I just finished watching the Superbowl post-game on ESPN and felt compelled to blog.  What an emotional night!  I screamed, I cussed, I prayed and I celebrated.  Wow... we did it!

Back to 1996
I remember vividly the night the Packers won Superbowl XXXI.  It was '96, I was in my first year of college and still living 'at home' in West Allis, WI.  My friend Chappie and I celebrated that night by driving through the streets of downtown Milwaukee blowing the horn on my 1990 Ford Tempo until it literally quit making noise.  It overheated or whatever horns do when you use them too much!  We had the windows down, the heat up and we were screaming our heads off!  We were joined by thousands of other Packer fans.  That night was historic for me.  Favre... Holmgren... Ron Wolf.  A Dynasty trio that got us to the top!

Now, 14 years later here I sit in Central Wisconsin and celebrating the next Packer Superbowl win - Superbowl XLV.  It's funny to think about what happened in between those two Superbowl wins.

The Long, Winding Road
In 1997 I left Wisconsin to continue my broadcasting career.  First stop was Iowa.  Easy enough to find a few loyal Packer fans there.  Next stop, in 1999, was Biloxi Mississippi.  It is definitely Saints country there - a team I have a soft spot for in my heart.  Thankfully, in 1999 we had that MVP gunslinger named Favre on the Packers which virtually ensured that I could always find a Packer game on TV somewhere since he grew up about 30 minutes from Biloxi.  I continue on to Kansas and then Pennsylvania in 2002.  I was in the HEART of Steeler territory.  I remember playing the Steelers songs on the air including their quest for "one for the thumb" when they were going for their 5th Superbowl Championship.  Looking back on it now - I have a TON of Steelers fans in my life.  I've never run across a more passionate fan base than Packers fans... but the Steelers are dang close.

Eventually I left PA and returned to Wisconsin in 2007.  Every Packer from the original team was gone.  A lot of the kid that grew up in West Allis was gone, too.  Well - gone is a bad word.  "Changed".  Life does that to you when you live in 5 states over 10 years.  Life shapes your view on things, relationships shape your soul, friends shape your circle of influence.  But back to Cheesehead land I returned!

Reflection
As I type this, back in my home state, the Packers are once again Superbowl Champions!  I can't tell you how happy I am to write that.  Favre is gone.  So is Holmgren.  Ron Wolf is out.  Dorsey Levens, Antonio Freeman, Reggie White - all gone.  But the core of the team - the heart and soul of the franchise - is still here.  It's still the same = The fans!

I have to think... somewhere in heaven tonight Vince Lombardi is sitting on a 1960's style couch... watching a black and white TV... holding a cigarette, drinking a cocktail and smiling his butt off.  HIS Green Bay Packers are once again WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!


"Winning isn't everything... it's the only thing."  - Vince Lombardi


Brad Austin
10:46pm  2/6/11
baustin(at)nrgmedia(dot)com
 

It's been awhile since I shared a musing on my "official" blog.  Sorry about the delay!  I blame the snow.  :)  I have been adding commentary to everyday life and what's happening in the world around us, I've just been using Facebook for it.  Are we friends on FB?  If not - add me!  www.facebook.com/bradaustin


Snowmaggeddon!

I was watching the news this morning as I was feeding Lacey (my dog) and getting dressed for work.  I watched as reporters seemed to have sheer PANIC in their delivery.  People from New York, Pennsylvania and Boston found the tallest plow mound they could and broadcast next to it over 11-13 inches of snow.  Really?  I understand that's a lot of snow.  But if I were a resident of NYC, Philly or Boston I would have grown up my entire life around snow.  Is this TV sensationalism run amuck?  They called it "the biggest storm - part 2" after the early snow that hit DC, Philly and NYC earlier this year.  Then, almost as if on cue, the weather person came on TV and debunked it.  She said that last year February (2010) was actually heavier for snowfall totals.  I smiled and let the dog out to pee.


