Check one off the Bucket List
It’s quite a thrill to watch an F-18 do a tailhook landing 15 yards in front of you, and to feel the chest-pounding roar of the same plane taking off into the midnight darkness at the end of the flight deck. But also thrilling was watching as 3,500 souls who work tirelessly aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, then some 75 miles off the coast of North Carolina. I was honored to spend the night on the carrier and meet many of men and women of the Navy serving on the ship, including the Commander, Capt. Joe Carkson. Tom Maxwell, himself a retired Navy Captain (and father of our own Mike Maxwell), arranged the trip for me, as he had for Clyde a few years ago.
It was one of those “Bucket List” kinds of experiences. As breath taking was the size of the ship and her impressive technology, was the dedication of the men and women serving on her. It was awe-inspiring and convicting…there is so much I take for granted! Equally humbling is the recognition that all about us there are people, some of them in our own company, diligently serving in one capacity or another, doing the work most of us don’t want to do, doing it honorably and professionally, for the benefit of us all. That also takes my breath away…without the noise.
-- Roger
King Bob’s 25 Year Tour
http://twitter.com/clydelear
A year-end thought on business
by the way…this cartoon appeared 15 years ago!
Video greeting from Learfield Sports
Mallory Glosier -Sports Center Editor & Chief Videographer- shares this video holiday greeting from our staff in Dallas.
–clyde
Fun in Corvalis (and Jefferson City)
Boy oh Boy oh Boy. Give a listen to this piece [ Download 2 min MP3 file ] Tom Boman put together on our Beavers’ humbling of No. 1 USC last night. Congrats therefore to Sully, Spiegs and all our friends at Oregon State Sports Properties.
Yesterday at noon ALL 40+ properties put on a nice picnic luncheon for producers, accountants, engineers and back-office friends who make their jobs easier here in Jefferson City.
The MSP crew (Jeff Shoultz, Greg Rogers, Josh Baldwin, Branden Miller, Branden Butcher) did the heavy lifting and served as hosts. They were aided by the "fun pack". Thanks to all. This photo by Jim Foucault captures the fun. [L-R: Jordan Ferguson, Doug Bax and Karri Ball]
–clyde
Learfield intern runs with the bulls
Learfield’s Tom Brandt is spending this summer in Karri Ball’s Finance Group helping implement our new e-expense system, but just last year the MU student was in Barcelona Spain studying abroad. He bussed up to the small city of Pamplona to participate in the famed "Running of the Bulls". Here are a couple of pictures of the kid in the middle of the pack just ahead of any goring.
He tells us that he taped his blood type and other pertinent info to his thigh. And, he prerecorded a "good bye" to his mom–also just in case. But he made it without a scratch owing in some part to his sobriety, he says, "Most of those who are injured or killed drink all night." The 7:00 a.m. run through the narrow streets is covered live on TV. 14 have died in the annual July event since it began in 1914. Over 200 are injured each year–usually by falls.
–clyde
Party Time
This week Learfield hosted two nice events. Wednesday afternoon was open house at our Jefferson City office. It was a chance to show of the newly-remodeled digs and enjoy some time with clients and friends. We touted our 35 years in business as an excuse to get together. Maybe 300 attended and were entertained by the Jefferson City High School Jazz Combo.
Earlier in the week we showed off the new Dallas office to Learfield Sports General Managers with a reception there. Following that we bus’d to Geri and Greg Brown’s home for a lovely poolside dinner.
–clyde
