Some Notes As Autumn Arrives

Hi all ... Thanks for reading this blog and/or website - whatever you want to call it.

We'll keep posting videos and pictures as the boys continue to grow and our family continues to have new experiences. Sometimes they'll be many posts each week. Sometimes it'll be a few days between posts and photos.

Some notes:

- Thanks to everyone for their gifts, thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. Jen and I have the best intentions of sending personalized notes to each of you. We're also busy changing and feeding two growing boys.

- The boys went to the doctor today. Derek weighs 7 pounds-15 ounces. Spencer weighs 6 pounds-12 ounces. My mom told me that I weighed 7-15 when I was born. Derek is 28-days-old today.

- Jen and I spent 8+ years in Texas including almost seven in Houston. Over that time, we developed a number of friendships that will continue for the rest of our lives. And, we'll probably always be Texans.

Hurricane Ike tore Houston apart. Numerous friends lived without power for days. Others that had power hosted guests and family members at their house.

Ike is probably a worse storm than Katrina although you'll never know that if you live outside Texas or Louisiana. National news coverage buries the story behind the Wall Street situation and the upcoming debates - that's how news cycles work.

If you have a chance, you can do two things:

1, Send a check to the Spirit of Texas relief fund. It's run by Belo Corporation with the American Red Cross. There are thousands of people who lost everything. Every little bit will help.

2, Read about the storm and recovery at websites like the Houston Chronicle. If you keep it top of mind, the storm won't fade to the back pages of the news programs.

- Those of you who know me know that I always wanted to be a play-by-play star. My talents are better used in other places.

I've always kept up with who's who in the booth and on the pre-game and post-game coverage. A by-product of my job allows me access to a number of the larger-than-life personalities.

On Monday, University of Georgia announcer Larry Munson announced his retirement at the age of 85. Listening to Larry's play-by-play never gets old. Here are some of Larry's great calls.

Read these two tributes from ESPN.com here and here.

Saturday against Alabama will be a little different around these parts of the country.

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