Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Ron Burgundy have numerous trophies & awards on one of the shelves in his office that smells of rich mahogany?  Can’t remember clearly, but on Sunday night, I was fortunate enough to win the Emmy for Best Anchor – Sports at the NY Emmys, one of 13 garnered by the YES Network.  I tell you this not to blow my own horn but to tell you there are 2 huge reasons for my good fortune…The first is that I have the pleasure of working with some great people in the studio that support me and make my job very easy.  Forgive the litany of names this once, but I’d like to give credit where credit is due…Studio producers Bill Boland, Jared Boshnack and Troy Benjamin; Directors Michael Cooney and John Purcell; in the studio with me, cameramen Chris Luppi and Paul Ferrigno;  lighting George Greczylo; prompter Terry Drugan, Esq., and in research & development, Jeff Quagliata, Glenn Giangrande and Brandon Shapiro…and let me just fire off a few more names…Muggsy, Megan, Ryan, Cam, Lee, Ed, Scotty, Rick, Pearl, Fitz, Rebecca, Paul, the other Bob… gosh, if I missed anybody else in or near the control room, let me know and I’ll mention you in a future Blob.  And, of course, I think Michael, Kenny, Flash, David, Al, Paul and Kim are the best on-air partners in the biz…And I think equally of the Nets’ crew, featuring Ian, Michelle, Jim, Marv and Mike.  Thanks to them all. 

Second & Equally Important  The other reason for my good fortune is you, the viewers, and all the new Blobbers out there.  It is not lost on me that, if you were not watching, we would not have jobs…or maybe they’d let us in the studio but we’d be talking to no one and working our hardest for no reason.  All the people I mentioned and more, give it our all every night so that you will continue to tune in, and maybe you’ll tell 2 friends, and they’ll tell 2 friends, and so on and so on and so on…(Remember that shampoo commercial?!)  Anyway, you get my drift…thanks very much.

OK, Now On With The Show!  The curtain rises on a new era Friday night, the exhibition opening of the new Yankee Stadium.  It’s kinda cool that we’re all going to be a part of it.  Think of all the stories we’ve heard from folks who were around when the original stadium opened in 1923.  One day, we’ll all be saying how WE were witness to the opening of the new cathedral.  Hope you’ll join us Friday night for the pregame from the field, and then the Yankees vs. the Cubs after that…and then a postgame…you know the drill.  Until then, keep on Blobbin’…