Sunday, December 28, 2014

REMEMBERING NEW CANAAN FRIENDS WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2014

Whether you've lived in New Canaan, CT. for a day, month, year, or fifty of them, you'll always
be part of the now ritzy, but always special town in the southwest part of the state. It's a place
where people know everybody and the degrees of separation is far less than six.

In 2014, a few of those people who touched my life, as well as many others in town, passed away
and left us far too soon.

BOB SPALLER. In November, the 1981 graduate of the high school, Spaller, just 52-years-old
was killed in a single-car accident near his home in Massachusetts. Spaller was a gentle and kind
hearted-soul who marched to the beat of his own drummer. He was a salt-of-the-earth type of
man who didn't have any enemies. We were teammates for the Rams on the gridiron, which
made all of us who wore the red and black, brothers forever. I remember him as a player who squeezed every ounce of talent he had and left it all on the field every single game.



ROGER FULTON Fulton passed away in September at the age of 83. He was a staple of
the sports scene during his time in New Canaan and served as the athletic director on
a volunteer basis at the high school. A regal and classy man, Fulton was also the varsity
baseball coach. I moved to New Canaan as a sophomore and had the privilege of playing
for Fulton and being part of a team that advanced to the FCIAC playoffs. His son, Bob,
was the third base coach and the Fulton & Fulton team made quite an impact on all those
who played for them.


JEFF SMITH Smith never lived in New Canaan but as the owner of the Deli Bake on
Elm Street, he was part of the fabric of the community. He looked like the Marlboro
man and had the strength of a lumberjack. Smith, who died at the age of 70, was a
no-nonsense kind of guy who worked at a frenetic pace and non-stop. Smith
teamed up with his father, who was quite a character in his own right, to run the
popular deli in town. I worked for both of them after my senior year in high school
along with two of my friends, Tommy Towers and Rich Connors. We took the famous
sandwiches on the menu to a whole different level, piling them as high as those seen in
New York City. And with the amount of food we ate, I'm sure profits went down, but
Jeff and his dad didn't seem to mind very much, they actually got a kick out of us.


KELLY KRAUSER. I didn't know Kelly personally, but I was friends with other
members of her beautiful and loving family. A 1987 graduate of New Canaan, Kelly
died in December after a lengthy bout with cancer. She left this world far too soon.
Kelly was just 45-years-old.


CAROL "CHICK" LYTTLE. Talk about a well-educated and rounded man. The longtime
New Canaan resident went to Phillips Exeter, Princeton University, and Columbia Law
School. Lyttle was a member of the Congregational Church where he sang in the choir.
Lyttle was the father-in-law of New Canaan legend Steve Tonra. Whenever Tonra needed
a ringer for his paddle ball tournaments, Chick was always ready and willing to fill in, even
when he was well into his 70's. Lyttle was 85 when he passed away in September.


Thursday, December 18, 2014

PAT DEVLIN, DANGER MAN, SET TO ROCK STAMFORD



Veteran musician Pat Devlin, former lead singer of the world renowned, "Danger men" band, is
scheduled to play Friday in Stamford at the Castle Bar on Summer Street.. Devlin will start
pickin' it at 9:30 p.m.

When reached for his reaction to playing before a packed house under the bright lights of
Stamford, USA,  Devlin said, "It's cool. Totally cool. Hope everybody brings everybody they
know."



Devlin got his start  as a 6-year old , getting lessons at Rye Music. However, his career really
took off when his family moved to Lake Forest, Illinois where he became the king of Waveland
Avenue, playing outdoor concerts for the neighborhood that rivaled the ones at nearby Ravinia.

"Yeah, it was totally awesome out there", Devlin said. "I met these really cool dudes like Matt
Parker, Allan Simmons, Steve Gerlach, LT Swisher, Jon Tunney, we called him Tuna, he was
a big guy back then. And there was Andy  Peterson and Dan Jameson, too. Those guys loved
to jam. We'd jam all day and all night and sometimes drink in between," Devlin said with a hearty
laugh.


After two short but fulfilling years in Lake Forest, Devlin and his family moved back East to
New Canaan, CT. Have guitar, will travel and Devlin who took his electric one everywhere he
went, settled in and played with a variety of bands including "The Anchient New Cat Revival,"
"The Hurting Dog" band and the highly-popular "Uh-Oh" group.


Friday night at the Castle Bar in Stamford, Devlin, who listed Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, and
Jimi Hendrix as his musical inspirations,  returns to the stage for what promises to be
a world-class performance. Tickets are going fast. Only a few left on StubHub.com. Show starts
at 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Thursday, November 27, 2014

I AM THANKFUL.....AGAIN


I am thankful for my health. The groin pulls and calf strains may occur more frequently now
and the grooves around my eyes are deeper, but I'm thankful that I'm still upright and strong
enough to run marathons, swim across lakes, and complete an Ironman.





I am thankful that I have a job that I love and work with people who share the same passion, commitment and interests that I do. Love what you do, do what you love, and not have to worry about co-workers stabbing you in the back and throwing you under the bus is a beautiful thing.

I'm thankful I still have a lot of hair and women between the ages of 75 and 98 on Christian.
Mingle.com find me cute as a button.


I am thankful to have an unbelievable circle of friends. From Rye, New York to Lake Forest, Ill.
to New Canaan, CT. to Chapel Hill, NC to Atlanta, Ga. to Boston, MA, I have met some
great people who are loyal and just flat-out incredible.


