I doubt anyone would ever mistake me for a morning person.
To be perfectly honest with you, I’d rather roll out of bed closer to the noon hour than sunrise. Give me the sun high in the sky and then I’ll watch it set, later in the day, when I’m wide awake.
Yes, I much prefer 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., but sometimes life happens at 6 a.m. and, when it does, I go with the flow.
A few weeks ago I met with Ron Hale, the general manager at WTKE radio 100.3 FM, aka “The Ticket” Sports Network. Ron said they were interested in me joining the rotation of guest co-hosts on the Morning Wrap show that airs 6-9 a.m.
Daily News sports editor Brandon Walker and radio personality Rob Brown usually share the set in that time slot. But Ron wanted to know if I would be available to help out as needed. I quickly agreed.
I got a call from Brandon last Wednesday asking if I would be available Friday morning. Even with my fear of the pre-dawn hour, I jumped at the opportunity.
When the alarm clock went off just before 5 a.m., I only hit the snooze button once. My dog didn’t seem impressed; he found his favorite spot to sleep on the couch as I dressed before heading out the door. I was on my way to Destin to do the show by 5:15.
The sun had yet to reach the horizon as I made my way east from my house in Fort Walton Beach. I knew it was early, but I didn’t realize how early until I passed Krispy Kreme in Destin.
Not only had they yet to turn on the hot doughnut light, the lights in the store were still off as well.
I got to the Destin Commons studio a little before 5:45. Brandon arrived a couple of minutes later and we were on the air by 6 a.m. when we were joined by Chris “The Sports Babe,” who produces the show and screens calls.
Once on the air, things went smoothly. Brandon and I have known each other a couple of years and the ebb and flow of the conversation seemed natural and unforced. It might have been early in the morning, but we were just a couple of guys chewing the fat about sports.
In my 20 or so years in the newspaper business I’ve written thousands of stories, many of which were written on deadline as press time approached. Writing on deadline isn’t easy, and not everyone can do it, but it’s second nature to those of us who write for a living.
Experiencing another medium is always exciting. It’s nice to see how the other guys do it. And a seat in the radio booth, talking sports, isn’t a bad place to be as sun rises on another beautiful day in Okaloosa County.
Even if it means getting out of bed at 5 a.m.
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: A walk on the radio side