American Idol

I made a promise to myself as a series-long viewer of American Idol (yes, I'm ashamed to admit I did call in some votes for Kelly Clarkson on Season #1) that I would watch the first few episodes of season 10 to give the show a "chance".  I was not impressed with week 1 in New Jersey.  Not at all.  I was only mildly impressed with week 2 from Milwaukee.  Even though, it seems, 75% of the singers were from places outside of Milwaukee or Wisconsin.  One girl was from Colorado and another from California.  ?  Either way... I was ready to post a negative review on Facebook when the very last story (about a guy from Chicago, none-the-less) absolutely stopped me dead in my tracks.  He had just gotten engaged to his sweetheart and they were set to be married.  She suffered traumatic brain injuries in a car accident and was in a coma.  She's since woken up but is severely brain damaged.  To say she's not back to normal yet would be an understatement.  His story will break your heart... and the reaction of J-Lo, Steven Tyler and Randy actually made me tear up.  I'm not going to lie.  That was powerful TV.  Here's a link to the story with some pics:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1350954/American-Idol-2011-Chris-Medina-sings-Juliana-Ramos-brain-damaged-car-crash.html



Maybe Idol will rope me back in afterall?  I dunno... but that story was a good start!

BRAD AUSTIN
Thursday 1-27-11
10:07am
 

Miranda Lambert just made history!  The first female in country music (ever!) to have 9 CMA nominations in a single year.  Yo Go Girl!  She tore it up.  Lady Antebellum also racked up the nominations.

2010 CMA AWARDS NOMINEES

Entertainer of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
Zac Brown Band

Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban

New Artist
Luke Bryan
Easton Corbin
Jerrod Niemann
Chris Young
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Group
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
Steel Magnolia

Album of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer)

'Need You Now' - Lady Antebellum
Producer: Paul Worley

'Play On' - Carrie Underwood
Producers: Mark Bright and Max Martin

'Revolution' - Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

'Twang' - George Strait
Producer: Tony Brown

'Up on the Ridge' - Dierks Bentley
Producer: Jon Randall Stewart


Single of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer)

'A Little More Country Than That'
Easton Corbin
Producer: Carson Chamberlain

'Hillbilly Bone'
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Producer: Scott Hendricks

'Need You Now'
Lady Antebellum
Producers: Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum

'The House That Built Me'
Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke

'White Liar'
Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke

Song of the Year
(Award goes to songwriters)

'A Little More Country Than That'
Songwriters: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress and Wynn Varble

'Need You Now'
Songwriters: Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Josh Kear

'The House That Built Me'
Songwriters: Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin

'Toes'
Songwriters: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, John Driskell Hopkins and Shawn Mullins

'White Liar'
Songwriters: Miranda Lambert and Natalie Hemby

Musical Event of the Year

'Bad Angel' - Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson

'Can't You See' - Zac Brown Band and Kid Rock

'Hillbilly Bone' - Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins

'I'm Alive' - Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews

''Till the End' - Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack

Music Video
(Award goes to artist and director)

'Hillbilly Bone'
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Director: Roman White

'Need You Now'
Lady Antebellum
Director: David McClister

'The House That Built Me'
Miranda Lambert
Director: Trey Fanjoy

'Water'
Brad Paisley
Director: Jim Shea

'White Liar'
Miranda Lambert
Director: Chris Hickey

Musician
Paul Frankin -- Steel Guitar
Dann Huff -- Guitar
Brent Mason -- Guitar
Mac McAnally -- Guitar
Randy Scruggs -- Guitars the complete list:

Good luck to all the nominees!  :)

See you on the radio,
Brad

Everyone has a skeleton in their closet.  Nobody is perfect and sometimes people just don't get along.  Unless you're a hardcore fan and remember waaaay back to their very first couple of music videos - the name Kristen Hall probably doesn't ring a bell for you.  ?  Here's a pic to help jog your memory:


 

Any luck?

Well, she was a member for a minute and made the national debut along side Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles as the third member of Sugarland!  She was a bonafide member of the band and co-writer of several of their songs including "Baby Girl" - their debut #1 hit.  This is how they looked early on:

I bring this up because things are getting NASTY between the 'former' band members.  She's dragging a few skeletons out of the closet and tossing them down in court.  Kristen is suing them for lost wages and past-due royalties.  Jennifer says it's just "quitter's remorse".  I can't argue with that logic at all.  Who knew they'd be as huge as they are now back when she quit?  And yes, she did choose to quit.

Read the full story HERE from AOL's The Boot.


