What a difference a year makes...

Here I am on the deck of our house in Tyler, relaxing with my wife Cindy, our son Craig and his girlfriend, Mandee.

I'm enjoying a cigar, some Crown and Diet Coke, and about to watch Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.

I hosted "You Make The Call" this afternoon from here on our back deck, took a lot of great calls and opinions, and tried to help wrap-up the 2010 Baylor football season.

We'll digest and discuss and even dig into more of the program throughout the upcoming off-season.

Obviously, after their loss to Illinois in the Texas Bowl, there's a lot of frustration and emotion from the Baylor fan base.

Today's show was their show, as it should be---although I hope that's the case every show.

Like any evening after the show, there's a little adrenalin rush, and then a little crash...a chance to decompress.

Now that I've had time to reflect back on the year, I'm glad it's ending yet sad at the same time.

A year ago at this time I was trying to figure out my future, knowing there was a chance coming up with ESPN Radio-Dallas, but not knowing exactly what those plans would be---part-time, weekends, full-time, no one was sure, especially not me.

But, after some quality time working with ESPN-Dallas Program Director Tom Lee and many others throughout the spring and into the early-summer...my opportunity came with a phone call from the owner of M&M Broadcasting, Gary Moss.

It was a Wednesday morning, it was before 8:00am, and he wanted to talk about their opening as program director at 1660ESPN Radio in Waco.

We talked for just a little while, decided to meet the following Monday, and within a week, everything was signed, sealed and delivered.

I started at 1660ESPN on June 22nd, went on the air for the first time on Monday, June 28th, and it's been one helluva ride ever since.

In fact, things have changed quite a bit, we're now 1660/106.9ESPN Radio-Central Texas.

1660 is a powerful frequency that at times can stretch from Dallas to Austin on I-35, but 106.9FM gives us coverage in the Killeen, Fort Hood, Kempner, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove and Gatesville at night---when our signal is affected during the late-fall and winter with the time change.

We have more changes (additions) coming down the pipeline, including another FM signal/translator in Waco and then Temple. It's just another chance for us to truly cover Central Texas.

Unlike most radio ownership groups, national groups or otherwise, M&M Broadcasting is looking to expand, to grow, and from all indications, we're not done.

It's been a nice ride since late-June and I can't wait for what we can accomplish as a station in 2011.

Happy New Year!

David Smoak