Thanks, John
Mar 5, 2014, 7:52 PM | Updated: Jul 26, 2024, 12:22 pm
The worst.
Obviously, shows that those who deal with loss are the toughest. The job leaves me completely empty when I’m on the air for shows that happen during 9/11 or a massive school shooting or when we learn what’s going on in the showers at Penn State.
I found out yesterday that fallen officer John Hobbs goes to my church. Our wives are in a special group called the MOMS ministry. This doesn’t make the news anymore tragic. It does hit home harder, though.
Every show that has occurred during or in the wake of a tragedy makes me feel like such a waste. Here is this hero, shot and killed by the face of evil. He takes a bullet to protect my children, and three of his own are left without a dad because of a killer.
It is very difficult to plan shows when that happens. Do we provide the escape all of us need from the evil that’s in our world by not talking about it? Is it better to bring it up to ensure those who are not aware of the pain a family is feeling can make a small positive out of the worst negative? Not only do I not know the answer, I always think I got it wrong when the show ends.
My saving grace was something that a soldier once told me. When discussing whether or not sports should be using war references — warrior, bomb, “it’s a war out there” — he was clearly in favor of it. He told me if there’s one group that knows that war isn’t sports, it’s the people fighting a war. He made reference to sports being an escape for them. Since they know life is more important than their team, it’s OK to flip out because their team isn’t giving the proper effort.
Nothing made my pointless job more meaningful than when a soldier told me our show provides him fun so his job is not surrounded by death.
To all the soldiers, firefighters, police officers and other first responders: Thank you. I hope Arizona Sports and Doug & Wolf can offer you the escape you deserve and need from the horrible realities you face.
God bless America!
