Vacation came to a screeching halt

Holy cow! No matter how much I love my job, holiday vacation came to a screeching halt the minute I walked in the door!

Don't get me wrong, there is still a bit of 'festivity' hanging around..seeing friends and co-workers you have not seen in a week....still exchanging holiday cards and gifts....and of course, it would not be a newsroom without food-- home-baked cookies, candies and other foodstuffs on the center newsroom table!

We even had an unexpected visit from a former co-worker. Chris Savastano --affectionately known as 'Sav' --popped in to see us all. He left Channel 3 for an exciting job directing (among other duties) in Orlando at the Golf Channel.

Thank goodness I actually went through one section of my email at home. Sunday night I waded through 500 email messages.....most of which I could delete. When I logged on today, I only had to wade through another 100 new messages! Made life so much easier!

I still have 388 messages in another section of the computer but those can wait.

It's a web day for me as well.....so much of my focus today will be placing stories and video on the website.

One sticking point today was efforting video from WPXI in Pittsburgh. We were snake bit. I had to book that window three times....the 1st time, WPXI was having problems with their PUP. The next time, we had technical difficulties--the video we took in was recorded over or erased or 'something' mysteriously happened to it! Third time the charm! We finally received the video news reporter Dave Summers needed for his story. Whew!

But, that's not the worst of it.

Some of our staffers actually have 'fans' who sometimes take things a bit too far. I guess you could call them 'stalkers.' I've spoken of the viewer callers who call on a regular basis and they are ok. We talk to them or just listen to them as they call over and over and over again.

These so-called 'fans' sometimes take it a bit too far. So far, that when they call we actually have to alert our security folks and human resources /business office folks. Mr. Henry has been calling more and more lately. I jot down his number (216.227.__) but nothing seems to happen. He keeps calling for the same staffer over and over, day in and day out. So far, today, he's only called about 15 times. That's 14 times too many for me. It's rude and disruptive. I even told him, 'Sir, I can not believe you continue calling disrupting us in the midst of our jobs....I would not be rude and bother you at your place of employment or home a dozen times.' But sometimes these folks are a bit unstable and just don't get it.

The top caller of the day was an EXTREMELY belligerent man who called--at the same time that 4 other people were calling --so I put him on hold so I could answer all lines in the order they called!

Well, this 'viewer' was put out at being put on hold --must have called me a 'skagg' about 12 times....oh some of the other great descriptions tossed my way included 'blond bimbo'.....'skinny ass whore'.....'young in-experienced whore who must not have a bachelor's degree.....just answering the phones.'

I'm sure if I told him I had 7 Emmy Awards and 12 Press Club Awards among many other accolades, he would have come up with some degrading response!

Nice, huh! I honestly do not get paid enough to speak to these abrasive, ignoramuses.

If the Haines 2007 Directory Telokey Criss Cross is correct, I'm sure Mr. Tom O'Malley (216.281.90__) is beaming and very proud at the way he man-handled a female Monday. I feel sorry for you, sir--having to demean and belittle someone else to feel so high and mighty about yourself!!

Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

Today's Hidden Gem: The Dawg Pound

Though just the beginning of August and baseball season still in full swing, tonight ushers in the Browns first Pre-Season game. No other team has anything that even comes close to The Dawg Pound.

Trust me, I know. I sit there each week, first row, in the midst of all the craziness & experience the phenomenon.

Cleveland, bar none, has the best fans in the world for ANY sport --football, baseball, basketball, and even hockey...and how we love our Ohio State Buckeyes and high school sports!

Hanford Dixon (along with Frank Minnifield) pride themselves in 'coining' the idea and the phrase 'Dawg Pound.'

Geographically, it depicts the fans in either end zone. The main Dawg Pound is as you enter the National City Gate on the east end.

However, the 'concept' of Dawg Pound encompasses the spirit of the dedicated fan who stays until the last second in a blizzard with subzero temperatures, who will wear anything, paint any body part, tailgate in the Muny lot from 6am 'til game time grilling dogs/burgers/ribs and then go back after the game, and bark like a dawg until their voice is raw and hoarse!

Everyone world-wide knows the Dawg Pound and their fearless leader, Big Dawg. John Thompson sits in the first row in the center of the Dawg Pound wearing his dog mask, jersey #98, signing autographs and taking pictures with his adoring fans. Every out-of-town media representative on the field snaps at least one shot of Big Dawg!

The players know who to turn to when they need to get the fans back into the game. They come over to the Dawg Pound and light the spark that ignites the entire stadium.

Dawg Pounders love when the Browns have the ball coming toward the Dawg Pound area...in hopes that the beloved Brownies will score and jump into the front row! Though not a huge fan of his, that happened to us the game Jeff Garcia ran into the end zone, scored a touch down and jumped right into our arms!!

There is no other place to be on a Sunday during Football Season than surrounded by hundreds of other Dawg Pound comrades cheering on the football team with the greatest heart, soul, and spirit!

You should try the Dawg Pound experience once in your lifetime and then you, too, will see why the Cleveland Browns' Dawg Pound is this week's Hidden Gem!

A small 'souvenir' from Cleveland Municipal Stadium --our Dawg Pound seat! Memories!!!!!