c. 2022 Rod Ice
All rights reserved
(11-22)
Up early, shaking off whiskey dreams
Hints of Old Crow and Jim Beam
Coffee perking on the countertop sounds like a burst of fun-sized thunderclaps
I punch up 92.3 on the Audacy app
Peering through the fog of night into a new day awakening
A book opened at the beginning
The gist of a discussion, as yet unsaid
Debating points that linger in my head
Browns woes
Twitter tweets and listener’s poll votes
Guardians and Cavs with the hope of future conquest
Mary Kay Cabot, Daryl Ruiter, and a roster of notable guests
Zac Jackson, Bob Costas, Trey Wingo
Sometimes NASCAR but never rest-home bingo
I go deep in that mix of interesting insights
Of ball-busting and bragging rights
Say ‘Congratulations on all your success!’
Every hour is a catalog of sports scores and teasers from the local press
As my head clears from the night before
All these things await, and more!
References to Cleveland Magazine
And highlights of personal workout routines
Around the AFC North gets out-of-town talkers in a twist
Pittsburgh pundits chuffing like a locomotive, when they get pissed
Insults hurled
Logo banners unfurled
Bernie Kosar still reigns as our patron saint on the Cuyahoga River
At least until we find a new-age prophet that can deliver
LeBron moved on to the west coast
But left a reason for us to boast
A championship cocktail for a city, too long dry
That moment of victory brought a tear to my eye
O-State versus U of M
Sometimes a cause for verbal scrimmages that divide close friends
Dad bods carelessly stuffed into athletic shirts
Once, even the venerable Mr. Lahey, John Dunsworth
Though that unexpected delight
Aired on the old show, late at night
Whether you partake of the prognostication, or not
Every episode is Coming in Hot
A finger over the dump button, pre-posed to act
Two-Second Trivia tryouts, truncated by the facts
An internet search for vintage clues
Maybe a sneakerhead’s spin on the value of game-worn shoes
Andy Roth on radio patrol
Ken and Anthony jonesing for a hometown Super Bowl
Fans on the Northcoast have endured the Shot, Fumble, and Drive
Yet still keep hope alive
With a single digit raised, to signify defiance of the great
Against the Yankees and Steelers and Golden State
And dirty crows in the skies
That swooped in from Baltimore, to steal our beloved franchise
We’ve traveled metaphorically far in this camp on America’s northern edge
But never hesitate to recite the pledge
Blue-collar brews raised in a toast to the town
Like bowling pins scattered
Every ring has mattered
From a layover at League Park, to a Ten-Cent Beer Night soaker
From the genius of Paul Brown, to the chaos of NFL brokers
Moving teams like pieces on chessboard squares
Helmets redesigned with modernist flair
All these topics of conversation for the broadcast team
Provide the soundtrack for morning, as I mainline caffeine
And if I find that the show has too quickly passed
There is the Carman and Lima podcast
The emerging scene
Callers decked on the computer screen
Opinions voiced freely
Like a fantasy fracas between Fred Rogers and Mr. McFeely
Or Ken in the role of Ralph Kramden, driving the municipal bus past streetlamps
With Anthony channeling Ed Norton, reimagined as a debate champ
A crisp delivery made, every day and more
A production worthy of industry awards
Gritty and sharp
Honest views offered from the heart
Stirred up in a rocks glass with a touch of spritz
And an upbeat mood of playground kids
Who grew older but no less intense
Than those rabble-rousing youngsters out by the ballpark fence
Watching their heroes compete
Before playing ball in the street
That vibe and vantage point has endured
To keep the program ratings critically assured
Strong is the crowing of a rooster on the hill
But my squawk-box is louder, still
Jumping off the table
When I am able
To dial up 92.3 on the wireless band
Shaking off the residue of slumber-sand
My head bows, as I behold the rising sun
A peaceful beginning to whatever this way comes
Voices compete to be heard
Trading quick takes and trending words
These audio-mated friends I count as my own
Streaming smartly, from the cellphone
(For Ken Carman and Anthony Lima of 92.3 The Fan radio in Cleveland.)
