I can’t believe that I might actually stoop to this, but I’m thinking about dumping myself. I am seriously considering deactivating my personal Facebook account. Yep, I just might “unfriend” myself. (fyi ‘unfriend’ was the Oxford word of the year in 2009)

So why would I consider doing something so radical? I must admit to the almost 700 of you who are my FB ‘friends’ that I have been neglecting you. I have let my entourage down. I take full responsibility.

 It’s not you, it’s me.

I just haven’t had the energy lately to keep you all in the loop. See, I have this radio show on WKLH and ‘KLH has its own Facebook page with thousands of fans. I try to update that site as often as I can. I’m not saying that the grass is greener on the ‘KLH page, but once I’m done updating our portion of the radio station page, doing my high torque radio show, writing blogs, answering e mails, going to meetings, well, I just don’t have much left for you. I’ll feel a lot better if I can come clean to all of you.

I have gone places and I haven’t told you. Remember the Brewers home opener against Colorado? Yep, I was there. The Bucks games against the Lakers, Cavaliers and Celtics? I was right up front. That awesome concert you were thinking about attending? I was there, too. I have been playing golf, going on long walks, washing my truck, going to movies, playing with my dogs, riding on my John Deere (with my green Deere hat on) and I never once let any of you know.

What? You’ve done stuff, too? And you didn’t let me know? You’ve visited other radio station’s web sites and Facebook pages? You’ve listened around on me? That makes us even, doesn’t it? So let’s let bygones be bygones.

I mean this doesn’t have to end like Tiger & Elin or Ben & the Steelers, does it?

Let’s agree that what’s in the past is in the past and I’ll agree to stay on Facebook if you’ll stay my friend. Of course I’ll try to keep you updated on my life.

Glad that’s over. Now, I’ve got to get going. What do you mean, where?

Some of the best teams, in or out of football, don’t look like much on paper. But sometimes teams get lucky and, despite the critics, find that winning chemistry.

As Mr. Angry used to say, here are a few things that have been ‘grinding my beans’…

It should be the N.R.L. not the NBA. That would be ‘The National Referee League’. Whoever they want to win, will win. My friend Max has amazing Bucks tickets. He sits courtside, I mean literally on the court. From time to time he invites me to join him and over the past couple years I have seen the Bucks play the Spurs, Lakers, Nuggets, Cavaliers and Celtics from just a few feet away. And I am amazed, that even after all the NBA has dealt with lately, the refs still suck. And, it’s so blatant! When you get to see it up close it’s downright infuriating. David Stern needs to come up with a better system or a new rule book. At least take us out to dinner before your refs do that to us. Hey, I know, when the ‘not so special’ teams play those that have been ‘blessed’ how about awarding them 5 extra personals before the ‘sacred’ team gets to go to the line?? Or, maybe let us play with an extra player? Maybe that’ll make up for the 8 we’re already playing against.

Next, let’s talk golf. I went to a public course on Master’s Sunday and I set up the tee time so that I could watch the last hour of the CBS coverage from Augusta. That was a huge mistake ‘cause the course was more than slow. It was like I-94 when there’s been an accident and there’s a Brewers game, Bucks game and Summerfest going on, all at the same time. Plus, the guy ahead of us decided to give his wife lessons on pitching and putting on just about every hole. Dude, I saw you hit 2 shots in the drink, lose a dozen balls in the woods and you’re giving lessons??!! Seriously??!! Then, there’s the idiot who decides to take his ball retriever out of his bag and use it any time he sees water. Even when it’s wide open in front of him and he could speed it up a bit. The upside is that I got to hang out with my son, in the sun, for a bit longer. Plus, we got to order from the cart girl an extra time or two, and my DVR recorded Lefty’s big win, so all is good.

Finally, I heard a local AM station last week complaining that there’s too much classic rock on the Marcus stage this year at Smiley Fest. The fact that he was only filling in doesn’t excuse his ignorance. He actually said something like “Aren’t we finished with this yet? Who is going to buy the tickets? Can’t we move on?” Let’s review; Tom Petty with ZZ Top for 2 nights, Eric Clapton with Roger Daltrey, and Carlos Santana with Steve Winwood. A lineup rife with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who collectively have sold hundreds of millions of albums, some played Woodstock, some entertained for Super Bowl halftime shows and this idiot wanted to know why we can’t “move on.”

Maybe he’s just mad Lady Gaga isn’t coming until fall?

Thanks. I feel better now.

I pull into the parking lot and try to find an open space. As I look around at the cars, trucks and SUV’s already parked, I think of all the families those vehicles represent. I think about whether or not those cars have been parked in that garage for hours, days, weeks or maybe months.

I wonder if the people who drove here in those vehicles woke up knowing they were coming here. Was it a scheduled visit? Maybe they had a surgical procedure already booked? Maybe they’re here for testing, or a tonsillectomy or perhaps chemotherapy? Or did they find themselves driving here because of an accident, a fall or some other unexpected reason? Then, my mind wanders to the vacant parking spaces and I think about what they represent. Another child, another family, another story will arrive soon and their vehicle will fill that open parking spot. And they have no idea.

Those are the thoughts I have every time I arrive at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to settle in for the 3-day, 60-hour radio-thon we call ‘The Miracle Marathon’ on 96.5 WKLH. We started the Marathon in 1998 and every year we have countless meetings and brainstorming sessions on ways to make the Miracle Marathon better and more efficient. But no amount of planning can predict who we will be interviewing and which family will find their car parked in the Children’s Hospital garage.

It could be new parents who are dealing with a baby born with a genetic disorder. Maybe a Mom who inexplicably finds her toddler unresponsive in the family home? Or perhaps parents who drive here while Flight for Life transports their son or daughter?

There are no classes to teach parents how to respond to situations they had no idea they’d be facing. How can you explain what it’s like to see your child, your sweet, innocent child, face a life or death situation? It happened to us. After 2 very healthy baby boys, we had our daughter. Almost immediately they told us she was very sick and needed help. As I drove from Waukesha to Wauwatosa following the ambulance, leaving my wife at the hospital where she had just given birth, my thoughts raced. I was met by the most skilled, caring, professional health care workers in the world. Yep, it was my car that was in the empty parking space. And it was there for 8 full days. Our daughter is a healthy young woman now, but I don’t have to tell you how scared we were during those first 8 days of her life.

At 5 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26^th, we’ll start another 3-day, 60-hour Miracle Marathon on ‘KLH. We always say that Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is a great insurance policy should your Children, Grandchildren, nieces or nephews ever need it. Maybe what we should be saying is, “Please give, because you never know when you’ll be looking for that open parking space.”

Get  details on how to set-up a firstgiving.com/childrens donation page now!