501 Football 2009 & 501 LIFE September

I'm proud to be a contributor for 501 Life Magazine.

The magazine launched its first issue in April 2008, and I got involved that summer. I wrote the majority of 501 Football 2008, and I have consistently wrote for 501 LIFE ever since.

501 LIFE is a general interest magazine that celebrates anything and everything that makes Central Arkansas a great place to live. I usually write sports features for the magazine, but I have made detours in other areas throughout the last year.

The ladies of 501 LIFE - Sonja Keith, Tracy Ferrell and Donna Spears - refer to me as their "Kris Allen Correspondent" because of the writing I did during the American Idol craze that hit Arkansas this Spring.

501 Football 2009 was recently released. I wrote everything in the issue except for the introduction from the Editors. I'm proud of the publication, and I think it has vastly improved from last year's edition.

501 LIFE September also came out recently, and I have a few stories littered throughout. The 501 ladies gave me my first start as a print journalist, and I'm grateful for the experience I've gained over the past year.

Every issue, the publication keeps getting better and better.

Dream Catcher - 501 LIFE September

A feature on the American Idols Live tour stop in North Little Rock back in July. The story features quotes from Kris Allen and other AI Top 10 contestants. Also included is a Q&A with Kris a few days after the concert.

Internship 101

I started my internship at Today's THV on Monday.

I've only gone twice, but so far the experience has been rewarding. I've been really blessed to have the opportunity to work with a great core of producers and talent.

When I've watched local news stations, I've always wondered what the anchors and reporters are like behind the scenes. Now I know!

The people in front of and behind the camera are completely different than what I expected, and I mean that in a good way. Everyone I've interacted with from talent - Craig, Liz, Ed - to producers - Michelle, Shayla - have all been easy to work with and willing to help me with any questions I have.

There is a reason KTHV is No. 1 in the Little Rock market: It's because the people that work there are committed to reporting accurately and honestly.

It's been a great experience thus far, and I'm excited to be a part of KTHV for the next month and a half. I'm learning what it takes to not only produce a solid product, but to also become a balanced journalist.

The Anguish is Real

The anguish Brett Favre fans are feeling is real.

I don't quite understand all of the emotions involved, but I'm doing my best to put it in perspective.

I loved Steve McNair the football player. When he was forced out of Tennessee and became a Raven, I wasn't nearly as upset as I thought I would be. Yeah, the Ravens were a rival, but it wasn't McNair's fault. He played for the Ravens for two years, and after he retired, he was immediately re-immersed into the Titans.

I think when Favre finally does call it quits, Packer fans will welcome him back. I don't think it will be as easy as it was with McNair, but eventually most Green Bay cheeseheads will clap again for Favre.

I've done a sports talk show at KUCA for the past two years. Our most loyal listener is a tremendous Packer fan, and she loves Brett Favre. I called her as soon as I heard the news yesterday. She felt betrayed, and she has every right to feel that way. I saw this morning that another fan buried her Favre jersey when she found out he was going to the Vikings.

The anguish is real. I don't blame fans for how they are reacting. I don't completely understand it, but I'm not going to say their pain isn't real. For me, it would be like Derek Jeter joining the Red Sox. If that happened, I would understand the anguish.

So before you make fun of your Favre friends or laugh at their seemingly ridiculous behavior, think about the one player that is your absolute favorite. Then imagine that player leaving your team and joining one of its biggest rivals.

It sucks. The whole thing does.

I'm not going to lie. I'm not a Packers fan, but I'll smile if Green Bay puts it on Minnesota in Week 4.

And personally, I hope they do.

If Brett Favre Returns, I Hope He Breaks His Leg

I'm sorry, but I am more than over all this Brett Favre saga BS.

I love him as a player, but enough is enough. Just end it. Stop. Please! I understand the first year is the hardest. Just bite your tongue and stay away. Once the first season of retirement goes by, you'll be OK. You just have to get through it.

Please don't come back. I don't want to see you fade late in a season again. It's hard to watch.

I would never wish physical harm to anyone, but if he comes back, I hope he breaks his leg. I've had my leg broken playing football, so I can say from experience that it isn't all that bad. Yeah it hurts. Yes, seeing your leg move in ways it shouldn't is nauseating, but you'll live.

If Favre can't keep himself from coming back, then someone - maybe a plump DL - needs to knock him out. Save Favre from himself.

P.S. - Darbi, please don't be insanely mad if you read this.

A Tale of Two Blakes

Blake Wood & Blake Childress

Senior RBs - Bauxite

Best friends share football field, desire to be leaders

High School Football

It's interesting getting to know the different stories behind each team. 501 Football is a publication I've been working on since May, and it should be out either today or early next week (more to come about that).

Arkansas is saturated with football publications, I know, but I'm proud to be a part of 501 Life. I didn't get to focus on the individual players as much in 501 Football, but I got to write some features for two of the zoned publications of the Democrat-Gazette. In these features, I got to learn more about the players and get a closer look at some of the teams in Central Arkansas.

Jonathan Watson - TE/LB - Conway Christian

David Gray - QB - Fountain Lake

Don Phillips - Head Coach - Jessieville

Spencer Langston - QB - Bigelow

Stop Teasing Me

OK, this is a little old news, but I want to talk about it.

LOST has quickly become my favorite show (yes, it has surpassed House, if you can believe that). I started watching it through Netflix back in January. PG and I zoomed through the first two seasons. When we got to Season 3, it had a "long wait" status. Well, that would not do, so we went out and bought Season 3 and 4 on DVD.

After we had shot through those seasons, the first few episodes of Season 5 had been recorded on the DVR. I experienced my first real-time LOST cliffhanger - by the way, I hate having to wait for half a year - and I quickly became glad that I wasn't a fan from the beginning. I'm glad I didn't have to endure the wait between every finale and premiere. It's torture.

Anyway, at Comic Con a few weeks ago, the LOST guys premiered this promo poster for Season 6 - LOST's final season.

It has every major character that has ever been on the show. It's too much of a tease. I can't take it. It's torture. I don't want to wait until January.

More importantly, I don't want LOST to be over. It has become my absolute favorite show in such a short span of time. I feel like I'm just getting to know it, and bam, it will be gone soon. I'm glad the writers have had a clearly defined ending for the past couple of years because it has kept the show from getting stale.

On the other hand, we only have 18 hours left to decode so many great, rich mysteries.

If you've never watched LOST, I highly recommend that you do. If PG likes it, then anyone can like it. It has great characters, compelling twists and deep stories. Do yourself a favor: Get Netflix and start watching LOST.

You won't regret it.

If It Kills Me

I'm going to blog, even if it kills me.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't the first time I've blogged, and it's not that I don't find blogging enjoyable. I'm just not sure if I'll be good at blogging all the time.

But I figured that since I write for money so much these days, I've got to find a way to write just for fun. Again. Don't get me wrong. I do find writing for money fun; it's just that I need some place to write the stuff that no one else cares about. The stuff that no one is paying me to write.

So.

I'm going to blog. Even.

If It Kills Me.

P.S. - Going out to eat with PG tonight. Dates are good, especially when you should probably spend the money on something more important.

Peace.