Thoughts and Prayers go out to Tim Russert's family and more Fox Noise shenanigans

It was another steamy, humid drought-stricken day in good ole' Georgia. The heat became unbearable just a day or two ago. Still not conditioned to it yet, I decided to sit in our company's break room. I don't know what compelled me to turn on the T.V..

Typically, a colleague of mine watches Judge Joe Brown, and I laugh at how it mocks our everyday courts. So, I wanted to see who and what was going on today and time how long it would take for me to decide the outcome of the case (usually about two minutes). Unfortunately, this wasn't a day for humor. Tom Brokaw sat behind an anchor desk and before I saw the graphic at the bottom of the screen I thought to myself, "Oh, no. What now?" He just broke the news that Tim Russert had passed away just a few hours ago. Heartbreak set in, but it wasn't nearly as painful as seeing a loved one's reaction.

A few hours later I arrived home. My father's business trip had been cancelled and as usual, he was diligently working on his PC. I broke the news to him.

"What," he said in a high-pitched, gruff voice.

He turned on the T.V. and began watching and listening to the images and narrations of Tim's life. The man I rarely saw break down couldn't hold it in. He was teary-eyed and wiping away a few tears. Essentially, Tim's life was very similar to the one my dad has lived and here are several reasons why:

1. Like my father's upbringing, Tim was a devout Roman Catholic. My parents still are today. Tim and my father are the same age.

2. My father has widely gained respect from his colleagues, customers, and suppliers for his tireless passion he applies to his craft. His competitive spirit has never faltered. Like my father, despite the grunt job I have now, his spirit has been passed down to me.

3. Tim came from humble beginnings. My father was no exception. His father died around the same age Tim's son Luke is. His mother helped raise my dad and three siblings in a very small, rural Nebraska town where life depended on how well your crops and livestock grew. However, they didn't know any better life. This was it. Their lives were enriched with love for one another, school, and sports activities. My dad's high school basketball career scoring record was recently broken, which was one of the fondest memories he had before moving from Nebraska upon graduating from college.

4. Tim came from Irish heritage like my father's side. Our temperament isn't discreet by any means. My dad is straight-forward and hates dealing with petty nonsense like myself. Nothing says more to this when the wordsmith used to proofread a pending article I had written. "What is all this flowery, wordy shit you got in here? Come on. Get to the point."

5. Like my father, Tim's love was endless toward his family. I'm also very grateful for so many fond memories my father shared with me -- watching Pete Rose at Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs) tie Ty Cobb's record for most career hits, spending hours on our driveway playing basketball, seeing him with a fist pump reaction after hitting a winner when competitively playing tennis, and all those dysfunctional long drives we took to see our extended family in Nebraska.

David Axelrod, Barack Obama's Chief Media Strategist, defined Tim best: "It was like preparing for the Supreme Court." I marveled at how well prepared Tim was when interviewing any guest. He would take the opposite view point, address something provocative this guest might've said or hot-button bill voted on, and most importantly, listen with an unsettling silence while the guest attempted to answer the question forthright. Most important, I didn't hear one negative attack on Russert. He ensured all his guests received appreciation towards his show's conclusion. We lost a great human being, and a man who has left an indeliable legacy in the broadcast journalism profession.

From Tim Russert to a Fox News reporter and anchor with the IQ of a peanut shell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWel21xLFn4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWVe8M5Zcys&feature=related