A lot to be thankful for as we hit the holidays...

Butch Henry, Paul Catalina and I will host "You Make The Call" on Wednesday and then head into the Thanksgiving weekend.

I'm so thankful to be in Waco and Central Texas and Butch, Paul, and so many others have made my transition from Tyler to ESPN-Dallas to ESPN-Waco very enjoyable.

I can't explain the camaraderie we have among our stations, 1660ESPN, Mix929 and 1049The Beat.

From the first day I arrived (June 22nd), I've felt apart of a tremendous family.

I remember the first meeting with our GM (Bill LeGrand) and our sales department and that seems like just yesterday. I remember Mix929 Program Director Dustin Drew and 1049The Beat Program Director Edward Graham taking me out for dinner that night and just chilling out and talking about our plans as a group.

Those two never met me before that day and they treated me like family. I'll never forget their immediate hospitality.

I remember walking to Cricket's sports bar with our owner, Gary Moss, before meeting with everyone and John Morris, "Voice of the Baylor Bears" yelled my name across the parking lot near our office and we shared a nice handshake hug and JMo said, "Welcome to Waco, glad you're here Smoaky."

I remember walking through the front door of ESPN/Mix/TheBeat and Beth Richards greeting me with a huge smile, "We're glad to have you at ESPN."

We've all had some goals and we've accomplished each and every one of them.

*Our sales have increased dramatically and we're holding steady for a nice November.

*Website renovated, podcast segments available and audio-streaming completed (Special Thanks to Beth Richards)

*Upgrading and changing the culture and personality on "You Make The Call" with weekly analysts and guests discussing the Cowboys, Big XII and much more.

*We moved into our really nice building just over a month ago, it's ours, no elevators, no leasing or rent, it's our building and it fits our great atmosphere among everyone involved.

Do we have a few cat fights, disagreements and eruptions, yes---just like every normal radio station or even most businesses where it's not a "cookie cutter" environment.

I will co-host our Wednesday show and head back to Tyler to spend Thanksgiving with my wife Cindy, our son Craig and his girlfriend Mandee, and our daughter Jennifer. I'm not sure if she's bringing her boyfriend Brandon or not. If she is, Cindy better get an extra turkey or two.

And, I can't wait to love on our four cats and Jennifer's...excuse me, MY DOG, Oreo, our Broder Collar from hell.

Oreo is the smartest dog I've ever known and her personality is amazing. I can't wait for her to maul me when I get to the house sometime on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, I'll return back to Waco on Friday morning and then Paul, Rich Richardson and I will start our drive out towards West Texas to Clyde for the Crawford-Idalou high school playoff game broadcast.

I've studied and prepped for the game and everything is set, locked-and-loaded.

For nearly 20-years, I did Class 5-A football broadcasting every Tyler Lee game but one from 1991-2008, and a nice handful of John Tyler games too.

I've been broadcasting mainly 3-A and now 2-A games this season, and like me personally, it's been about getting back to basics.

The 4-A and 5-A teams get almost all of the attention from the larger markets and nationally, but in my opinion, Texas HS football has its backbone from Six-Man to Class 3-A.

I've enjoyed working with Mark Bell at China Spring, Ray Biles at Lorena, Willie Williams at La Vega, Brian Lewis at Robinson, Kyle Cooper at Gatesville, Mike Rabe at Connally, Paul Weaver at Mexia, Bob Shipley at Brownwood, among many others.

We picked up the Crawford Pirates last week and Delbert Kelm has been a nice fit and very cooperative in sending me whatever I've requested.

Ever since my first season of covering high school football, 1981, I've always enjoyed watching any city or town get excited about playoff run...dreams are made, sometimes broken...but memories are forever.

I've also been fortunate to arrive in Waco as the Baylor football team broke a decade-and-a-half-long drought, not only finishing being bowl eligible, but 7-5. I remember asking Art Briles to appear on my first show with Butch and Paul, and he was there for us, and I remember an off-the-cuff prediction about Baylor's record. I think Butch and Paul said 6-6 and I mentioned 7-5. I had no clue but just felt the program was on the uptick.

