players, but also for the owners, the teams, and the game of pro football," John Madden, who coached Upshaw when Oakland won its first Super Bowl, said in a statement.

"This is deeper than head of the union passing away, and it's deeper than an ex-player. This is missing someone that is and was like family. It's a tough day for all of us."
Upshaw's death reverberated throughout the NFL, a shock to owners and players alike, even those who had made him the focal point for their complaints over pension and health benefits for retired players.

As a player, the seven-time Pro Bowler was one of the best ever, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987, the first time he was eligible.

Happy Birthday, bub!

The world was blessed on August 19, 1972. That's when Jeremy David Hubbard was born. I am proud of my little brother and love him a bunch. Today is his 36th B-Day. He is in Washington D.C. working this week. I am getting very excited to go up and see him in a few weeks. Here's a picture of him from a few days ago. I asked him about the picture. He said he saw the kid when they were walking on the Brooklyn Bridge and asked if he could take a picture with him, because he liked the shirt. Happy B-Day, bub! I hope that you enjoy the day. Remember! I will hit 40 before you, so don't worry about anything. LOL!

Phelps wins 8th gold medal; breaks tie with Spitz

Michael Phelps locked arms with his three teammates, as though they were in a football huddle calling a play, then hugged each one of them. It took a team to make him the grandest of Olympic champions. And one last big push from Phelps himself.

Going hard right to the end of a mesmerizing nine days in Beijing, Phelps helped the Americans come from behind Sunday in a race they've never lost at the Olympics, cheering from the deck as Jason Lezak brought it home for a world record in the 400-meter medley relay. It was Phelps' history-making eighth gold medal of these games.

These Olympics have been wonderful to watch. I have enjoyed it very much. Go USA!

World's tallest woman dies at 53

In this Sept. 2, 1995 file photo, Sandy Allen, poses for a picture with Will Denk, at the library in Shelbyville, Ind. The 7-foot-7 Allen considered the world's tallest woman died early Wednesday Aug. 13, 2008 at a nursing home in her hometown of Shelbyville. She was 53

We are staying with the name

I heard back from our team representative and it looks like my team is still going to be called the Iceassins. Everyone seems to like the logo and we are sticking with the name. I am happy for that.

Welcome to the "Fat Side of the Force!"

My friend, Dustin shot this picture for me at the Weird Al concert last week. He does a song on stage about Star Wars. He has Darth Vader, Storm Troopers and Boba Fet up there with him. I caught up with a couple of Storm Troopers and tried to confince them that the "Dark Side" of the force is overrated and that they should try the "Fat" side of the force. They didn't have anything to say...literally.

We have a logo! I hope.

I had my friend make a logo for my hockey team. There are rumblings of the team changing the name, so I am not sure we will still be the Iceassins. The logo is awesome. What do you think?

Going "Back to School"

I shot this picture of Maddie and Zach on Monday night. Yes, Zach has the cheesy, goofy fake smile going. We went to their Open House at their new school. They start on Wednesday. Man! This summer flew by! They seem to be excited to go to a new school. The building is just a few years old and it is very nice inside. I met their teachers. The kids both seemed to like them. They are growing so fast! It's hard to believe that Maddie will be 9 years old in less than a month. I am getting old!!!

Happy Anniversary Ron and Kay

August 10th is Ron and Kay's Anniversary. I would like to wish them a very Happy Anniversary. We enjoy getting to spend time with them. They are very special to everyone around them. You mean a lot to all of us. Have a special day.

Another death over the weekend.

As you know by now, Bernie Mac passed away over the weekend. Another icon of entertainment, Isaac Hayes, passed away this weekend as well. A man whose work spanned decades, genres, and styles, Hayes has meant many different things to many fans. But he who Made history with his brand of hot buttered soul and his decades of film and television work, particularly as the voice of Chef on "South Park," will no doubt be dearly missed by millions.

