Ultimate White Sox Day

First, I'm guilty as charged for not posting in awhile. But between selling and buying a new house last month, getting ready to move and doing my most lessons ever despite the worst economy in recent history, I've been swamped! For those of you who are White Sox fans, I think my day yesterday will make you very envious! I took the afternoon off of lessons yesterday to conduct several items of business at the Stadium. It ended up being Ultimate White Sox Experience!

2:45pm - I walk into the front offices to talk to White Sox Inner City Baseball Director Dan Puente, and I end up running into White Sox Legend and current Comcast announcer Bill Melton. Bill and I live in the same neighborhood, so we caught up and talked about this weekend's White Sox Experience Camp at U.S. Cellular Field, in which he and I will both be a part of.

3:00 Get my work done for a few hours.

5:45 See Owner Jerry Reinsdorf in hallway and said "Hello."

5:50 I slip back to wish my friend, National Crosschecking Scout, Nathan Durst, good luck on the first day of the draft. On my way to the back offices I see White Sox Scouting Director Doug Laumann and we chat about his son Jackson who I've coached a few times over the years. After wishing Doug, "Good Luck," he invites me back to the "war room" to talk to General Manager Kenny Williams. Now this is a big deal. The "war room" is off limits to everybody on draft day. I say hi to Larry Monroe, Special Assistant to Jerry Reinsdorf, and discuss with Kenny the progress of his son Tyler, who is coming off surgery. Doug has recommended to Kenny that I do some training with Tyler as he comes off his injury. 5 minutes before the draft starts, I let them get to work. Kenny told me to go back into the clubhouse and see if Tyler was still hitting, so off I went. I was suprised to see how relaxed all of those guys were at the time. I expected the "war room" to be like a high tension cold war bunker!

6:00 Go into the clubhouse to look for Tyler Williams. Nobody there except Scott Podsednik, so I head out to the field. Detroit Tigers are in the batting cages hitting behind the dugout. On the field the Sox are taking BP, so I watched awhile from the Sox dugout. I ran into friend, Chris Rongey, White Sox announcer for 670 the Score. Both Southern Illinois natives, we caught up and I did a quick two minute spot on the radio discussing some of my summer activities. He invited me to a remote broadcast to be on the air with him after the Cubs-Sox game June 16 as he is broadcasting a few blocks from my house. Rongey has to leave me to do pre game interview with Pitching Coach Don Cooper. I say Hi to Coop and head back to the clubhouse. On my way back through the clubhouse, I stop and talk to TV announcer and former Cy Young Award Winner, Steve Stone. I inform Steve that I am about to bring a group of 13 year olds up to the TV booth to say Hi.

6:15 I go to Gate 4 to get our 13 year old Academy Travel team and take them up to the TV/Radio Booth Level. I ran into Jeff Szynel, Scoreboard Operator, and he said since he saw me, he was going to run my Skills Tip Commercial during pre-game.

6:20 I take a few of the 13 year olds into PA announcer Gene Honda's booth while he does the pre game announcements.

6:22 White Sox Announcers, Ken "Hawk" Harrleson and Steve Stone talk to our group before going on the air.

6:25 See Grounds Crew DIrector Roger Bossard on the way down to the field. The "Sod Father" says hi to the boys, and says that he hopes he cutting the grass at the stadium for them in 15 years.

6:27 Head to the suites for the game.

6:30 While eating a hotdog, I see myself on the Jumbotron in my skills tip commercial. (Must admit, kinda weird seeing yourself blown up on a screen 100 feet in height)

7:00 Join White Sox Vice President Tim Buzard in the suite and watch the first 5 innings of the game. Vice President Tim proceeds to try to identify every flavor of jelly bean he eats from the Jelly Belly bag of the desert cart.

7:20 Tim still identifying Jelly Belly flavors.

8:00 Head down to field level to my seats two rows behind the Sox dugout just in time to see Brian Anderson hit a home run.

9:30 Head home after a full White Sox day! Who wants to go to the next game with me?