I'd been told there hadn't been many player interviews in the past and I'm not sure if that's true, but I just went over the Bears roster and we interviewed Tim Atchison, Phillip Blake, Krys Buerck, Elliott Coffey, Ahmad Dixon, Tevin Elliott, Derek Epperson, Jay Finley, Chris Francis, Terrance Ganaway, Robert Griffin III, Antonio Johnson, Aaron Jones, Cameron Kaufhold, Prince Kent, Byron Landor, Clifton Odom, Lanear Sampson, Brad Taylor, Phil Taylor, Danny Watkins, Terrance Williams and Kendall Wright at least once and in some cases, many times.

We have plans on being right smack in the middle of the Baylor bowl game preparations and festivities.

I am a very lucky man, and I want to thank everyone, especially Cindy, Craig and Jennifer for believing in their husband and father. Cindy's family and mine as well for giving us our space and being very patient.

I want to thank my best friend, Eric Horton for being there for me through some difficult times in my life during the summer of 2009, along with David Dobbs, Randy Peters, Jerry Gumbert, Randy Galloway, Brad Sham, John McClain, and yes, the great Earl Campbell. Those guys have no idea how much they meant to me, although I've tried to tell them many times.

My golf buddies, Joe, John, Gene and a few others. I really miss all the trash-talking, and unfortunately, I haven't had time to hit the links since August and right before the high school football season began.

But, I'm used to that---I'll somehow get in a round or two during the holidays, depending on the weather and then make up for lost time next spring and summer.

But, the bottom line to everything I'm trying to write---thank you to so many people for supporting me in my first few months in Waco. I can't believe it's been exactly 5-months to the week I arrived...and we have so much more to do and accomplish.

I'm going to do something stupid and try and list everyone with the radio stations who have made a huge difference to me, Tony Loomer, Terry Tacker, Rich Richardson, Kisha Davis, Becky LeGrand, Bill LeGrand, Beth Richards, Leslie, Casey, Jessica Goodlett, Edward Graham, Dustin Drew, Gary Moss, Van Goodall, Mitch, Zach Burke, Paul Catalina, Butch Henry, Lance, Marcel, Linda Hill, Jazee, A.J., B.J. that D.J., Batman, Mary Montanez, Jazee, and Phyllis Curry.

A special thanks to Brenda Tacker, Terry's wife, who works at Baylor University. She has been my "Li'l Sis" in Waco and she has made sure I remain focused on the day-to-day and the big picture. Terry and Brenda were instrumental in getting me in front of some doctors when I was feeling awful before being diagnosed with double-pneumonia.

Let me tell you about the camaraderie inside our building. I've never experienced anything like it and when there are disagreements or concerns, no one takes it personally, at least not for very long.

That's a refreshing environment.

Casey, who we hired as our promotions directions about 6-8 weeks ago has been a breath of fresh air with her youthful exuberance and energy. She does everything for our appearances, including hanging banners, duct taping wires and phone lines and then helping take everything down when we're done.

And, today---after whining and complaining about my hair getting to long (as if I have enough to get too long), she brought her styling packet with scissors, clippers and everything else and right outside on our porch overlooking Cottonwood Creek Golf Course, she lowered my ears a little bit.

That was the ultimate in teamwork. HA!

Well, it's approaching midnight and I've been warned not to stay up too late too often---by the doctors and nurses at Hillcrest Hospital. If I even sniff past midnight, it's like when I was a kid when my mom had eyes in the back of her head.

But now, it's either Cindy or Brenda, Craig or Jennifer busting me over the chops with a verbal warning or stern text message.

Speaking of Hillcrest. I brought up my bout with double-pneumonia from back in early-October.

I'm not one to get sick. I don't miss work, I can't stand not working, but those two weeks changed my life and the staff at Hillcrest was truly amazing.

It's just what I've come to expect from Waco and Central Texas, true and real hospitality, nothing fake.

Thank you.

David Smoak