Finally Home

There is nothing like being able to take your shows on the road... nothing. The adrenaline rush you get is unlike anything you feel behind the desk tucked safely away in the studio.

We met such amazing people in Texas, and were able to tell some pretty incredible stories. The main goal behind these trips is to give our viewers, who were unable to attend the game, a taste of what its like. I think we accomplished that... and then some.

And then, to cap all of our hard work off with a Tigers win... sounds like a fairytale come true!

There is nothing like being able to take your shows on the road... but there's really nothing like coming home.

Chilly broadcasting

We're live in the shade and it is COLD!

Get ready

The Cotton Bowl pre-game show is about to start!

Countdown to Kickoff

It's been a busy morning to say the least at the Cotton Bowl. A great morning show already in the books and our KOMU crew is working hard to bring you an in-depth 90 minute preview show beginning at 9:00. This game is the biggest for any Missouri football team since the 1970 Orange Bowl and with a win, this team would solidify themselves among the best teams in Tiger history. To do so, they'll have to stop Arkansas' two headed monster of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. The two have combined for nearly 2900 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns. Wow! But the Tigers have plenty of playmakers of their own in Chase Daniel and consensus All-Americans Martin Rucker and Jeremy Maclin. The Cotton Bowl couldn't have asked for a better matchup...one in which I think slightly favors the Tigers. We'll find out soon enough!

--TP

Cotton Bowl morning show

Our morning show is up and running. There a few people wandering
around who clearly have not gone to bed yet. I'm working on uploading
some pictures of yesterday's big parade.

Last live show for the day

Our team just wrapped up hours and hours of live coverage on New Years Eve. I hope everyone gas a great night and we have a lot if fun
tomorrow.

Newscasts are wrapped up

A big group of us are headed to dinner at YO Steakhouse. It should be
fun. Then we'll be back at work for the ten.

A good question

I just had someone ask me over the instant message box over there on the right side how many people we have here in Dallas. In total, we have 22 people in front of the camera and behind the scenes. It's quite a production. Check out some of the slideshows on here or go to KOMU's Flickr page to see some of the people working here. It's a blast. We're all exhausted, but enjoying it all.

The 5pm show is just minutes away!

Learnin' the Real Texas

To put it plainly.... we showed up in tennis shoes. When you're in Texas - the real Texas, you don't show up anywhere in tennis shoes!! Everyone at Billy Bob's Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards was kickin' it in their boots. Boy... it was certainly obvious where we were from.
Our morning started in the rodeo - definitely the first time I've anchored a show knee-deep in rodeo dirt. We cooked burgers and steaks with a chef that once won an Iron Chef America Challenge. Seems like a natural progression - Food Network to KOMU News Today! Tim Love was a natural on television... the lights went on, and he went on. Unbelievably charismatic, and so genuinely kind. You'd have to be to get up and do a Missouri morning show on 3 hours of sleep. Chef and rock star!
The thing I am most impressed with concerning the real Texas is the hospitality. The people we worked with today would literally give you the shirt off your back if you asked. So cliche, but so true. After we did our morning show, we had a few hours to kill so the management at Billy Bob's Texas opened up their back room and let us crash on their couches. Like I said... amazingly hospitable. Definitely the real Texas.

Morning and Noon Shows LIVE from Ft. Worth

We had a good day at Billy Bob's Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards area. Our guests included Mark Dunlap, who makes gazillion dollar boots at Leddy's and Tim Love, of Love Shack and Dirty Love Burger fame. He has another restaurant called Lonesome Dove, a cookbook, and has appeared on Iron Chef.

Pam Minick, the boss lady at Billy Bob's, gave us the royal treatment. She even let me print out scripts on her office computer. She is a class act who ropes steer in her spare time.

The noon show was equally eclectic, with two champion bull riders, Marty Travis (a manager at Billy Bob's), and the "unofficial mayor of Fort Worth" -- with handlebar 'stache and all.

We saw about 30 Mizzou fans at Billy Bob's, including some folks from Fulton who were excited to see Megan and Lauren! That was a real treat. For the record, more Mizzou fans showed up at Billy Bob's than fans of that other team. ;)

By the way, I noticed that most of the cowboys around Ft. Worth iron their jeans with creases down the front and back!

We did some shopping in the Billy Bob's store when all was said and done and grabbed a burger at Tim Love's Love Shack restaurant around the corner from Billy Bob's. Chef Tim gave us a tour of his Lonesome Dove restaurant nearby, from the wine cellar to the swanky private rooms where celebrities are known to hang out.

After spending most of Sunday in the hotel, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed our day in Ft. Worth.

Cotton Bowl Media

I have worked in the broadcast news business since 1995... But I've never actually covered a sports event outside of the town where I work. So this has been an interesting experience. Most of the KOMU staff is staying at the media hotel where all of the people who are reporting the game are staying. There is a media spot to hand out, snack and mingle. Last night there were a few groups who were pretty loud. After a long day of travel and work, my group was much happier to just sit.

I just got off the phone with our morning show crew -- They had an amazing experience at Billy Bob's Texas Honky Tonk. You'll have a chance to see it again today on KOMU News at Noon.

Up with the lark

Why I am awake at 3 am and hanging out in the hotel lobby? The KOMU Today Show, of course! We're getting ready to head out the Billy Bob's in Fort Worth (about 45 minutes from hotel) for what should be a Texas-style good ol' time. Later on we'll do the noon show live from the same place, then I am hoping for a nap! Later on many of us will have a new year's eve dinner a Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, then it's back to bed for a few hours before another morning show. After that, we'll do a pre-game show and a post-game wrap-up, plus our usual complement of KOMU News at 5, 6, and 10.

Watch this space for photos from Billy Bob's!

[Note from Jen Reeves: Holly Edgell is KOMU's Executive Producer]

Southfork!

Sarah Hill had a chance to visit Southfork... You know it as the home of the long-running show "Dallas."

If you're interested in seeing more about the ranch, visit its website.

Here we go

The newscast is about to start... Early thanks to the NFL game.

Behind the Scenes: Sunday

We have a big crew on the West End preparing for our live coverage tonight. Managing Editor Randy Reeves is juggling all of the reporters, anchors and production crew. Very exciting stuff.

Coverage Explosion

Chris Gervino and the sports guys have been having all the fun. But, that's about to change. As I write this the full force of KOMU News is on it's way to Dallas. Starting Sunday night and rolling right up to kick-off, we'll have the Cotton Bowl covered on air and online. Jim Riek and Sarah Hill will join Chris for the KOMU Sports Show Sunday night with a look at the Tigers' week in the Big D.

You won't believe what Megan Murphy has planned for you on Monday morning. She's kicking up her boots and tasting the Texas lifestyle bigtime. She and Lauren Whitney will be live in
Ft. Worth to see how the other half of the Metroplex (they call it that, really) lives. Boots, Bullriders and real Texas cuisine.

As for me, my KOMU news car fires up in the morning. Look for us along I-44, US-69, and US-75. Honk and wave. We have an amazing long weekend planned for you. See you in Dallas, in person or on the air.