Bernie Mac dies at 50

Bernie Mac, the actor and comedian who teamed up in the casino heist caper "Ocean's Eleven" and gained a prestigious Peabody Award for his sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show," died Saturday at age 50.
"Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles.
She said no other details were available and asked that his family's privacy be respected.
The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.
Recently, Mac's brand of comedy caught him flack when he was heckled during a surprise appearance at a July fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate and fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama.
Toward the end of a 10-minute standup routine, Mac joked about menopause, sexual infidelity and promiscuity, and used occasional crude language. The performance earned him a rebuke from Obama's campaign.
But despite controversy or difficulties, in his words, Mac was always a performer.
"Wherever I am, I have to play," he said in 2002. "I have to put on a good show."
Mac worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side. He began doing standup as a child, and his film career started with a small role as a club doorman in the Damon Wayans comedy "Mo' Money" in 1992. In 1996, he appeared in the Spike Lee drama "Get on the Bus."
He was one of "The Original Kings of Comedy" in the 2000 documentary of that title that brought a new generation of black standup comedy stars to a wider audience.
Mac went on to star in the hugely popular "Ocean's Eleven" franchise with Brad Pitt and George Clooney.
His turn with Ashton Kutcher in 2005's "Guess Who" topped the box office. It was a comedy remake of the classic Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn drama "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" — with Mac as the black dad who's shocked that his daughter is marrying a white man.
Mac also had starring roles in "Bad Santa," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" and "Transformers."
In the late 1990s, he had a recurring role in "Moesha," the UPN network comedy starring pop star Brandy.
The comedian drew critical and popular acclaim with his Fox television series "The Bernie Mac Show," which aired more than 100 episodes from 2001 to 2006.
The series about a man's adventures raising his sister's three children, won a Peabody Award in 2002. At the time, judges wrote they chose the sitcom for transcending "race and class while lifting viewers with laughter, compassion — and cool."
The show garnered Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Mac.
"But television handcuffs you, man," he said in a 2001 Associated Press interview. "Now everyone telling me what I CAN'T do, what I CAN say, what I SHOULD do, and asking, `Are blacks gonna be mad at you? Are whites gonna accept you?'"
He also was nominated for a Grammy award for best comedy album in 2001 along with his "The Original Kings of Comedy" co-stars, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Cedric The Entertainer.
In 2007, Mac told David Letterman on CBS' "Late Show" that he planned to retire soon.
"I'm going to still do my producing, my films, but I want to enjoy my life a little bit," Mac told Letterman. "I missed a lot of things, you know. I was a street performer for two years. I went into clubs in 1977."
Mac was born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough on Oct. 5, 1957, in Chicago. He grew up on the city's South Side, living with his mother and grandparents. His grandfather was the deacon of a Baptist church.
In his 2004 memoir, "Maybe You Never Cry Again," Mac wrote about having a poor childhood — eating bologna for dinner — and a strict, no-nonsense upbringing.
"I came from a place where there wasn't a lot of joy," Mac told the AP in 2001. "I decided to try to make other people laugh when there wasn't a lot of things to laugh about."
Mac's mother died of cancer when he was 16. In his book, Mac said she was a support for him and told him he would surprise everyone when he grew up.
"Woman believed in me," he wrote. "She believed in me long before I believed."

Aunt Peg's BIG DAY!

Happy 70th B-day Aunt Peg! I hope that you have a wonderful day and that uncle Ken takes you somewhere nice for dinner. You are an awesome Aunt and I cherish every moment when I am with you. I have been blessed with great family. You always make me laugh. I hope to see you soon. Have a great day! Love ya!

Got gas???

Above is video from our KFDI "Free Gas" event on August 5th. I was so busy Tuesday. It was very hot and I looked like a sweaty idiot! Here's some video from the event.

Gary Zimmerman Inducted

Offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman has become the second Denver Broncos player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Hailed by teammate John Elway as the best left tackle he ever saw play the game, Zimmerman spent five years with the Broncos and was on the team that beat the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.
Zimmerman said during his induction speech Saturday that he had a lot of sleepless nights before games because of the responsibility of protecting Elway. Zimmerman thanked Elway, the only other Bronco in the Hall of Fame, and said "it was worth every sleepless night." Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-92 before he was traded to the Broncos in 1993.

I am excited, because the Broncos will have another member next year. Shannon Sharpe will be eligible for the Hall of Fame.

Two tickets to the Gun Show!

I did a remote over the weekend at the US Weapons Gun and Knife Show at the Kansas Coliseum. It was pretty interesting seeing the folks walk in and out with their guns. I snapped this photo from my cell phone. It is a lady walking out of the show with her new pride and joy. I thought it looked pretty funny.

Back on the bike!

It's a toastie morning in Wichita. Austin and I spent a couple of hours riding bikes this morning. It was nice to get "Old Blue" out of retirement. It decided to do a Brett Favre and come back. We got a few miles in this morning, but it started to get very hot and sticky outside. Above are a couple of shots from the ride. These were taken under the bridge at Kellogg and Maize in Wichita. We were almost home. I had the cheesy look and Austin had the "get me home" look. It felt good to ride this morning.

Happy B-Day to the Smith sisters!

I would like to send Birthday wishes to my cousin, Lauri and late Birthday wish to my cousin, Tami. Lauri's b-day is today (August 1) and Tami's was last week (July 25th). I apologize that I was late with that one. I hope that Tami enjoyed her B-day and I wish Lauri a Happy B-Day today! Love you both!