Our own version of "March Mad-mania"

We are approaching one fun month with our programming and coverage.

We have tremendous plans for March, including coverage of the following events:

*ESPN College Game-Day @ Baylor University: We'll not only broadcast the Friday afternoon before at the Ferrell Center, but host a special 7:00am-9:00am "You Make The Call" the morning of College Game-Day.

*Big 12 Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments (Kansas City, Missouri): We'll broadcast live from the Media Hotel in downtown Kansas City as we cover the Bears and Lady Bears.

*NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments (Everywhere, USA): The Lady Bears will host the women's 1st and 2nd round games in Waco, and we'll be all over their run to the championship. ESPN Radio-Central Texas is also the home for every single game of the NCAA Men's Tournament and the Women's Final Four (along with whatever games involving the Bears and Lady Bears).

*Rangers Training Camp in Surprise, Arizona: We'll broadcast live from Rangers Camp and bring back the atmosphere with interviews and the great "crack of the bat, pop of the mitt, and fresh cut grass." We'll be there for 3-4 days to accumulate audio for our time there and the following week. The regular season opener is April 1st against the Red Sox, and unless I'm wrong (brain cells aren't what they used to be)---this is the first time ever in my lifetime that MLB has started a season at the end of the week and not on a Sunday night or Monday afternoon, or in some cases for some teams a Tuesday. There might have been one or two years when a season started somewhere early like with the NFL, but I don't remember.

*NCAA Women's Final Four (Indianapolis, Indiana): Depending on Baylor's run to a national title, ESPN Radio-Central Texas will be live mixed in with our game broadcasts of the Lady Bears if they become eligible for the Final Four.

And, this doesn't include some of our other appearances throughout Central Texas.

Our sales staff hit the streets with our sponsorship packages on Wednesday and we have some work to do, but based on the energy and pacing from the past 7-months, we'll be in good shape. I think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but our sales are up 61% in February and there's still just under two weeks remaining. But, this month is almost done so we have a lot of work to do in March and into the future.

In between all this action, I'm working on a quick trip to try and see my mom and dad and three brothers in Tampa, Florida area. My mother had the illness she fought through during the fall and she's back home and finishing up her rehab so I'm headed down there later in the month. I can't wait to see my parents and my three brothers, relax for a weekend, smoke a few cigars on my father's back porch and catch-up on some good memories.

I hope everyone is doing well, and thanks for listening or reading when and if you do.

Thank you.

David Smoak
smoaky@1660espn.com