See you on the radio!
-Brad

Congrats to the former first daughter Chelsea Clinton who married over the weekend.  Wonder if she converted for the wedding as it appears her hubby is Jewish?  I forget what religion the Clintons were... something says Baptist because they were from Arkansas but I can't be sure.  Either way - they sure look happy!  Mazel Tov!

Lindsey Lohan served a week of her 90-day jail sentence and is now in rehab.  I hate to be "that guy"... but my care-o-meter ran out a looooong time ago on her.  Poor thing.

And finally... be smart with the apps on your SmartPhone!  New reports suggests hackers are targeting cell phones that have browser and web capability harder than ever before.  How do they hack a cell phone?  Shockingly it's similar to your home computer.  Viruses embedded in pictures and malicious websites... and shady apps you mistakenly download onto your phone.  Experts say you should only download apps from your phone's main store!  Itunes for Iphones, Google's Andriod Marketplace for Androids, BBerry's App Store for Blackberrys, etc.

See you on the radio!
-Brad

Thanks for checking out the blog!  :)

Congrats goes out to Dierks Bentley and his wife Cassidy on the announcement that their daughter Evie will have a little brother or little sister just in time for Christmas!  We had Dierks in the Y106.5 booth a few weeks back at Hodag.  I remember thinking how happy and at peace he acted.  Maybe he already knew?  Congrats to the proud soon-to-be-parents!  Link to the full story HERE.
 

It was announced on a live web-stream that Taylor Swift's new album (her 3rd full length project) will hit store shelves on October 25th.  The album will be titled "SPEAK NOW" and you'll hear new music in early August on Y106.5 from Taylor!  Check out her website HERE.

And, finally I leave you with a chuckle.  It's always fun to see people in important and influential positions speaking off the cuff.  Especially when it's the truth!  Check out what Arnold had to say about Mel Gibson HERE.

See you on the radio!
Brad

Happy Monday!  The American Idol auditions hit Milwaukee this week... but they just left Nashville.  In a city known for phenomonal country artists and music you have to think some pretty amazing singers tried their best in front of the Idol producers.  Nashville is also known pretty far and wide for attracting a lot of 'counter culture' artists.  There are more pop/rock/alternative bands that come from Nashville than you might expect.

All that aside - one of country music's hottest acts in the 1990's, Joe Diffie, was proud to report on his two kids BOTH trying out for American Idol last weekend!  Joe's daughter Kara (25yo) and his son Parker (28yo) gave it their best for the Idol judges.  No word yet if they're "on to hollywood".  We sure hope so!

Click the picture of Joe Diffie below to read the whole story!  Good luck Kara and Parker!

See you on the radio!
-Brad

Hey!  Back from Hodag with *most* of my voice.  Left some of it on a lawn chair next to the stage, I think.  ;)  It'll be back to normal soon.

As a Hodag "virgin" I had an absolute blast!  Some awesome people hanging out and loving country music.  It doesn't get any better than that.  I can't wait until NEXT Hodag already.... it's addicting!

In other news.... she just broke my heart!  She went off and got hitched!  Haha.  The single guy in me secretely hoped she would have a change of heart at the 11th hour... but they do look happy together in all the pictures I've seen.  Congrats to Carrie & Mike.  Here they are on their honeymoon.  That girl can wear a bikini:

And finally we've had some severe storms move through this afternoon.  Maybe more on the way for later tonight.  Bring 'em on!  I never want someone to get hurt or have their property damaged... but I am a huge thunderstorm geek.  Bigger the better for me!

See you on the radio!
Brad

A BIG congratulations and a dose of good luck to Jay Demarcus and his wife Allison.  It was just announed that she is expecting! 

Jay plays bass for Rascal Flatts and has had a hand in writing many of their #1 hits.  He's also a part-time album producer working with other artists in Nashville.  His wife is the former Miss Tennessee and currently works at CMT.

To read more on the happy couple and see what Jay is looking forward to most about being a dad... click their picture below!

-Brad

The big HODAG Festival is less than 10 days away!  I'm pretty excited and going over my checklist for items to bring along.  Let me know if I miss anything:

* Sunscreen
* Beer

List looks good, right?  :D

See you there!
Brad