I am thankful that God has blessed me with six incredible nieces and nephews who I treat
as if they are my own children. Wow. They touch my heart every time I see them.


I am not wealthy, but I'm thankful I've been enriched with opportunities that have made this
a truly wonderful life. Baseball at UNC, with the Red Sox, "Bull Durham", a sportscaster
covering Super Bowls, World Series, Olympics, Final Fours---yeah, sorry, but I do sometimes
feel like Walter Mitty. Oh, sure, I've had some serious hard knocks a long the way- been
fired, laid off, and thrown under the bus, but it's all been part of a wild and exciting journey.


Most of all, I am thankful for an incredible family. Kara is one amazing sister. She is filled
with so much love, thoughtfulness, and one giant heart. Those who know her, know she
was blessed with not only great athletic talent, but humbleness and a terrific sense of humor, too


Brother Pat is a beautiful human being. Has never uttered a bad word about anybody and
has become a great father and husband. We may not always see eye-to-eye, but we've always
been on the same page and he would do anything for me without asking anything in
return.



My mom. Wow. I am so thankful to have her as my mother and great friend. So selfless,
giving, and understanding. After my father passed away, she became the rock of the family.
Simply amazing. She took care of my ailing dad for five years, 24/7 and did it with
strength, courage, and such amazing dignity. I love and admire her so much for that. I
was truly blessed to have such tremendous parents.



I am thankful, truly thankful during this holiday season.

I wish you all and your families all the best during this most special time of the year.

Monday, November 24, 2014

BRIAN ZECHELLO: PUTTING THE STYLE IN NESN


Brian Zechello is to sports television what Mark Zuckerberg is to social media: pure genius.

He is to producing what Antonio Cromartie is to pro-creation: potent.

His creative genius has taken NESN's production of  Boston Bruins games to an entirely
different level, making them the envy of every network that broadcasts NHL contests.

But for all his television talent, Z, as he's known world-wide, has a unique fashion
sense and style that separates him from everyone in the industry. He is bold and never
boring, simple, yet very sophisticated. A dead ringer for Chicago Cubs villain Steve
Bartman, Z is the everyman in Boston, a beer-chugging, sports-obsessed, hardworking,
and food-loving guy, who just happens to possess a cutting-edge wardrobe


Zechello, who is currently in talks to endorse Friendly's and Big & Tall menswear,
was a producer working in relative obscurity until one moment in 2006 changed his life
forever. As part of its new web site, NESN had a section where they sold company apparel
on-line.

Z was asked to wear a brown t-shirt in a promo shot while his co-workers were outfitted
in pretty colors like powder blue, pink, and a soft gray. Yes, Z drew the short straw and
had to don brown. Brown? Seriously? Who wears brown and looks good in it besides the
UPS man in your neighborhood?

But Z managed to not only make brown look good, but he turned it into gold for NESN.
Sales of the brown shirt with the "swing for the fences" slogan on it, flew off the shelves and shattered the company mark for on-line inventory The previous mark was set with the
unveiling of Hazel Mae cardboard cut-outs, but Z blew up the standard she set in less than
24 hours.

Thanks to Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo and their shout outs to Z and his fashion style
during Red Sox broadcasts, Z became an overnight sensation and a small cult hero
in Boston. Z is now as valuable to NESN as the Rem Dawg, Eck, Peter Gammons,
and the mustache of W.B. Mason.


Everything Z has worn has become a big hit in the Commonwealth. His green
sweater with the crude reindeer that looks like a Rogie Vachon hockey mask on the front
became an instant hit and Twitter exploded when Z showed the world what was on the
back of it. Classic Z. He is only man in America who could make the backside of Bambi
look good. Z was "trending" for sure.


On November 22, Z took his fashion style to an entirely different stratosphere. Before
a broadcast of a Bruins game, he broke out one of the most god-awful sweaters man has
ever seen. It was like a Bill Cosby sweater meeting Cam Neely in a back-alley on a
Saturday night. That was the result of it. A mess. But with his Vince Wilfork-like body,
Z has managed to make it look spectacular.

Since donning the Bruins sweater, NESN has been flooded with orders from those hoping
to get one in time for Christmas to give to all their loved ones. Pablo Sandoval, the Kung
Fu Panda and new Red Sox third basemen is desperately trying get one before his first press conference at Fenway Park. This new sweater might just become a hotter item than the Snuggie's
or the Clap-on, Clap-off, the Clapper.


Z, who worships Drew Bledsoe at the altar and still thinks he's the best quarterback
in Patriots history, has been getting standing ovations and props from many people throughout
the industry. Hockey legend Don Cherry has been rumored to have sought out Z for wardrobe consultation.Same goes for ESPN's Barry Melrose, and TNT's Craig Sager. Tommy Hilfiger
has been in touch with Zechello's representatives to add a "Z-collection" to his clothing line.


Z and his talent for producing and picking out memorable wardrobes have not only made
him a star in Boston, but a sought-after commodity. He's been so hot, NESN executives
have given him a non-compete contract so other stations in the market can't poach the Big
Blue Ticket for their star behind the scenes. Management was rumored to have shot down
an inquire from David Letterman for Z to appear as his 'special correspondent' on his late-
night talk show.

The guy is hot and so are his clothes. It's not a fashion statement, it's just Z.